Beingthethirdsonofthefamilyandnotbredtoanytrade,myheadbegantobefilledveryearlywithramblingthoughts.Myfather,whowasveryancient,hadgivenmeacompetentshareoflearning,asfarashouse-educationandacountryfreeschoolgenerallygo,anddesignedmeforthelaw;butIwouldbesatisfiedwithnothingbutgoingtosea;andmyinclinationtothisledmesostronglyagainstthewill,nay,thecommandsofmyfather,andagainstalltheentreatiesandpersuasionsofmymotherandotherfriends,thatthereseemedtobesomethingfatalinthatpropensityofnature,tendingdirectlytothelifeofmiserywhichwastobefallme.Myfather,awiseandgraveman,gavemeseriousandexcellentcounselagainstwhatheforesawwasmydesign.Hecalledmeonemorningintohischamber,wherehewasconfinedbythegout,andexpostulatedverywarmlywithmeuponthissubject.Heaskedmewhatreasons,morethanamerewanderinginclination,Ihadforleavingfather'shouseandmynativecountry,whereImightbewellintroduced,andhadaprospectofraisingmyfortunebyapplicationandindustry,withalifeofeaseandpleasure.Hetoldmeitwasmenofdesperatefortunesononehand,orofaspiring,superiorfortunesontheother,whowentabroaduponadventures,torisebyenterprise,andmakethemselvesfamousinundertakingsofanatureoutofthecommonroad;thatthesethingswerealleithertoofarabovemeortoofarbelowme;thatminewasthemiddlestate,orwhatmightbecalledtheupperstationoflowlife,whichhehadfound,bylongexperience,wasthebeststateintheworld,themostsuitedtohumanhappiness,notexposedtothemiseriesandhardships,thelabourandsufferingsofthemechanicpartofmankind,andnotembarrassedwiththepride,luxury,am