is expedient to the whole. And thus much to content us
might suffice, that it is expedient for the whole in general.
But yet this also shalt thou generally perceive, if thou dost
diligently take heed, that whatsoever doth happen to any one man
or men.... And now I am content that the word expedient,
should more generally be understood of those things which we
otherwise call middle things, or things indifferent;
as health, wealth, and the like.
XLI. As the ordinary shows of the theatre and of other
such places, when thou art presented with them, affect thee;
as the same things still seen, and in the same fashion,
make the sight ingrateful and tedious; so must all the things
that we see all our life long affect us. For all things,
above and below, are still the same, and from the same causes.
When then will there be an end?
XLII. Let the several deaths of men of all sorts, and of all
sorts of professions, and of all sort of nations, be a perpetual
object of thy thoughts,... so that thou mayst even come down
to Philistio, Phoebus, and Origanion. Pass now to other generations.
Thither shall we after many changes, where so many brave orators are;
where so many grave philosophers; Heraclitus, Pythagoras, Socrates.
Where so many heroes of the old times; and then so many brave
captains of the latter times; and so many kings. After all these,
where Eudoxus, Hipparchus, Archimedes; where so many other sharp,
generous, industrious, subtile, peremptory dispositions;
and among others, even they, that have been the greatest scoffers
and deriders of the frailty and brevity of this our human life;
as Menippus, and others, as many as there have been such as he.
Of all these consider, that they long since are all dead, and gone.
And what do they suffer by it! Nay they that have not so much
as a name remaining, what are they the worse for it? One thing
there is, and that only, which is worth our while in this world,
and ought by us much to be esteemed; and that is, according to truth
and righteousness, meekly and lovingly to converse with false,
and unrighteous men.
XLIII. When thou wilt comfort and cheer thyself, call to mind the several
gifts and virtues of them, whom thou dost daily converse with;
as for example, the industry of the one; the modesty of another;
the liberality of a third; of another some other thing.
For nothing can so much rejoice thee, as the resemblances and
parallels of several virtues, visible and eminent in the dispositions
of those who live with thee; especially when, all at once,
as near as may be, they represent themselves unto thee.
And therefore thou must have them always in a readiness.
XLIV. Dost thou grieve that thou dost weigh but so many pounds,
and not three hundred rather? Just as much reason hast thou
to grieve that thou must live but so many years, and not longer.
For as for bulk and substance thou dost content thyself
with that proportion of it that is allotted unto thee,
so shouldst thou for time. XLV. Let us do our best endeavours
to persuade them; but however, if reason and justice lead
thee to it, do it, though they be never so much against it.
But if any shall by force withstand thee, and hinder thee in it,
convert thy virtuous inclination from one object unto another,
from justice to contented equanimity, and cheerful patience:
so that what in the one is thy hindrance, thou mayst make use
of it for the exercise of another virtue: and remember that it
was with due exception, and reservation, that thou didst
at first incline and desire. For thou didst not set thy mind
upon things impossible. Upon what then? that all thy desires
might ever be moderated with this due kind of reservation.
And this thou hast, and mayst always obtain, whether the thing
desired be in thy power or no. And what do I care for more,
if that for which I was born and brought forth into the world
(to rule all my desires with reason and discretion) may be?
XLVI. The ambitious supposeth another man's act, praise and applause,
to be his own happiness; the voluptuous his own sense and feeling;
but he that is wise, his own action.
XLVII. It is in thy power absolutely to exclude all manner
of conceit and opinion, as concerning this matter; and by
the same means, to exclude all grief and sorrow from thy soul.
For as for the things and objects themselves, they of themselves
have no such power, whereby to beget and force upon us any
opinion at all. XLVIII. Use thyself when any man speaks
unto thee, so to hearken unto him, as that in the interim
thou give not way to any other thoughts; that so thou mayst
(as far as is possible) seem fixed and fastened to his very soul,
whosoever he be that speaks unto thee.
XLIX. That which is not good for the bee-hive, cannot be good
for the bee.
L. Will either passengers, or patients, find fault and complain,
either the one if they be well carried, or the others if well cured?
Do they take care for any more than this; the one, that their shipmaster
may bring them safe to land, and the other, that their physician
may effect their recovery?
LI. How many of them who came into the world at the same time when I did,
are already gone out of it?
LII. To them that are sick of the jaundice, honey seems bitter;
and to them that are bitten by a mad dog, the water terrible;
and to children, a little ball seems a fine thing.
And why then should I be angry? or do I think that error
and false opinion is less powerful to make men transgress,
than either choler, being immoderate and excessive, to cause
the jaundice; or poison, to cause rage?
LIII. No man can hinder thee to live as thy nature doth require.
Nothing can happen unto thee, but what the common good of
nature doth require.
LIV. What manner of men they be whom they seek to please, and what to get,
and by what actions: how soon time will cover and bury all things,
and how many it hath already buried!