IknownotwhetherornoIshallbringitabout。Icouldwishthat，insteadofsomeothermemberofhissuccession，myfatherhadresignedtomethepassionateaffectionhehadinhisoldagetohishouseholdaffairs;hewashappyinthathecouldaccommodatehisdesirestohisfortune，andsatisfyhimselfwithwhathehad;politicalphilosophymaytomuchpurposecondemnthemeannessandsterilityofmyemployment，ifI
canoncecometorelishit，ashedid。Iamofopinionthatthemosthonourablecallingistoservethepublic，andtobeusefultomany，\"Fructusenimingeniietvirtutis，omnisquepraestantiae，tummaximuscapitur，quuminproximumquemqueconfertur:\"
[\"Forthegreatestenjoymentofevilandvirtue，andofallexcellence，isexperiencedwhentheyareconferredonsomeonenearest。\"——Cicero，DeAmicil。，c。]
formyself，Idisclaimit;partlyoutofconscience（forwhereIseetheweightthatliesuponsuchemployments，IperceivealsothelittlemeansIhavetosupplyit;andPlato，amasterinallpoliticalgovernmenthimself，neverthelesstookcaretoabstainfromit），andpartlyoutofcowardice。Icontentmyselfwithenjoyingtheworldwithoutbustle;
only—toliveanexcusablelife，andsuchasmayneitherbeaburdentomyselfnortoanyother。