Never delay, even for an instant; for that first indulgence will bring another in its train, and then a third, and then others after it; and finally the senses will yield more easily than at the beginning, being already allured and captivated by the pleasure which they have tasted. The consequence of this is, that, when it is too late we begin to act, or neglect altogether a duty which is then too irksome.
Thus gradually the habit of sloth is formed, which in time so grows upon us, and brings us into such a state, that at the very instant, when we are bound hand and foot with the chains of sloth, we vainly purpose to be more diligent and more active at another time, being obliged with blushes to own to ourselves our present excessive indolence.
This sloth runs through every thing we do, and not only infects the will, by making it hate work, but also blinds the understanding, so that it cannot detect how vain and unfounded are its purposes of doing diligently and promptly, at some future day, that which should be done at once, but which is either voluntarily left undone, or deferred to some other time.
And it is not enough to do at once what you have to do: we must, in order to do it as perfectly as possible, do it at the very time which the nature and quality of the work de-
