When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly employing himself in political bustles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect; _he pays indeed_, says I, _too much for his whistle_. If I knew a miser, who gave up every kind of comfortable living; all the pleasures of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the sake of accumulating wealth; _poor man_, says I, _you do, indeed, pay too much for your whistle_. When I meet a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal sensations--_Mistaken man_, says I, _you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure. You give too much for your whistle._ If I see one fond of fine clothes, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in prison; _alas_, says I, _he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle_. When I see a beautiful sweet-tempered girl, married to an ill-natured brute of a husband; _what a pity it is_, says I, _that she has paid so much for her whistle_. In short, I conceived, that great part of the miseries of mankind were brought upon them, by the false estimates they had made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their _whistle_. The following admirable satire against _prejudice_, can never be too often read by the ill-natured and hypochondrical. THE HANDSOME AND UGLY LEG. There are two sorts of people in the world, who, with equal advantages of life, become, the one happy, and the other miserable. This arises, very much, from the different views in which they consider things, and the effect of those different views upon their own minds. In every situation men can be placed, they may find conveniences and inconveniences; in every company, persons and conversation more or less pleasing; at every table, meats and drinks of better or worse taste; dishes better and worse dressed; in every climate, good and bad weather; and under every government, good and bad laws, and a good and bad administration of those laws; in every poem, faults and beauties; in almost every face, and every person, fine features and sad defects, good and bad qualities. Under these circumstances, the two classes above mentioned, fix their attention--those who are disposed to be _happy_, on the _conveniences_ of things, the _pleasant parts_ of conversation, the _well dressed_ dishes, the _goodness_ of the wine, the _fine weather_, &c. and enjoy all with _cheerfulness_. Those who are to be _unhappy_, think and speak only of the contraries. Hence they are continually discontented themselves, and, by their remarks, sour the pleasures of society, and make themselves every where disagreeable.