The Doctrine of this Fable is held forth to us in a Thousand Cases of
Curiosity, Novelty, _&c._ We make a Wonderful Matter of Things at a
Distance, that Signifie Little or Nothing at all, nearer hand. And we are
as much Impos’d upon in the Prospect of our Hopes and Fears: The Dangers,
and the Blessings that we either Dread, or Propose to our selves, look
a great Deal Bigger a far off, then in Effect they are. And what’s the
Mystery of All this now, but that we judge of Things by False Images and
Appearances, without Entering into the True State and Reason of them? So
that at this Rate, we divide our Lives, betwixt Flattering Illusions, and
Restless Apprehensions: Never at Ease, either on the One side, or on the
Other. The Mischief is, that we are Over-solicitous about Matters that
are out of our Power, and Star-gazing after Futurities; when in truth,
our Bus’ness lies just under our Noses; That is to say, in the Attending,
and Emproving of Present Opportunities. In few Words, a Wise Man Counts
his very Minutes: He lets no Time slip him; for Time is Life: which he
makes Long, by the Good Husbandry of a Right Use and Application of it,
from One Moment to Another. This is not yet to Exclude the Providence of
Tracing Premisses into Consequences, or Causes into their Effects; but to
Caution us not to look at the Wrong End of the Glass; and so Invert the
Prospect. We see Things at hand, as they really are, but at a Distance,
only as they seem to be: Patience and Consideration will set us Right in
our Judgments and in our Measures. It is much thereabouts with the Common
People too, in the Matter of Remote Grievances. They Represent, and Fancy
to Themselves, Hell, Slavery and Damnation at a Distance, in many a Case,
which at hand signifies not so much as a Flea biting.