Journal of Dr GFW

Because it was in some way a dereliction of duty and every departure from that is a source of pain. Now my notions are that is our duty and should be our aim and pleasure to use our early days in such way as we can review our past life with pleasure. If we cannot do this, we spend a life of misery even in our pretended enjoyment. If you, today, spend ten dollars in jovial glee, surrounded with a few companions, and tomorrow are sick and unable to help yourslef and require some little restorative and have not the means to obtain it by the generosity of others, you may obtain it. But does it not produce a painful reflection and your pleasure changes into pain, sorrow, and remorse? And why? Because you have disregarded your duty to yourself. You misapplied the munificence of God. You were dishonest even, because you applied that which had been given you for your good for your benefit to a purpose not intended by the giver. Such will be the case only much more lamentable if youth or the action period of life be squandered and wasted as fast as time advances. Now only imagine yourself old, unable to go about or to endure the fatigues of labor, dependent on the cold charity of a cold world. Do you not think of the spent time, the property you squandered vainly seeking for pleasure. Do you not think that you could have, byhaving been economical and careful in the prime of life, laid up sufficient to have made yourself comfortable in your old age? I hope you will be wise and pursue the course which will in every period yield you pleasure, that your latter days may be comfortable and respectable and that in the evening of life you may have the pleasure of plenty and a retrospection productive of happiness.