Let us suppose that Socrates, or Shakespear, or Rousseau had been seized with despair and died in youth when they were as young as I am; do you think that we and all the world should not have lost incalculable improvement in our good feelings and our happiness thro' their destruction.

I am not like one of these; they influenced millions: but if I can influence but a hundred, but ten, but one solitary individual, so as in any way to lead him from ill to good, that will be a joy to repay me for all my sufferings, though they were a million times multiplied; and that hope will support me to bear them[.] "And those who do not work for posterity; or working, as may be my case, will not be known by it; yet they, believe me, have also their duties.

You grieve because you are unhappy[;] it is happiness you seek but you despair of obtaining it.

But if you can bestow happiness on another; if you can give one other person only one hour of joy ought you not to live to do it?
And every one has it in their power to do that.

The inhabitants of this world suffer so much pain.