the first inuenter of all good lawes the only teacher of learning of manners and of all good nurture Wherin if but accordingly we could put in practise all that we cal honestie so easyly as we may talke discourse of the same should not then I pray you both we our selues and al other that haue vsurped the name of Philosophers be iudged happie But the case in very déed stāding thus that Philosophie of it selfe requireth both liuing and doing wel which is hard to be atchieued rather thā saying and speaking wel which may easily be attained from hēce I say it procéedeth that many men haue béene contented with the onely name and title of Vertue when of the true intent and meaning therof they were altogither ignorant Notwithstanding in the true iudgement of al men he only is to be taken and accompted for wise who in worde and déede both when thou séest hym when thou hearest him is alwayes one and the same without alteration But the foole on the other side as Salomon sayth is changed like the Moone now this in words nowe that in action declaring therby the contrarietie of his minde EVDO. Where a little before we reasoned friende Lisippus of the propertie of Vertue and of that happinesse which she bestoweth vpon those that guyding themselues by hir warie order liue an honest and vertuous life we were not I remember so farre foorth gone as to affirme that anye man coulde liue deuoyde of faulte for this we knowe was the onlie and peculiar priuiledge of Christ our sauiour neither went we about to proue that all men embraced Vertue But this onely we said that if beastes when they performed their naturall operations might be accompted happie according to the former opinion of Plotinus muche more ought we then to iudge the same of man especially if Reason haue that preeminēce in him as it ought and that al his affections be subiect stil to hir gouernement But if to that which is spoken I may be lawfully suffered vppon better aduisemente to adde one thing more then thus I procéede Albeit at some time certaine fonde affections contrarie to reason do appeare in vs yet so lōg as they preuaile not nor get the vpper hād of reson a man is not therefore to be estéemed either euil or vnhappie For without faultes no man liueth and he is best that is troubled with fewest If this rule may but thus be graunted as in trouth it is euident then without question we shal be able to finde out diuers notable good men For in al ages there haue flourished many who by their holy and iust liuing by their manifolde and notable vertues for diuerse are the giftes whiche the Soueraigne God powreth downe vppon his people haue deserued great honor and estimation in the world Of whiche number it shall not I thinke be amisse if I repete in this place some few And firste what say we of Socrates who so manly demeaned himselfe in al his actions that at no time either in aduersitie or prosperitie his countenaunce was founde to be altered Neywas it at all in him to be maruelled since so lightly he estéemed the verie terrour of death that when oportunitie was conueniently offered him to haue escaped the same he vtterlie refused the aduauntage thereof knowing right well that death was onely dreadfull vnto those with whose mortal life all glory all honor and all estimation did vtterly perish and not vnto those whose Vertue and renowne was alwayes lasting and coulde neuer decay for he according vnto Reason applied his doctrine to the bettering of his life accompting the substaunce of Philosophie to consist in the equal choyce betwéene good and euill besides in this one pointe be shewed himselfe more wise than the reste in that he withdrewe the course of his disputation from the searching out of celestiall and supernatural causes wherin many haue heretofore spent both their witte and their time to no purpose at all What of Pithagoras who shewed himselfe as a spectacle to the worlde both of learnyng and Vertue and who among other hys manyfolde giftes was of modestye so great that being demaunded by what surname of honor he woulde be called refused the title which others his inferiours had taken vpon them and that whiche in those dayes was cōmon to al such as were learned choosing rather to be called not Sophos but Philosophos not wise but a searcher and louer of Wisedome What of Plato who though he were accompted of al the wisest and also attained to so wonderfull perfection of learning and eloquence as if Iupiter himselfe woulde haue discended from the heauens he coulde neuer haue vsed a more copious style yet notwithstanding he refused the title of his own glorie wherevnto he had right and ascribed the honour of all hys workes vnto Socrates hys Maister shewing thereby himselfe no lesse commendable for demeanour than honourable for his knowledge What of Cato the elder who in the iudgement of all men was accompted the verye image of Vertue the honor of the Romans and the staye of the whole Empire he I meane whose name and Vertue was after supported by Cato the yonger that noble and princely sonne of his What of Seneca who was of stomacke so stoute that with patience he mastered the very terrour of death when by the cōmaundemēt of Nero the tirant he was therunto enforced What of Fabricius the Roman a man so sincere and vpright of minde that not with the vehement temptation of golde it selfe he was able to be corrupted who first as the storie affirmeth refused the large and mightie proffers of Pirrhus estéeming it more worthy and more worth than a kingdome to neglect and contemne the brybes of a King And after whē the proffer was made him for the secret dispatche of that Romaine enimy he woulde not only not suffer the same to be done but gaue him warning himself of the treason pretended adding thereunto these wordes that followe Enioye thy longer life by this my meanes O Pirrhus and be nowe glad of that whiche thou haste heretofore lamented that is that Fabricius thy enemye woulde not be corrupted To conclude manye other there haue bene who albeit they haue crred in some pointes like menne yet wholye in their mindes they styll embraced Vertue by whose meanes theyr liues were both Blessed and Happie at all times so behauing themselues that of theyr sayings and doyngs there styll remayneth to the worlde a perpetuall remembraunce So then on the other syde though manye there haue béene besydes who haue not so sufficiently bene able to performe the same in action whereof they haue so gloriouslye talked yet notwythstandyng it can not therefore I thinke be denyed but that these men did also greate good in the worlde whyle disputing of Vertue they opened the waye by theyr holesome precepts howe other mighte more easily attaine to the same For if the lyfe of learned men were aunswerable in all pointes to the
distinguish the good from the euill mainteyned among them What shoulde I say eache man then did carelesly raunge and wander abrode in the desolate Wildernesse hauing neyther dwelling nor place of abode But when reason had after taughte them to associate themselues togyther and that Moyses that mightie Captayne of the Iewes was also borne by whome the eternall God gaue first the lawe to the line of his inheritance from thence I say the law makers and Philosophers first taking their instruction beganne to sette downe both manners and institutions of lyuing And after as Townes and Cities were dayly erected so the people began to estéeme of Humanitie and to reuereÌ„ce Religion whereby in short space it came after to passe that diuers addicted themselues to the fauor of Faith and to the exercise of Iustice and dyuers other to submit themselues to the yoke of obedience so as by this time each man did estéeme it a thyng belonging to his duetie not onely to employ the best of his labour but also to aduenture the losse of hys life for the better maintenance of the common Wealth From thence likewise both Solon and Lycurgus tooke firste their lighte from whyche foundation of theyrs the renowmed Graecians became so famous for the due establishmente of their equal lawes From whome the Romaynes also did after deriue their penal constitutions coÌ„teyned in their tables by the which they brought the people in all their actions from thenceforth to become both profitable and honest who though at first by the straungenesse thereof they beganne to murmure and repine at suche bondage yet after being better contented with reason to heare vnderstand the same froÌ„ wilde vntamed creatures they brought them at last to shew theÌ„selues both gentle méeke FroÌ„ hence the maiestie of their Empire froÌ„ hence the greatnesse of their dominions from hence the multitude of their Magistrates tooke first their beginning But that I may not too perticularly runne ouer these matters if with diligeÌ„ce you search you shal finde no goodnesse to remaine among the people y hath not happened to spring from this fountayne of Societie Yea the sacred knot of frieÌ„dship it selfe thaÌ„ the which we haue nothing receiued more pleasant froÌ„ the Goddes nor of greater reuerence estimation on the earth tooke also hir original fouÌ„dation froÌ„ the â—ame But what thinke you of this aboue the rest O Tales TALES I am not ignorant my friends that this question may sufficieÌ„tly be debated on both sides notwithstanding since you demaund my opinioÌ„ I wil endeuour my self to declare you my mind what I thinke of the matter It semeth therfore vnto me that if a wise man should only respect his priuate coÌ„moditie or that he were specially addicted to his owne securitie he ought doubtles in y behalfe to choose to liue rather to himself thaÌ„ to others But if so he be perswaded that nothing may be counted more honest nothing for a mightie noble personage more worthy than to benefit as many as possible he may he must vtterly theÌ„ decline froÌ„ Solitarinesse must earnestly séeke to be coÌ„uersant abroade chiefly so loÌ„g as the necessitie of others shal so require the same And according to the saying of Socrates some with swéetnesse of oration some with example of pure perfect life he must labour to enduce to the reuerence of Vertue knowing right well y she hath néede of an instructer to acquaint hir to y world that nothing doth more allure the minds of the people to estéeme of honestie thaÌ„ the dayly custome example of good meÌ„ EVDO. Wil you graunt my friends ere we procéede any further y it may be possible for a litle quaÌ„titie of gal to make bitter a gret deale of hony or y one infected kernell may be able to corrupt 〈◊〉 whole cluster of Grapes TAL Why not Eudoxus EVD. Then wherfore I pray you do you suppose that a wise maÌ„ being placed amids the infection of so many vices dispersed abrode both far wide may possible preserue himselfe vnpolluted and are not rather perswaded y good men the number of whome is but small may be rather carried away by the greater number so become infected of the multitude For amoÌ„g diuers the causes of our euill demeanure this is one that for the most part we liue after the example of others are not gouerned by reason so y the better sort are sooner drawen out of the way by the custome of y which is euil thaÌ„ y the multitude leauing their error false opinioÌ„ which leadeth them headloÌ„g dayly vnto vice by example of their honestie may at al be brought to the due estimatioÌ„ reuerence of vertue the which is therfore of al men the rather neglected bicause the streÌ„gth of the mind of nature is double The one coÌ„sisting in desire which draweth a maÌ„ both hither thither whervnto nature is alwayes most enclining The other coÌ„sisting in reason which teacheth explaneth what ought to be done and what to be auoided But few there are I may say y willingly séeke to followe the footesteps of Vertue with this gift of reason for that wheÌ„ they determine with theÌ„ selues to treade hir path they find the same more tedious than they looked waÌ„ting both counsel VVisedome labor diligence as it may plainely be sene by the shape and figure of Pithagoras letter By occasion wherof they retire theÌ„selues backe refusing the paine industrie wherwithall noble minds are nourished so remaine wauing as it were betwene the counterfet of Vertue and the loue of profit among whom Falshoode for the most part doth hold the place and estimation of Trouth chiefly so loÌ„g as it is generally so accepted and receiued of al men LYSIP Wel said Eudoxus now verily I theÌ„ perceiue it wil be thought néedeful as the case requireth that we first define what vertue is And after if so it please you we wil further coÌ„sider whether Solitarinesse or societie may seme more coÌ„uenieÌ„t for the obteining therof EVD. Why so Lysip Wil this whole day suffise as you take it to performe the same Doubtles I dare hereof be bold to assure you that looke how many there are that haue seuerally defined of Vertue so many in a manner are their seueral opinions concerning the same LYSIP It shall suffise Eudoxus in this behalfe if of those diuers definitions of theirs we repeate some two or thrée of the most approoued Let Tales therefore take in hande the dealyng of this matter for vs both EVDO. Thereof would I be very glad wherefore at this our earnest request I pray thée O Tales to accept of the same TALES I am afrayde my frieÌ„ds least you heape on me a greater charge than eyther in my power remaineth to performe or may agrée with my desire considering how little I haue bin trayned as yet in the grounded knowledge of the liberall Sciences so that in a matter of
this verie way the end thereof may vndoubtedly be attained from the which we must vnfainedly confesse that happines of life conioyned with safetie and perpetual tranquilitie doth onely procéede LIS. I cannot a little marueyle Eudoxus since there is nothing among vs here that may be termed happie howe and in what sorte it may so come to passe y possible in this worlde we may come to inioy y happinesse of life which you speak off EVDO. What néede you thereof to maruel at all if willingly you wil allowe but so much vnto man as Plotinus thought good to impart vnto beastes LISIP. If that shuld be so that a Man maie be happie hauing no more allowed him than is allowed vnto beasts then haue we in my opinion a greate deale more cause of meruaile than before EVDOXVS His verie wordes my frende if thou doe marke shall giue thée thereof to vnderstande as hée spake them Thus therefore in the bookes whiche he wrote of the happinesse of life he doeth saye Synce well to liue and to bée happie are accounted as one then whether doe wee also allowe the same vnto beastes if so it bée giuen to them by Nature to passe their liues without impedimente according to the lawe in whiche they were created what then shoulde lette them also to liue well that is to saye happyly For whether wée accompte this liuing well to consiste in the well behauing of youre selues or in the due performing of oure naturall duetie wée muste also be contented to imparte the same vnto beastes To whoÌ„ it is both as possible to behaue themselues wel and also to performe that speciall worke of nature as it is vnto vs For example let vs firste consider of musicall birdes Wherein it cannot I thinke be denyed but that they among the rest do behaue themselues well for as naturallie they are taught so duely they sing and thereby it séemeth they maye rightly be sayde to followe a wished and well behaued kinde of life But if farther it be sayed that there is also required a happie ende to be made which ought to consist in the last closing vp and conclusion of nature By the same very waye we must likewise confesse they may be counted happie For when by course of kynde they drawe to theyr ende the ordinarye motion of Nature doth ceasse in them whereby she endeth that harmelesse life of theirs whiche from the firste beginning to the departure of the same shée throughlye performed And therefore if eyther in the naturall endyng of theyr lyues or in the due performaunce of the duetie whervnto they were created there remaine anye happinesse Theâ— doubtlesse may beastes be sayde to be both happye and blessed All whiche if it be true Lisippus according as Plotinus hath sette downe the same what then shoulde hinder man who hath all his affections subiecte vnto reason and hath chosen hir to guide him in his actions that he also shoulde not here enioye that happinesse of life For when the minde of manne shall firmelye despise all the casuall aduentures of thys transitorie estate and shall haue broughte all hir familiar causes to depende vppon hir selfe supposing also all worldlye affaires to bée inferiour vnto Vertue duelye searching for that than the whiche there maye nothing be wished for better that is to saye Goodnesse perfectnesse and Justice It is necessarye then that it bee voyde of perturbation féeling in it selfe the fruite of tranquilitie and also of quietnesse by meane whereof it becommeth happie Notwithstanding it bée still abiding within that frayle and mortall bodie LISIPPVS I thinke it altogither inconueniente for mée to answere at this time to the saying of Plotinus synce the matter he helde is in effecte so absurde that there is scarse anye one to be founde that will togyther assente with hym in the lyke For verilye for my owne part I am yet to learne in what causes he woulde haue well behauiour to be placed But let vs suppose that beastes for the purpose doe behaue them selues well according to his saying yet howe maye they by this reason be accounted happie who do not only not know the goodnesse of theyr felicytie but also are ignoraunt of their owne estate Or if they doe vnderstande it yet do they as the Philosophers affirme but grosely vnperfectly and obscurely vnderstande the same For although it be common to them togither with vs to loue to hate to desire to feare to sorrow and other such like yet to foresée which nature hath only giuen vnto man to discourse to finde out or to remember any thing they possibly can not Onely that whiche soone passeth ouer hath nature allowed them that is to saye the imagination of thyngs presente But for things that are paste shée hath giuen them a memorye altogither confused whiche neuer calleth any thing agayne to remembraunce except by the viewe of things y are present So also for things that are to come she hath likewise allowed theÌ„ no knowledge at al. By what meanes then if I may aske may they be counted happie whose case is such that they knowe not their owne estate neyther yet are able to make any difference betwéene good and euil But nowe on the other side as touching the state and condition of man who liueth I pray you so orderly that at no time féeleth anye trouble of minde what man so perfect that neuer yéeldeth to his passion who so singular but if he auoyde pride couetousnesse possesseth his hart If he shunne couetousnesse anger disquieteth his patience if he suppresse anger gluttony delighteth his tast if he eschewe gluttony enuie consumeth his carcas if he repulse enuie slouthfulnes ouerwhelmeth both soule and body Whereby it commeth stil to passe that no man may be vtterly found deuoide of fault for as the Poet sayth Eche man that is by nature fed is by his priuate pleasure led Which since it is so I sée not my friendes how any man in this life may be accounted happie vnlesse perhappes we shold recken happinesse to consist in wordes that are wisely vttered vnder honest eloqueÌ„t termes The which if so it were it wold then come to passe that such as haue most learnedly discoursed of Vertue shoulde therefore be accounted more happy than others But that this is not so not only experience but also Cicero himself in his Tusculans questions auoucheth How many Philosophers caÌ„ you shew me saith he so honest in maners so staied in iudgement order of life as reason requireth Who is he y obeyeth his own rules or putteth his owne precepts in practise Some of them shall you â—ée so ful of boasting and vaunting y it had bene better for them to haue neuer learned the name of a letter other couetous of money other desirous of glorie and others made subiect to their owne luste so as their liuing and teaching are commonlye contrarie whiche thing in my iudgement is most vntollerable For as he that professeth himselfe a Gramarian if
it doth increase and waxe bigge so much the more it darkneth and consumeth the light of the minde Sée therefore then I pray you how miserable the seruice of Vertue should be made being appointed as Epicurus would haue hir a seruaunt vnto Plesure For it is not possible y Vertue may be obtained by pleasure but rather diminished lost by the same since al these things are contrarie to the one that are thought necessarie for the obtaining of the other that is to say Incessant labor hardinesse and resistance against euil whereof this life is very full For by what meanes else are men made Modest Gentle chast godlie patient louers of wisdome but only by fearefulnessr of pouertie dread of shame and the bitter sharpnesse of continuall griefe It is therefore to be thought that by the prouidence of God it was ordeyned from the first that Vertue shoulde labour here in the trouble and vexation of the world wherby it happeneth that al those whom either wilfulnesse or pleasure hath headlong ouerthrowen are stil disdaineful of such as are followers of the same impatiently taking it that anye other shoulde inioy that which they want themselues So that good men bycause they daily treade this difficult and painefull passage vnto Vertue are had in contempt of all those which pleasauntlye walke in the plaine and apparant waye to vice waxing foolishly fonde of eache flourishing floure and delectable fruite that they happen to sée onely séeking to obtaine that chiefly with all their studie and care which among the mortal creatures of this worlde is accounted good that is to say Honor Riches Quietnesse Pleasure and all other such enticements as wholly tende to the ease and delight of the bodie EVD. What then Tales do you therefore thinke that there ought to be taken no care of the body TAL That likewise on the other side were repugnant vnto nature who to all creatures hath giuen from the beginning of their creation a speciall care to defende themselues their liues and their bodies and to auoyde not onely those things which therto séeme hurtfull but also to search and trauaile to get al such things as are néedeful for the maintenance of the same Therfore let the diligent laboure and care of mankinde be so employed as when Reason Honor or Faith shall require it he may boldly aduenture the punishment both of fier and of all other torments whatsoeuer for the preseruation thereof The which we read that Marcus Regulus did honorably performe who indeuored himselfe to kéepe his appointment made to his vtter enemies although he was sure before that if he returned to theÌ„ againe according to his promise he should presently endure the most bitter torments of death But such notwithstanding was the greatnesse of his minde as byding in the middest of his extreme punishment neither his Honor his Faith his Constancie nor any other Vertue of his did forsake him Neither could the excellencie of his minde be ought at al tormented which wyth so many rare and notable giftes was defended with the felowship of so many vertues enclosed who although his bodye were takeÌ„ by y hands of his enemies yet doubtlesse that noble and inuincible mind of his could possibly be taken by no meanes What shall we say of this my friendes shal we thinke his hap to be vnfortunate and miserable EVD. Nay verily but rather mâ—ny opinion of all men most happy For happinesse of lyfe is not that as I take it which is performed to the appetite of pleasure but to the agreement of Nature TAL Therefore then by the very same reason we may boldly iudge the same of that fayned goodnesse of Epicurus that diuers of our profession haue iudged heretofore that is that his secte was rather a procurour of vice than a perswader of Vertue or of any goodnesse LISIP. Doubtlesse my friend so may we in deede but doe you likewise confesse our happinesse of life to be that whiche is performed to the agreement of Nature as Eudoxus very lately did seeme to affirme For if this be true that those men whiche liue according vnto nature shoulde therefore be good there might happely then come some one vnto vs that might decerne of our children in the time of their infancie whiche of them would be good by nature By whose iudgement choosing them forth wée might do well to lodge them in Towers and with diligeÌ„ce to preserue them much rather than Gold least any man should corrupt them to the end that when they waâ—e of conuenient yéeres they might then become both graue and profitable members for the coÌ„mon wealth TALES Thou seekest a knot according to the Prouerbe Lysippus in a Bull rushe For I am not ignorant my frende but full well thou knowest that ech thing is named by his most worthy part which was the cause why Eudoxus remeÌ„bring himselfe thereof did so boldely affirme our happinesse of lyfe to be that whiche is ledde agréeable vnto Nature that is to say agreable to that facultie and goodnesse of the minde which pertaketh of Reason and which is sayde to be only peculiar vnto man This therfore being knowen who is it would doubt but that if maÌ„ should liue to the contrary that is to say according to the lustfull parte of the minde he should therein at all nothing differ in effect from the behauiour of beastes For Pythagoras and Plato have bothe diuided the minde of 〈◊〉 into two partes the 〈◊〉 partaking of reason the other voyde of reason placing Tranquilitie that is to say fixed and quiet securitie in that parte of the minde whiche partaketh of reason and in the other parte suche troublesome motions both of Wrath and desire as are enimies to the same Therefore that man I pray you which by the gouernement of his reason is made abstinent constant without feare without perturbatioÌ„ and without lust is he not happie For this is certaine that eche thing dependeth vpon his owne goodnesse and y in eche thing is termed to be good to the which it was chiefly created neither is there any other good thing peculiar vnto maÌ„ but only reason Wherupon I conclude that â—ul blessed is that man and happie that liueth alwayes agréeable vnto the same and reacheth therewith to attaine to the end and course of hys nature EVD. Veryly Tales thou hast herein defended most excellently my cause decerning with the eyes of thy iudgement the very secrets of my minde the true meaning whereof thou hast plainely expressed Notwithstanding this also vnder correction may séeme to be added to that which is spoken that is to say the meane occasion by the which we may reach to this desired ende course of our nature which is this as I take it if truth be first made throughly perfect if in the doing of things ther be obserued order measure and comelinesse and that harmelesse wil be made benigne attentiue vnto reason neuer swaruing nor declyning from the same By
he speake barberously or he that challengeth the name of a Musitian if he sing vntunably is the more to be reproued bycause he offendeth in that very thing wherin he wold seeme most skilfull vnto others So likewise the Philosopher offeÌ„ding in the order of his life is the more to be condemned bicause he erreth in that parte of duetie wherein his knowledge doth principally consist and is faultie himselfe in that in whiche he vndertaketh to be a teacher of others For when true it is that the substaunce of Philosophie doth consist not in termes but in matter it is a great shame for a man of knowledge to haue it obiected vnto him that he is a Philosopher not in workes but in wordes And therefore it commeth verely to passe that such men are not in déed the true instructers of Vertue bicause they are therof destitute themselues For if Philosophie be the studie of Wisdome as the learned haue defined and that Wisedome be nothing except it be put in practise thereby to shewe foorth hir operation It followeth then that the doctrine of suche teachers is altogither barren and fruitelesse bicause it worketh not y in theÌ„ whiche it is wont to do in the most part of those of whom it is possessed For Cicero nameth Philosophie the manuring of the witte which pulleth vp all vice by the roote and maketh apt the minde to receiue the fruiteful séed of Vertue and as we may terme it planteth in vs such pleasaunt fruite as yéeldeth in time a plentifull increase Wherefore by this it appeareth that the propertie of Philosophie is rather to make hir louers to liue wel in publique conuersation thaÌ„ to speake teach wel in priuate schooles Whiche thing when by experience it frameth not accordingly it therby declareth such superficial Philosophers to haue rather studied this noble scieÌ„ce to the end to shew foorth the smoothnesse of their tongs wherby to winne the praise of the people than for any good cause or coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of liuing to be shewed in theÌ„selues Of whom thus writeth Seneca in his exhortations Many Philosophers are eloquent saith he to their owne reproofe whome iâ— so it were your chaunce to heare them declame either agaynste Couetousnesse incontinencye ambition or anye other suche like you wold veryly suppose that they sate in iudgement of their own behauiours so notoriouslye the reproches they séeme to vtter against the doings of others do recoyle againe to their owne disgrace Of whome we ought to make none other accompt than of common Apoticaries vppon whose boxes are outwardlye they written the names of restoratiues when inwardlye they are ful of poyson Some of them besydes are so stronglye impudent that no shamefastnesse maye preuayle to withdrawe them from theyr wickednesse but that by shifting they rather séeke howe cunninglye to excuse and to defende theyr vncleannesse that so at the leaste wyse they maye séeme to offende wyth some colour of honestie Aristippus sometyme Mayster of a secte of Philosophers named Cirenaicie vsed for hys pleasure to haunte the companye of one Lays a famous strumpet of Greece whiche grosse faulte of hys that greate Doctour of Philosophye dyd in thys sorte defend Saying that betwéene hym and the other of hir louers there was thys difference that where they were possessed by Lays Lays was possessed by hym O notable Wisedome and Philosopher well worthye whome all menne shoulde followe It were doubtlesse a thyng verye necessarye to committe our chyldren to suche an instructour that thereby they myghte learne howe at leaste wyse to entertayne a Curtisan Thys learned wanton perswaded hymselfe that betwéen hym and the reste of hyr louers there was a maruellous oddes for that hée as he thoughte wythoute trouble or coste obtayned hys pleasure when they on the other syde wyth laboure and expence dyd purchase repentaunce In whyche verie poynte notwythstandyng thys difference that subtile Harlot wente somewhat beyonde hym who in effect made that counterfayte Philosopher hyr colourable bawde that so by the daylye example of so licencious a patron all the youthfull gentlemen of Greece mighte thencefoorth the rather frequent hir companye and boldely aduenture to followe theyr pleasure without any regarde eyther of shamefastnesse or modestie Therefore these kynde of instructâ—rs as I sayde before soughte not the waye by the studye of Philosophie that leadeth vnto Vertue but onely the waye that leadeth to Delight whiche thyng Cicero hymselfe doth also testifie Verily albeit sayth he that the whole disputation of Philosophie contayne in it selfe a moste abundant fountayne of Vertue and knowledge yet beyng compared wyth the doyng and liuyng of the Philosophers themselues I doubt me it hath rather brought vnto them a vaine delectation to theyr ydle pleasures than eyther profite or commoditie to their honest affaires But nowe lette vs farther consyder since occasion is proffered howe thys famous enricher of the Romaine language behaued hym selfe in hys owne aduersitie He verily following the discipline of Panetius the Stoike sette downe in writing the duetie of eache manne excéedingly well all whyche he comprehended vnder thrée Bookes But howe valiauntlye he hymselfe dyd beare eyther the death of hys daughter hys owne banishmente or the Monarchie of Cesar oppressing the publike libertie Titus Liuius doeth brieflye declare Of all hys euill happes and aduersities sayeth he hée behaued himselfe lyke a man in none saue onely in hys deathe To what purpose then I praye you professed hée the knowledge of Philosophie Why thoughte hée it necessarye to playe the Philosopher at all tymes and in all places according to the opinion of Neoptolemus as it is recorded in Ennius if in hys mynde he perceyued no profite to arise by the same for those that teache onely and doe not accordinglye discredite their owne teaching Neyther will any man obey hym who by his doings doth testifye that he is not worthy to be obeyed Yet is it I confesse a thing to be praised in him y giueth such preceptâ— of honestie but vnlesse the partie performe the same in his owne life he proueth himselfe in effect but a lier in whom it maye be thought farre vnfitte for his calling to haue honestie placed not in his hart but in his lippes which contrariewise ought rather to consist not in speach and tongue but in life and manners For if true it were that the Vertue of Philosophie did at al consist in the substaunce of words who might them I pray you haue bene accounted more happie than the man himselfe of whome wée speake from whome all the glorie of Romaine eloquence had hir only perfectioÌ„ But that the force of Philosophie remaineth no wher else than in a mind wel disposed himselfe also in his Tusculan disputatioÌ„s doth plainly witnesse where wholy directing his talke to Philosophie thus he writeth O noble Philosophie the guide of our life the searcher out of Vertue and the expeller of vice what were we or what were the life of man without thy aide and assistance Thou I say were
make the world he is good he maketh good things and enuieth not good men to haue part of that good wherewith he is stored Furthermore whereas he chargeth vs to exercise pittie towards our parents our friends our countrey and generally vnto al men where also he willeth vs to deale no worse with others than we would be delte withall our selues yet principally and chiefly he moueth vs to haue a continuall regarde to the due preseruation of oure iust and honest minds in the maintenaunce wherof he aduiseth vs farther boldely to aduenture and committe our bodies to the greatest terror and torment of Death both when and as oft as Reason shall séeme néedefull to require the same Otherwise he wylleth vs as carefully to take hede that we endaunger not our selues without occasion than the which there may be nothing accompted more desperate and foolish For dangers ought onely to be vndertaken for one of these causes either for the mayntenance of our â—stimation in the Worlde or for the preseruation of our Faith vnspotted towards god After this sort therfore I meane that in these desarte and Solitarie places honest manners right iudgement and all other good Vertues may conueniently be learned Where on the other side when by Desire we are carried away to dwel abroade in the common Societie felowship of the worlde al the contrarie occasions of Vice to vs are dayly proffered For the commoÌ„ concourse of the multitude naught else to vs coÌ„mendeth but Couetousnesse Plesure and desire of honor whereto all men for the moste parte are enthralled as seruaunts Which opinion of theirs if happlie we shal but séeme to disalowe forthwith they become our moste hatefull enimies whereupon they presently begin to slaunder and to reuile vs â—s fooles condemned to be voide of all wit and to increase our displeasure they dispitefully pointe at vs as we maye terme it with their fingers Vpon which occasion a certayne wyse man misliking of their madnesse sayde thus of himself that he neuer desired at al to please the variable liking and phantasie of the people For quoth he What I know to be good that they esteeme not what they commend thereof I like not bicause the opinion of the people is gained for the most part by some euil desert to whom of necessitie if thou haunte their company thou must make thy selfe lyke for that the fauour of suche dishonest persons is not otherwayes to be obteyned than by dishonest meanes â–ª But let vs nowe goe somewhat more plainly to worke and lette vs as well set downe the trade of his lyfe that liueth alone in his solitarie Muses as of him that liueth in the fellowship of many and is coÌ„uersant dayly among his worldly affairs He therfore that is a dealer in the world so soon as the day beginneth to apere hath his gates beset either with frendes or foes He is saluted he is called for he is drawn away he is thrust vpoÌ„ he is torne as it were in many péeces The Solitarie persone his dores the while are not so troubled he hath frée choyce either to staye at home to walk abrode or at libertie to go whersoeuer he lusteth That man goeth foorth to the place of pleading with a sad and louring countenance ful of complaints ful of businesse yea full of trouble and so beginneth the day with strife debate This man goeth out with a chéerefull heart directing his course into some pleasant wood full of securitie full of rest and full of quietnesse where with ioy and gladnesse he coÌ„sumeth the morning The one so soone as he coÌ„mmeth to the stately pallace of some noble person or to the dreadful seat of iudgement mingling truth and falshode togither either oppresseth the iust rightfull cause of the giltlesse or vpholdeth the wicked and vnhonest preteÌ„ce of him that is giltie or at the least wise worketh somwhat tending either to the discredit of himself or to the harm of some other the remorse of whose conscience as many times it biteth him so the feare of his follie likewise interrupteth him wherby it coÌ„meth many tymes to passe y he telleth lyes for true tales and one thing for another at one time blushing for feare at an other time after as pale againe for anger yea blaming himself in the middest of this passion that he had not rather followed the priuate penurie of his contemplatiue libertie than the publike estimatioÌ„ of his toilesom authoritie therwithal wisheth as then aduised that he had rathe bin made a miserable Plowman than a pontificall Pleader who as one out of countenance and conceit with his practise leaueth then on a sodain all his causes vnperfect and shamfully withdraweth him vnto his desolate lodging where shuttyng him vp into some priuate corner he shroudeth secretely from the sight of all his clientes The other agayne as a man without trouble or care of the worlde fynding out some Gréene and Solitarie banke amidde some calme and pleasant downe there resteth and reposeth himself at his pleasure who so soon as the Sunne spreadeth forth his beames beginneth deuoutly to giue thanks vnto God not only for the same but also for al other his merciful benefits bestowed vpon maÌ„ the which he performeth with a far more swéete pleasant delight if therwithal there hap among the rocks to run downe some gushing siluer streame or if the small and harmlesse birdes do but yelde him the help of their tunable notes to aide him in the comfort of his contemplatiue deuotioÌ„ wherin he principally craueth at y haÌ„ds of God Synceritie InnoceÌ„cie together with one thing more the which as sayth the Satyrical Poet maye safely be required without danger of offence that is A holsome minde in a helthfull body This doone knowing after that the studie of Philosophie bringeth with it great knowledge and excellencie he diligently applieth his minde to the same and laboureth chiefly to make himselfe perfecte in that parte of Vertue which wholy concerneth the well fynding out and followyng of Truth desiring nothyng so muche as that in the sight of God he may always appeare both honest and blamelesse and that he may delite himselfe in the exercise of Vertue whyche onely yéeldeth a perpetuall comfort and safetie to his conscience knowyng well that the same is the only grounde worke and foundation of Goodnesse and that it were wholy in vaine to repose his trust in anye worldly trifle since he onely may wel be thought to haue attained perfection that certainly knoweth wherein he ought chiefly to take pleasure and delight and whose Felicitie consisteth not in the power of others For this is certaine that all men by Nature are prone vnto Pleasure but where our best assured Pleasure maye rightlye be founde thereof for the moste part we are altogither ignoraunte A wise man therefore that knoweth in this sorte how to behaue himselfe in his Solitarie places is vndoubtedly replenished with continual gladnesse and liueth therin
and hinderances that thereby he may the rather enioy a well settled minde which no man here maye possibly attayne so long as he is vexed and occupied in the worlde For this is agréed vpon that no one thing maye be well performed by him that is troubled with many things Wherein we reade of Democritus that he pulled out his owne eyes least that a beholding the vanities of the world he shuld thereby become more vnable to beholde the most excellent light of eternall veritie And Cicero himselfe after he had well compared these matters togither although for the benefite of the common welth â—e preferred the lyfe actiue to be more commodious and auaileable for man yet therewithall he confesseth that the contemplatâ—â—â— life is more safe and easie both for the soule and bodie lesse â—urtheâ—â—us to our selues and lesse gréeuous vnto others The which he séemeth after to haue greatly desired when so â—ore he was appalled with the death of his daughter whereof writing to â—â—â—icus his friende he sayth Now I refuse 〈…〉 of al things neither doth any thing content me better than solitarinesse and setting thy selfe aside nothing on the earth deliteth me so much for thereby I haue leysure to vse the aduantage of this my vnwonted libertie in the onely conference and exercise of learning Whereby you may plainly sée howe farre this great and daily haunter of the Citie of the senate and of all other the most frequented places of the people did after waxe lothsome of that which before he so greatly liked and nowe estéemed solitarinesse to be the onely pleasure and delectation of the worlde LYSIPP This verily Eudoxus séemeth contrarie vnto nature for that it banisheth from the world all humanitie and friendship without the which the life of man as I account it is vtterly maymed coÌ„sidering that there is nothing more conuenient and necessarie for mankinde eyther in aduersitie or prosperitie than the mutuall familiaritie and good will of a friende who by partaking of our felicitie doth encrease our happinesse and by supporting of our miserïe dothe 〈◊〉 oure aduersitie not sufferyng our myndes to be daunâ—ed with sorowe For the auoyding whereof as there is nothing more helping than the comfortable loue that from such friendshippe doth vnfainedlye procéede so what thing in this worlde than the fruition thereof maye be wisshed for better From the which since your solitarie life will vtterly depriue vs I thynke nothing on the earth my friend to be more hurtfull For as Cicero sayeth they séeme to â—ake the Sunne from the worlde that séeke to bereaue vs of this comfortable friendshippe for that there is nothing by the fauour of the Goddes bestowed vpon vs more necessarie than the same Take this away and what I pray you shal become of the sicke whom nothing comforteth so much as the heartie loue affection of a friende What recreation for the healthfull What liuing for them that lacke and finally what difference betwene vs beastes Truly if herein we regard but the ordinary course and handie works of nature we shal therby finde that she hath framed eche peculiar person to liue to the ayde of the whole multitude and the whole multitude to 〈◊〉 to the ayde of eche peculiar person If then for eche misaduenture and trifling discommoditie that daily may happen in the affaires of the worlde this wiseman shall flie into his solitarie corners I sée not in this sort what triall at all there may be made of his Vertue For this is much like as if a bragging souldiour woulde be gladly accounted a couragious champion and yet will séeke to flée eche profered occasion and chalenge of warfare wherein he might haue cause to shew forth his manlynesse Demetrius therefore was wont to say that he thought no man more vnperfect than he that in his life time had neuer tasted of aduersitie For that the man to whom al things hath happened to his owne desire coulde neuer haue cause to make triall of himselfe The which also that it is true I haue experience on my side to approue the same For howe coulde the faythfulnesse of Marcus Regulus the abstinence of Caius Fabritius or the patience of Quintus Mutius so well haue bene knowne if their calamities had not giuen occasion to the publishing of their vertues Surcease therefore I pray you to set forth any further your solitarie liuing wherewith in my opinion you are ouer farre in loue for this is certaine that nature hath not onely allotted the same as peculiar vnto beastes but on the contrarie hath delighted mankinde with the building of Cities for their abode vpon the earth that thereby the people in all kinde of matters as well Ciuile as Diuine might bée brought by degrées to a perfect vnanimitie and agréement among themselues and finally to ioyne in one perfect loue and affection togither But if this notwithstanding you thinke it still more safe and conuenient both for auoyding the infection of the multitude and for better contentment of our vncontented mindes that we liue abroade in the desolate wildernesse among vntamed beastes yet consider againe that it is farre more famous and glorious to abide in the ciuile company and fellowship of men and there by persuasion of our words and example of our workes to benefite if not all yet as many as we may And remember withall that Attalus the Stoicke was wont to compare a carelesse life vnto a dead sea which except it be spent in studie or prayer it induceth vs directly to the way of all mischiefe For solitarinesse is sayde to be of this propertie that it is eyther indued with singular Vertue if it be wel vsed or else it is infected with most detestable vice if it be yll applied Which opinion is also confirmed by Seneca who sayth that naughtie counsels are there intended wicked desires kindled boldnesse set forwarde lust prouoked and wrath inflamed and therefore as a pernicious euill it ought with all our power to be vtterly eschewed and our bodies to be kept in exercise of labour that thereby we may so driue awaye the humor of slothfulnesse which is onely nourished and maintayned by solitarinesse by occasion whereof we are made so tender and delicate of body that we may possibly endure no hardnesse of trauaile And therefore they that first established the Common wealthes of Greece well vnderstanding that by labour and diligence men were onely to be made couragious and hardie so prouided by their lawes that the bodies of their subiectes shoulde be hardened in the same Among whome the Lacedemonians especially aboue the rest brought vp their youth in continuall trauayle as in hunting running hunger thirst colde and heate to the which they also enioyned their women that where in other Cities they kept them at home in their costly apparell both out of the heate and daunger of the Sunne in this noble Citie it was nothing so but while they were yong they were accustomed to labour to
vndoubted authoritie of those that came after and disdame not my friende after suche plaine and so manifest proofes to make as we terme it a recantation of your error EVD. All thys notwythstandyng I can not confesse Lysippus that eyther by these reasons or these aucthorities I am yet subdued forasmuch as the contrary proofes that make for Solitarinesse are both the stronger and y store of examples to proue the same by many degrées the greter wherby to fortifie if nede should so require by y aucthoritie of most approued persons a matter so apparant as otherwise of it selfe is cléere ynough And therefore to procéede where first you alledge the Solitarie life to be bothe odious and contrarye vnto nature for this occasiō chiefly that it séemeth vtterly to abolish al friendship which you say is principally to be preferred before all other earthly commodities my meanyng is to make you vnderstand that your opinion in this behalfe doth greatly deceiue you For if throughly you consider wheron consisteth the very life and nature of friendship you shall then perceiue that as all things else so also this holy knot of ours is by Solitarinesse augmented rather than decreased For if vertue according to the true disposition of loue be a thyng that procureth the fauour of all men and draweth their affections to ioyne friendship with him in whome shée abideth How then may it possibly happen that he that shunneth the cōcourse of the people to the ende he may auoide all occasion of vice and thereby the rather followe Vertue more earnestly shoulde not friendely loue and fauour those that beare like affection vnto vertue as himselfe And the rather when he knoweth that the true foundation of loue and friendship is Honesty whervppon also all other things depende and is not ignorant that if the vniting of good wil were taken from the world neyther men nor houses nor Cities woulde endure but that tillage and all thing else woulde shortly run to ruine and decay since there is no house so well established nor Citie so well fortified but that by hatred and discorde it may soone be destroyed So that a wiseman oughte by no meanes to banyshe thys comfortable friendshippe from his Solitarie dwelling neither may he if he woulde for friendship créepeth I know not by what meane into the secrete dealings of all kinde of people and suffereth no trade of liuing to be voide of hir comfort for though some man may be found of nature so sauage that he abhorreth all company as at Athens one Timon was so reported yet can he not endure to be still alone but that either one or another he must néedly haue to whome he may vtter the crookednesse of his nature A wiseman therefore be he neuer so Solitarie wil for his recreation I say finde out some such honest and faithfull friende as both in manners and nature maye resemble hymselfe suche one as is pleasaunt learned faithfull eloquent not tedious not complayning not grudging not enuious nor crafty and such one as he maye loue and maye loue him agayne not for profit but for vertue which onely bréedeth and continueth true friendship For such friendes as are chosen but for profit only do no longer content vs than they are profitable vnto vs which as Seneca reporteth is the cause why those that are founde to be very wealthy are vsually haunted for the most part with company and why such as are néedy are lefte to liue pining in their misery alone And thoughe it maye peraduenture be saide that a wiseman hath no néede of acquaintaunce for that he may séeme sufficiently contented with his owne company yet of necessitye he muste séeke to procure himselfe friendes althoughe for no other occasion than that thereby hée maye haue some one vppon whome he may practise his friendship least otherwise so rare and excellent a vertue shoulde wholy lye hidde in him and his hap so harde that he shoulde not haue one so specially beloued as for whome at the leaste hée myght be willing to endure the losse of his libertie for whom to suffer banishmēt and for the safegarde of whose life he might readily aduenture the losse of his own life For the mutual loue of these and such like this wiseman therefore without cause of offence maye vse the pleasure of moderat feasting allowing in this behalfe the saying of Epicurus that to eate without cōpany is to liue like a wolfe Wherin though many times it may happen that by the vrgēt occasion of his peculiar affaires he may not stil be abiding in the presence of his friend yet this in his absēce he shal not forget that a friend is rather to be possessed in mind than in body in whiche degrée he may also at his pleasure either visite him confer with him helpe him togyther enioy suche other pleasures as from friendship may procede For presēt familiaritie may wel be said to establishe true friendship but not to begin or to creat the same for that is onely to be procured by vertue as before we haue declared In proofe wherof we may find a nūber who though they haue liued a long time togither yet therby growe not at all into friendship bicause of the diuersity of their manners and the greate varietie of their repugnant natures other some again who almost so soone as one beholdeth the other become presently friendes bicause nothing is more amiable thā Vertue nor nothyng that sooner prouoketh a man to beneuolence Therefore then synce of all Societies there is none so good nor none so firme as when good men of lyke condicion are truely lynked in honest loue and acquaintance togyther From hence I say it procedeth that a Wiseman whersoeuer he abideth wil always séeke to ioyne frendship with suche as are likest to hymself such as with whom he may as boldly confer as with himself and such as for like loue mutual zeale and vnfayned good wyll are but one and the same togither with him selfe for so is the precept of Pythagoras that in friendship there should be made but one of many But to procéede since of common wealthes there are two sorts wherof the one greate and vniuersally Common that is to saye the world the other more peculiar wherevnto by birth we are priuately allotted this man of whome wée talke shall alwayes thyncke it more commendable to preferre the benefite of the greater before the lesse for if so it be weldone to helpe one or two it is reckned muche better to helpe a whole multitude But the same this wiseman may not well performe so long as he is conuersaunt abroade in any publike assembly bycause in such places he can neuer be at quiet but shall still be tormented and beaten with trouble as a rocke with the tempestuous waues of the Sea. For when the people shall sée him to be any thing repugnant vnto them in their manners foorthwith they all conspire againste him and wyth the sting of their
malice neuer leaue to torment him vntill they perceiue him to consent with them in their wickednesse or to yéelde vnto them in their follie To the ende therefore that a wiseman may performe this his chiefe and principall duety it is necessary first that he remoue himselfe from the daily throng of the people and that he withdraw his delight from the troublesom concourse of the multitude retiring hymselfe into some suche priuate and solitarie place as may be thought aptest for his owne securitie and for the furtherance of hys knowledge in philosophie that there remaynyng among hys comfortable bookes of dyuers sortes vsing them as his friendly companions ready to goe out wyth him when he pleaseth and to retourne into hys closet agayne when he willeth yea ready at all times either to speake or to be silent to kepe home or to impart their secretes abroade in the woddes he may at his pleasure either walke and take the ayre or exercise tillage or vse some other honest and commendable pastime as to conferre to exhorte to comforte to warne to reproue to counsell or to teach the hidden stories of things that are paste Where also to be shorte he may by his owne laboure prescribe vnto the worlde suche a methode of life as may perswade the people to haue death in contempt to vse moderation in prosperitie stoutnesse in aduersitie and to kepe a quiet contentation of minde in all their actions You sée therefore how I admit into this solitarinesse of ours not onely this wiseman alone but also wyth hym hys like addicted friendes and therwithall besides a general care to benefit the whole world For no man doubteth but that those who in their solitarinesse are altogither ydle slouthfull and full of dumpishnesse are of all men most miserable My meaning therfore is not that this Solitarinesse shuld be without company nor that this quietnesse should become either sluggish or fruitlesse but such as like vnto the Solitarinesse of Scipio Africanus maye benefite manye in which I woulde haue handled no trifling matters tending to vnprofitable toyes but causes of such importance and weight as may not yéelde in the ende either vnprofitable labour vnhonest gaine or any fowle or shamefull reproch all whiche I exclude from this manner of doctrine but on the contrary encrease of honesty reputation of vertue and rewarde of eternall glory Furthermore for that as rest vnto lande so recreation vnto wit is sometyme necessarye I thinke it not amisse if for the maintenaunce of his health which nothing as the Phisitions alledge doth more preserue than moderate exercise thys wiseman therefore acquainte himselfe in the trade of husbandry for of all things whereof any gaine may be made there is nothyng better nothyng more profytable nor anye thyng more conuenient for the reputation of a man Which was the cause why the Senators of Rome didde in olde time dwell vpon their farms themselues as witnesseth Cicero who saith that newes was brought to L. Quintus Cincinatus being then at the ploughe that he was chosen Dictator of the Empire and further reporteth that bothe Curius and dyuers others were called from their Countrey houses to the office of Senators For husbandrie among our Elders was had in suche price that if they called a man by the name of a good husbandman they didde hym as they thought very greatee honour But sée also howe farre foorthe Horace commendeth this manner of exercise saying Full happie maye that man accompted be â–ª Whose quiet mind from worldly care is free And frames himselfe as erst it hath bin taught To weld the plough ne owes the vser aught What thinke you nowe my friende seing that Solitarinesse is thus with suche a number both of pleasant and honourable cares accompanyed will you therfore séeme to flée and to condemne the same especially when also you shall sée that it hath alwayes bene adorned with the presence of most notable persons of whome thoughe the number bée infinite yet I hope withoute tediousnesse I maye repeate a fewe As for example what saye we first of the Philosophers and Poets did not they for the moste parte shunne to dwell in Cities and wholy sought to withdrawe them selues vnto their Solitarye mansions If of Plotinus a second prince of Philosophers vnto Plato this question wer asked he wold doubtlesse answer that this kind of quietnesse wold rather content him than the whole world besides If of Pythagoras the same were demaunded he would not onely coÌ„mend this trade of lyfe but would further declare himself that he trauailed throughout diuers wast and solitarie places and that also he stayed long tyme in the wildernesse therby the rather to acquaynt himselfe with truth by the example of whome all his sort of followers named PythagoriaÌ„s séeking to auoyde the dayly stormes that happen by coÌ„panie are sayd to haue alwayes dwelt in places Solitarie And that Democritus no lesse for his part perfourmed the lyke we also vnderstand As concerning the which if of Parmenides and Atlas we further enquire we shal likewise finde that the hilles are yet called by their names vpon which they dwelled Neyther if the truth were known would Prometheus himself deny but y from heÌ„ce was ministred y occasioÌ„ of that mystical tale that he on mount Caucasus was stretched abrode to be deuoured of a vulture meaning that there he employed himself with such earnest attention to the serching out of diuers secret misteries that therby his fleshe was greatly abated whiche nothing empaireth so muche as study What maye we lesse coniecture either of Socrates Plato or Aristotle but that they all delighted in Solitarinesse though happely at some time eyther the care and regarde of their schollers or the necessitie of the common wealth or else some other like vrgent occasion withstoode their priuate desires Further what say we of Anaxagoras who was also of the same opinion What of Xenocrates of all the philosophers the seuerest and for his constanâ—ie and continencie of all other moste renoumed What of Xeno the father of Stoickes or of Carneades amongst them the painfullest or of Crisippus or Diogenes whereof the one was offended with the salutation of his friends the other wyth the very shadowe of Alexander the greate Is it not I praye you to be thoughte that all these purposely shunning the societie of the worlde picked them out such places as séemed moste conuenient and frée for themselues to rest in that so they might the rather employ their vnbourthened mindes to be alwayes conuersaunt in matters of knowledge whiche otherwise the people wyth their infinite varietie of toyes and vanities woulde haue vtterly oppressed knowing right well that their time of abode in the worlde was but shorte and that death hath a thousand passages to enter into vs by the dores and windowes as I maye terme it of our senses To procede what say we to Virgill who fléeing from Rome a place where greatly he flourished aswell for his witte as for