"My friends, do not envy the rich, and don't believe them happy because they have nothing to do. The rich must work, after their fashion, under pain of being unhappy and of leading a miserable existence. Hence it is that, for the most part, they condemn themselves to work as you do. ... And do you know how one of this class passes his life who does not work? I will tell you: he thinks everything a bore, and he yawns. {181} "In the morning, he no sooner begins to dress than he stops short. He is so tired! He stretches his limbs, and--he yawns. "He next sets about his toilet, which is a very formidable affair to him; enters into his dressing-room quite a perfumery shop in its way--looks around him, and then--he yawns. "Breakfast-time comes. He goes to the breakfast-room, surveys the different dishes, knows not which to choose, for the poor man is not hungry, and--he yawns. "After breakfast, he takes up a paper and skims over it. Pugh! politics are so uninteresting. Then more than ever--he yawns. "Toward noon, or one o'clock, he must go out, and asks himself: Where shall I go to-day? Shall I go to Madame So-and-so? No, she is at the waters. I will go to Mr. So-and-so. By the way, he is in the country; and then--he yawns. "For something better to do, he seeks the promenade, where he meets a friend of his own stamp. They shake the tips of each other's fingers, not to hurt their hands, touch the brims of their hats, and then together, one more than the other,--they yawn. "He next takes a chair, adjusts his feet on the bars, places himself at his ease, thinks of nothing, looks vacantly into the air, or bites the head of his cane, and then--he yawns. {182} "In the evening he goes to the theatre, extends himself at full length in his box, gazes around him, listens, and then--he yawns. "He returns home very late. He is quite worn out and needs sleep, and ends the day as he began it--he yawns. "Not so the laborer: he rises early, goes to his work betimes, and he sings or whistles. "The breakfast-hour arrives. He loses no time in examining which dish he will partake of, for there is only one. He does not yawn over it, but eats with a good appetite, and in the same cheery mood he passes the remainder of the day. "My friends, don't be discontented with your lot. Don't say:--'If I were rich I would take my ease; for work is a blessing. Don't envy the rich, but be thankful for what God has given you. The honest and industrious workman, who has a good heart, and loves virtue, is the spoilt child of Providence." {183} Chapter VI. The Sermon Should Be Short. The Discourses of the Fathers were short. The French Mind is quick to apprehend. Sermons are generally too long. Sermons of Ten, Seven, and of Five Minutes.