enior Duke, who is living in Forest of Arden, consequent upon being dethroned
and exiled by his own brother, makes many favourable comments, including the
one that forms the title of this essay, on a life of adversity. Adversity here refers to
the adverse circumstances of those people who were earlier prosperous. People in
prosperity and power lead an artificial life.
They get so much of false admiration and regard that they forget that those honouring them are doing it not out of any sincere admiration for their personal qualities but for some ulterior motives of gaining some advantage from them. They live, therefore, in a false sense of security and plenty unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Powerful and prosperous people are always subject to conspiracies and intrigues
on the part of those who envy their positions and want to cheat them. They have few
friends and benefactors. Once they lose their position of eminence and prosperity,
they come to know people in their true colours. In adversity, only true friends stand
by you. Only those will come to you who have nothing to profit by your position or
wealth. Adversity thus greatly benefits a man by distinguishing between the true and
false friends. It strengthens bonds of affection and imparts great emotional strength.
Man becomes better prepared to face the world of reality.
Again, adversity reveals what are the stark necessities of life and what are the
luxuries, a prosperous man takes his luxuries for necessities and is unable to distin-
guish between the essentials and inessentials. A man in adverse circumstances can
realise the difficulties of similarly placed people and develops sympathy for the de-
prived.
Many a time, he makes it a mission of his life to bring relief to the poor and to
make for their emancipation. The life of Abraham Lincoln, who was born in a log
cabin but went on to become the President of USA is a case in point. Nobody did
greater service to the slaves and the deprived as Lincoln did.
