An old philosophical friend of mine was grown， form experience， very cautious in this particular， and carefully avoided any intimacy with such people. He had， like other philosophers， a thermometer to show him the heat of the weather， and a barometer to mark when it was likely to prove good or bad； but， there being no instrument invented to discover， at f？irst sight， this unpleasing disposition in a person， he for that purpose made use of his legs； one of which was remarkably handsome， the other， by some accident， crooked and deformed. If a stranger， at the f？irst interview， regarded his ugly leg more than his handsome one， he doubted him. If he spoke of it， and took no notice of the handsome leg， that was suff？icient to determine my philosopher to have no further acquaintance with him. Every body has not this two-legged instrument， but every one with a little attention， may observe signs of that carping， fault-f？inding disposition， and take the same resolution of avoiding the acquaintance of those infected with it. I therefore advise those critical， querulous， discontented， unhappy people， that if they wish to be respected and beloved by others， and happy in themselves they should leave off looking at the ugly leg.
这世上有两种人，他们拥有着同样的健康、财富以及其他生活上的享受，但是，一种人快乐，另一种人却烦恼。这很大程度上缘于他们对事物的观点不同，比如对人和对事，因此产生了快乐和烦恼的差别。
人无论处于什么境地，总是会遇到“幸”与“不幸”。不管在什么场合，与什么样的人接触并进行交流，总有让他开心或烦心的；无论在什么样的餐桌前吃饭，酒肉总有对味和不对味的，餐具也总有精致和粗糙的；无论在什么气候下，他们总能遭遇好天气或坏天气；无论哪个政府统治，法律条文总有好坏之分；再伟大的诗句或著作中，总能挑出精彩的和平庸的；差不多每一个人的脸上，都有美丽和难看的地方，每一个人，也总有优点和缺点。