Rejoice!

Franklin maintains that it’s in fact a pretty good world; Job was wrong to complain that our days are few and full of trouble, because were it true that our days are few, so, too, would be our troubles. To complain as the reverend poet does is not much different from the child who gets angry because he wants to have his cake and eat it too. So Franklin closes by saying that we should stand with Solomon, who advises us to eat with joy and drink wine with a merry heart: “Let us rejoice and bless God that we are neither Oysters, Hogs, or Dray-Horses; and not stand repining that He has not made us Angels; lest we be found unworthy of that share of Happiness He has thought fit to allow us.”

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