the meditations-第26节

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g　can　happen　unto　anything；　which　is　not　both　usual　and　natural；　why　art　thou　displeased？　　Sure　the　common　nature　of　all　would　not　bring　anything　upon　any；　that　were　intolerable。　If　therefore　it　be　a　thing　external　that　causes　thy　grief；　know；　that　it　is　not　that　properly　that　doth　cause　it；　but　thine　own　conceit　and　opinion　concerning　the　thing：　which　thou　mayest　rid　thyself　of；　when　thou　wilt。　But　if　it　be　somewhat　that　is　amiss　in　thine　own　disposition；　that　doth　grieve　thee；　mayest　thou　not　rectify　thy　moral　tenets　and　opinions。　　But　if　it　grieve　thee；　that　thou　doest　not　perform　that　which　seemeth　unto　thee　right　and　just；　why　doest　not　thou　choose　rather　to　perform　it　than　to　grieve？　But　somewhat　that　is　stronger　than　thyself　doth　hinder　thee。　Let　it　not　grieve　thee　then；　if　it　be　not　thy　fault　that　the　thing　is　not　performed。　　'Yea　but　it　is　a　thing　of　that　nature；　as　that　thy　life　is　not　worth　the　while；　except　it　may　be　performed。'　If　it　be　so；　upon　condition　that　thou　be　kindly　and　lovingly　disposed　towards　all　men；　thou　mayest　be　gone。　　For　even　then；　as　much　as　at　any　time；　art　thou　in　a　very　good　estate　of　performance；　when　thou　doest　die　in　charity　with　those；　that　are　an　obstacle　unto　thy　performance。　　XLVI。　　Remember　that　thy　mind　is　of　that　nature　as　that　it　becometh　altogether　unconquerable；　when　once　recollected　in　herself；　she　seeks　no　other　content　than　this；　that　she　cannot　be　forced：　　yea　though　it　so　fall　out；　that　it　be　even　against　reason　itself；　that　it　cloth　bandy。　How　much　less　when　by　the　help　of　reason　she　is　able　to　judge　of　things　with　discretion？　　And　therefore　let　thy　chief　fort　and　place　of　defence　be；　a　mind　free　from　passions。　　A　stronger　place；　（whereunto　to　make　his　refuge；　and　so　to　bccome　impregnable）　and　better　fortified　than　this；　bath　no　man。　　He　that　seeth　not　this　is　unlearned。　　He　that　seeth　it；　and　betaketh　not　himself　to　this　place　of　refuge；　is　unhappy。　　XLVII。　　Keep　thyself　to　the　first　bare　and　naked　apprehensions　of　things；　as　they　present　themselves　unto　thee；　and　add　not　unto　them。　It　is　reported　unto　thee；　that　such　a　one　speaketh　ill　of　thee。　Well；　that　he　speaketh　ill　of　thee；　so　much　is　reported。　But　that　thou　art　hurt　thereby；　is　not　reported：　that　is　the　addition　of　opinion；　which　thou　must　exclude。　I　see　that　my　child　is　sick。　　That　he　is　sick；　I　see；　but　that　he　is　in　danger　of　his　life　also；　I　see　it　not。　Thus　thou　must　use　to　keep　thyself　to　the　first　motions　and　apprehensions　of　things；　as　they　present　themselves　outwardly；　and　add　not　unto　them　from　within　thyself　through　mere　conceit　and　opinion。　　Or　rather　add　unto　them：　hut　as　one　that　understandeth　the　true　nature　of　all　things　that　happen　in　the　world。

XLVIII。　　Is　the　cucumber　bitter？　set　it　away。

Brambles　are　in　the　way？　avoid　them。　　Let　this　suffice。　Add　not　presently　speaking　unto　thyself；　What　serve　these　things　for　in　the　world？　　For；　this；　one　that　is　acquainted　with　the　mysteries　of　nature；　will　laugh　at　thee　for　it；　as　a　carpenter　would　or　a　shoemaker；　if　meeting　in　either　of　their　shops　with　some　shavings；　or　small　remnants　of　their　work；　thou　shouldest　blame　them　for　it。　And　yet　those　men；　it　is　not　for　want　of　a　place　where　to　throw　them　that　they　keep　them　in　their　shops　for　a　while：　but　the　nature　of　the　universe　hath　no　such　out…place；　but　herein　doth　consist　the　wonder　of　her　art　and　skill；　that　she　having　once　circumscribed　herself　within　some　certain　bounds　and　limits；　whatsoever　is　within　her　that　seems　either　corrupted；　or　old；　or　unprofitable；　she　can　change　it　into　herself；　and　of　these　very　things　can　make　new　things；　so　that　she　needeth　not　to　seek　elsewhere　out　of　herself　either　for　a　new　supply　of　matter　and　substance；　or　for　a　place　where　to　throw　out　whatsoever　is　irrecoverably　putrid　and　corrupt。　Thus　she；　as　for　place；　so　for　matter　and　art；　is　herself　sufficient　unto　herself。　　XLIX。　　Not　to　be　slack　and　negligent；　or　loose；　and　wanton　in　thy　actions；　nor　contentious；　and　troublesome　in　thy　conversation；　nor　to　rove　and　wander　in　thy　fancies　and　imaginations。　　Not　basely　to　contract　thy　soul；　nor　boisterously　to　sally　out　with　it；　or　furiously　to　launch　out　as　it　were；　nor　ever　to　want　employment。

L。　'They　kill　me；　they　cut…　my　flesh；　they　persecute　my　person　with　curses。'　　What　then？　　May　not　thy　mind　for　all　this　continue　pure；　prudent；　temperate；　just？　　As　a　fountain　of　sweet　and　clear　water；　though　she　be　cursed　by　some　stander　by；　yet　do　her　springs　nevertheless　still　run　as　sweet　and　clear　as　before；　yea　though　either　dirt　or　dung　be　thrown　in；　yet　is　it　no　sooner　thrown；　than　dispersed；　and　she　cleared。　She　cannot　be　dyed　or　infected　by　it。　　What　then　must　I　do；　that　I　may　have　within　myself　an　overflowing　fountain；　and　not　a　well？　Beget　thyself　by　continual　pains　and　endeavours　to　true　liberty　with　charity；　and　true　simplicity　and　modesty。

LI。　　He　that　knoweth　not　what　the　world　is；　knoweth　not　where　he　himself　is。　　And　he　that　knoweth　not　what　the　world　was　made　for；　cannot　possibly　know　either　what　are　the　qualities；　or　what　is　the　nature　of　the　world。　　Now　he　that　in　either　of　these　is　to　seek；　for　what　he　himself　was　made　is　ignorant　also。　What　then　dost　thou　think　of　that　man；　who　proposeth　unto　himself；　as　a　matter　of　great　moment；　the　noise　and　applause　of　men；　who　both　where　they　are；　and　what　they　are　themselves；　are　altogether　ignorant？　　Dost　thou　desire　to　be　commended　of　that　man；　who　thrice　in　one　hour　perchance；　doth　himself　curse　himself？　Dost　thou　desire　to　please　him；　who　pleaseth　not　himself？　or　dost　thou　think　that　he　pleaseth　himself；　who　doth　use　to　repent　himself　almost　of　everything　that　he　doth？

LII。　　Not　only　now　henceforth　to　have　a　common。

breath；　or　to　hold　correspondency　of　breath；　with　that　air；　that　compasseth　us　about；　but　to　have　a　common　mind；　or　to　hold　correspondency　of　mind　also　with　that　rational　substance；　which　compasseth　all　things。　　For；　that　also　is　of　itself；　and　of　its　own　nature　（if　a　man　can　but　draw　it　in　as　he　should）　everywhere　diffused；　and　passeth　through　all　things；　no　less　than　the　air　doth；　if　a　man　can　but　suck　it　in。

LIII。　　Wickedness　in　general　doth　not　hurt　the　world。　Particular　wickedness　doth　not　hurt　any　other：　　only　unto　him　it　is　hurtful；　whosoever　he　be　that　offends；　unto　whom　in　great　favour　and　mercy　it　is　granted；　that　whensoever　he　himself　shall　but　first　desire　it；　he　may　be　presently　delivered　of　it。　Unto　my　free…will　my　neighbour's　free…will；　whoever　he　be；　（as　his　life；　or　his　bode）；　is　altogether　indifferent。　For　though　we　are　all　made　one　for　another；　yet　have　our　minds　and　understandings　each　of　them　their　own　proper　and　limited　jurisdiction。　　For　else　another　man's　wickedness　might　be　my　evil　which　God　would　not　have；　that　it　might　not　be　in　another　man's　power　to　make　me　unhappy：　which　nothing　now　can　do　but　mine　own　wickedness。

LIV。　　The　sun　seemeth　to　be　shed　abroad。　　And　indeed　it　is　diffused　but　not　effused。　　For　that　diffusion　of　it　is　a　＇…r~Jo…tc＇　or　an　extension。　For　therefore　are　the　beams　of　it　called　＇~i…~m'~＇　from　the　word　＇~KTEIVEO…Oa；；＇　to　be　stretched　out　and　extended。　　Now　what　a　sunbeam　is；　thou　mayest　know　if　thou　observe　the　light　of　the　sun；　when　through　some　narrow　hole　it　pierceth　into　some　room　that　is　dark。　For　it　is　always　in　a　direct　line。　　And　as　by　any　solid　body；　that　it　meets　with　in　the　way　that　is　not　penetrable　by　air；　it　is　divided　and　abrupted；　and　yet　neither　slides　off；　or　falls　down；　but　stayeth　there　nevertheless：　　such　must　the　diffusion　in　the　mind　be；　not　an　effusion；　but　an　extension。　　What　obstacles　and　impediments　soever　she　meeteth　within　her　way；　she　must　not　violently；　and　by　way　of　an　impetuous　onset　light　upon　them；　neither　must　she　fall　down；　but　she　must　stand；　and　give　light　unto　that　which　doth　admit　of　it。　For　as　for　that　which　doth　not；　it　is　its　own　fault　and　loss；　if　it　bereave　itself　of　her　light。

LV。　　He　that　feareth　death；　either　feareth　that　he　shall　have　no　sense　at　all；　or　that　his　senses　will　not　be　the　same。　Whereas；　he　should　rather　comfort　himself；　that　either　no　sense　at　all；　and　so　no　sense　of　evil；　or　if　any　sense；　then　another　life；　and　so　no　death　properly。　　LVI。　　All　men　are　made　one　for　another：　either　then　teach　them　better；　or　bear　with　them。

LVII。　　The　motion　of　the　mind　is　not　as　the　motion　of　a　dart。　For　the　mind　when　it　is　wary　and　cautelous；　and　by　way　of　diligent　circumspection　turneth　herself　many　ways；　may　then　as　well　be　said　to　go　straight　on　to　the　object；　as　when　it　useth　no　such　circumspection。　　LVIII。　　To　pierce　and　penetrate　into　the　estate　of　every　one's　understanding　that　thou　hast　to　do　with：　as　also　to　make　the　estate　of　thine　own　open；　and　penetrable　to　any　other。


THE　NINTH　BOOK

I。　He　that　is　unjust；　is　also　impious。　　For　the　nature　of　the　universe；　having　made　all　reasonable　creatures　one　for　another；　to　the　end　that　they　should　do　one　another　good；　more　or　less　according　to　the　several　persons　and　occasions　but　in　nowise　hurt　one　another：　　it　is　manifest　that　he　that　doth　transgress　against　this　her　will；　is　guilty　of　impiety　towards　the　most　ancient　and　venerable　of　all　the　deities。　For　the　nature　of　the　universe；　is　the　nature　the　common　parent　of　all；　and　therefore　pi