Ifwecontemplatethehumanpowers，whetherofbodyormind，weshallfindthemmuchbettersuitedtothesuperintendenceofourprivateconcerns，andtotheadministeringoccasionalassistancetoothers，thantotheacceptingtheformaltrust，ofsuperintendingtheaffairs，andwatchingforthehappinessofmillions。Ifwerecollectthephysicalandmoralequalityofmankind，itwillappearaveryviolentusurpationuponthisprincipletoplaceoneindividualatsovastanintervalfromtherestofhisspecies。Letusthenconsiderhowsuchpersonsareusuallyeducated，ormaybeexpectedtobeeducated，andhowwelltheyarepreparedforthisillustriousoffice。
Itisacommonopinion“Thatadversityistheschoolinwhichallextraordinaryvirtuemustbeformed。HenrythefourthofFrance，andElizabethofEngland，experiencedalongseriesofcalamitiesbeforetheywereelevatedtoathrone。Alfred，ofwhomtheobscurechroniclesofabarbarousagerecordsuchsuperiorvirtues，passedthroughthevicissitudesofavagabondandafugitive。Eventhemixed，and，uponthewhole，thevicious，yetaccomplished，charactersofFredericandAlexanderwerenotformedwithouttheinterferenceofinjusticeandpersecution。”
Thishypothesishoweverseemstohavebeenpushedtoofar。Itisnomorereasonabletosupposethatvirtuecannotbematuredwithoutinjusticethantobelieve，whichhasbeenanotherprevailingopinion，thathumanhappinesscannotbesecuredwithoutimpostureanddeceit。1*Boththeseerrorshaveacommonsource，adistrustoftheomnipotenceoftruth。Iftheiradvocateshadreflectedmoredeeplyuponthenatureofthehumanmind，theywouldhaveperceivedthatallourvoluntaryactionsarejudgementsoftheunderstanding，andthatactionsofthemostjudiciousandusefulnaturemustinfalliblyflowfromarealandgenuineconvictionoftruth。
But，thoughtheexaggeratedopinionherestated，oftheusefulnessofadversity，beerroneous，itis，likemanyotherofourerrors，alliedtoimportanttruth。Ifadversitybenotnecessary，itmustbeallowedthatprosperityispernicious。Notagenuineandphilosophicalprosperity，whichrequiresnomorethansoundhealthwithasoundintellect，thecapacityofprocuringforourselves，byamoderateandwellregulatedindustry，themeansofsubsistence，virtueandwisdom：butprosperityasitisusuallyunderstood，thatis，acompetenceprovidedforusbythecapriceofhumaninstitution，invitingourbodiestoindolence，andourmindstolethargy；
andstillmoreprosperity，asitisunderstoodinthecaseofnoblemenandprinces，thatis，asuperfluityofwealth，whichdeprivesusofallintercoursewithourfellowmenuponequalterms，andmakesusprisonersofstate，gratifiedindeedwithbaublesandsplendour，butshutoutfromtherealbenefitsofsociety，andtheperceptionoftruth。Iftruthbesointrinsicallypowerfulastomakeadversityunnecessarytoexciteourattentiontoit，itisneverthelesscertainthatluxuryandwealthhavethemostfataleffectsindistortingit。Ifitrequirenoforeignaidtoassistitsenergies，weoughthowevertobeuponourguardagainstprinciplesandsituationsthetendencyofwhichmaybeperpetuallytocounteractit。