The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: not from consciousness of our attainments, but
insensibility of our wants.
Nothing can be great which is not right. Nothing
which reason condemns can be suitable to the dignity
of the human mind. To be driven by external
motives from the path which our own heart approves,
to give way to any thing but conviction, to
suffer the opinion of others to rule our choice, or
overpower our resolves, is to submit tamely to the
lowest and most ignominious slavery, and to resign
the right of directing our own lives.
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