can this shorten the long state of Death For tho' thy Life shall numerous Ages fill The State of Death shall be Eternal still And he that dies to day shall be no more As long as those who perish'd long before If Nature saith he again should in anger speak to us in this manner What Cause hast thou O Mortal to Weep and to Complain of Death If thy former Life hath been easie and pleasant and if thou hast known how to make use of the good things and delights that I have afforded thee why dost thou not as a Guest depart when thou art full and satisfied with Life and why dost thou not accept fond Creature of the agreeable Repose that is offered thee But if otherwise thy Life hath been to thee a burthen and if thou hast suffered my Bounties to perish why desirst thou more to mispend them after the same manner for I can give thee no new thing And if thou shouldst live thousands of years thou wilt but still see the same things repeated over again If Nature should speak to us in this Language should we not have reason to approve of this Discourse and own that it hath cause to Reproach us in this manner Fond Mortal what 's the matter thou dost sigh Why all these Tears because thou once must die And once submit to strong Necessity For if the Race thou hast already run Was pleasant if with joy thou saws't the Sun If all thy Pleasures did not pass thy Mind As thro' a Sieve but left some Sweets behind Why dost thou not then like a thankful Guest Rise cheerfully from Life's abundant Feast And with a quiet Mind go take thy Rest But if all those Delights are lost and gone Spent idly all and Life a burthen grown Then why fond Mortal dost thou ask for more Why still desire t' increase thy wretched store And wish for what must wast like those before Not rather free thy self from Pains and Fear And end thy Life and necessary care My Pleasures always in a Circle run The same returning with the yearly Sun And thus tho' thou dost still enjoy thy Prime And tho' thy Limbs feel not the rage of Time Yet I can find no new no fresh Delight The same dull Joys must vex thy Appetite Altho' thou coud'st prolong thy wretched Breath For numerous Years much more if free from Death At least we must acknowledge that a Wise Man who hath lived long enough to consider the World ought of his own accord to submit himself to the Course of Nature when he perceives that his time is come and cannot but suppose that his Race is Run and that the Circle that he hath finish'd is compleat and if this Circle is not to be compared to Eternity it is however with the continuance of the World As to what relates to the whole Prospect of Nature he hath often beheld the Heavens the Earth and other things included in the World He hath often seen the rising and the setting of the Coelestial Bodies He hath taken notice of several Eclipses and many other Phaenomenas or unusual Appearances in the Skye the constant succession of the Seasons and in a word many particular Generations many Corruptions and Transmutations And as to those things which relate to Mankind he hath seen or at least hath heard and understood from History the Transactions that have happen'd from the beginning of Peace and of War of Faith kept and violated of a Polite Life and of a rude and barbarous Behaviour of Laws Establish'd and Abolish'd of Kingdoms and Commonwealths in their first Birth and Declension and generally all other things that he hath any knowledge of or which have been told him and with which he is in any wise acquainted as if he had been present when they first happen'd So that he ought to consider that all the time that is gone before him relates to him as if his Life were begun with the things themselves And because we must judge of the future by the time past he ought also to think that all the subsequent time relates to him in the same manner and that there shall be nothing hereafter but what hath been already that there is nothing but the Circumstances of things that alter and that all things in general steer the same common Course and make the like appearances so that Holy Writ hath reason to say The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done again and there is no new thing under the Sun Is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new From whence we may conclude that a Wise Man ought not to fancy his Life short for by casting his eye upon the time past and foreseeing the time to come he may extend it to as great a length as the duration of the Universe Moreover tho' Epicurus had cause to say That it is ridiculous to assert that there is no evil in Death when it is present and yet to dread it and be troubled when it must come as if there were any reason to be disturbed for that which is absent which when present never gives us the least sorrow Nevertheless because other Considerations represent Death dreadful as the Evils and Pains that Usher it and those that we think will be its necessary Attendants Seneca therefore makes it his business to recommend divers Considerations wherein he shews that tho' Death in it self is no Evil yet it appears so much in that Notion that it ought not to be lookt upon as an indifferent thing for as he expresseth himself Death is not indifferent in the same manner as it is indifferent whether the Hairs of my head be of one length or not for Death is to be reckon'd amongst those things which tho' they be no real Evils yet they appear to be so for we love our selves and naturally desire to subsist and preserve our selves and we have an innate aversion from a dissolution because it seems to deprive us of many advantages and draws us away from that plenty of Enjoyments unto which we are accustomed There is yet one thing more which causeth us to dread Death We know the things present but we are altogether Strangers to those unto which we are a going and therefore we fear that which is unknown Besides we have a natural dread of Darkness into which we imagin that Death is leading us So that tho' Death is indifferent yet it is not of the number of those things that are easily to be despised we ought to inure and harden our Minds by a long accustomed Habit to enable us the more willingly to undergo and encounter with the dismal approaches of Death The Third Particular relates to the abominable Opinion of the Stoicks who were perswaded that in some Cases Men had the liberty to kill themselves for thus you see Seneca represents them arguing It is certainly a great
lest by shunning of these they might fall into greater From hence we may learn that Debauchery is not to be shunn'd for its own sake nor Sobriety to be desired because it declines some Pleasures but because it procureth greater and more substantial ones We shall find the same Arguments for Fortitude for it is neither Labour nor Pain nor Patience nor Constancy nor Industry nor Courage nor Watchfulness that draw us of themselves but we are perswaded by these actions that we may live without Trouble or Fear and that we might free our selves as much as is possible from that which incommodes either the Mind or the Body for oftentimes the Calm of our Life is disturb'd with the extraordinary fear of Death and it is a miserable thing to be oppress'd with Pain and to bear it with a mean and feeble Courage insomuch that by this weakness of Spirit many have lost their Parents many their Friends and many their Native Country nay have altogether lost themselves But a generous stout and couragious Spirit is free from such Cares and Troubles because it despiseth Death and is so provided to receive Grief and Pain that it knows the greatest are cur'd by Death and the least have divers intervals of Rest and that as for moderate Griefs we are Masters of them Besides a noble Spirit considers that if the Pains be not extraordinary they are easily suffered but if they be very grievous we shall then willingly surrender and quit our Life which in such a case becomes unpleasant to us so that we leave it in the same manner as we go off a Theatre From hence we may conclude that Fear and Cowardise are not in themselves blame-worthy neither do Courage and Patience of themselves merit Praise But the first are slighted because they increase Pain and Sorrow and the other are desired because they procure real Pleasure There remains nothing else to be examin'd but Justice of which we may almost say the same For as I have already demonstrated that Wisdom Temperance and Fortitude are so joyned with Pleasure that they cannot be separated from it we ought to say the same of Justice which is not only inoffensive to all Men but does also constantly bring with it such advantages as by the strength of its own nature does quiet and settle the Thoughts by affording continual hopes of never wanting those things which an honest Mind may desire And as Timerousness Covetousness and Cowardise do perpetually torment the Mind and are continually vexing and disturbing its quiet So where Injustice bears sway in the Soul it begets much Trouble and Vexation and if it hath committed any evil action tho' never so secretly yet it can never be assured that it shall always remain undiscover'd Jealousy and fear of being found out do commonly attend evil Actions and we suppose every one to be our Accuser and ready to Inform against us Nay some out of fear of being Discovered have been their own Accusers If some think their Riches a sufficient shelter and capable of quieting their Conscience yet they have such a dread of the Justice of God in punishing their Crimes that upon a due resentment of this their Thoughts labour under a perpetual Agony and Disturbance Now their wicked Actions can never be able so much to lessen the anxiety of their Life as the gripings of a Wounded Conscience or the Laws of the Country and the hatred of their Acquaintance have to increase it Nevertheless such is the unsatiable desire of some Men after Riches Luxury Honour Dominion c. that in the obtaining of them they will stick at no indirect Means so that nothing but a severe Punishment inflicted on them by the Laws is able to stop their Career True Reason therefore directs all Men of sound Judgment to observe the Rules of Justice Equity and Fidelity which are the best means to procure to our selves the good Esteem and Love of others and which is absolutely necessary to render our Lives Pleasant and Sedate And the rather because hereby we have no temptation to do what is ill because that the desires which proceed from Nature may easily be appeased without doing wrong to any Person and as for other vain Desires we are not to regard them for they prompt us to nothing that is really worthy seeking after and Injustice it self brings a greater damage to us than the recompence it can be able to make us by the seeming good things it brings along with it Therefore we cannot say That Justice is of it self desirable but only because it is attended with a great deal of Pleasure and Content for we are not a little pleased with the esteem and good will of others which renders our Life Comfortable and Pleasant Thus we don't believe that we ought to shun Vice only because of the inconveniencies that fall upon the Wicked but chiefly because it never suffers the Mind to be at rest where it hath once taken possession I might here mention the Objections that are brought against this Opinion but they relate to nothing but sensual and dishonest Pleasures which Epicurus abhors in express words I will only take notice that the Pleasure that is here understood is such true real and natural Pleasure in which our Happiness consists We therefore say That Vertue is inseparably accompanied with it being the real and genuine cause of it for where that is supposed Happiness immediately attends and when that is removed Pleasure it self must needs decay In the same manner as the Sun is said to be inseparable from the Day because it alone is the true and necessary cause thereof for as soon as the Sun appears over our Horizon the Day must needs be and when it withdraws the Day dis-appears Now the reason why Epicurus supposes Vertue to be the efficient cause of Happiness is because he thinks that Prudence doth as it were contain all other Vertues for all the rest proceed from this and have in a great measure a dependence upon her CHAP. III. Wherein an Happy Life doth consist WHat we have already discours'd of tends to little else than to make a plain discovery of Epicurus's Opinion But now we must come closer to the Matter and strictly examin whether he had sufficient ground to say That Pleasure is the main End Here we must weigh two of his chief Maxims First That all Pleasure is of it self and of its own nature a real Good and on the contrary That all Grief and Pain is an Evil. The Second is That notwithstanding sometimes we must prefer some sort of Pains before some sort of Pleasures Whether all Pleasure be good of it self IN respect of the first Maxim It is not without ground that Epicurus asserts That all Pleasure is of it self good tho' by accident it happens sometimes otherwise for all Creatures are of themselves so inclinable to Pleasure and Delight that it is the first and chief thing that they naturally covet nor
in that Crown of Gold which the King had Dedicated to the Gods He thereupon as he was going out of the Bath transporred with Joy cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is nothing saith Cicero more Pleasant than the sweet repose of a Learned Old Age. We see Gallus your Father's Friend dying for Joy in the Speculation of the Stars and measuring the Heavens and the Earth How many times hath he Surpriz'd him from Morning until the Evening when he had undertaken to describe something of the Stars And how many a Night hath he found him in the Evening when he had begun from the Morning O what Pleasure did he take to foretell the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon For the other Liberal Arts it is known what Recreation the Knowledg of History and Antiquity the Beauty of Poetry and the Grace of Rhetorick give These Studies saith Cicero are delightful Employments for Youth are pleasing to Old Age are Ornaments in Prosperity and a grateful security in Adversity Haec studia Adolescentiam alunt Senectutem oblectant secundas res ornant adversis perfugium solatium praebent delectant domi non impudiunt foris pernoctant nobiscum peregrinantur rusticantur They afford Pleasure at Home they are not Troublesom to us Abroad they continue with us Sleeping they accompany us in our Travels they go along with us in the Fields How mean are the delights of Banquetting of Plays of Women when compared with these Pleasures Men freely spend whole days and nights in pursuit of Learning and think no pains too great to be bestowed in obtaining it so great and exquisit is the Pleasure thereof when acquired Omnia prepetiuntur ipsa cognitione scientia capti cum maximis curis laboribus compensant eam quam ex discendo capiunt voluptatem For the other part of Vertue which is commonly called Moral Vertue we shall be obliged hereafter to treat of it more at large where we shall speak of its four Kinds viz. Prudence Fortitude Temperance and Justice Only supposing at present that 't is an undoubted Truth That there is nothing more Pleasant than to lead a Life not liable to Reproach a Life that 's Innocent and void of Offence free from the Checks and Remorses of a guilty Conscience and so to govern all our Actions according to the Rules of Honesty and Prudence as not to fail in any of the Duties of Life to wrong no Body to do good to every one as much as is possible Suppose I say such Maxims to be True which we shall have hereafter occasion to mention I shall here take notice of three things First That it is not without great Reason that we compare Vertue to a Plant whose Root is Bitter but the Fruit very Sweet and that Plato Xenophon and several others have highly commended those Verses of Hesiod that inform us That Vertue is not to be attain'd without Labour and Sweat and that the way that leads to it is truly Long and Difficult and of an uneasie access in the beginning but when e'er mounted to the top there is nothing Sweeter nor more Pleasant The Gods through Sweat and Pains to Vertue lead But long and arduous is the Path we tread Rugged and steep when first you venture on But at the top arriv'd with easy speed you run Unto which we ought to add that Sentence of Epicharmus That the Gods afford to us no good things but for our Labours and Pains Labore nobis cuncta Dii vendunt bona Which gives us to understand that we ought freely to endure the Labours that occur in the way to Vertue because they are attended with wonderful Pleasure and Satisfaction Nor is that Story without Ground Where Pleasure and Vertue are supposed to meet in a double Way and each of them to use the strongest Motives to encline Hercules to follow them in their different Paths for that confirms the truth of those Rules that are before alledged when we took notice That we ought to shun that Pleasure which is attended with a greater Mischief as we ought to embrace those Labours and Toils which will procure us greater Advantages and Delights I know very well how they have represented Hercules rejecting Pleasure that is to say an easie and Effeminate Life to pursue Vertue which is a Life full of Labour and Difficulty Nevertheless Maximus of Tyre saith very well That when he was under the greatest Labours he felt or had a prospect of wonderful Pleasures You see saith he in Hercules extraordinary Labours but you see not the incredible Pleasures that either attend or succeed them Whosoever takes away Pleasure from Vertue takes from it all Strength and Efficacy for were it not for Pleasure Men would never undertake any great Matter And he who out of Zeal for Vertue willingly undergoes any Trouble this is purely for the sake of some Pleasure he feels or expects For as in hoarding up of Treasure no Man will prefer a Pebble before a Ruby nor Brass before Gold unless he be utterly destitute of all Reason and Understanding So in respect of Labour and Trouble no Man labours meerly and purely for Labour's sake this would turn to a very sorry account but we willingly exchange the present Labours for Vertue that is in plain English as the Stoicks term it for Pleasure for who speaks of Vertue speaks of Delight and Vertue it self would be much neglected if at the same time it were not attended with Delight For my part I must declare that I run quite counter to the common Vogue for I look upon Pleasure to be the most Beautiful the most Desirable thing in the World and that which we ought the most strictly to pursue and for its sake it is I believe that Men so frequently expose themselves to all Hazards and Dangers and even encounter Death it self for tho' we are apt to give divers Names to the Cause that first moves us to undertake such great things as for Instance That which put Achilles upon dying voluntarily for Patrocles we call Friendship that which enclined Agamemnon to enter into and carry on a War with so much Care and Fatigue was the care of preserving his Kingdom that of Hector's so frequent Encamping and defeating his Enemies was the desire to preserve his Country All these several Terms are but other Names for Pleasure And as in the Distempers of the Body the Patient for want of Health not only freely submits himself to Hunger and Thirst but also willingly undergoes the most virulent Pains and Torments of Surgeons Instruments but if it were not for this hope he would never endure such Tortures So in the actions of Life there is a compensation for the Troubles that we undergo with Pleasure which you truly term Vertue and which I allow so to be But at the same time I demand Whether your Mind does embrace Vertue without any love for it And if you yield to this that you have such
which excites and animates them when they think that the Actions which they are going about shall procure Liberty to their Relations Friends or Country-men or perpetuate their Memory and make their Generations Famous in after Ages It is I say the thoughts of being rendered Famous to Posterity that thus Animates and Transports them This is to be understood of him who goes to a certain Death for when there remains any hopes of Escaping we need but see what Torquatus relates of one of his Predecessors It is true saith he that he wrested the Lance out of his Enemies hands but he endeavour'd as much as was able to secure himself from being Kill'd He run a great hazard but it was in the view of the whole Army What Advantage did he receive The Praises and Love of all the World which are very strong Supports to us to bear our Dangers without fear See likewise what Seneca saith Vpon the performance of any great and glorious Action there immediately arises an extraordinary Joy and Delight and tho' we reap no Advantage after Death yet the very thoughts of the Action that we are about to commit please us for when a generous Man represents to himself the reward of his Death namely the Liberty of his Country the deliverance of those for whom he sacrifices his Life he receives from thence a great deal of Pleasure and enjoys the recompence of the Hazard And he who feels that Joy which happens at the last moment of the Action runs on to Death without any Demur content and satisfied in the Goodness Piety and Holiness of the Action The same may be said of those severe Fathers who have punished with Death their own Children tho' they seem to deprive themselves of great Pleasures 'T is what Cicero continues to object to the same Torquatus who by giving a blow with his Ax to his Son prefer'd the Right of the Empire to that of Nature and Fatherly Affection for those who proceed to that Extremity understand the temper of their Children to be such that it is better for themselves and for their Children rather to Die than Live because they are likely to receive nothing from them but continual Sorrows and that their perpetual Shame would retort upon them Therefore when they consider that it is more grateful and desirable to them to prevent their future dissatisfaction and infamy by a present Grief and to expiate if I may so say that Disgrace that hath been committed by some Noble and illustrious Action rather than to sink themselves by a mean Baseness and a deceitful Weakness into an Abyss of Calamity This is the Pleasure which such relish who desire to free themselves from this Abyss Take notice also what the same Torquatus Answers He condemned his Son to Death but if it be without Cause I would not desire to be the Son of such an unnatural Father If he did it to secure and establish the Military Discipline to keep the Army within the bounds of their Duty by the fear of punishment during a moct dangerous War had an eye to the Preservation of his Country-men in whose Safety his own was included and comprehended Of Self-Love BUt that which is generally spoken of Vertue may be also said of Piety towards God seeing that it is not likely that there can be any sincere Piety if God be not purely and intirely lov'd for himself or because he is infinitely Good or because he is infinitely Excellent So that he who loves and honours God hath no respect to himself neither doth he consider his own Profit or Pleasure For my part God forbid that I should undervalue the Piety of any Person As there are some who don 't only persuade that we ought to love God in this manner and consequently don't only suppose that this is possible but to give Authority to this Doctrin and prevent the Objection boast and believe they perform all this Truly I don't envy nor shall I contradict them but far from that I approve and applaud their Happiness and that special favour of Heaven granted to them for we must believe that it is a Gift of God and Supernatural that any Man can prevail upon himself to love and honour God in such a manner But we are treating here of Piety and generally of Vertue which is sutable to Nature according to which Man performs all that he doth with some respect to himself May not we therefore say that God hath in such a manner complied with the infirmity of our Nature That as there is scarce any Passage in Holy Writ that allows or expresseth their Doctrin there are a great many that approve of loving God greatly because he hath pardoned them their many Sins or because he hath granted them many Favours or of loving him for the hopes of the promises of Heaven and who perform divers offices of Charity suffer Persecution keep the Faith c. because of that Kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the World because of the extraordinary Rewards that wait for them in Heaven because of the Crown of Righteousness which God hath promised to them that love him May we not I say be of this Opinion and conclude from these Passages That there is nothing to hinder us from having in view those everlasting Delights which such are to enjoy who have loved and honoured God I will not appeal to the Consciences of any Person nor do I ask what they would do if after God had been Honoured and Loved if he took no care of those who had loved and honoured him and if in such a case he neither granted them any Advantage nor gave them hopes of any to be expected to all Eternity I do not ask them I say What they would do Whether they would Love or Honour him less I only desire them to take in good part this Question Whether they don't Love and Honour him because it is very pleasant to Love and serve him in this manner And whether they believe it not consequently very Pleasant and very Grateful to be thus disposed towards God purely and absolutely for his sake and without any regard to our selves Seeing he tells us That his Yoak is easie whereby to encline us to love him with all our Heart with all our Soul with all our Understanding and all our Strength certainly he excludes not this Sweetness and Pleasure But let this be hinted by the by the better to strengthen and confirm the Reason by which we prove according to the Judgment of Epicurus That Pleasure is the chief Good or the last End being desired in such a manner for it self that all other things are desirable for its sake Let us now say something of that other Reason which is deriv'd from a Comparison between Pleasure and Pain which is its contrary Let us suppose saith Torquatus a Man enjoying many great and continued Pleasures both of Body and Mind without any interruption or disturbance by
might be done calmly and sedately as we have already said As he allows not that the Life of a Wise Man should be as a Torrent so he don't approve that it should be like a still and stinking Pool but rather like the Water of a River that glides along quietly and without Noise This is one of his Maxims That when Pain is removed Pleasure is not increas'd but only diversified and altered As if he would have said That when we have attain'd to this quiet State free from Pain there is truly nothing to be desired greater or to be compared to it but in the mean while there remain several pure and innocent Pleasures wherewith this State if not abused is Embelished in the manner of a Field which becoming Fruitful affords divers Fruits or in the manner of a Meadow which we see covered over with an admirable diversity of Flowers when the Earth is brought to be in a good Temper For this State is like a Spring out of which all the Pleasures that are Pure and Sincere are drawn For this cause therefore it ought to be esteem'd as the chief Pleasure in regard it is an universal Relish by which all the Actions of our Life are seasoned and by which consequently all our Pleasures are sweetned and become grateful And to speak all in a Word Without which no Pleasure can be Pleasure In reality What Satisfaction can there be if the Mind be troubled or the Body tormented with Pain It is a Proverb That if the Vessel be not clean it Sowers whatever is put into it Sincerum est nisi vas quodcumque infundis acescit Whoever therefore is desirous of pure sincere Pleasures he must prepare himself to receive them without any Mixture or Alloy that is By attaining as much as is possible to this State of Rest and Tranquility that we have described I add the words as much as is possible for As we have observed already The frailty of our human Nature wont suffer us to be absolutely and perfectly Happy for so compleat a Felicity altogether free from Trouble and Pain and crowned with all manner of Delights belongs to God alone and to them whom he calls to a better Life So that in this present World some have a greater some a less share of Afflictions and Pains He that will deal wisely ought to endeavour as much as the weakness of his Nature will permit to settle himself in that condition in which he may be as little sensible of Grief and Pain as is possible for by this means he will obtain these two Advantages which chiefly contribute to his present Happiness and which Wise Men have acknowledged to be almost the only solid and desirable Advantages of Life The Health of the Body and of the Mind Sunt Sanitas Mens gemina vitae bona Optandum est ut sit Mens sana in Corpore sano And that Epicurus never designed that his Pleasure should extend to a Sottishness or a privation of Sense and Action may be proved by what he was pleased with in his Retirements either in Meditating or in Teaching or in taking care of his Friends But let it suffice us here to say That from that state and condition of Life did arise certain Thoughts which of all things in the World were the most pleasing and delightful Namely when any shall call to mind the Storms that he hath couragiously weather'd in which some are yet tossed up and down he fancies himself as it were in a safe Haven possessing a calm and a serene Tranquility which Lucretius in his Second Book pleasantly sets forth 'T is pleasant when the Seas are rough to stand And view another's Danger safe at Land Not ' cause he 's Troubled but 't is sweet to see Those Cares and Fears from which our selves are free He tells us also That it is very pleasant to look from a high Tower upon two great Armies drawn up in Battel without being concerned in the Danger 'T is also Pleasant to behold from far How Troops Engage secure our selves from War But there is nothing so pleasant as to see our selves by the help of Learning and Knowledge advanc'd to the Top of Wisdom's Temple from whence as from an high Station serene and quiet we may see Men involved in a thousand Miseries without being concern'd But above all 'T is pleasantest to get The top of high Philosophy and sit On the calm peaceful flourishing Head of it Whence we may view deep wond'rous deep below How poor forsaken Mortals Wandring go Seeking the path to Happiness some aim At Learning Wit Nobility or Fame Others with Cares and Dangers vex each Hour To reach the Top of Wealth and Sovereign Power Whilst frugal Nature seeks for only Ease A Body free from Pains free from Disease A Mind from Cares and Jealousies at Peace Of the Tranquility of the Mind in particular BUt to say something more particularly of the Tranquility of the Mind let us again repeat That by this Expression we don't understand a slow and lazy Temper nor a sluggish and languishing Idleness But as Cicero Explains it out of Pythagoras and Plato Placida quietaque constantia in animi parte rationis principe A sweet and peaceable Constacy of Mind Or as Democritus says An excellent equal and sweet Constitution and Temper of Mind which makes the Man settl'd and unshaken in such a manner and to such a degree that whether he be Employed or at Leisure whether Prosperity favour him or Adversity frowns upon him he continues always Equal always like Himself and will not suffer himself to be Transported by an excess of Joy nor dejected by Grief and Sorrow In a Word he is at no time disturbed by such-like Passions Therefore this Tranquility of Mind was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies freedom from Trouble and Disquietness for in the same manner as a Ship is said to be in quiet not only when it is becalm'd in the middle of the Sea but likewise chiefly when it is driven by a favourable Gale which indeed causeth it to sail swift but nevertheless quietly and steddily Thus the Mind is said to be in Tranquility not only when it is at rest but more especially when it undertakes great and excellent Things without being disturb'd inwardly and without losing any part of its Steddiness On the contrary as a Ship is said to be disturb'd not only when it is carried away with the contrary Winds but when it is beaten by those that rise out of the very Waters thus the Mind is said to be disquieted not only when in its proceedings it is carried away with divers Passions but likewise when in the midst of Rest Care Grief and Fear are continually gnawing and fretting it and rendring it uneasy These therefore and such like are the Passions which by disturbing our Tranquility interrupt the Happiness of our Lives Cicero Speaks of them in this manner The turbulent Motions and the
Disquietness of the Mind which proceed from an unconsiderate rashness and oppose all Reason leave no room for an happy Life For how can it possibly be but that he who always stands in fear of Death or Pain the one being often at Hand the other always threatned must needs be miserable Thus in the same manner if he dreads Poverty Shame or Infamy if he apprehends Infirmity or Blindness in a Word if he fears that which may happen not only to every Person in particular but also to the most powerful People I mean Slavery Can such a one be happy who is continually fearing such Things Can he enjoy the least shadow of Happiness In what unhappy condition is that Mind that not only dreads Calamities Banishment the loss of Goods the Death of Children but foreseing and apprehending them as already present Dies overwhelmed with Grief and Sorrow Can we suppose that he who suffers himself to be born down by so many tragical Thoughts and Apprehensions can be any otherwise than unspeakably Miserable Again when you see a Man furiously transported with a violent Passion coveting every thing with a greedy and immoderate Desire and still as he arrives to a higher and fuller degree of enjoyment of Pleasure the more eagerly he hunts after and pursues 'em Have you not great Reason to judg this Man very Miserable What think ye likewise of another who is always fluctuating and suffers himself to be transported by a foolish and immoderate Joy Dont such a one appear to you the more Miserable the more he thinks himself Happy As such therefore are Miserable these are on the contrary Happy who are not frighted with Fears who suffer not themselves to be overcome with Sadness who are not inflamed with Lusts nor moved by immoderate Joys and on whom the powerful Charms and Allurements of these soft and effeminate Pleasures have no powerful Influences Hearken to Torquatus Epicurus whom you say was too much addicted to his Pleasures declares That it is impossible to live Pleasantly if we live not Wisely Honestly and Justly and that we cannot live Wisely Honestly and Justly but we must of necessity live with Delight For as the Inhabitants of a City cannot be easy during a Storm nor a Family when the Masters are at odds much less can a Soul be happy when it agrees not with it self or is hurried about by divers contrary Passions It is not capable of any pure and free Pleasure and sees nothing but in a hurry and in a confusion If the Distempers of the Body interrupt the felicity of Life how much more do the Diseases of the Mind Now the Diseases of the Mind are the vain and immoderate Desires of Riches Glory Dominion and of mean and sordid Pleasures You may add to these Discontent Fretfulness and Frowardness which gall and fret the Minds of Men who will not consider that we should not afflict our selves for that which causeth no present Pain to the Body nor it may be never will You may add Death which threatens us continually and hangs always over our Heads as the Rock did over that of Tantalus You may add Superstition which never suffers the Person to be at quiet who is infected with it Such never think upon the good Things past they enjoy not the present and when they consider that what they are in expectation of is uncertain Grief and Despair afflict them But they are exceedingly tormented when they think that they have begun too late to seek after great Offices Riches and Glory finding themselves deprived of those Pleasures which they had hopes of enjoying and for which they have undergone so much Pain and Trouble Others have mean and low Spirits always in despair of every thing others Dream of nothing but how to do Mischief are Envious Fretful Pensive Slanderers and Angry others are unconstant and changeable in their Love others are Hasty Cowards Impudent Intemperate Wavering never continuing in the same Mind This is the Cause that during their Lives their Passions are in a continual Warfare without Cessation And therefore we cannot but mention the sincere Pleasure and Delight which he must needs enjoy who being freed from these Passions that tormented him understands his own happy State and finds himself as we have said before in Rest in a safe Haven after he has been tost and beaten with the Winds and Waves of the Sea But we shall have another occasion to speak of this particular Pleasure when we shall treat of the Vertues that are fit to calm the Passions and by that means to cause a sedate and peceable Temper of Mind Besides that Sweetness and Pleasure may easily be understood by that esteem which such a one hath who longs for it when he finds himself in Trouble or in actual Disturbance Like as that Person who is in the midst of a Tempest at Sea longs for a Calm and a favourable Gale or as he that is seized with a violent Distemper wishes earnestly for Health for none knows so well how to value these things as he who looks upon them in a contrary State and hath the Impressions still remaining Therefore I shall the rather speak a Word of that which I have already mentioned That we may the better preserve this Tranquility of Mind and by that means live Happily not only when at rest and out of the incumbrance of Business but also in the midst of the greatest and most important Employments Of Life and of Active Felicity AS this supposes that there are two kinds of Life and likewise two kinds of Felicities the one in Contemplation the other in Action wise Men have still preferred a contemplative before an active Life However this does not hinder those whom either their Birth Genius or necessity of Affairs have ingaged in Business from being altogether incapable of enjoying a Tranquility of Mind for whosoever undertakes this goes not Blindfold to Work but after he hath for some time seriously consider'd and taken a due prospect of the state of human Affairs not as from the midst of the Crowd but as from a higher Station and understands that in the active course of Life there may happen many Accidents that all the Wisdom of Man cannot foresee provides if not against each particular yet against the general Difficulties that may occur Such a one is always upon his Guard ready to take Advice upon all suddain Emergencies he knows that he can command what is in himself but cannot govern what depends not upon his free Will he acts according to his Power and does what becomes the Duty of an honest Man and afterwards whatever happens he thinks that he ought to be Content and Satisfied he dont flatter himself with the certainty of a happy success of all his Undertakings but thinks that matters may sometimes happen contrary to his Desires and Endeavours and therefore prepares himself in such a manner that tho he may experience Adversity he may nevertheless bear it
with Constancy and Patience Such a one I say thus resolved and prepared if he be ingaged in a busy Life may govern himself that in the midst of the hurry and incumbrance of Affairs he may maintain in himself an inward repose and calmness of Mind 'T is what Claudian so truly relates of Theodosius the Great and which we without Flattery may duly apply to our present Monarch the true Model of a wise Prince Nec Te tot limina rerum Aut tantum turbavit onus sed ut altus Olympi Vertex qui spatio Ventos Hyemesque relinquit Perpetuum nulla temeratus Nube serenum Celsior exsurgit pluviis auditque ruentes Sub pedibus nimbos rauca tonitrua calcat Sic patiens Animus per tanta negotia liber Emergit similisque sui c. Neither the projecting Thoughts of deep Designs nor the heavy Burthen of the Kingdom which he supports can disturb the Peace of his Mind but like the high top of Mount Olympus his Soul is always clear and serene hovering above the misty Clouds and storms of Thunder and always free and undisturb'd like it self Servat inoffensam Divina modestia vocem Temperiem servant oculi nec lumina fervor Asperat aut rabidas diffundit sanguine venas Quinetiam sontes expulsa corrigis ira Et placidus delicta domas nec dentibus unquam Instrepis horrendum fremitu nec verbera poscis A divine Modesty graces his Voice no offensive Words drop from his Lips his Eyes are never seen to sparkle with Anger nor his Veins distended with boyling Blood he knows how to Reprove without being Transported and calmly to correct the Failings of others Nile softly glides along without vaunting of its Strength or breaking its Bounds and yet it is one of the most useful of all the Rivers of the World The Danube which is yet larger and more rapid keeps within its Banks moving without Noise Yea the Ganges that vast River passes along silently rowling its Waves into the Depths of the Ocean Lente fluit Nilus sed cunctis Amnibus extat Vtilior nullas confessus murmure vires Acrior at rapidus tacitas praetermeat ingens Danubius ripas Eadem clementia saevi Gurgitis immensum deducit ad ostia Gangen Let the Torrents roar among the Rocks let them threaten and overturn Bridges and pursuing their Rage let them overwhelm or carry before 'em whole Forests 't is Peace and Tranquility that have a commanding Power and Effect far greater than Violence and Fury to force Obedience Torrentes immane fremant lapsisque minentur Pontibus involvant spumoso vortice Sylvas Pax majora decet peragit tranquilla potestas Quod violenta nequit mandataque fortius urget Imperiosa quies Besides when things are over and accomplish'd a wise Man doth not Vaunt and Applaud himself if they succeed well nor is he disturb'd or dejected if they happen amiss He doth not repent of the Measures he hath taken because every thing being well examined and duly considered it was most probable they should succeed and therefore he would take the same Course if the same Circumstances did again occur The Answer of Photion is remarkable who when he had dissuaded them from a War which nevertheless afterward proved very successful Tho' I am very glad said he that the Event happen'd so Prosperous yet I don 't at all repent of the Advice I have given It comes very near that of Cicero's It becomes a wise Man saith he to do nothing against his Will or what may cause him to Repent to do all things sedately and deliberately with a grave Steddiness and constancy of Mind neither supposing things to happen by an unforeseen Necessity nor to admire any thing as new and unexpected but to abide firm and stedfast in his Judgment A wise Man ought not to despise the Advices of other Men and to trust too rashly to his own Opinion but having well weighed Matters he ought not out of too mean Apprehensions or Diffidence of himself to suffer the Opinion of the Vulgar to sway with him For this Reason that Roman Temporizer deserves to be applauded who preferr'd the Safety of his Country before the Exclamations of the Populace Photion was of the same Temper who because he could not be prevail'd upon to rely on the Strength of his Soldiers and their Courage and head them on to Battle they accused him of Cowardise But he made them this prudent Answer My brave Companions you cannot make me Courageous and I will not make you Cowards it is sufficient that every one should understand his own Business Whether a Contemplative Happiness is to be preferr'd before an Active BUt after all that can be said in Commendation of an Active Felicity Aristotle had Reason to prefer a Speculative For Contemplation exerts the most Excellent and Divine Part of our Selves and besides this sort of Action is the most noble innocent and lasting and the most easily set on Work We shall not here repeat what hath been before said upon the first Part of Vertue to shew wherein the Happiness of a wise Man consists or the Satisfaction he receives in a Contemplative Life it will be sufficient to recite what Cicero very learnedly observes What Pleasures saith he don't a thinking Mind enjoy who is employ'd Night and Day in Contemplation and Study What extraordinary Delight is it to observe the Motions and Circumference of the World the infinite number of Stars that shine in the Heavens those seven Planets which being more or less distant the one from the other according as they are higher or lower wandering and uncertain in their Motions and yet never fail to fulfill their Course in their appointed time The Sight and Consideration of so many excellent Things persuaded the antient Philosophers to proceed to new Inquiries to examine into the cause and beginning of the World from whence all things proceed from whence they are engender'd what differing Qualities are crept into their Composition from whence Life and Death happen how the Alterations and Changes of one thing into another came to pass by what weight the Earth is supported and how ballanc'd into what Concavities the Waters are confin'd and how every thing press'd by its own weight naturally tends to its own Center Thus by discerning and continually meditating on these wonderful Things we at last arrive to that Knowledge which God heretofore recommended to Delphos namely That the pure Soul having shaken off all Vice should know it self and find it self united to the Divine Understanding or Being This procures it an everlasting and unspeakable Delight for the Contemplations upon the Power and Nature of the Gods cause it to have a strong Inclination for Eternity and when it once perceives the necessary Consequence of Causes guided and govern'd by an eternal Wisdom it believes not it self confin'd to the narrow Limits of this Life Therefore it considers human Affairs with a wonderful Tranquility it inclines to the
part act in the same manner as if they had only a great care of the right Hand and neglected the Left Because Vertue as all the World acknowledges holds the first and chief Place in Man and we esteem those who are Wise to have attain'd a great degree of Perfection will you admire nothing but Vertue dazle your Eyes only with its Splendor and Glory Truly Vertue is the best and most excellent thing in Man but you dont seem to consider your self enough we dont desire that Vertue should forsake Nature but that it should keep and preserve it But according to your direction it preserves one part and leaves the other If the first Institution of Man could speak it would tell us that the first beginnings of its Desire were to preserve it self in that State that it appear'd in at the beginning c. Besides we are not ignorant of what we are wont to say when we declaim against Pleasure That it is the capital Plague of Man the mortal Enemy of Reason that it puts out the Eyes of the Understanding and that it hath no correspondency with Vertue that it is the source of Treasons the ruine of Common-wealths the origin of all Crimes that it wasts our paternal Estates blasteth our Reputation weakens the Body and makes it subject to Diseases and that in short it hastens old Age and Death Not Heaven's high Rage nor Swords or Flames combind Can bring such Plagues as Pleasure to the Mind On 's mad with Dice one melts in vicious Love But when the knotty Gout forbids his Joynts to move How sweet an evil Luxury appears Which drown'd in Flesh and deaf to Heavenly Cares The sluggish Senses of their Force disarms And worse transforms the Limbs than Circe's Charms Without it chears the Man within destroys Bears Serpents in its Gold and Torments in its Joys But as we have often explain'd our selves concerning Pleasure and as often declar'd that when we say Pleasure is the End the Happiness and the chief Good we mean not hereby brutish and sordid Pleasures but only a calm and sedate Temper of the Mind and the freedom of the Body from Pain It is plain therefore that these Objections do not affect us CHAP VI. What Vertue and Advantage accrues by being contented with a little IT is not without Cause that we have already declared That the true and most general means to obtain and preserve that Pleasure which makes an happy Life is to incourage Temperance by which we may so moderate our Desires as to resist and cut off all unnecessary and useless Things and may reduce our selves only to such as are needful and natural whereby we may accustom our selves to be content with a little for by this means we may preserve that Tranquility of Mind which makes up the principal part of our Happiness there being no need that he who hath reduced himself only to the things necessary for Nature should disquiet and torment himself so much as is usual for such things are to be found every where and are easily to be obtain'd Whereas the cares and disturbances of the Mind torment only such as are not content with things necessary but are always so eager in the pursuit of things superfluous that if they meet with Disappointment in obtaining of 'em they are very much disquieted If they have acquir'd 'em they fear losing 'em When they lose 'em they pine away with Grief and if they continue with them they are still dissatisfied So that they deal with their Mind as with the Tunn of the Danaids they never give it any rest but being provoked by some fresh Appetite as by some kind of Fury they always seem to undertake new Labour This is also the sure way of obtaining and preserving that grateful Repose which makes up the second part of our Happiness for he who is content with things necessary will never trouble himself with those unnecessary Pains and Fatigues which such are obliged to undergo who eagerly tho vainly pursue Things superfluous he acts nothing to undermine his Health he draws not upon himself those incumbrances which usually attend a voluptuous Life for such as live Frugally and on plain Diet are rarely subject to Distempers but rather such who either Eat to excess or else feed upon Meats which are not natural or else corrupted by provoking Sauces or other Artifices of the Cooks Epicurus no doubt had a true Sense of the necessity and excellency of this Vertue of Moderation when he cried out That the way to be truly Rich is to be satisfied with Things necessary That Poverty proportioned to the Law of Nature is a great Fund or Treasury of Riches Now if you would be rightly inform'd what those just Bounds and Limits are which this Law of Nature prescribes they are these viz. Not to Hunger not to Thirst not to be Cold Non Esurire non Sitire non Algere 'T is what he had experienced in himself if we will refer our selves to the Testimony of Juvenal If any ask me what would satisfy To make Life easy thus I would reply As much as keeps out Hunger Thirst and Cold As much as made wise Epicurus bless't Who in small Gardens spacious Realms possess 't This is a commendable Thing saith he in Seneca viz. a pleasant and contented Poverty but if it be Pleasant 't is not Poverty for whosoever is satisfied with Poverty is Rich for he is not Poor who enjoys but little but he who desires more In short as Riches are to be valued for the sake of their End which is nothing else but Contentment and Pleasure so on the contrary Poverty appears by the want of this End It is certain that a pleasant Poverty is no Poverty but great Riches and sorrowful Riches are not Riches but great Poverty The Traveller who sings on the Road is in effect Rich and he really Poor who being loaden with Wealth dreads the Pistol or the Sword and shakes for fear at the meer shadow of a Reed which he perceives to move in a moon-shiny Night The Tradesman while he is without Mony yet pleaseth his Neighbourhood with his musical Ditties but stumbling on a Purse of Gold at the same time that he becomes Rich he becomes dumb being possess'd with the fear of losing it In short I pray tell me which of these two dies the Richer who depart this World at the same time he who never had those things which we usually term Riches and nevertheless hath lived very contentedly or he who being loaden with 'em hath led a life full of Vexation and Discontent Cicero seems to be much delighted with this Vertue and Moderation of Temper which obliges us to live and be content with little for after he had instanced in the Examples of Socrates and Diogenes That the Burden of Poverty may be made more easie he alludes to the Words of Epicurus O what a little doth Nature desire what a small matter suffices
and greatest Advantage that we can reap from it But we must not fancy that he who hath secretly broken the Laws unknown to Men may enjoy as much Peace and quiet of Mind as he who is truly Just For as I have already said tho' he hath acted in the dark yet he cannot be assured that the Fact shall always remain concealed Tho' Crimes may indeed be done secretly yet this is no Security neither doth it advantage a Man who commits a wicked Deed to conceal himself for tho' he has had the good fortune of keeping the Fact conceal'd hitherto yet he hath no Assurance that it shall always so continue Tho' a wicked Act may at present seem to be quite forgot and as it were buried out of sight yet it is uncertain whether it will remain so till death few Wickednesses are so secretly acted but they give some cause of Suspicion for tho' at first they are only privately whisper'd yet soon after they are publickly talk'd of and then Fame spreads them and then a Process is begun and the Sentence suddainly follows Nay many there have been who have discovered themselves either in a Dream or in a Frenzy or in Drink or by letting fall an unadvised Word by the by So that tho' a wicked Man deceives as we say both the Gods and Men yet he must always remain uneasie and in a fear that his Wickednesses will at one time or another be detected From hence it is that tho' Injustice of it self and in its own Nature be no Evil because what is Just here is reputed Vnjust elsewhere nevertheless 't is an Evil because of that Fear that it stirs up in us which causeth a wicked Man to be continually tormented with remorse of Conscience so that he is still suspicious of something and apprehensive that his Wickednesses will come to the Knowledge of those who are appointed to punish them Wherefore there is nothing more conducive to our Security and our living Happily than to live honestly and observe inviolably those Contracts which we have entred into for the Preservation of the publick Peace Therefore a just Man seems to stand in Opposition to an unjust for as the one is free from Troubles and Apprehensions of Evils so the other on the contrary is continually allarm'd by ' em What is it therefore that can be more convenient and profitable to us than Justice and more hurtful than Injustice Can constant Troubles and perplexing Fears be pleasant and diverting to any Man Since therefore that Justice is so great a Good and Injustice so great an Evil let us sincerely love and embrace the former and altogether abominate the latter And if by chance our Mind should happen to be sometimes in an even Balance and doubtful what to do let us have always before our Eyes and in our Thoughts the Example of some good Man whom we may propose to imitate as a Pattern and so live as if he were a constant Inspector of our Actions and Privy to our most intimate Designs This Advice will be of use to us not only to keep us from committing Injustice but also from doing any thing in secret inconsistent with honest Dealing This just Man that we plac'd before us will serve to keep us in some awe and make us more watchful over our Actions we shall continually have some regard to him and say to our selves I would not do so if he saw it and why should I dare to do so in his absence he would blame me for it as a wicked thing why should I not fly from Evil of my own accord Do then every thing as if some body still look'd upon you for if you have this Veneration for any Person else you will quickly have it for your self Cicero treats excellently upon this Subject If every one saith he for his own particular Advantage should be always ready and prepared to intrench upon his Neighbour's Right and strip him of his Goods we should quickly perceive the ruin of human Society which is so agreeable to Nature just as if each particular Member should fancy that by attracting the Blood and Spirits from its Member it would be the better able to support it self but hereby we should find our selves much disappointed for certainly this would at length much weaken and decay the whole Body And thus all Societies and Communities of Men must needs be destroyed if every one the better to support his own Interest should violently take from and strip his Neighbour of what is his Indeed this may be said to be lawful and no ways to infringe the Bonds of Society viz. to be more careful and industrious in acquiring the things necessary and useful for the conveniency of Life but to use Fraud or Violence to dispossess another and endeavour to enrich our selves by our Neighbours miseries is more contrary to the Laws of Nature even than Death it self than Poverty than Pain than all the most dreadful things that may befal us There is nothing truly useful but what is Just and Honest and nothing Just and Honest but what is truly useful these are reciprocal and whosoever endeavours to separate 'em offers at the most pernicious thing that can befal human Life for from thence spring Murders false Witnesses Thieveries and innumerable other Mischiefs They judge of the usefulness of things by a wrong Medium and tho' they escape the Penalties of the Laws which they break yet they escape not the Disgrace and Infamy which to a generous Mind is far more grievous and intolerable They consider not that of all other worldly Goods the most important and considerable is the Reputation of an honest of a just and of a good Man and that there is no Profit or Advantage that can recompence this loss The Life of an unjust Man is full of Troubles Jealousies and Fears Gripings of Conscience and Anxiety of Mind and what Good what Profit can there be in such a Way that if he were depriv'd of it he would be honoured and respected by all the World 'T is therefore impossible that true and real Profit should be separated from Justice and that it should accompany or be joined to Injustice Now as Justice and Injustice are contrary the first being free from Trouble the other always encompass'd with it what greater Advantage can an honest and good Man desire to attain to than that which Justice affords him And what greater Mischiefs can a wicked Man dread than that which Injustice is attended with For what Profit or Satisfaction is to be had from Cares Fears and perpetual Inquietudes Whether we may wrong any Man without doing him an injury AS 't is one thing to do an unjust Act another to do an injury seeing that a Man may do an unjust Act and not believe it or perhaps fancying it to be Just So it is most certain that we can do no injury but when we have a design to do it and so he who doth it
' em What Pleasure can there be in Life when Friendship is banished and what Friendship can there be among the Ungrateful This being granted we must consequently suppose Gratitude to be our chief Duty For tho he who gives pretends to nothing else than giving nevertheless he seems to expect that he who is thereby obliged should acknowledge the Favour and if he don't he will be unjust In Truth tho the Donor expects no reward yet he who receives the Kindness is not therefore free from the Ingagement that lies upon him to recompense his Benefactor by all good Offices Certainly if Hesiod will have us return as we say with Usury the Things that have only been lent us for a time With how much greater Reason saith Cicero ought we to be thankful when we have received more signal Obligations Ought we not to imitate those fruitful Fields that return much more than they receive And if we are Officious to them from whom we expect good Deeds how much more ought we to be to them who have already been kind to us and obliged us There are two sorts of Liberality the one is to give the other to restore 't is in our Power to give or not to give but not to restore is a thing not to be allowed of in an honest Man But suppose a Person is incapable you 'l say Seneca answers That he who is willing to return a good Deed does in effect do it for his good Will is a sufficient discharge of his Obligation He saith moreover That they who are obliged may not only equal but also surpass in good Will and Generosity those who give we may reward also the greatest Princes Lords and Kings either by affording to them faithful Counsel or by a constant attendance and by a pleasing Converse free from Flattery and yet delightful or by a serious Attention to what they propose when they consult about difficult Affairs or by a constant Fidelity when they intrust any Secret Propose the richest and the happiest Man in the World I will tell you what he wants viz. a cordial Friend to whom he may impart his most secret Thoughts Don't you perceive how great Men by confining the liberty of those who attend 'em and limiting their Trust to certain slavish Offices lose and cast themselves away because no Body about 'em dares freely impart their Thoughts either to incline them to what is for their advantage or to persuade them from what tends to their hurt There is no Mischief nor Calamity but they are liable to from the very Moment that they are barr'd from hearing the Truth You may ask What good you can do to a prosperous Person Persuade him not to trust to his Prosperity Will it not be a good Office that you do him when you shall cause him to quit this foolish Confidence and let him see that this Power that he has may not always continue the same And that the Things that Fortune bestows are flitting and inconstant oftner flying away faster than they come You don't understand the value and true worth of Friendship if you don't perceive that in bestowing a Friend you bestow the most excellent Gift the World can afford and who is never more useful and necessary than where all Things are in great plenty and abundance But not to insist longer upon this Aristotle offers two or three Questions upon this Point First Whether Beneficence is to be esteemed or valued according to the advantage of him who receives or according to the Liberality of him who bestows it He Answers That in the Kindnesses that are done for advantage and which are grounded upon Profit these are to be valued by the advantage of him who receives 'em because he is in want and he who does them performs 'em but upon Condition to have the same returned But in Friendships and Kindnesses that are established upon Virtue we must measure or compute the good Deed by the good Will of the Donor because where Virtue is concerned the intention is chiefly to be considered therefore whether any gives much or little the Gift or Kindness is to be esteem'd great for the great Affection or extraordinary good Will of the Party giving The Second Question Why those who give have a greater affection for the Party they give to than the other hath for the giver To this he Answers That the cause is not as some suppose for that the Donor is as the Creditor and the other as the Debtor and because the Debtor wishes for the Death of the Creditor but the Creditor the Life and Health of the Debtor but because the Benefactor is as the Artificer who loves more his own Works than they should be otherwise beloved again if they were alive which is to be seen among Poets who love the Offspring of their Brain as tenderly as the Offspring of their Body And they who receive a good Deed are as it were the handy Work of him who gives The Third Why there is no Law to indite an ungrateful Person This Crime says he which is universal is truly punished by none tho disapproved by all But as the valuation of an uncertain Thing would be very difficult we have only condemned it to an universal dislike and hatred leaving it among those Things which we have referred to the Justice and Vengeance of the Gods Besides 't is not convenient that all ungrateful Persons should be known lest the vast number of those who are stained with this Vice should lessen the Shame of the Crime and lastly 't is no small Punishment that an ungrateful Person dares not desire a good turn from another whom he has disobliged and that he is taken notice of and condemn'd by all the World As to what remains to be treated of here concerning Affability sweetness of Temper Civility and such like Virtues they may be sufficiently understood by what hath been mentioned already about Gentleness and Mildness We shall finish this Treatise with a Passage out of Seneca which contains the Sum of all moral Duties What do we do saith he what Precepts do we enjoyn What a small matter is this not to hurt him whom we ought to serve This is a worthy business indeed for a Man to be kind and loving to his Fellow-Creature Shall we make Laws for a Man to hold out his helping Hand to one Shipwreckt and ready to sink or to direct him that is wandring and hath lost his Way or to divide our Bread to him that perisheth for Hunger To what purpose is it to reckon at large what is to be done seeing I can comprehend the whole Duties of Mankind in few Words This great All which thou seest and which contains all Things divine and human is but One we are the Members of this great Body Nature hath made us all Related and a Kin by bringing us forth from the same Principles and of the same Elements 'T is Nature hath given us a mutual Affection
Understanding yet I say it is certain that in this Supposition we may still save our Liberty in that when we are ready to act and prepared 't is always in our Power to stop and desist from acting and to consider seriously of things so that if we distinguish the real advantages from those that are counterfeit we should cause the false Reasonings in the Understanding to be rectified and by that means cause this Propensity that is in the Will to be inlightned and so consequently not to seek after an apparent good instead of what is real Vice instead of Virtue CHAP. II. Of Fortune and Destiny THO' according to the Opinion of Cicero Folly Mistake Error Blindness and Ignorance of Things seem to have introduced and brought in fashion the Names of Nature and Fortune and that therefore Fortune cannot be without Ignorance Nevertheless 't is not generally agreed upon that this is only a foolish vain and imaginary Name seeing there are many that hold that 't is not only a Cause but a Divine Cause which occasioned these Verses of Juvenal Fortune was never Worship'd by the Wise But set aloft by Fools usurp'd the Skies That it is not really so Plutarch according to Plato holds That it is a Cause by accident which unexpectedly follows things acted according to Counsel And agreeable with this is Aristotle's Opinion That it is a Cause by accident in things done for a certain End and that this Cause is uncertain and changable For this example is alledged as a common Instance he who digging in the Ground with an intent to Plant a Tree found a Treasure which he never thought of now the Discovery of the Treasure is an Effect by accident that is to say that it happen'd beyond the Expectation and Intention of him that acted So that he who digged being the cause of the Pit made in the Earth is also the cause by accident of the Discovery of the Treasure 'T is in this manner that the Notion of Fortune is commonly explained Nevertheless it may seem by this Name that something else I know not what is understood and that they call not proprerly Fortune either him who digs or his action Therefore often we call a casual thing by the name of Fortune or that which happens unexpectedly And it seems by this Name of Fortune we are to understand The concurrence of several Causes that happen without any mutual dependence or advice so that from them proceeds an event or an effect called Casual which all the Causes or some of them or at least he to whom it happens had never in his Mind and Intention So as by the casual Discovery of the Treasure 't is not only requisite that some should dig in the Earth but that some other body should first hide the Mony 'T is manifest that Fortune or the cause of the Discovery is the concurrence of the hiding of the Mony and of the diging in the Earth in that place I say without any mutual dependence or advice and beyond or besides the Intention of all or some of the Causes Because tho' one or many of the Causes may have designed it and intended it 't is no less Fortune in respect of that Cause that never was thought upon As if one hides a Treasure with a design that he whom he foresees will dig in the Earth should find it In this Case the Event is not truly Casual in regard of him who hid the Treasure but it will be nevertheless in regard of him who was ignorant that any thing had been there concealed Thus that which happened at the opening of the Sepulcher of Nitocris was not absolutely a Hazard or Casual in respect to Nitocris for he imagined that some King would come to open it being induced by this Inscription If any of the Kings of Babylon that shall come after me be in want of Mony let him open this Sepulcher and let him take as much as he please but let him not open it unless he hath need for in such a Case it will avail him nothing But the Event was a Hazard or Casual in relation to Darius because instead of Mony he found this written within If thou wert not unsatiable of Mony thou would'st not have opened the Sepulchers of the Dead We must nevertheless acknowledge that we call that properly Fortune that of all the Causes which concur together not one of them foresees what will happen from thence An eminent Example of this is instanced in delaying the death of Socrates after Sentence had been pronounced For the cause of this delay hapned thus The day before the Sentence was given it hapned according to the yearly Custom a Ship was Crowned in order to be sent to Delos and in the mean while till its return it was not lawful to execute any Person But here neither the Priest in Crowning of the Ship nor the Judge in Pronouncing the Sentence ever thought by this accident to delay the death of Socrates Now 't is not without cause that Epicurus persuades us so much that we should not acknowledge Fortune as a Goddess for the weakness of Men is such that they don't only admire that which they understand not but they fancy it also as some divine Thing and above Nature So that when they had perceived that sometimes Fortune was favourable and sometimes adverse and contrary they adored it under several Shapes and erected Temples to it under these several Titles Fortunae Bonae Malae Blandae Averruncae Calvae Equestri c. This hath given occasion to the Complaints of Pliny That all over the World and at all times Men address themselves to Fortune so that she alone is called upon she alone accused and condemned she alone is praised and blamed that she alone is worshiped with Scoffs Many fancy her uncertain unconstant blind favouring those who deserve it not c. From hence is that common Expression The May-game or Sport of Fortune And this hath caused the life of Man to be likened to playing at Dice or Cards which is equally hazardous to the Gamester whether he understand the Game or not 'T is true that as the Play and the Life of Man are managed by Industry a skilful Gamester and a a wise Man commonly succeed best but this happens not always for often the ignorant Gamester is more fortunate than the skilful and the weak Man more successful than the wise and very frequently Fortune hath as much or more a hand in things than Wisdom This caused Plutarch to say That Fortune and Wisdom tho' very much differing often bring forth very unlike Effects And as there are but few Men who make Profession of Wisdom that know well how to manage and govern the Proceedings of Fortune Theophrastus hath been so bold as to say That 't is Fortune and not Wisdom that governs our Life Vitam regit Fortuna non Sapienta And Lucretius speaking according to the Vulgar saith That Fortune often
up several Oracles that have faltred and divers of their Temples that have been burned and then argues from thence If these wonderful Utterers of Oracles are not able to protect their own Temples nor defend themselves in time of Danger how can they defend others But the strongest Reason of all is that many of these Diviners Sooth-sayers and Fortune-tellers having been by the Ancients examined and more lately by the Romans have plainly discovered the Truth and declared that the Mistake proceeded from the too easie credulity of Men and that all was nothing but Subtilty and Cheat. We are not here to forget that after Eusebius had made mention of the Disciples of Aristotle and of the Cynicks says as to the Epicureans That he wonder'd at them because being bred from their Cradle after the manner of the Greeks and instructed by their Parents in the Belief and Doctrins of the Gods they nevertheless would not suffer themselves to be cheated by Mistakes but have boldly declared their Sentiments against such Oracles tho' they were then very famous and much frequented from all parts of the World protesting that they were meer Cheats and Impostures and making it appear that they were not only foolish idle and vain but also wicked THE CONTENTS BOOK I. OF Moral Philosophy in General Page 1. CHAP. I. What Happiness is Page 5. Several Opinions concerning the efficient Cause of Happiness Page 8. Some Particulars needful to be examined and considered which will contribute very much to the Repose and Happiness of Mankind Page 14. CHAP. II. What sort of Pleasure it is that Epicurus recommends as the End of a happy Life Page 44. Wherein Epicurus and Aristippus differ Page 58. The Condition and Satisfaction of a wise Man according to Epicurus's Opinion Page 61. That the Pains and Pleasures of the Mind are greater than those of the Body Page 63. Wherein Epicurus differs from the Stoicks Page 67. That Virtue according to Epicurus is essentially related to Pleasure as it tends to the main End and Design of an happy Life Page 69. CHAP. III. Wherein an happy Life doth consist Page 77. Whether all Pleasure be good of it self Page ibid. Whether the Opinion of the Stoicks in respect of Good and Evil be justyfiable Page 82. Whether at any time Pain ought to be preferr'd before Pleasure Page 84. Of the first Good that Nature has in its view Page 86. That things profitable and useful are sought after for the sake of Pleasure Page 91. That those good things which we call honest have the nearest relation to Pleasure Page 93. Whether the desire of Honour be blame-worthy Page 97. CHAP. IV. What advantage moral Virtue procures Page 100. Of Self-love Page 111. Of the deceitful Virtue and deceitful Happiness of Regulus Page 114. CHAP. V. That a wise Man is only capable of enjoying moral Virtues Page 122. Of the Tranquility of the Mind in particular Page 128. Of Life and of Active Felicity Page 132. Whether a Contemplative Happiness is to be preferr'd before an Active Page 136. Of freedom from Pain in particular Page 138. CHAP. VI. What Virtue and Advantage accrues by being contented with a little Page 147. A description of the Indian Diogenes Page 171 BOOK II. CHAP. I. Of Virtue in General Page 173. In what sense Virtue is said to consist in a Medium or to be placed in a Mediocrity Page 176. Of the Apathy or Insensibility of the Stoicks Page 180. Of the mutual Connection of moral Virtues Page 185. A general division of Virtue Page 188. CHAP. II. Of Prudence in general Page 191. Of the general Offices or Duties of Prudence Page 193. Of the Dispositions or Qualities needful for the performing the Duties of Prudence Page 195. CHAP. III. Of private Prudence Page 199. Of the Offices of private Prudence Page 201. That 't is dangerous to undertake any thing against our Natural Inclination Page 205. CHAP. IV. Of Oeconomick Prudence Page 210. Of the Nuptial Prudence and its several Duties Page 212. Of Paternal Prudence and its several Duties Page 214. Of Prudence of Superiors and their several Duties Page 217. Of Possessory Prudence and its Offices Page 218. CHAP. V. Of Politick or Civil Prudence Page 224. Of the first Original of Soveraign Power according to the Opinion of the Ancients Page 225. Whether Monarchical Government is the best Page 229. Of the Duties of a Monarch in General Page 230. Of the great concerns of Meum and Tuum or of the Property of the Subject Page 238. Of the Duties of a Sovereign in times of Peace Page 241. Of the Offices of a Sovereign in times of War Page 245. If a wise Man ought to intermeddle with publick Affairs Page 250. CHAP. VI. Of Fortitude Page 254. Of the several kinds of Fortitude Page 260. Whether the Evils foreseen make the least Impression upon us Page 263. How we ought to support External and Publick Evils Page 265. Of External and private Evils and first of Banishment Page 268. Of Imprisonment Page 270. Of Slavery Page 271. Of Shame and Disgrace Page 273. Of the loss of Children and Friends Page 274. Of the loss of an Estate Page 276. Of Pain and of Death Page 278. CHAP. VII Of Temperance Page 280. Of Modesty and Decency Page 281. Of Sobriety and Chastity in general Page 283. Of Sobriety in particular Page 286. Of Chastity in particular Page 289. Of Mildness and Gentleness Page 294. Of Clemency Page 297. Of Mercy Page 299. Of Modesty Page 300. CHAP. VIII Of Justice Equity and the Laws Page 306. Of Retaliation Page 308. Of Justice in general according to Epicurus Page 312. Of Right or Just from whence Justice derives its name Page 314. Of the Origin of Right and of Justice Page 317. Between whom Right or Justice takes Place Page 319. That there is great Reason to live up to Justice Page 328. Whether we may wrong any Man without doing him an Injury Page 334. CHAP. IX Of the Virtues which accompany Justice namely of Religion of Piety of Observance Love Bounty Liberality Gratitude And first of Religion Page 337. Of Piety Page 348. Of Observance or Respect Page 353. Of Friendship Page 355. Of Beneficence and Liberality Page 363. Of Gratitude Page 366. BOOK III. Of Liberty Fortune Destiny and Divination CHAP. I. What Liberty or Free-Will is Page 372. CHAP. II. Of Fortune and Destiny Page 392. Of Destiny Page 396. CHAP. III. How Destiny may be reconciled or consist with Fortune and Liberty Page 409. CHAP. IV. Of Divination or the foretelling of future Contingencies Page 424. Of Demons or Spirits according to the Opinion of Antiquity Page 429. Of the Oracles Page 449. FINIS GASSENDI's MORALS
it is that the end of our Life depends upon the first Moment Let us therefore moderate our Desires according to the Rule that Nature hath prescribed and if the Destinies to speak according to the ancient Poets cannot be prevail'd upon so that against our Wills we are hurried away let us at least alleviate our Trouble by suffering our selves to be carried off willingly The best and only Remedy to pass our Life free and void of Trouble is to suit our selves to our Nature to desire nothing but what it requires and to esteem the last Moment of our Life as a free Gift of Providence and to dispose and prepare our selves in such a manner that when Death approaches we may say I have lived and I have finished the Race that Nature hath appointed me Vixi quem dederas cursum Natura peregi She calls away but I come of mine own accord Nature requires of me what I am intrusted with I yield it willingly I am commanded to die I expire without Regret We might also very well make use of the Advice of Lucretius and speak thus to our selves The greatest and most mighty Monarchs of the World are dead and Scipio that Thunderbolt of War and Terror of Carthage hath left his Bones in the Earth like as the vilest Slave Anchises the most Religious of all men and Homer the Prince of the Poets are dead and shall we murmur to die But more to comfort thee Consider Ancus perish'd long ago Ancus a better Man by much than thou Consider mighty Kings in pamper'd State Fall and ingloriously submit to Fate Scipio that Scourge of Carthage now the Grave Keeps Prisoner like the meanest common Slave Nay the great Wits and Poets too that give Eternity to others cease to live Homer their Prince the Darling of the Nine What Troy would at a second fall repine To be thus sung is nothing now but Fame A lasting far diffus'd but empty Name Let us say moreover Gassendus himself is dead and that great Man hath finished his Course like other Mortals he who in profound Learning and Wisdom excell'd the rest of Mankind and who rising like a Sun darkned the Light of all the Stars Nay Great Gassendi's Race of Life is run That Man of Wit who other Men out-shone As far as meaner Stars the mid-day Sun And can'st not thou O Wretch resolve to die Then how dar'st thou repine to die and grieve Thou meaner Soul thou dead ev'n whilst alive That sleep'st and dream'st the most of Life away Thy Night is full as rational as thy Day Still vext with Cares who never understood The Principles of ill nor use of good Nor whence thy Cares proceed but reel'st about In vain unsettled Thoughts condemn'd to doubt Thou whose Life is as half dead thou who spendest above half thy time in Sleep who snorest as I may say waking and feedest upon Fancies and who livest in the midst of Fears and continual Troubles It is what our famous Malherbe had in his Thoughts when he bewails the unhappy Fate of great Men who are subject to the same Laws of Death as the meanest Beggars Yet these are turn'd to Dust and Fate Rules with such Arbitrary Sway So binds its Laws on every State That all their Equal's Doom Obey With none e'er yet Impartial Destiny Of all it's num'rous Subjects wou'd dispense Hear this ye Vulgar Souls and hence Vnrepining Learn to Die But here some will object we shall be depriv'd of all the Blessings of Life as Lucretius Elegantly Expresses it Lib. 3. Ay but he now is snatcht from all his Joys No more shall his Chast Wife and Pratling Boys Run to their Dad with eager hast and strive Which shall have the first Kiss as when alive Ay but he now no more from Wars shall come Bring Peace and Safety to his Friends at home Wretched O Wretched Man one Fatal Day Has snatch'd the vast Delights of Life away It is true that this is commonly objected but they seldom Consider that this supposed Unhappy Man shall then have no desire at all for such things and that when he shall be really Dead he shall not see any like himself standing near his Tomb beating the Breast and languishing with Grief as the same Author Describes Thus they bewail but go no further on And add that his Desires and Wants are gone But the fond Fool n'er thinks that when kind Death Shall close his Eyes in Night and stop his Breath Then nothing of this thinking thing remains To mourn his Fate and feel sharp Grief and Pains May not we likewise thus Argue as Plutarch Observes and which often occurs in our Thoughts If our Life which we esteem very long when it extends to an Hundred Years were naturally but of one Days continuance as some Animals mention'd by Aristotle in the Kingdom of Pontus are And if like them in the Morning we were in our Youth at Noon in our Strength and full Growth and at Night in our Old Age It is certain in this Case we should be as well pleas'd to live one Day till Night as we are now to live an hundred years And on the contrary if our Life did now extend to a thousand years as did that of our first Fathers in that Case it would grieve us as much to Die at the end of six hundred years as to depart now at the expiration of threescore It is the same in respect of those who first came into the World if they had continued till this present time it would trouble them as much to Die now as it does us These Considerations therefore ought to teach us that our Life of what sort soever is to be computed not by its length but by the good Qualifications and Pleasures that attend it In the same manner saith Seneca As the Perfection of a Circle ought to be computed not by the Greatness but by the exact Roundness of the Figure O Vain and Indiscreet Diligence saith Pliny Men compute the number of their Days where they should only seek their true Worth Heu vana imprudens diligentia numerus dierum Computatur ubi quaeritur pondus We don't Consider that as the Mass of this Earth and all the World beside and a thousand other such Worlds if you please are but as a Point if compared with the vast extended space of the Heavens Thus the longest Life of Man were it as long as that of the Hamadryades or a thousand thousand times more is but a Moment if compared with Eternity This Life saith Seneca is but a Point How can we extend this Point In hoc punctum conjectus es Quod ut extendas quousque extendes Know saith Lucretius That by the prolonging of our Days we diminish nothing from the time and long continuance of Death and that he who dies to day shall not be dead a less time than he who died a thousand years ago What tho' a thousand years prolong thy breath How