if thou wilt live cheerfully. Certainly there is nothing better,
than for a man to confine himself to necessary actions;
to such and so many only, as reason in a creature that knows itself
born for society, will command and enjoin. This will not only
procure that cheerfulness, which from the goodness, but that also,
which from the paucity of actions doth usually proceed.
For since it is so, that most of those things, which we either
speak or do, are unnecessary; if a man shall cut them off,
it must needs follow that he shall thereby gain much leisure,
and save much trouble, and therefore at every action a man must
privately by way of admonition suggest unto himself, What? may not
this that now I go about, be of the number of unnecessary actions?
Neither must he use himself to cut off actions only, but thoughts
and imaginations also, that are unnecessary for so will unnecessary
consequent actions the better be prevented and cut off.
XXI. Try also how a good man's life; (of one, who is well pleased
with those things whatsoever, which among the common changes and
chances of this world fall to his own lot and share; and can live
well contented and fully satisfied in the justice of his own proper
present action, and in the goodness of his disposition for the future:)
will agree with thee. Thou hast had experience of that other
kind of life: make now trial of this also. Trouble not thyself
any more henceforth, reduce thyself unto perfect simplicity.
Doth any man offend? It is against himself that he doth offend:
why should it trouble thee? Hath anything happened unto thee?
It is well, whatsoever it be, it is that which of all the common chances
of the world from the very beginning in the series of all other things
that have, or shall happen, was destinated and appointed unto thee.
To comprehend all in a few words, our life is short; we must
endeavour to gain the present time with best discretion and justice.
Use recreation with sobriety. XXII. Either this world is a kosmoz
or comely piece, because all disposed and governed by certain order:
or if it be a mixture, though confused, yet still it is a comely piece.
For is it possible that in thee there should be any beauty at all,
and that in the whole world there should be nothing but disorder
and confusion? and all things in it too, by natural different
properties one from another differenced and distinguished; and yet
all through diffused, and by natural sympathy, one to another united,
as they are?
XXIII. A black or malign disposition, an effeminate disposition;
an hard inexorable disposition, a wild inhuman disposition,
a sheepish disposition, a childish disposition; a blockish,
a false, a scurril, a fraudulent, a tyrannical: what then?
If he be a stranger in the world, that knows not the things
that are in it; why not he a stranger as well, that wonders
at the things that are done in it?