Imadealittlebook, inwhichIallottedapageforeachofthevirtues.[68] Irul'deachpagewithredink, soastohavesevencolumns, oneforeachdayoftheweek, 'dthesecolumnswiththirteenredlines, markingthebeginningofeachlinewiththefirstletterofoneofthevirtues, onwhichline, andinitspropercolumn, Imightmark, byalittleblackspot, everyfaultIfounduponexaminationtohavebeencommittedrespectingthatvirtueuponthatday.
Ideterminedtogiveaweek', inthefirstweek, mygreatguardwastoavoideverytheleastoffenseagainstTemperance, leavingtheothervirtuestotheirordinarychance, , ifinthefirstweekIcouldkeepmyfirstline, markedT, clearofspots, Isuppos'dthehabitofthatvirtuesomuchstrengthen'd, anditsoppositeweaken'd, thatImightventureextendingmyattentiontoincludethenext, , Icouldgothro' acoursecompleatinthirteenweeks, ,havingagardentoweed, doesnotattempttoeradicateallthebadherbsatonce, whichwouldexceedhisreachandhisstrength, butworksononeofthebedsatatime, and, havingaccomplish'dthefirst, proceedstoasecond, soIshouldhave, Ihoped, theencouragingpleasureofseeingonmypagestheprogressImadeinvirtue, byclearingsuccessivelymylinesoftheirspots, tillintheend, byanumberofcourses, Ishouldbehappyinviewingacleanbook, afterathirteenweeks' dailyexamination.
Formofthepages.
ThismylittlebookhadforitsmottotheselinesfromAddison'sCato:
“'sapoweraboveus
(Andthatthereis, allnaturecriesaloudThro' allherworks),
Hemustdelightinvirtue;
Andthatwhichhedelightsinmustbehappy.”
AnotherfromCicero,
