A Philosophicall Treatise concerning the quietnes of the mind Taken out of the Morall workes written in Greeke by the most Famous Philosopher Historiographer Plutarch of Cherronea Counsellor to Traâ—â—â— the Emperor And translated out of Greeke into French by Iames Amyor Bishop of Auxerre and great Almoner to the most Christian King of Fraunce Charles the ninth And now turned out of French into English by John Clapham Printed by Robert Robinson for Thomas Newman 1589. ¶ To my verie good Father Master Luke Clapham contentment of minde in this life and continuance of ioy in the life to come SIR after I had finished the translation of this Philosophicall Treatise which was my chiefe woorke these long Winter nightes I purposed to send the written copy vnto you not minding then to publish it Howbeit being since perswaded that it might be beneficiall to others considering the necessitie of the argument I haue now made that common to al which at the first was intended onely to you wherein whatsoeuer my intention was I can hardlie excuse my selfe of rashnes in publishing it to the view and censure of the learned skilfull in the French tongue wherof my selfe haue but a tast who will easilie perceiue my wants errors in the translatioÌ„ And yet seeing oftentimes that endeuor supplieth default of sufficiencie and a good meaning counteruaileth a bad performance J haue at all aduentures as you see stripped this morall treatise out of a rich French attire into a poore English weed I would be loth that some French man should take it as an iniurie thrusting it out to the eie of the world vnder your patronage being the first fruites of my labour in this kind not doubting of your fauourable acceptance thereof as proceeding from him that in nature and dutie is most bownd vnto you and to whom he oweth himselfe and all that hee hath If the paines I haue taken herein may either please or profit the Reader I shall bee glad if both I require no more Jf neither yet for the first time Sit voluisse satis And thus in my hartie praiers I commend you with my good Mother to the protection of the Almightie whom J beseech to send yee manie happie yeares to your ioy and contentment in this world and euerlasting peace to your endlesse comfort in his Kingdome From the Court at Richmond the 2. of Ianuarie 1589. Your humble and obedient sonne Iohn Clapham Translator ad Libellum Si quis parue liber quum primum viderit hospes Forte rogat quiduis cuius es vnde venis Jgnotus dic tu Dominus me protulit atqui Cum nequeat quod vult sit bene velle satis Intereà faueátque tibi Dominóque precare Qui me lior a volet cum meliora valet A Philosophicall treatise concerning the quietnes of the minde Plutarch to Paccius health c. I Receaued your letter verie lately wherin you desire mee to write some thing vnto you cocerning the quietnes of the mind and with all touching certaine places of Platoes Timaeus which seeme needfull of a most diligent exposition It chaunced at the same time that Eros our familiar friend had occasion to saile with speede towards Rome about certaine letters which hee had receiued of the most vertuous gentleman Fundanus who therein was verie earnest to haue him depart forth with and to come vnto him So wanting sufficient time to emploie in the matter which you desired and vnwilling that he departing from mee should come vnto you with emptie handes I haue drawne togither summarily out of notes and remembrances which I had long since collected for mine owne priuate vse certaine sentences touching the tranquillitie of the mind perswading my self that you haue not required this discourse to the ende that you might take pleasure in reading a treatise well and eloquentlie written but onely to serue you at need knowing verie well that to get the fauour of great men and to be reported a good speaker and as eloquent a pleader of causes in the Pallace as anie one in Rome you do not for al this as Merops the Tragedian who wearieth consumeth himselfe with vainglorie to please the humour of the popular sort which therfore worthily account you happie but I doubt not that you keepe wel in memoric the speach which you haue oft times heard me vse that neither a noblemans shoe healeth the gout in the foot nor a precious ring the crampe in the finger nor a Diadem the paine in the head For how serueth store of wealth great honors or credit in Court to free the minde from trouble and to make a mans life peaceable if That be not within which can vse it vertuouslie and if it be not alwaies accompanied with contentment which neuer wisheth that it hath not And what other thing is That but onely reason accustomed exercised in bridling straightwaies the vnreasonable part of the minde which easily and oft times passeth hir bowndes so that it cannot wander abroad at hir owne pleasure nor be carried about after hir own appetites Wherefore as Xenophon doth warne men to be mindfull of the gods and to worship them especiallie when they are in prosperitie to the ende that in time of necessitie they may be more assured to reclaime them as hauing bin long before fauourable and frendlie vnto them So ought wise and discreete men to make prouision of reasons which may serue to defend them against passions so that hauing them prepared before hand they may be more auaileable wheÌ„ need requireth For euen as dogges which are fierce by nature do grin and barke at euerie straunge noise they heare and are not appeased but with the sownd of that voice which is familiar vnto them and with which they are acquainted So is it not an easie matter to bring back to reason the wilde wandering passions of the minde vnlesse we haue a fit and familiar bridle at hand that may checke them as soone as they begin to stirre As for them which say that if wee would liue quietlie we should not deale with manie matters either priuate or publick First I say that they would sel vs this tranquillitie too deerlie which will haue vs buy it with the price of idlenes which is as much as if they should warne euery man as being sicke euen as Electra doth her brother Orestes Continue quiet wretched in thy bed But this were an ill medicine for the bodie which to case the paine thereof must take away the feeling neither is he a better Phisition for the minde who to take all disquiet from it would make it idle effeminate forgetfull of all dutie towards friends kindred and countrey Wee see then it is vntrue that their mindes are setled and quiet which entermedle not with manie matters For if it were so then must we say that women liue more contented and lesse troubled than men considering that for the most part they stirre not out of the
deceit vanitic and weakenesse in those thinges which through error of opinion seeme painfull grieuous and fearefull So that reason sheweth this plainly to him that will thinke hereof particularlie consider of euerie one of these And notwithstanding there are manie which greatly feare this saying of Menander No man can trulie say what ere he bee This chance could neuer haue befallen mee Not knowing how much this practise auaileth to the quiet and contentment of the minde whereby we may bee able with open eies firmlie to looke against Fortune making our conceits and imaginations not idle or effeminat in theÌ„selues as being nourished onely by a shadow vnder such kinde of hope as yeeldeth bendeth wheÌ„ they are pressed downe by their contraries neuer standing stiffe or vnflexible against anie one of them But we may also obiect say against Menander It is true that no man liuing can say This shall neuer happen to me And yet I may saie As long as I liue I will neuer do this I will neuer tell vntruth I will neuer deceaue I will neuer falsifie my faith I will neuer surprise anie man For this being in our power is no small meane but a great helpe to the quietnes of the minde As contrariwise the remorse of conscience I know that I haue committed such a heinous offence doth leaue repentance in the soule which grateth tormenteth and bloodieth it selfe euen as a wound in the flesh For reason taking away and wiping out all other greefes sorrowes and anguishes doth engender this repeÌ„tance which with shame nippeth and byteth and with horror afflicteth and punisheth it selfe continuallie Euen as they who being sicke of an ague do either shake for cold or burne with heate are more greeued and tormented then they which endure the same passions by outward causes of winters cold or Sommers heat so casuall and accidentall mishaps make our griefs more easie and tolerable as proceeding from external causes and from without vs. But when one saith None other is to bee blamed for this my selfe alone am the cause hereof This is a custome and kinde of sorrow lamentation comming from the bottom of the hart wheÌ„ we know our selues guiltie of some publicke crime wherby the griefe is so much the greater in that it is conioined with shame and infamy And therefore there is neither house nor landes nor great store of gold siluer nor honor and noblenes of blood nor greatnes of office and estate nor the grace and vehemencie of speach which doth so much lighten and so sweetlie becalme the life of man as an vndefiled conscience to haue the mind pure neat and cleane of all lewd deedes motions and deuises and our names which are the spring from whence al vertuous and commendable actions do follow to bee honest and impolluted not troubled or infected with any vice This is it which giueth a cheerefull force and vigor as it were diuinely inspired with a greatnes and constancie of courage and with a more ioyfull and assured remembrance then the hope which Pindarus describethto be the nurse of old age For euen as the bottels wherein there hath beene frankencense put as saith Carneades albeit they be empty yet keepe the sweete sauour therof long after so good and vertuous actions proceeding from the minde of a wise man doe alwaies leaue behinde a pleasing and fresh remembrance wherby his ioy and delight being watered doth florish and encrease and himselfe contemneth those who bemone and diffame this life as if it were a hell or place of torments and of continuall aboade where wretched and miserable soules are to be chained and tortured And herein I cannot but greatlie commend the saying of Diogenes who vpon a time seeing a certaine stranger in Lacedemon that decked and trimmed himselfe against a feast day what saith he doth not an honest man thinke that al daies are feast-daies for him yea surelie and a great and solemne feast if he be wise For this world is a most sacred and religious temple whereinto Man is brought at his birth to beholde therein the portratures images not wrought and carued with mens hands but those formes and figures which the Diuine mouer hath made sensible to represent vnto vs the formes intelligible as Plato faith hauing in theÌ„ the principal impressions of life and motieÌ„ that is is saie the Sun the Moone the Starres the running streames casting sweet freshe water out of the bodie of the earth which continually like a kind mother yeeldeth and prouideth nourishment for liuing creatures and plantes So wee ought to esteeme this life as a profession and entraunce into a most perfect and vnited religion And therefore it were conuenient that it should bee replenished with great tranquitlity and neuer ending ioy not as the common sort doe at this day in solemnising the feast of Saturne Bacchus or Minerna to delight and sporte themselues with laughter bought with monie which they giue to dauncers counterfeites and stage plaiers that enforce them to laugh And now at these feasts we sit verie mannerly and orderly not being troubled or disquieted with any thing For there is no man that sorroweth when hee commeth to a meeting of good fellowes or that lamenteth in beholding the games of Apollo Pythius or that fasteth at Saturnes feastes And notwithstanding we deface the feastes which God himself hath appointed and commaunded in weeping sighing and bewailing or at least wise in painefull cares and continuall discontentmentes Wee take pleasure in hearing musicall instrmentes whose sound pleaseth the eare and we delight in birdes that sing sweetelie and willingly behold other liuing creatures pretely sporting skipping and frisking with iolitie of heart and contrariwise wee dislike them which houle whine and grone and which loke heauily ougly and fearefully Howe bee it seeing the whole course of our owne life to be sorrowfull pensiue painfull oppressed with most greeuous passions most laborious busines and euer endles cares and thoughts wee will not giue our selues any rest comfort or time of breathing but that which is worse wee are vnwilling to receaue the good counsell and aduise of our freendes and kindred that warne and exhort vs herevnto which if we would with patience heare and in practise followe we might behaue our selues blamelesse for the time present with ioy and pleasure recount the time passed and boldly without distrust in cheereful and liuely hope attend the time to come FINIS Reason Idlenes 3 especiall causes of womens discontentment No state or kind of life free from trouble and disquiet The cause of discontentmet in our selues The mind neuer con tented Reason changeth affections Alexanders ambition Crates coÌ„tentment Agamemnons complaint Diogenes carelesnes Socrates pacience Phaetons impacience Wisdom and Temperance causeth a good and pleasant life Our life is compared by Plato to Table play Foolish men know not how to vse either prosperity or aduersity Goods Theodorus Error in mistaking fortune Fortune to be applyed by will to euery accident Zeno. Plato The state of great men to be considered by the meaner sort Agis honor not empared by his wiues adultery Stilpo not disquieted with his daughters incontineÌ„cy Most part of men troubled with their enemies vices No striuing against nature Miserable men to be helped not lamen ted for The remembrance of our good fortune past must coun teruaile our present mishap Another treatise written by Plutarch in his Moralls Aristippus disposition Euery man hath some thing for which hee ought to be thankfull Common benefits not to be neglected The want of good things maketh them more esteemed desired The feare of loosing them taketh away the pleasure of enioying theÌ„ The consideration of a mans owne selfe and estate very neces sary The desire of that we haue not taketh awaie the pleasure of the enioying that we haue Defire of aduancement maketh men discontented Things necessary easely gotten Error of conceit by reason of the outward shew maketh men think others estate better then their owne Pittacus paâ—ience A part of a curst madbrain shrew The pomp of Princes hideth their trobles from the sight of priuate men Will Mens folly to be blamed rather then their fortune in desiring things aboue their reach and attempting things imposible Selfe loue Dionysius Non omnia possumus omnes Megabysus The stoicks opinion of a wise man All things not fit for all men A man must first learne to know himselfe Nature not to be forced Make much of thine own The most part of men prefer pleasur and ease before pro fit and honesty Natures prouision That kind of life is to be chosen which is most agreable to our nature Care for the time to come deuoureth the pleasure of the time present Wise men delighted with the remembrance of good turnes past Forgetfulnes cause of discontentment Cantharolethron The remembraÌ„ce of mishaps engrauen in the harts of men The world compounded of con traries Nothing pure in this life Riches glorie autority do most delite them who least feare pouerty misery and disgrace Anaxagoras The mind must alwaies be prepared for all misfortunes Reason tameth affection Some things offensiue by Natura Câ—â—cell Conceit Nature The common necessity of nature more forcible then Reason c. Man in his body subiect to fortune The mind the best part of man is aboue fortunes reach Fortune cannot alter the minde Continencie sober diet exercise preserue health The bodie is a rotten boat wherin the mind saileth The nature of the Soule to be knowne and considered Philosophy is the fortresse of good minds The mind to be exercised Remorse of conscience worketh repentance A pure minde maketh a sweete contented life What the world is
father Euen as the shoe becommeth crooked according to the deformitie of the foote and not otherwise So is it the humors of men which make their liues alike and conformable to their dispositioÌ„s For it is not custome as one would haue it which maketh a good life pleasant to them which haue chosen it but wisdome and temperance are the things which make our life good and pleasaunt withal And therefore sith the spring head of all quietnes of minde resteth in our selues let vs looke vnto it and diligently cleanse it to the end that those chaunces which shall befall vs in outward thinges may seeme pleasing familiar vnto vs when wee are well acquainted with them and can make vse of them Be not offended whatsoeuer chaunceth For at our anger fortune sports daunceth But he that for all happes his mind can frame Vndoubtedly deserâ—es a wise mans name For Plato compareth our life to Table play wher the Dye must shew the cast and the gamster must content himselfe with his chaunce Now touching these two points the euent and hazard of the Dye are not in our power but patiently and moderately to take in good part whatsoeuer it shall please fortune to send and to dispose euerie thing in such place as it may helpe much if it be good or hurt litle if it be bad this is in ourpower to do this we ought to do if we be wise For fooles that are slaues to their affections which knowe not how to behaue themselues in this human life do presumptuously rush out of their boundes in prosperity and timerously mure vp themselues in aduersitie So that they are troubled with both extremities or to say more truely with themselues in both extremities principally in that which they call Goods as those men who being sicke are vnable to endure either heat or cold Theodorus that for the il opinions he held was surnamed Atheos which is without God or godlesse vsed to saie that he deliuered his discourses to his Auditors with the right hande but that they receiued them with the left euen so simple and ignorant men which know not how to liue entertaining oftimes with the left hand the fortune which commeth to them on the right commit thereby many grosse and absurd enormities But on the contrary part wise men like Bees that suck hunnie out of Time a rough and dry herb do draw some good and profitable thing for theÌ„selues euen out of the worst and most troblesome accidents that befall them This then is the first point wherein we must bee trained and exercised as hee which ayming to hit a Dog with a stone misseth the Dog and striketh his stepmother and yet saith it falleth not out ill euen so may we transfer our fortune by our will and apply it to that which she bringeth vnto vs. Diogenes was driuen out of his countrie into exile yet went it not ill with him for that his banishment was the first beginning of his study in Philosophy Zeno the Citiei an had once a marchants ship and hauing newes that it was cast awaic that the marchandise and all were sunck into the bottom of the sea Fortune quoth he thou dost well to make me fit for the long plaine robe and the study of Philosophy What letteth vs to follow theÌ„ herin Thou hast bin deposed from some publicke office or place of autority which thou hadst in charge Well be it so Thou shalt liue priuately in the couÌ„try vpon that which thou hast Thou did dest make suite to be entertained into the house and seruice of some Prince or noble man Thou hast had the repulse well thou shalt liue at home with thy selfe and that with lesse paine and lesse daunger Contrarywise thou art entred into dealings with matters of state wherein is much paine and great care The hot water of the bath doth not so much com fort the wearied lims as Pindarus saith The hot bath doth not yeelde so much delight Vnto the wearied lims of any wight As hope of glorie others to surmount To liue in wealth in credit and account Doth make all trauayle sweete vnto the minde Tendure such paines as Honor hath assind Art thou fallen into disgrace or hast thou receiued some priuie back blow by enuy or ill report This is a good wind in the Poupe of thy shippe to turne thee straite to the study of learning and philosophie as Plato was wheÌ„ he had made shipwracke of the good fauour of Dyonisius the tyrant And now it is a meane of no small importaunce for the setling of the minde in quiet to consider the state of great men and to see if they be mooued and troubled with the like accidents As for example The cause of thy discontentment is for that thou canst haue no children by thy wife Looke how manie Roman Emperors there haue beene wherof not one left the Empire to his sonne Art thou greeued because thou art pore And which of the Thebans wouldst thou wishe to resemble rather then Epaminondas or of the Romans then Fabritius Hath one defiled thy wife Hast thou not red the inscription which is set vp in the Temple of Apollo at Delphos vpon an offering which was there presented Agis a crowned King by sea and land Hath placed me in this Temple where I stande And haue you not heard howe Alcibiades corrupted Timoea his wife and howe shee her selfe amongest her women called softelie the child which shee had by him Alcibiades But for all this her lewdnesse was no let that Agis became not the greatest and most famous man of all Greece in his time Neither in like manner was the incontinencie of Stilpoes daughter an occasion that hee liued not as ioyfullie as anie other Philosopher of his time So that when Metrocles the Cynick cast it in his teeth hee sayd vnto him is this my fault or hers Metrocles aunswered the faulte is hers and the misfortune thine Stilpo replied againe howe so Are not faultes vnhappie casualties Yea surelie quoth the other Then Stilpo goeth forward And are not such casualties ill euentes The other confessed it And are not ill euentes misfortunes to them on whoÌ„ they chaunce to fall By this sweete and Philosophicall progression from point to point hee shewed and prooued that all his reproch and malitious speech was nothing else but a dogs barking Againe on the other side the most part of men are troubled and disquieted not onelie with the vices of theyr friends acquaintance and kindred but also with their verie enemies misbehauiour For ill companie contention enuy emulation and ielousie accompanied with hate and disdaine defile the minds of those men which are possessed with these passions notwithstanding they oft times vexe and offend the vnwife as the sodaine falling out of neighbors the troublesome conuersation of familiars the lewdnes of seruants in those things which are coÌ„mited to their
house But verie true it is as the Poet Hesiodus saith The percing winde that from the North doth passe Hurtes not the bodie of the tender Lasse But greefes cares vexations and discontentments be it through iealousysuperstition ambition or proceeding from vaine opinions and conceites that are almost innumerable do easilie rush euen into Ladies closets and bedchambers And Laertes which liued solitarilie in the countrie for the space of twentie yeares Alone with one olde woman that hee had To dresse his meat he liu'd pensiue sad Albeit he separated himselfe far from his countrie from his house and kingdome yet he alwaies carried griefe and sadnes in his hart which are euer accompanied with idle discontentment and pensiue silence Moreouer there are some which say that not to bee emploied in affaires is oft times cause of displeasure and the disquiet of a mans minde As appeareth by the discontented Greeke whom Homer describeth But stout Achilles sprung of Peleus race Being light of foote and full of diuine grace Had no delight once from his ships to moue Or march in battle as did him be houe Amidst the Greekes or els among the wise To sit in counsell or to enterprise Some braue attempt beseeming his estate But all alone possest with spite and hate He did consume himselfe from countrie far Although hee loued nothing more than war Wherupon himselfe being passionate and vexed in minde sayth a litle after that Hard by my shippes where doing naught I stoode A lumpe of Earth vnsit for any good In so much that Epicurus himselfe is of opinion that a man ought not to continue still doing nothing but that euerie man should followe the inclination of his owne nature as the ambitious and desirous of Honour to deale with publicke affaires and to entermeddle with the gouernment of the common wealth saying that otherwise in doing nothing they should be more troubled disquieted because they could not obtaine that which they desired But herein he is of a bad iudgement in calling to the gouernment of the state not those men which are most fit for the place but such as can least giue themselues to case and rest Howbeit we ought not to measure or determine the quiet or disquiet of the mind by the great or small number of matters but by the good or bad handling of them For as we haue alreadie said it is no lesse troblesome nor lesse offensiue to the minde to omit that which is good then commit that which is ill And as for them which thinke that there is assuredlie a certaine speciall kinde of life without anie discontentment as some hold the life of labouring me to be some the life of yong men to be married and some the life of Kinges Menander answereth them sufficientlie in these verses O Phania I thought that men of power Which haue great store of wealth at euerie hower So that they neede not vpon vsury To borrow as men doo in penury Had from all care thought beene freed cleane And had not known what greefe paine dooth meane Or all nights groning sighing vnrest Turning from side to side as men opprest To crie alas and wish it were their hap To close their eyes or take one slumbring nappe But afterward looking neerer into their state and perceauing that the rich liued as much discontented as the poore he saith Thus discontentment in all states beeing rife The sister german of this human life Participates with nobles in the Court With men of power of welth of euery sort The silly soule by hir dooth pine away And euery where she beares no litle sway But this is euen as those that are fearfull and sick vpon the seas which thinke to ease and cure them selues in passing out of a Barke into a Brigandine and out of a Brigandine into a Galley And yet they gaine nothing thereby for so much as they alwaies carrie with them the humor and feare which causeth their sicknes Euen so alteration in the kindes of life dooth not take away the greefes and vexations that trouble the quiet of minde which greefes proceed partlie of want of experience in matters partly of lacke of good conference and aduise partly of default of knowledg discretion to apply our selues to our present estate This is it which disquieteth as well the riche as the poore This is it which troubleth as well the married as the vnmaried This is the cause that manie doo flie the pallace and please please in courtes And yet for all this they cannot brooke quietnes or giue themselues to rest by reason they desire and seeke to be a duanced and to haue great places in Princes courtes which when they haue once obtained sodainely they become weary of them Hard is it to content the man that's sicke So saith Ion the Poet for his wife displeaseth him He accuseth the Phisition Hee is angrie with his bed some one of his friendes offendeth him because hee commeth to visite him another because he commeth not or being come for that he will needes depart But afterwardes when the disease decreaseth and that there commeth an other temperature disposition of body then health returneth againe which maketh all thinges pleasing and delightful So that he which of late nay but yesterdaie refused with loathing and abhorred egs fine cheat the whitest manchet that might be got this day falleth to brown houshold bred with oliues and water cresses euen sauourly and with a good stomacke Euen so the iudgement of reason comming to forme it selfe in mans vnderstanding bringeth with it the like facility and the very same chaunge in euery kind of life They say that Alexander hauing heard Anaxarchus the Philosopher dispute and maintaine in argument that there were innumerable worldes began to weepe And beeing asked what reason hee had so to doo answered saying haue I not great cause to weepe if the number of worlds be infinite seeing that I cannot yet make my selfe lord of one alone Wheras Crates hauing for al his wealth but one olde ill-fauored ragged cloake and a patched scrippe did nothing al his life long but sport and laugh as if he had alwaies beene at a feast Contrariwise Agamemnon complained for that he had such a great world to commaund Loe Agamemnon sonne to Atreus Vpon whose necke Iupiter caus'd to bide The heauy waight for al the world beside Whereas Diogenes when they solde him for a slaue lying all along vpon the ground mocked the crier that sold him and would not rise vp when hee commaunded him but sported and iested with him saying And if thou shouldst sel a fish wouldest thou make it rise vp And Socrates beeing in prison vsed familiar conference in discoursing of matters of â—â—ilosophie whereas Phaeton beeing mounted vp to heauen yet wept for despite that they would not let him rule gouerne the horses and Chariot of the Sun his
charge with which thing you seeme to be moued trobled as much as with any other matter doing therein as the phisitions whō Sophocles describeth Washing the choler with like iuyce ywis Of quality such as the humor is Fretting and disquieting your selfe with their passions and imperfections to small purpose in my opinion for that those matters whereof the gouerment is committed to your trust are not ordinarily handled by entercourse of persons of simple and good behauiour as by fit and pliable instruments but oftētimes by rough crooked tooles Now think not that it is your duety or a thing easy to be done by altering the forme to amend them but if in vsing them as beeing borne such as you finde them euen as Surgeons do their hooked instruments wherewith they close the gaping of wounds you shew your selfe gracious and tractable as the case requireth surely you shall reape not so much displeasure and discontentment at their lewdnes as pleasure and contentment at your own disposition And thinking that such substitutes and seruants doe that which is their propertie and nature as Dogs when they barke you shal keepe your selfe from heaping vp more greefes and vexations which vse to distill into the mindes of pulling faintharted men as into a pit or low place that is filled vp with an other mans inconuenience and mishap For seeing that their are certaine Philosophers which reproue the pitie and cōpassion which some take of miserable and distressed men as being a very good thing to helpe them in their misery and calamity but not to greeue or suffer with thē or once to be moued with thē And more then this seeing that the same Philosophers woulde not that we should be sorie or disquieted if we perceiue our selues to offend or to be giuē to any vice but that wee should correct and amend it without greeuing or troubling our selues otherwise considering what small reason there is to be sorie or discontented for that all those which haue to doe with vs and which keepe company with vs are not so honest and vertuous as they ought to be But let vs take heede friend Paccius that this proceede not so much of the hate of vice in generall as of the loue of our selues in particular which maketh vs feare and dislike the ill dealing of those men with whom we are conuersant For sometimes affecting too much the state of gouernmēt publick affairs desiring and haunting after them more hotely then is fit or contrarie wise hauing at all no tast of them or making no account of them this engendreth in vs suspition both of impatience and discontentment against those persons which make vs misconceiue and imagin that they haue depriued vs of this commodity or made vs fal into that incōuenience But he that is accustomed to behaue himselfe temperatelie and indifferentlie in common affaires is thereby more gracious fit and conformable to deale with men in the world And therfore let vs againe finde fault and blame these dealings in matters and busines For euen as hee that is sicke of a feuer findeth all things that he taketh displeasing to his tast and bitter but when we see others which tasting thereof find thē nothing vnsauory or vnpleasāt then we blame no more either the broth or the meate but onely the disease Euen so shall we cease to à ccuse and take these matters greeuouslie or impatiently whē we shall see other men taking them in hand cheerefullie ioyfullie Wherfore whē any crosse accident shal befall vs against our will it shall bee good for the surer seating of the mind in quiet not to cast behind vs our good and fortunate chaunces but tēpering the one with the other to deface and darken our ill haps by comparing them with our good But in opposing the one against the other let vs refresh and comfort our eies beeing offended with the sight of too liuelie glittering colors by casting them vpon naturall flowers and the greene grasse And let vs employ our imagination to matters of greefe and trouble enforcing it to rest and continue in the meditatiō of our aduerse sorowful chances pulling it vp forcibly by the roots as I may saie from the remembrance of our good prosperous haps wherevnto you may verie fitlie transferre the discourse which in another place was made against the Curious man what is the cause O most enuious man that thine eies are so bright and percing in vewing other mens euills and so dull and darkned in beholding thine owne And wherefore is it good Sir that thou lookest so stedfastlie vpon thy mishaps in making them alwaies manifest and fresh in memorie and neuer applyest thy thoughts to the good things which thou presetly enioyest but euen as the Cupping scarifying instrumēts which chirurgions vse do draw vnto thē the corruption that is in the flesh euen so dost thou heape vp against thy selfe all the worst that is in thy selfe verie fitly resembling the marchant of Chium who selling to other men great store of good wine went euery where seeking and tasting to get viniger for his own dinner So ther was a seruant who being asked what hee left his Master doing answered hauing much good hee seeketh that which is ill Euen so the most part of men superficially passing ouer the good and profitable things which they haue do tie themselues to things troblesome and offensiue But Aristippus did not so for hee was alwaies disposed to cheere himselfe and to alledge reasons to that end whensoeuer anie vnlooked for mishap did befall him placing himselfe in that ballance which was carried vpward so that one day by casualtie hauing bin dispossessed of a good peece of groūd he went to one of his familiar friends who seemed to make most shew to bee greeued and to bee sorie for him and saide hast not thou onely one litle farme and haue not I three other goodly plots of ground The other affirmed that it was so wherefore then is it not reason to be sorie with thee rather then with me For it is a madnes to greeue for that which we haue not and not to reioyce for that which we haue but to doe as little children vse from whō if a mā take but one of their little toyes that they play withal though they haue neuer so many yet in anger and dispite they cast away and break al the rest then howle crie a maine In like case if fortune trouble vs in anie one thing we make al the fauors that she doth vs in other matters vaine and vnprofitable by reason of our complaining tormenting our selues Some man will say vnto mee what haue wee Nay wee ought rather to say what haue we not One man hath honour another a faire house this man a vertuous wife and that a faithfull friend Antipater the Philosopher borne in the towne of Tharsus drawing neere his ende and calling to remembraunce the