the meditations-第25节

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m　of　speaking；　concerning　that　which　is　truly　good　and　truly　civil；　the　vanity　of　the　world；　and　of　worldly　men：　which　otherwise　truth　and　reason　doth　prescribe。

XXIX。　　Augustus　his　court；　his　wife；　his　daughter；　his　nephews；　his　sons…in…law　his　sister；　Agrippa；　his　kinsmen；　his　domestics；　his　friends；　Areus；　Maecenas；　his　slayers　of　beasts　for　sacrifice　and　divination：　　there　thou　hast　the　death　of　a　whole　court　together。　Proceed　now　on　to　the　rest　that　have　been　since　that　of　Augustus。　Hath　death　dwelt　with　them　otherwise；　though　so　many　and　so　stately　whilst　they　lived；　than　it　doth　use　to　deal　with　any　one　particular　man？　Consider　now　the　death　of　a　whole　kindred　and　family；　as　of　that　of　the　Pompeys；　as　that　also　that　useth　to　be　written　upon　some　monuments；　HE　WASS　THE　LAST　OF　HIS　OWN　KINDRED。　O　what　care　did　his　predecessors　take；　that　they　might　leave　a　successor；　yet　behold　at　last　one　or　other　must　of　necessity　be　THE　LAST。　Here　again　therefore　consider　the　death　of　a　whole　kindred。

XXX。　　Contract　thy　whole　life　to　the　measure　and　proportion　of　one　single　action。　　And　if　in　every　particular　action　thou　dost　perform　what　is　fitting　to　the　utmost　of　thy　power；　let　it　suffice　thee。　And　who　can　hinder　thee；　but　that　thou　mayest　perform　what　is　fitting？　　But　there　may　be　some　outward　let　and　impediment。　Not　any；　that　can　hinder　thee；　but　that　whatsoever　thou　dost；　thou　may　do　it；　justly；　temperately；　and　with　the　praise　of　God。　Yea；　but　there　may　be　somewhat；　whereby　some　operation　or　other　of　thine　may　he　hindered。　　And　then；　with　that　very　thing　that　doth　hinder；　thou　mayest　he　well　pleased；　and　so　by　this　gentle　and　equanimious　conversion　of　thy　mind　unto　that　which　may　be；　instead　of　that　which　at　first　thou　didst　intend；　in　the　room　of　that　former　action　there　succeedeth　another；　which　agrees　as　well　with　this　contraction　of　thy　life；　that　we　now　speak　of。

XXXI。　　Receive　temporal　blessings　without　ostentation；　when　they　are　sent　and　thou　shalt　be　able　to　part　with　them　with　all　readiness　and　facility　when　they　are　taken　from　thee　again。

XXXII。　　If　ever　thou　sawest　either　a　hand；　or　a　foot；　or　a　head　lying　by　itself；　in　some　place　or　other；　as　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　body；　such　must　thou　conceive　him　to　make　himself；　as　much　as　in　him　lieth；　that　either　is　offended　with　anything　that　is　happened；　（whatsoever　it　be）　and　as　it　were　divides　himself　from　it：　or　that　commits　anything　against　the　natural　law　of　mutual　correspondence；　and　society　among　men：　　or；　he　that；　commits　any　act　of　uncharitableness。　Whosoever　thou　art；　thou　art　such；　thou　art　cast　forth　I　know　not　whither　out　of　the　general　unity；　which　is　according　to　nature。　Thou　went　born　indeed　a　part；　but　now　thou　hast　cut　thyself　off。　However；　herein　is　matter　of　joy　and　exultation；　that　thou　mayst　be　united　again。　　God　bath　not　granted　it　unto　any　other　part；　that　once　separated　and　cut　off；　it　might　be　reunited；　and　come　together　again。　But；　behold；　that　GOODNESS　how　great　and　immense　it　is！　which　hath　so　much　esteemed　MAN。　　As　at　first　be　was　so　made；　that　he　needed　not；　except　he　would　himself；　have　divided　himself　from　the　whole；　so　once　divided　and　cut　off；　IT　hath　so　provided　and　ordered　it；　that　if　he　would　himself；　he　might　return；　and　grow　together　again；　and　be　admitted　into　its　former　rank　and　place　of　a　part；　as　he　was　before。

XXXIII。　　As　almost　all　her　other　faculties　and　properties　the　nature　of　the　universe　bath　imparted　unto　every　reasonable　creature；　so　this　in　particular　we　have　received　from　her；　that　as　whatsoever　doth　oppose　itself　unto　her；　and　doth　withstand　her　in　her　purposes　and　intentions；　she　doth；　though　against　its　will　and　intention；　bring　it　about　to　herself；　to　serve　herself　of　it　in　the　execution　of　her　own　destinated　ends；　and　so　by　this　though　not　intended　co…operation　of　it　with　herself　makes　it　part　of　herself　whether　it　will　or　no。　So　may　every　reasonable　creature；　what　crosses　and　impediments　soever　it　meets　with　in　the　course　of　this　mortal　life；　it　may　use　them　as　fit　and　proper　objects；　to　the　furtherance　of　whatsoever　it　intended　and　absolutely　proposed　unto　itself　as　its　natural　end　and　happiness。

XXXIV。　　Let　not　the　general　representation　unto　thyself　of　the　wretchedness　of　this　our　mortal　life；　trouble　thee。　　Let　not　thy　mind　wander　up　and　down；　and　heap　together　in　her　thoughts　the　many　troubles　and　grievous　calamities　which　thou　art　as　subject　unto　as　any　other。　But　as　everything　in　particular　doth　happen；　put　this　question　unto　thyself；　and　say：　　What　is　it　that　in　this　present　matter；　seems　unto　thee　so　intolerable？　　For　thou　wilt　be　ashamed　to　confess　it。　Then　upon　this　presently　call　to　mind；　that　neither　that　which　is　future；　nor　that　which　is　past　can　hurt　thee；　but　that　only　which　is　present。　（And　that　also　is　much　lessened；　if　thou　dost　lightly　circumscribe　it：）　and　then　check　thy　mind　if　for　so　little　a　while；　（a　mere　instant）；　it　cannot　hold　out　with　patience。

XXXV。　　What？　are　either　Panthea　or　Pergamus　abiding　to　this　day　by　their　masters'　tombs？　or　either　Chabrias　or　Diotimus　by　that　of　Adrianus？　　O　foolery！　　For　what　if　they　did；　would　their　masters　be　sensible　of　It？　or　if　sensible；　would　they　be　glad　of　it？　or　if　glad；　were　these　immortal？　　Was　not　it　appointed　unto　them　also　（both　men　and　women；）　to　become　old　in　time；　and　then　to　die？　And　these　once　dead；　what　would　become　of　these　former？　And　when　all　is　done；　what　is　all　this　for；　but　for　a　mere　bag　of　blood　and　corruption？　　XXXVI。　　If　thou　beest　quick…sighted；　be　so　in　matter　of　judgment；　and　best　discretion；　saith　he。

XXXVII。　　In　the　whole　constitution　of　man；　I　see　not　any　virtue　contrary　to　justice；　whereby　it　may　be　resisted　and　opposed。　But　one　whereby　pleasure　and　voluptuousness　may　be　resisted　and　opposed；　I　see：　　continence。

XXXVIII。　　If　thou　canst　but　withdraw　conceit　and　opinion　concerning　that　which　may　seem　hurtful　and　offensive；　thou　thyself　art　as　safe；　as　safe　may　be。　　Thou　thyself？　and　who　is　that？　Thy　reason。　　'Yea；　but　I　am　not　reason。'　　Well；　be　it　so。　However；　let　not　thy　reason　or　understanding　admit　of　grief；　and　if　there　be　anything　in　thee　that　is　grieved；　let　that；　（whatsoever　it　be；）　conceive　its　own　grief；　if　it　can。

XXXIX。　　That　which　is　a　hindrance　of　the　senses；　is　an　evil　to　the　sensitive　nature。　　That　which　is　a　hindrance　of　the　appetitive　and　prosecutive　faculty；　is　an　evil　to　the　sensitive　nature。　As　of　the　sensitive；　so　of　the　vegetative　constitution；　whatsoever　is　a　hindrance　unto　it；　is　also　in　that　respect　an　evil　unto　the　same。　　And　so　likewise；　whatsoever　is　a　hindrance　unto　the　mind　and　understanding；　must　needs　be　the　proper　evil　of　the　reasonable　nature。　　Now　apply　all　those　things　unto　thyself。　Do　either　pain　or　pleasure　seize　on　thee？　　Let　the　senses　look　to　that。　Hast　thou　met　with　Some　obstacle　or　other　in　thy　purpose　and　intention？　If　thou　didst　propose　without　due　reservation　and　exception　now　hath　thy　reasonable　part　received　a　blow　indeed　But　if　in　general　thou　didst　propose　unto　thyself　what　soever　might　be；　thou　art　not　thereby　either　hurt；　nor　properly　hindered。　For　in　those　things　that　properly　belong　unto　the　mind；　she　cannot　be　hindered　by　any　man。　　It　is　not　fire；　nor　iron；　nor　the　power　of　a　tyrant　nor　the　power　of　a　slandering　tongue；　nor　anything　else　that　can　penetrate　into　her。

XL。　　If　once　round　and　solid；　there　is　no　fear　that　ever　it　will　change。

XLI。　　Why　should　I　grieve　myself；　who　never　did　willingly　grieve　any　other！　　One　thing　rejoices　one　and　another　thing　another。　As　for　me；　this　is　my　joy　；　if　my　understanding　be　right　and　sound；　as　neither　averse　from　any　man；　nor　refusing　any　of　those　things　which　as　a　man　I　am）　subject　unto；　if　I　can　look　upon　all　things　in　the　world　meekly　and　kindly；　accept　all　things　and　carry　myself　towards　everything　according　to　to　true　worth　of　the　thing　itself。

XLII。　　This　time　that　is　now　present；　bestow　thou　upon　thyself。　They　that　rather　hunt　for　fame　after　death；　do　not　consider；　that　those　men　that　shall　be　hereafter；　will　be　even　such；　as　these　whom　now　they　can　so　hardly　bear　with。　　And　besides　they　also　will　be　mortal　men。　　But　to　consider　the　thing　in　itself；　if　so　many　with　so　many　voices；　shall　make　such　and　such　a　sound；　or　shall　have　such　and　such　an　opinion　concerning　thee；　what　is　it　to　thee？

XLIII。　　Take　me　and　throw　me　where　thou　wilt：　　I　am　indifferent。　For　there　also　I　shall　have　that　spirit　which　is　within　me　propitious；　that　is　well　pleased　and　fully　contented　both　in　that　constant　disposition；　and　with　those　particular　actions；　which　to　its　own　proper　constitution　are　suitable　and　agreeable。

XLIV。　　Is　this　then　a　thing　of　that　worth；　that　for　it　my　soul　should　suffer；　and　become　worse　than　it　was？　as　either　basely　dejected；　or　disordinately　affected；　or　confounded　within　itself；　or　terrified？　What　can　there　be；　that　thou　shouldest　so　much　esteem？

XLV。　　Nothing　can　happen　unto　thee；　which　is　not　incidental　unto　thee；　as　thou　art　a　man。　　As　nothing　can　happen　either　to　an　ox；　a　vine；　or　to　a　stone；　which　is　not　incidental　unto　them；　unto　every　one　in　his　own　kind。　　If　therefore　nothing　can　happen　unto　anything；　which　is　not　both　usual　and　natural；　why　art　thou　displeased？　　Sure　the