Ming Tsong, an emperor of China, celebrated for his wisdom and prudence,
was accustomed to say, “A state is to be governed with the care and
constant attention that is required of a person managing a horse: I have
often,” said he, “travelled on horseback over very rough and mountainous
countries, and never got any hurt, always taking care to keep a steady
rein; but in the smoothest plains, thinking the same precautions
useless, and letting loose the reins, my horse has stumbled and put me
in danger:--thus is it with government, for when it is in the most
flourishing condition, the prince ought never to abate anything of his
usual vigilance[7].”--And thus also, extending the application of this
familiar but striking illustration to all mankind, we would say, is it
with the private affairs of men of all stations, from the great lord to
the labouring husbandman, from the wealthy merchant to the poor
mechanic; and let every one keep a steady rein when all seems fair and
even with him. He is pretty sure to do so, in the presence of danger and
difficulty, when his faculties and energies are all kept awake, and
generally strengthened in proportion to the difficulty to be overcome.
Indeed let any man take a review of his past life, and he will find
almost invariably that where he has most failed will be when he allowed
himself to be lulled into security, when he suspected no crosses and was
prepared with no caution, when in easy confidence he had dropped the
reins on the neck of his horse who seemed to tread on a smooth sward or
a Macadamized road--but tripped and fell! To take another illustration,
it is the same with “ships that go down to the great deep.” It is not
generally while the storm is raging, tremendous though that storm may
be,--it is not while sailing along the perilous shore, or tracking her
way through labyrinths of unknown islands, or the ice-mazes of the polar
regions, that the ship is most liable to wreck or founder. No! the
catalogue of shipwrecks and maritime calamities is swelled, for the most
part, by such as were carelessly scudding over summer seas, with all
sails set and all hands on board, joyful and confident;--by such as were
sailing through channels and straits so familiar to them that the lead
was left idle at the mainchains, and no precaution deemed necessary; by
such as from the furthermost regions of the earth were within sight of
their own country; by such, even, as the Royal George, were tranquilly
anchored in their own ports, with all the crew given up to the enjoyment
of that festivity or repose which nothing seemed likely to trouble.
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Footnote 7:
Duhalde.
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