But there is one time at night when he must go home， that his friends may sleep； and another time in the morning， when all the world agrees to shut out interruption. These are the moments of which poor Sober trembles at the thought. But the misery of these tiresome intervals， he has many means of alleviating. He has persuaded himself that the manual arts are undeservedly overlooked； he has observed in many trades the effects of close thought， and just ratiocination. From speculation he proceeded to practice， and supplied himself with the tools of a carpenter， with which he mended his coalbox very successfully， and which he still continues to employ， as he finds occasion.
He has attempted at other times the crafts of the shoemaker， tinman， plumber， and potter； in all these arts he has failed， and resolves to qualify himself for them by better information. But his daily amusement is chemistry. He has a small furnace， which he employs in distillation， and which has long been the solace of his life. He draws oils and waters， and essences and spirits， which he knows to be of no use； sits and counts the drops as they come from his retort， and forgets that， whilst a drop is falling， a moment flies away.
Poor Sober！ I have often teased him with reproof， and he has often promised reformation； for no man is so much open to conviction as the Idler， but there is none on whom it operates so little. What will be the effect of this paper I know not； perhaps he will read it and laugh， and light the fire in his furnace； but my hope is that he will quit his trifles， and betake himself to rational and useful diligence.
很多德育家指出，驕傲是人類所有惡習中影響力最為廣泛的。它的表現形式繁雜多樣，隱藏方式也多種多樣。就如同天邊月兒晶瑩透明的麵紗，偽裝既有光彩之處又有隱晦之所。雖然遮蓋，亦可一眼望穿。
誠然，我無意降低驕傲的危害程度，但不知道閑散是否會成為它的勁敵。