the meditations-第23节

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　and　occasions。

XXXVIII。　　For　it　is　a　thing　very　possible；　that　a　man　should　be　a　very　divine　man；　and　yet　be　altogether　unknown。　This　thou　must　ever　be　mindful　of；　as　of　this　also；　that　a　man's　true　happiness　doth　consist　in　very　few　things。　And　that　although　thou　dost　despair；　that　thou　shalt　ever　be　a　good　either　logician；　or　naturalist；　yet　thou　art　never　the　further　off　by　it　from　being　either　liberal；　or　modest；　or　charitable；　or　obedient　unto　God。　　XXXIX。　　Free　from　all　compulsion　in　all　cheerfulness　and　alacrity　thou　mayst　run　out　thy　time；　though　men　should　exclaim　against　thee　never　so　much；　and　the　wild　beasts　should　pull　in　sunder　the　poor　members　of　thy　pampered　mass　of　flesh。　　For　what　in　either　of　these　or　the　like　cases　should　hinder　the　mind　to　retain　her　own　rest　and　tranquillity；　consisting　both　in　the　right　judgment　of　those　things　that　happen　unto　her；　and　in　the　ready　use　of　all　present　matters　and　occasions？　　So　that　her　judgment　may　say；　to　that　which　is　befallen　her　by　way　of　cross：　this　thou　art　in　very　deed；　and　according　to　thy　true　nature：　notwithstanding　that　in　the　judgment　of　opinion　thou　dust　appear　otherwise：　　and　her　discretion　to　the　present　object；　thou　art　that；　which　I　sought　for。　　For　whatsoever　it　be；　that　is　now　present；　shall　ever　be　embraced　by　me　as　a　fit　and　seasonable　object；　both　for　my　reasonable　faculty；　and　for　my　sociable；　or　charitable　inclination　to　work　upon。　And　that　which　is　principal　in　this　matter；　is　that　it　may　be　referred　either　unto　the　praise　of　God；　or　to　the　good　of　men。　For　either　unto　God　or　man；　whatsoever　it　is　that　doth　happen　in　the　world　hath　in　the　ordinary　course　of　nature　its　proper　reference；　neither　is　there　anything；　that　in　regard　of　nature　is　either　new；　or　reluctant　and　intractable；　but　all　things　both　usual　and　easy。

XL。　　Then　hath　a　man　attained　to　the　estate　of　perfection　in　his　life　and　conversation；　when　he　so　spends　every　day；　as　if　it　were　his　last　day：　　never　hot　and　vehement　in　his　affections；　nor　yet　so　cold　and　stupid　as　one　that　had　no　sense；　and　free　from　all　manner　of　dissimulation。

XLI。　　Can　the　Gods；　who　are　immortal；　for　the　continuance　of　so　many　ages　bear　without　indignation　with　such　and　so　many　sinners；　as　have　ever　been；　yea　not　only　so；　but　also　take　such　care　for　them；　that　they　want　nothing；　and　dust　thou　so　grievously　take　on；　as　one　that　could　bear　with　them　no　longer；　thou　that　art　but　for　a　moment　of　time？　yea　thou　that　art　one　of　those　sinners　thyself？　A　very　ridiculous　thing　it　is；　that　any　man　should　dispense　with　vice　and　wickedness　in　himself；　which　is　in　his　power　to　restrain；　and　should　go　about　to　suppress　it　in　others；　which　is　altogether　impossible。

XLII。　　What　object　soever；　our　reasonable　and　sociable　faculty　doth　meet　with；　that　affords　nothing　either　for　the　satisfaction　of　reason；　or　for　the　practice　of　charity；　she　worthily　doth　think　unworthy　of　herself。　　XLIII。　　When　thou　hast　done　well；　and　another　is　benefited　by　thy　action；　must　thou　like　a　very　fool　look　for　a　third　thing　besides；　as　that　it　may　appear　unto　others　also　that　thou　hast　done　well；　or　that　thou　mayest　in　time；　receive　one　good　turn　for　another？　No　man　useth　to　be　weary　of　that　which　is　beneficial　unto　him。　But　every　action　according　to　nature；　is　beneficial。　Be　not　weary　then　of　doing　that　which　is　beneficial　unto　thee；　whilst　it　is　so　unto　others。

XLIV。　　The　nature　of　the　universe　did　once　certainly　before　it　was　created；　whatsoever　it　hath　done　since；　deliberate　and　so　resolve　upon　the　creation　of　the　world。　　Now　since　that　time；　whatsoever　it　is；　that　is　and　happens　in　the　world；　is　either　but　a　consequent　of　that　one　and　first　deliberation：　or　if　so　be　that　this　ruling　rational　part　of　the　world；　takes　any　thought　and　care　of　things　particular；　they　are　surely　his　reasonable　and　principal　creatures；　that　are　the　proper　object　of　his　particular　care　and　providence。　This　often　thought　upon；　will　much　conduce　to　thy　tranquillity。


THE　EIGHTH　BOOK

I。　This　also；　among　other　things；　may　serve　to　keep　thee　from　vainglory；　if　thou　shalt　consider；　that　thou　art　now　altogether　incapable　of　the　commendation　of　one；　who　all　his　life　long；　or　from　his　youth　at　least；　hath　lived　a　philosopher's　life。　For　both　unto　others；　and　to　thyself　especially；　it　is　well　known；　that　thou　hast　done　many　things　contrary　to　that　perfection　of　life。　Thou　hast　therefore　been　confounded　in　thy　course；　and　henceforth　it　will　be　hard　for　thee　to　recover　the　title　and　credit　of　a　philosopher。　And　to　it　also　is　thy　calling　and　profession　repugnant。　　If　therefore　thou　dost　truly　understand；　what　it　is　that　is　of　moment　indeed；　as　for　thy　fame　and　credit；　take　no　thought　or　care　for　that：　let　it　suffice　thee　if　all　the　rest　of　thy　life；　be　it　more　or　less；　thou　shalt　live　as　thy　nature　requireth；　or　accor…ing　to　the　true　and　natural　end　of　thy　making。　　Take　pains　therefore　to　know　what　it　is　that　thy　nature　requireth；　and　let　nothing　else　distract　thee。　　Thou　hast　already　had　sufficient　experience；　that　of　those　many　things　that　hitherto　thou　hast　erred　and　wandered　about；　thou　couldst　not　find　happiness　in　any　of　them。　Not　in　syllogisms；　and　logical　subtilties；　not　in　wealth；　not　in　honour　and　reputation；　not　in　pleasure。　　In　none　of　all　these。　Wherein　then　is　it　to　be　found？　　In　the　practice　of　those　things；　which　the　nature　of　man；　as　he　is　a　man；　doth　require。　　How　then　shall　he　do　those　things？　if　his　dogmata；　or　moral　tenets　and　opinions　（from　which　all　motions　and　actions　do　proceed）；　be　right　and　true。　Which　be　those　dogmata？　　Those　that　concern　that　which　is　good　or　evil；　as　that　there　is　nothing　truly　good　and　beneficial　unto　man；　but　that　which　makes　him　just；　temperate；　courageous；　liberal；　and　that　there　is　nothing　truly　evil　and　hurtful　unto　man；　but　that　which　causeth　the　contrary　effects。

II。　　Upon　every　action　that　thou　art　about；　put　this　question　to　thyself；　How　will　this　when　it　is　done　agree　with　me？　Shall　I　have　no　occasion　to　repent　of　it？　　Yet　a　very　little　while　and　I　am　dead　and　gone；　and　all　things　are　at　end。　What　then　do　I　care　for　more　than　this；　that　my　present　action　whatsoever　it　be；　may　be　the　proper　action　of　one　that　is　reasonable；　whose　end　is；　the　common　good；　who　in　all　things　is　ruled　and　governed　by　the　same　law　of　right　and　reason；　by　which　God　Himself　is。

III。　　Alexander；　Caius；　Pompeius；　what　are　these　to　Diogenes；　Heraclitus；　and　Socrates？　　These　penetrated　into　the　true　nature　of　things；　into　all　causes；　and　all　subjects：　and　upon　these　did　they　exercise　their　power　and　authority。　But　as　for　those；　as　the　extent　of　their　error　was；　so　far　did　their　slavery　extend。

IV。　　What　they　have　done；　they　will　still　do；　although　thou　shouldst　hang　thyself。　　First；　let　it　not　trouble　thee。　For　all　things　both　good　and　evil：　　come　to　pass　according　to　the　nature　and　general　condition　of　the　universe；　and　within　a　very　little　while；　all　things　will　be　at　an　end；　no　man　will　be　remembered：　　as　now　of　Africanus　（for　example）　and　Augustus　it　is　already　come　to　pass。　Then　secondly；　fix　thy　mind　upon　the　thing　itself；　look　into　it；　and　remembering　thyself；　that　thou　art　bound　nevertheless　to　be　a　good　man；　and　what　it　is　that　thy　nature　requireth　of　thee　as　thou　art　a　man；　be　not　diverted　from　what　thou　art　about；　and　speak　that　which　seemeth　unto　thee　most　just：　only　speak　it　kindly；　modestly；　and　without　hypocrisy。

V。　That　which　the　nature　of　the　universe　dotb　busy　herself　about；　is；　that　which　is　here；　to　transfer　it　thither；　to　change　it；　and　thence　again　to　take　it　away；　and　to　carry　it　to　another　place。　　So　that　thou　needest　not　fear　any　new　thing。　For　all　things　are　usual　and　ordinary；　and　all　things　are　disposed　by　equality。　　VI。　　Every　particular　nature　hath　content；　when　in　its　own　proper　course　it　speeds。　　A　reasonable　nature　doth　then　speed；　when　first　in　matter　of　fancies　and　imaginations；　it　gives　no　consent　to　that　which　is　either　false　uncertain。　Secondly；　when　in　all　its　motions　and　resolutions　it　takes　its　level　at　the　common　good　only；　and　that　it　desireth　nothing；　and　flieth　from　nothing；　bet　what　is　in　its　own　power　to　compass　or　avoid。　　And　lastly；　when　it　willingly　and　gladly　embraceth；　whatsoever　is　dealt　and　appointed　unto　it　by　the　common　nature。　For　it　is　part　of　it；　even　as　the　nature　of　any　one　leaf；　is　part　of　the　common　nature　of　all　plants　and　trees。　But　that　the　nature　of　a　leaf；　is　part　of　a　nature　both　unreasonable　and　unsensibIe；　and　which　in　its　proper　end　may　be　hindered；　or；　which　is　servile　and　slavish　：　whereas　the　nature　of　man　is　part　of　a　common　nature　which　cannot　be　hindered；　and　which　is　both　reasonable　and　just。　From　whence　also　it　is；　that　accord　ing　to　the　worth　of　everything；　she　doth　make　such　equal　distribution　of　all　things；　as　of　duration；　substance　form；　operation；　and　of　events　and　accidents。　But　herein　consider　not　whether　thou　shalt　find　this　equality　rn　everything　abu；oluteiy　and　by　itself；　but　whether　in　all　the　particulars　of　some　one　thing　taken　together；　and　compared　with　all　the　particulars　of　some　other　thing；　and　them　together　likewise。

VII。　　Thou　hast　no　time　nor　opportunity　to　read。　　What　then？　Hast　thou　not　time　and　opportunity　to　exercise　thyself