When I saw another fond of popularity， constantly employing himself in political bustles， neglecting his own affairs， and ruining them by that neglect， He pays， indeed， said I， too much for his whistle.
If I knew a miser， who gave up every kind of comfortable living， all the pleasure of doing good to others， all the esteem of his fellow-citizens， and the joys of benevolent friendship， for the sake of accumulating wealth， Poor man， said I， you pay too much for your whistle.
When I met with a man of pleasure， sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind， or of his fortune， to mere corporeal sensations， and ruining his health in their pursuit， Mistaken man， said I， you are providing pain for yourself， instead of pleasure； you give too much for your whistle.
If I see one fond of appearance， or fine clothes， fine houses， fine furniture， fine equipages， all above his fortune， for which he contracts debts， and ends his career in a prison， Alas！ say I， he has paid dear， very dear， for his whistle.
When I see a beautiful sweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband， What a pity， say I， that she should pay so much for a whistle！
In short， I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things， and by their giving too much for their whistles.
Adieu， my dear friend， and believe me ever yours very sincerely and with unalterable affection.
我親愛的朋友，我已？ 收到你的兩封來信，周三、周六各一封。時光飛逝，一眨眼，又到了周三。我今天不再祈求收到你的來信，因為以前的信，我還沒來得及回複。我承認自己懶惰，又不愛寫信，可是如果不回信的話，我又怕自己再也收不到你那令人開心的來信。想到這裏，我便不得不拿起筆來了。B先生好心地告訴我，他想明日去你的家中拜訪，而不是在今天晚上。坐在桌前心裏想著與你快樂的接觸，我整個晚上都在想念你，給你寫回信，並反複閱讀你的來信。