Heevenlooksforwardwithsatisfactiontotheprospectofforeignwar，orcivildissension；and，withsecrettransportanddelight，seesthroughalltheconfusionandbloodshedwhichattendthem，theprobabilityofthosewished-foroccasionspresentingthemselves，inwhichhemaydrawuponhimselftheattentionandadmirationofmankind。Themanofrankanddistinction，onthecontrary，whosewholegloryconsistsintheproprietyofhisordinarybehaviour，whoiscontentedwiththehumblerenownwhichthiscanaffordhim，andhasnotalentstoacquireanyother，isunwillingtoembarrasshimselfwithwhatcanbeattendedeitherwithdifficultyordistress。Tofigureataballishisgreattriumph，andtosucceedinanintrigueofgallantry，hishighestexploit。Hehasanaversiontoallpublicconfusions，notfromtheloveofmankind，forthegreatneverlookupontheirinferiorsastheirfellow-creatures；noryetfromwantofcourage，forinthatheisseldomdefective；butfromaconsciousnessthathepossessesnoneofthevirtueswhicharerequiredinsuchsituations，andthatthepublicattentionwillcertainlybedrawnawayfromhimbyothers。Hemaybewillingtoexposehimselftosomelittledanger，andtomakeacampaignwhenithappenstobethefashion。Butheshudderswithhorroratthethoughtofanysituationwhichdemandsthecontinualandlongexertionofpatience，industry，fortitude，andapplicationofthought。Thesevirtuesarehardlyevertobemetwithinmenwhoareborntothosehighstations。Inallgovernmentsaccordingly，eveninmonarchies，thehighestofficesaregenerallypossessed，andthewholedetailoftheadministrationconducted，bymenwhowereeducatedinthemiddleandinferiorranksoflife，whohavebeencarriedforwardbytheirownindustryandabilities，thoughloadedwiththejealousy，andopposedbytheresentment，ofallthosewhowereborntheirsuperiors，andtowhomthegreat，afterhavingregardedthemfirstwithcontempt，andafterwardswithenvy，areatlastcontentedtotrucklewiththesameabjectmeannesswithwhichtheydesirethattherestofmankindshouldbehavetothemselves。
Itisthelossofthiseasyempireovertheaffectionsofmankindwhichrendersthefallfromgreatnesssoinsupportable。
WhenthefamilyofthekingofMacedonwasledintriumphbyPaulusAemilius，theirmisfortunes，itissaid，madethemdividewiththeirconquerortheattentionoftheRomanpeople。Thesightoftheroyalchildren，whosetenderagerenderedtheminsensibleoftheirsituation，struckthespectators，amidstthepublicrejoicingsandprosperity，withthetenderestsorrowandcompassion。Thekingappearednextintheprocession；andseemedlikeoneconfoundedandastonished，andbereftofallsentiment，bythegreatnessofhiscalamities。Hisfriendsandministersfollowedafterhim。Astheymovedalong，theyoftencasttheireyesupontheirfallensovereign，andalwaysburstintotearsatthesight；theirwholebehaviourdemonstratingthattheythoughtnotoftheirownmisfortunes，butwereoccupiedentirelybythesuperiorgreatnessofhis。ThegenerousRomans，onthecontrary，beheldhimwithdisdainandindignation，andregardedasunworthyofallcompassionthemanwhocouldbesomean-spiritedastobeartoliveundersuchcalamities。Yetwhatdidthosecalamitiesamountto？Accordingtothegreaterpartofhistorians，hewastospendtheremainderofhisdays，undertheprotectionofapowerfulandhumanepeople，inastatewhichinitselfshouldseemworthyofenvy，astateofplenty，ease，leisure，andsecurity，fromwhichitwasimpossibleforhimevenbyhisownfollytofall。Buthewasnolongertobesurroundedbythatadmiringmoboffools，flatterers，anddependants，whohadformerlybeenaccustomedtoattenduponallhismotions。Hewasnolongertobegazeduponbymultitudes，nortohaveitinhispowertorenderhimselftheobjectoftheirrespect，theirgratitude，theirlove，theiradmiration。Thepassionsofnationswerenolongertomouldthemselvesuponhisinclinations。Thiswasthatinsupportablecalamitywhichbereavedthekingofallsentiment；whichmadehisfriendsforgettheirownmisfortunes；
andwhichtheRomanmagnanimitycouldscarceconceivehowanymancouldbesomean-spiritedastobeartosurvive。
’Love，’saysmyLordRochfaucault，’iscommonlysucceededbyambition；butambitionishardlyeversucceededbylove。’Thatpassion，whenonceithasgotentirepossessionofthebreast，willadmitneitherarivalnorasuccessor。Tothosewhohavebeenaccustomedtothepossession，oreventothehopeofpublicadmiration，allotherpleasuressickenanddecay。Ofallthediscardedstatesmenwhofortheirowneasehavestudiedtogetthebetterofambition，andtodespisethosehonourswhichtheycouldnolongerarriveat，howfewhavebeenabletosucceed？Thegreaterparthavespenttheirtimeinthemostlistlessandinsipidindolence，chagrinedatthethoughtsoftheirowninsignificancy，incapableofbeinginterestedintheoccupationsofprivatelife，withoutenjoyment，exceptwhentheytalkedoftheirformergreatness，andwithoutsatisfaction，exceptwhentheywereemployedinsomevainprojecttorecoverit。Areyouinearnestresolvednevertobarteryourlibertyforthelordlyservitudeofacourt，buttolivefree，fearless，andindependent？Thereseemstobeonewaytocontinueinthatvirtuousresolution；andperhapsbutone。Neverentertheplacefromwhencesofewhavebeenabletoreturn；nevercomewithinthecircleofambition；noreverbringyourselfintocomparisonwiththosemastersoftheearthwhohavealreadyengrossedtheattentionofhalfmankindbeforeyou。