We often magnify troubles and difficulties, and look at them till they
seem much greater than they really are.
"Dangers are no more light, if they once seem light; and more dangers have
deceived men than forced them: nay, it were better to meet some dangers
half way, though they come nothing near, than to keep too long a watch
upon their approaches; for if a man watch too long, it is odds he will
fall asleep." [5]
Foresight is very wise, but foresorrow is very foolish; and castles are at
any rate better than dungeons, in the air.
Some of our troubles, no doubt, are real enough, but yet are not evils.
It happens, unfortunately too often, that by some false step, intentional
or unintentional, we have missed the right road, and gone wrong. Can we
then retrace our steps? can we recover what is lost? This may be done. It
is too gloomy a view to affirm that
"A word too much, or a kiss too long,
And the world is never the same again."
There are two noble sayings of Socrates, that to do evil is more to be
avoided than to suffer it; and that when a man has done evil, it is better
for him to be punished than to be unpunished.
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