agreeable young Lady; and gave him a Share in the Business. See what
Honesty and Industry will do for us. Half the great Men in
_London_, I am told, have made themselves by this Means, and who
would but be honest and industrious, when it is so much our Interest
and our Duty.

After some Years the Merchant died, and left Mr. _Lovewell_
possessed of many fine Ships at Sea, and much Money, and he was happy
in a Wife, who had brought him a Son and two Daughters, all dutiful
and obedient. The Treasures and good Things, however, of this Life are
so uncertain, that a Man can never be happy, unless he lays the
Foundation for it in his own Mind. So true is that Copy in our Writing
Books, which tells us, that _a contented Mind is a continual
Feast_.

After some Years successful Trade, he thought his Circumstances
sufficient to insure his own Ships, or, in other Words, to send his
Ships and Goods to Sea without being insured by others, as is
customary among Merchants; when, unfortunately for him, four of them
richly laden were lost at Sea. This he supported with becoming
Resolution; but the next Mail brought him Advice, that nine others
were taken by the _French_, with whom we were then at War; and
this, together with the Failure of three foreign Merchants whom he had
trusted, compleated his Ruin. He was then obliged to call his
Creditors together, who took his Effects, and being angry with him for
the imprudent Step of not insuring his Ships, left him destitute of
all Subsistence. Nor did the Flatterers of his Fortune, those who had
lived by his Bounty when in his Prosperity, pay the least Regard
either to him or his Family. So true is another Copy, that you will
find in your Writing Book, which says, _Misfortune tries our