not be subject to so many diseases if they treated their bodies with less tenderness than they do XCIV DEath is an excellent Picture which faithfully represents virtue Let him who would learn to live well consult the dead True Philosophy is nothing but a serious reflection upon death let us make use of its precepts that we may discover the deformity of Vice and the vanity of all things in the world let us also follow the Rules it gives us to make a great progress in a short time in the study and exercises of virtue XCV YOu will never better remember your self than when you shall think that some day you must dye The consideration of death is admirably fruitful for it teaches us what we are now it shews us what we shall be one day and it instructs us what we ought to do during the course of this life In fine death is the most exact rule of mens lives and it does them more good than they imagine to themselves XCVI IMagine not that at your death you simply cease to live I say that it is then you cease to dye True it is you began to live the first day you came into the world but from that day also you began to dye you made but one entrance into both life and death the light which enlightens your life is like that of a Candle what keeps it in consumes it XCVII PRay tell me what was man before he was born You will grant he was not Now I hold that to be the greatest and most insupportable of all necessities And what is he who a little before was not and who after he hath received being is n a manner nothing and who within in a short time will be but a little heap of dust and ashes It must be acknowledged That all these things considered in themselves are extremely despicable only virtue comprehends so much greatness and excellence that it is able to exalt and ennoble whatever approaches it Let us therefore esteem that above all things which only can render us so considerable XCVIII THere is no difference between living long and suffering long Afflictions troubles tears and griefs are born with us The life of man is but a long and tedious series of dangers evils and torments but man has some reason to comfort himself since that when he begins to live he immediately begins to approach his end and to make some advancement towards death XCIX VIrtue receives no less lustre from the misfortunes which befal the followers of Vice and the punishment which the wicked commonly suffer than from the solid enjoyments and satisfactions which good men many times feel in the exercise of the most difficult virtues He must needs be the most miserable person in the world who has a Soul that serves only to keep his body alive and does not regulate its motions It may well be said this being acknowledged That the Soul is to the body but as salt to meat which it exempts from corruption only for a time C. VIrtue is but an accident to man to speak as the Philosophers do yet does that accident preserve his substance All things were created by God for the service of man and he created man that he might receive honour and service from him as well as from all the rest of the Creatures 'T is virtue that renders us capable of serving and honouring him who hath vouchsafed to bring us out of nothing and without it we cannot please our Creator STOICAL MAXIMES I. IT is not what 's possessed that gives satisfaction but what one loves In like manner the discontent of most men proceeds not from what is wanting to them but from what they desire He who desires nothing may be as happy as he who has all the accommodations in the world To be free from all desires is a treasure to be preferred before an Empire How many things are there which may be wanting to the greatest Kings upon earth whereas a man who desires not any thing can never be said to be indigent II. JOy is not within the jurisdiction of Fortune she cannot when she pleases make us a present of it 't is a moveable belonging to the heart not only because it cannot be met withal elsewhere but also because there only it has its birth They are not the things which please us that create our pleasure and satisfaction nor are those which disturb us the cause of our disquiet we must only call our own will to an account that being the right source from which joy pleasure vexation and sadness proceed Thence it comes that what is pleasing to one is extremely unpleasant to another 'T is not to be attributed to the variety of things but to the diversity of our wills that our hearts entertain so many affections opposite one to the other III. T Is an errour common to all men that they would attain felicity by following wayes which cannot lead them thereto How can they arrive at the point of not desiring any thing while they take the way of desires Would you spare your self abundance of trouble and pains-taking Regulate your concupiscence have no violent inclination for any thing whatsoever When a man desires nothing beforehand he is in no fear of being unhappy and he comes to the end of his Journey without being at any pains by the way The true felicity of a man upon earth consists rather in the not-possession of any thing than in being numbred among the living Let us once in good earnest renounce all our desires since it is a thing within our power IV. THe way for a man to free himself from many troubles cares and vexations is not to fear or desire any thing All your unhappiness if you reflect on it proceeds only from your not having what you wish or haply from the hapning of something to you which is not consonant to your inclination You will have no disgraces to overcome while your heart preserves its freedom and all things are indifferent to it V. THe more the affection is smother'd in us the more the discontent abates A man is never further from falling into affliction than when he feels his will at liberty and not bent by any strong inclination To make an exchange of inclination is the most easie and most certain way to get out of misery Adjust your desires to all sorts of emergencies and you will surmount the greatest difficulties without any trouble Vexation is rather taken than given VI. T Is a great art to know how to desire unless a man be very well vers'd in it he cannot live contentedly He who can moderate his desires is above all and the whole world has not any thing worthy of him It is an easie matter for one to find perfect repose here below and to keep at a distance from him the unfortunate accidents which render life burthensom and insupportable all that's to be done is to have an absolute independency to all
A merciful man gains more by doing good than those very persons on whom his bounties are bestow'd XXIX IF it happen that one asks any thing of you be not tedious in answering him A man is but half-deceiv'd when he has a sudden and peremptory denyal XXX A Denyal is a kinde of heart-breaking to such as are despicably poor and have no way to help themselves but there is no evil more hardly supportable than ingratitude XXXI THere is a great resemblance between a liberal person and him who sows in the field The Labourer casts his grain at random the winde carries some away and shuffles it as it lists the Birds devour some part of it which is consequently turn'd into ordure but the other part which chanc'd to fall deep enough into the ground after it has continu'd there a while as it were interr'd will by its appearance glad the Labourer's fight and return into his Barn with interest XXXII DO all the good you can while you are in favour with Fortune and you will find the effects of it in the time of adversity He to whom you have done any good when he expected it not thinks himself doubly oblig'd All the world is beholding to him who is kinde to the good XXXIII HE who gives no body any thing is Treasurer to his Heir who after the death of that Miser will conceal the real joy of his Soul under feigned tears and a personated grief The avarice of old men is a very ordinary monster in the world but to speak exactly of the earnestness of rich persons to augment their revenue methinks it may be said that that very desire and passion is nothing else but a kinde of poverty very richly furnish'd XXXIV DEny not that to others which happly you will be oblig'd in your turn to ask of them and if you are wise ask not that which you have deny'd Do justice to him who desires it of you and do those a kindeness whom you shall think worthy of it XXXV NOthing is more easily blotted out than a good turn it is a loss of it if a man do but remember it or repent himself that he had done it It argues an extream imprudence for one to regret the good he has done for by that means he twice loses the thing he has given It is no longer his when another hath receiv'd it and the gift is lost again when a man thinks too much upon it XXXVI IT is ever more advantageous to give than to receive When you do good to others you engage them into your interests and you seem to assume to your self a supremacy over them whereas if you receive any thing of them you become in a manner their Slave Brag not of having oblig'd your Friend 't is an injury to him if you do but speak of it Leave it to him to celebrate your generosity you cannot desire a more remarkable testimony of his gratitude XXXVII THere is no great difference between an ungrateful person and him who complains too openly that he was deny'd the favour he hoped for He is much to blame to call that injustice which at most amounts but to a defect of liberality a man who demeans himself so not distinguishing what is due upon the score of justice from that which is granted out of liberality never thinks himself oblig'd to gratitude XXXVIII A Man is not oblig'd to give always when he has given often nay it seems he should have the priviledge to deny sometimes especially when he has lost his benefits by obliging ungrateful persons but it is out of all doubt that he who is a perpetual receiver has not upon that score ever the more right to ask XXXIX INgratitude is a very common thing amongst men It seldom happens that the remembrance of a good turn lasts longer than a day The greatness of a benefit is easily blotted out by the greatness of an injury and there is so much corruption amongst men that they think not themselves oblig'd to celebrate any commemoration of the favours they have receiv'd when they are once offended XL. SUffer not your self to be dazzled with the favour of great persons and if you will take my advice never rely too much on their friendship A man cannot fly very high with borrow'd wings Nothing more unconstant than Fortune she many times casts those down the precipice whom she had had the pleasure to exalt but though that should not happen yet let this be your perswasion that men have not alwayes the same inclinations XLI WHen you are admitted into the shade of some powerful person's prosperity and advancement work not out your own ruine by procuring that of others but remember that every day the Sun sets and disappears It argues simplicity in a man to think to be the Friend of one single person only that he may injure and prejudice all others XLII IF you are in favour with your Prince employ your credit and interest to oblige as many people as you can and make not your advantage of his countenance to injure any one Endeavour so prudently to husband your good fortune as that all your Friends may be oblig'd to look on it as their own In fine give all persons occasion to congratulate your being so highly in favour with him who can do all things XLIII MAke not an open profession of your being a Favourite if it be not already known to all people dissemble it for a time and content your self with a secret satisfaction of your own happiness till such time as it becomes publick and be known generally to both Grandees and those of the meaner sort and then you may freely own it and make the less difficulty to sollicit on their behalf who shall desire it of you even though they are not likely to obtain what they engage you to desire for them The very inclination you shall assure them of that you have to oblige them will no doubt abundantly satisfie them and if it happen that the affair which you have recommended does not succeed according to their expectation they cannot complain of any but him on whom it absolutely depend XLIV YOu never raise a Structure well when you do it too hastily What is done with precipitation easily falls as being not well supported Be not so fond as to imagine that you can raise your self all of a sudden though you think your self to be highly in favour for fear of a sudden precipitation into disgrace XLV LEvel your pretensions to a mean Fortune since of all the different conditions of men this is the most happy and most desirable a man lives in it with more tranquillity and is less expos'd to danger than in any of the rest A high pitch of Fortune is attended with a thousand vexations and every thing is to be fear'd in that station Excess of wealth o'rwhelms a man and brings him into danger every minute The thunderbolt more commonly reduces the loftiest houses
a person who has neither virtue nor merit amounts to as much as to put a filthy sluire upon him Merit alone without Elogies is a rare virtue and of great value Envy fastens it self only on great and noble qualities XXXVII YOur troubles will seem less burthensome to you if you compare them with those of others Are you desirous not to endure so much Suffer with patience the disgraces that happen to you if your frailty take their part against you fortifie your own with reason If those troubles happen through your own fault receive them as a thing that was due to you if you have not contributed thereto be satisfi'd with the thought of your innocency and forbear repining lest you fall into some fault XXXVIII A Man who has lost what he much esteemed and has not lost himself has no great occasion to be afflicted Riches had made him a lost man had he not lost them We commonly call that disgrace and misfortune which is an excellent remedy for our evils and we look on that as a very great loss which many times is of great benefit to us It may be said of a man that has lost his Goods that he is also lost himself We have known more people undone because they had an Estate than because they had absolutely lost all 'T is the part of a Robber to take away what is another mans To secure ones treasures with much disquiet is the business of a covetous person To beg Money argues Poverty To be afflicted at the want of it argues the condition of a miserable person I know too well that a man thinks himself unfortunate when he fins himself despoiled of all he has be it by what accident soever but I know also that he is deceived and that he has no cause to complain for what he looks on as an insupportable disgrace is commonly the source of his happiness XXXIX IT argues little judgment in us to be out of humour because something has happened to us contrary to our expectation We should not have hoped to obtain that which no-body had promised us We are not certain we are not secured of any thing in this world 'T is the ordinary style and the most common and most generally-received Law amongst men every moment almost for us to see things which disturb us Which way soever we turn our selves we meet with nothing but disgraces and misfortunes which men must work their way through though ever so unwilling to do it Has any one among us been promis'd an uninterrupted happiness without the intermixture of any misfortune In the disgraces that have happen'd to you never consider the loss they have caus'd you but reflect only on the danger you have avoided inasmuch as he who has lost all he was possess'd of has yet some reason to be comforted nay indeed to rejoyce since he was not lost himself with his wealth XL. YOu ought not to account things ever the better because you have earnestly desir'd them Trouble many times is the fruit and result of desire and a man may be happy in not-obtaining all he wishes Be mistrustful of your will it deceives the understanding and it commonly mistakes in the choice it makes of things 'T is not inclination but reason ought to be our directress in all sorts of occurrences XLI VVE should not make any great account of any thing in this world since they who are the most upright Judges thereof declare That it is more glorious to slight them through greatness of courage than for a man to acquire them by his own industry XLII LIfe with sin is a kind of death without the pleasure attending sin 't is a tedious night with joy 't is but an hours space with cares and troubles 't is an age with hope 't is a pleasant slumber or rather a dream In fine to speak of Life as we ought to do we should never call it by that name save only when it has the attendance of virtue Life seems very short to the fortunate and of a strange length to the miserable The best dayes are soonest gone and slide away imperceptibly XLIII HE that can well endure may without difficulty overcome To suffer and overcome relate to the same Science Patience is an admirable Mistress to teach both and Fortune with all her power is obliged to yield to it XLIV AS all the other senses presuppose that of Touching so do all the virtues presuppose patience and we may say it is an unexhaustible source whence all actions that have any thing of goodness in them take their rise XLV VVHo desires to find but little trouble in the labour he is unwillingly oblig'd to go through must seek it of the forementioned Mistress for a man more willingly and readily endures an evil whereto he has been already accustomed Experience does not only contribute to the acquest of prudence in a man but it promotes also his attaining of patience XLVI TAke a fancy to have but few things and you will find in the misery of others a rich treasure for your self Poverty is not a virtue only the love of poverty deserves that noble name XLVII A Man will find Poverty a most cruel Enemy when he has no affection at all for it for not to mention the inconveniences attending it it opens a gap to many other disastrous evils Necessity and shame are two inexhaustible sources of evils and misfortunes XLVIII THough Riches consider'd in themselves are not evil yet are they alwayes very dangerous and consequently deserve to be slighted Hire is good for a hundred things but not amidst a great heap of Powder The same may be said of Riches they become evil as soon as the Will fixes it self upon them XLIX GOld causes strange disorders when it does not fall into good hands Would you know when it is good when a man is at a distance from it If he who is its Master be desirous to make any advantage of it the onely way is presently to be rid of it Another thing may be said upon this subject of Gold is That the person who refuses it deserves no less applause than he who would give it L. T Was not ill said of Riches when one called them Fortune's vomit now certain it is that what comes up out of the entrails with any violence is already spoiled and corrupted whence it comes that the least queasy-stomack'd cannot look on it without horrour LI. COnsider all the goods of this world as meer Casualties No man can brag that Fortune has any dependance on him We should never put virtue into the rank of our goods unless we have acquired it Never say I have lost such a thing for you have nothing but what 's borrowed If any of your Children dye bewail him not as if he were lost but think it enough to say I have restored him to him to whom he belonged Be chearful rather than afflicted when all you have is taken away
It was a greater pleasure to make Friends than to have such and I add That it is many times more advantagious LXXXI THe goodness or integrity of the Soul which we know under the precious and amiable name of Innocence implies the not committing of any fault and Justice has for its mark the not injuring of any body Yet to say truth is not this but one part of Charity to make it complete we must add mercifulness thereto And indeed the lustre of this virtue which does not permit the offending of any one is admirably heightned by the noble effusions of liberality LXXXII THe love of your self ought to be the standard and module of your justice by judging others by your self you cannot be deceived in regard you consider their persons goods affairs and concerns as if all were your own 'T is a kind of injustice for one to imagine that he has highly obliged a person when he hath done him no harm Justice does not require any acknowledgment and I should do ill to brag that I had done a man a kindness meerly because I had forborn to offend him LXXXIII TO suspect evil sometimes and to be mistrustful of it may pass for a piece of wisdom but to believe it without any ground argues lightness There is prudence in the suspension of a mans judgment and justice in keeping it secret Be wary in framing your judgment alwayes according to the testimony of the senses they may easily be surprized but you should be careful not to be deceived Never therefore declare your thoughts hastily upon any matter whatsoever time will instruct you and discover the truth to you that you may afterwards do the like to others LXXXIV JUstice without Clemency comes near Cruelty and Clemency without Justice is a very dangerous imprudence True it is we should alwayes assign the first rank to Justice but Lenity Meekness and Clemency ought to attend it nay we ought to give them a greater extent Justice is a quality so noble and precious that it ought to be commended even when it is not supported by prudence whereas prudence without the assistance of justice has neither merit nor lustre Justice has this advantage that being alone it is still very advantagious but prudence can only hurt when it is not supported by justice There is no venom more dangerous than that of Serpents so we receive greatest harm from those whose arms consist most in subtleties and insinuations LXXXV WHen a man pursues only what can give him satisfaction 't is a difficult matter for him to meet with what is good and beneficial If the will have the supremacy over reason it will make him conceive strange designs 'T is not possible for him to be just while he is govern'd by some affection Consider not the persons look only on the merit think it enough to examine who has the right of his side without reflecting on your own power or complying with your own particular inclination LXXXVI T Is an additional degree to ones malice for him to do evil only because he loves it but it is a very great progress in wickedness to love the evil because he has done it It is only the part of a Fool to become wicked that he may do harm to those that are such and it argues a clear loss of judgment for a man to renounce virtue because he has an aversion for those who love Vice LXXXVII A Man must have a great stock of courage and resolution to overcome shame but he comes to the highest pitch of generosity who suffers not himself to be brought down by necessity Whoever has the courage to make head against that acquires no less glory than he who overcomes himself LXXXVIII TRue generosity does not consist in the undertaking of many bold and difficult things but in constantly enduring all the evils that happen There 's no power so absolute upon earth but sometimes meets with resistance but patience continues alwayes firm and immoveable and nothing can be done against it To say that one will not support some disastrous accident or some injury is to speak like Women and to make too visible a discovery of weakness A man speaks otherwise and sayes with a generous resolution I will not do it LXXXIX GReat difficulties do only animate such as have courage the misfortunes that happen to them discover what they are They know not what it is to hearken to Fear being persuaded that a generous and magnanimous Soul can triumph over all its enemies It must be confess'd that patience is wonderfully strong since it compasses all without being assisted by any one 'T is a fortress that defends it self and stands not in any need of anger to force off such as attack it XC FOrtitude and Prudence are the two virtues that support the magnificent Chariot wherein Victory is seated A man is doubly fortifi'd when he knows how to make a conjunction of generosity and good counsel How gallant and daring soever a man may be yet cannot he be successful long in his enterprizes if he be not reliev'd by prudence XCI MEdiocrity must infallibly be admitted into the rank of the virtues because it keeps constantly in the middle The other virtues to be true ones must with much care and pains seek for that which mediocrity has naturally It s name sufficiently discovers That it is a virtue which alwayes takes up the middle or mean which all the other virtues endeavour to get into There 's nothing more true than what I am going to say though it be somewhat surprizing What is call'd the least in the moral virtues is what 's most great and most excellent therein the excess justly passes for a defect and mediocrity is acknowledged a rare virtue Moderation seasons all things without it the sweetest and most pleasant become bitter and insupportable It keeps up honour it offers pleasures and enjoyments that are pure and innocent In a word we are to look on it as the source and principle of whatever there is that is good of good repute and beneficial amongst men XCII A Moderate man has alwayes a sufficient Estate And as the passions ruine us by the excessive expences we are obliged to be at to satisfie them so our recession from Vices contributes not a little to enrich us A man acquires much when he is at no superfluous expence Moderation therefore is not only a virtue but a great treasure also Dice and Women consume more wealth than a great Conflagration and of all the engagements a man may have in the world I think there 's none stronger and more hard to get out of than Gaming and Debauchery XCIII A Man should not for any other reason care much for his body than that he cannot live without it since therefore you do not live for it trouble not your self so much to satisfie it Regulate its accommodations according to its exigencies and not according to the satisfactions it craves Men would