It is a precept oftentimes inculcated, that we should not entertain an
hope of any thing in life which lies at a great distance from us. The
shortness and uncertainty of our time here, makes such a kind of hope
unreasonable and absurd. The grave lies unseen between us and the object
which we reach after: where one man lives to enjoy the good he has in
view, ten thousand are cut off in the pursuit of it.
Men of warm imaginations and towering thoughts are apt to overlook the
goods of fortune which are near them, for something that glitters in the
sight at a distance; to neglect solid and substantial happiness, for what
is showy and superficial; and to contemn that good that lies within their
reach, for that which they are not capable of attaining. Hope calculates
its schemes for a long and durable life; presses forward to imaginary
points of bliss; and grasps at impossibilities; and consequently very
often insnares men into beggary, ruin, and dishonour.
What I have here said, may serve as a moral to an Arabian fable, which
I find translated into French by Monsieur Galland. The fable has in it
such a wild, but natural symplicity, that I question not but my reader
will be as much pleased with it as I have been, and that he will consider
himself, if he reflects on the several amusements of hope which have
sometimes passed in his mind, as a near relation to the Persian Glass-man.
Alnaschar, says the fable, was a very idle fellow, that never would
set his hand to any business during his father’s life. When his father
died, he left him to the value of an hundred drachmas in Persian money.
Alnaschar, in order to make the best of it, laid it out in glasses,
bottles, and the finest earthenware. These he piled up in a large open
basket, and having made choice of a very little shop, placed the basket
at his feet, and leaned his back upon the wall, in expectation of
customers. As he sat in this posture, with his eyes upon the basket, he
fell into a most amusing train of thought, and was overheard by one of
his neighbours, as he talked to himself in the following manner:
“This basket,” says he, “cost me, at the wholesale merchant’s, an hundred
drachmas, which is all I have in the world. I shall quickly make two
hundred of it, by selling it in retail. These two hundred drachmas will
in a very little while rise to four hundred, which of course will amount
in time to four thousand. Four thousand drachmas cannot fail of making
eight thousand. As soon as by this means I am master of ten thousand, I
will lay aside my trade of a glass-man, and turn jeweller. I shall then
deal in diamonds, pearls, and all sorts of rich stones. When I have got
together as much wealth as I can well desire, I will make a purchase of
the finest house I can find, with lands, slaves, eunuchs, and horses. I
shall then begin to enjoy myself, and make a noise in the world. I will
not, however, stop there, but still continue my traffic, until I have
got together an hundred thousand drachmas. When I have thus made myself
master of an hundred thousand drachmas, I shall naturally set myself on
the footing of a prince, and will demand the grand vizier’s daughter in
marriage, after having represented to that minister the information which
I have received of the beauty, wit, discretion, and other high qualities
which his daughter possesses. I will let him know at the same time, that
it is my intention to make him a present of a thousand pieces of gold,
on our marriage night. As soon as I have married the grand vizier’s
daughter, I will buy her twelve black eunuchs, the youngest and best
that can be bought for money. I must afterwards make my father-in-law a
visit, with a great train of equipage. And when I am placed at his right
hand, which he will do of course, if it be only to honour his daughter,
I will give him the thousand pieces of gold which I promised him, and
afterwards, to his great surprise, will present him with another purse
of the same value, with some short speech, as, ‘Sir, you see I am a man
of my word; I always give more than I promise.’
“When I have brought the princess to my house, I shall take a particular
care to breed her in a due respect to me, before I give the reins to love
and dalliance. To this end I shall confine her to her own apartment, make
her a short visit, and talk but little to her. Her women will represent
to me that she is inconsolable by reason of my unkindness, and beg me,
with tears, to caress her, and let her sit down by me; but I shall still
remain inexorable, and will turn my back upon her all the first night.
Her mother will then come and bring her daughter to me, as I am seated
upon my sofa. The daughter, with tears in her eyes, will fling herself
at my feet, and beg of me to receive her into my favour. Then will I, to
imprint in her a thorough veneration for my person, draw up my legs and
spurn her from me with my foot, in such a manner that she shall fall
down several paces from the sofa.”
Alnaschar was entirely swallowed up in this chimerical vision, and could
not forbear acting with his foot what he had in his thoughts; so that
unluckily striking his basket of brittle ware, which was the foundation
of all his grandeur, he kicked his glasses to a great distance from him
into the street, and broke them into ten thousand pieces.