the meditations-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


according　to　best　reason　and　discretion；　either　be　said　or　done？　For　whatsoever　it　be；　it　is　in　thy　power　either　to　do　it；　or　to　say　it；　and　therefore　seek　not　any　pretences；　as　though　thou　wert　hindered。　　Thou　wilt　never　cease　groaning　and　complaining；　until　such　time　as　that；　what　pleasure　is　unto　the　voluptuous；　be　unto　thee；　to　do　in　everything　that　presents　itself；　whatsoever　may　be　done　conformably　and　agreeably　to　the　proper　constitution　of　man；　or；　to　man　as　he　is　a　man。　For　thou　must　account　that　pleasure；　whatsoever　it　be；　that　thou　mayest　do　according　to　thine　own　nature。　And　to　do　this；　every　place　will　fit　thee。　　Unto　the　cylindrus；　or　roller；　it　is　not　granted　to　move　everywhere　according　to　its　own　proper　motion；　as　neither　unto　the　water；　nor　unto　the　fire；　nor　unto　any　other　thing；　that　either　is　merely　natural；　or　natural　and　sensitive；　but　not　rational。　for　many　things　there　be　that　can　hinder　their　operations。　But　of　the　mind　and　understanding　this　is　the　proper　privilege；　that　according　to　its　own　nature；　and　as　it　will　itself；　it　can　pass　through　every　obstacle　that　it　finds；　and　keep　straight　on　forwards。　　Setting　therefore　before　thine　eyes　this　happiness　and　felicity　of　thy　mind；　whereby　it　is　able　to　pass　through　all　things；　and　is　capable　of　all　motions；　whether　as　the　fire；　upwards；　or　as　the　stone　downwards；　or　as　the　cylindrus　through　that　which　is　sloping：　content　thyself　with　it；　and　seek　not　after　any　other　thing。　For　all　other　kind　of　hindrances　that　are　not　hindrances　of　thy　mind　either　they　are　proper　to　the　body；　or　merely　proceed　from　the　opinion；　reason　not　making　that　resistance　that　it　should；　but　basely；　and　cowardly　suffering　itself　to　be　foiled；　and　of　themselves　can　neither　wound；　nor　do　any　hurt　at　all。　Else　must　he　of　necessity；　whosoever　he　be　that　meets　with　any　of　them；　become　worse　than　he　was　before。　For　so　is　it　in　all　other　subjects；　that　that　is　thought　hurtful　unto　them；　whereby　they　are　made　worse。　But　here　contrariwise；　man　（if　he　make　that　good　use　of　them　that　he　should）　is　rather　the　better　and　the　more　praiseworthy　for　any　of　those　kind　of　hindrances；　than　otherwise。　But　generally　remember　that　nothing　can　hurt　a　natural　citizen；　that　is　not　hurtful　unto　the　city　itself；　nor　anything　hurt　the　city；　that　is　not　hurtful　unto　the　law　itself。　But　none　of　these　casualties；　or　external　hindrances；　do　hurt　the　law　itself；　or；　are　contrary　to　that　course　of　justice　and　equity；　by　which　public　societies　are　maintained：　neither　therefore　do　they　hurt　either　city　or　citizen。

XXXIV。　　As　he　that　is　bitten　by　a　mad　dog；　is　afraid　of　everything　almost　that　he　seeth：　　so　unto　him；　whom　the　dogmata　have　once　bitten；　or　in　whom　true　knowledge　hath　made　an　impression；　everything　almost　that　he　sees　or　reads　be　it　never　so　short　or　ordinary；　doth　afford　a　good　memento；　to　put　him　out　of　all　grief　and　fear；　as　that　of　the　poet；　'The　winds　blow　upon　the　trees；　and　their　leaves　fall　upon　the　ground。　Then　do　the　trees　begin　to　bud　again；　and　by　the　spring…time　they　put　forth　new　branches。　　So　is　the　generation　of　men；　some　come　into　the　world；　and　others　go　out　of　it。'　Of　these　leaves　then　thy　children　are。　　And　they　also　that　applaud　thee　so　gravely；　or；　that　applaud　thy　speeches；　with　that　their　usual　acclamation；　axiopistwz；　O　wisely　spoken　I　and　speak　well　of　thee；　as　on　the　other　side；　they　that　stick　not　to　curse　thee；　they　that　privately　and　secretly　dispraise　and　deride　thee；　they　also　are　but　leaves。　And　they　also　that　shall　follow；　in　whose　memories　the　names　of　men　famous　after　death；　is　preserved；　they　are　but　leaves　neither。　For　even　so　is　it　of　all　these　worldly　things。　Their　spring　comes；　and　they　are　put　forth。　　Then　blows　the　wind；　and　they　go　down。　　And　then　in　lieu　of　them　grow　others　out　of　the　wood　or　common　matter　of　all　things；　like　unto　them。　But；　to　endure　but　for　a　while；　is　common　unto　all。　Why　then　shouldest　thou　so　earnestly　either　seek　after　these　things；　or　fly　from　them；　as　though　they　should　endure　for　ever？　Yet　a　little　while；　and　thine　eyes　will　be　closed　up；　and　for　him　that　carries　thee　to　thy　grave　shall　another　mourn　within　a　while　after。

XXXV。　　A　good　eye　must　be　good　to　see　whatsoever　is　to　be　seen；　and　not　green　things　only。　　For　that　is　proper　to　sore　eyes。　So　must　a　good　ear；　and　a　good　smell　be　ready　for　whatsoever　is　either　to　be　heard；　or　smelt：　　and　a　good　stomach　as　indifferent　to　all　kinds　of　food；　as　a　millstone　is；　to　whatsoever　she　was　made　for　to　grind。　　As　ready　therefore　must　a　sound　understanding　be　for　whatsoever　shall　happen。　But　he　that　saith；　O　that　my　children　might　live！　and；　O　that　all　men　might　commend　me　for　whatsoever　I　do！　is　an　eye　that　seeks　after　green　things；　or　as　teeth；　after　that　which　is　tender。　　XXXVI。　　There　is　not　any　man　that　is　so　happy　in　his　death；　but　that　some　of　those　that　are　by　him　when　he　dies；　will　be　ready　to　rejoice　at　his　supposed　calamity。　Is　it　one　that　was　virtuous　and　wise　indeed？　will　there　not　some　one　or　other　be　found；　who　thus　will　say　to　himself；　'Well　now　at　last　shall　I　be　at　rest　from　this　pedagogue。　He　did　not　indeed　otherwise　trouble　us　much：　　but　I　know　well　enough　that　in　his　heart；　he　did　much　condemn　us。'　　Thus　will　they　speak　of　the　virtuous。　　But　as　for　us；　alas　I　how　many　things　be　there；　for　which　there　be　many　that　glad　would　be　to　be　rid　of　us。　This　therefore　if　thou　shalt　think　of　whensoever　thou　diest；　thou　shalt　die　the　more　willingly；　when　thou　shalt　think　with　thyself；　I　am　now　to　depart　from　that　world；　wherein　those　that　have　been　my　nearest　friends　and　acquaintances；　they　whom　I　have　so　much　suffered　for；　so　often　prayed　for；　and　for　whom　I　have　taken　such　care；　even　they　would　have　me　die；　hoping　that　after　my　death　they　shall　live　happier；　than　they　did　before。　What　then　should　any　man　desire　to　continue　here　any　longer？　Nevertheless；　whensoever　thou　diest；　thou　must　not　be　less　kind　and　loving　unto　them　for　it；　but　as　before；　see　them；　continue　to　be　their　friend；　to　wish　them　well；　and　meekly；　and　gently　to　carry　thyself　towards　them；　but　yet　so　that　on　the　other　side；　it　make　thee　not　the　more　unwilling　to　die。　But　as　it　fareth　with　them　that　die　an　easy　quick　death；　whose　soul　is　soon　separated　from　their　bodies；　so　must　thy　separation　from　them　be。　　To　these　had　nature　joined　and　annexed　me：　now　she　parts　us；　I　am　ready　to　depart；　as　from　friends　and　kinsmen；　but　yet　without　either　reluctancy　or　compulsion。　For　this　also　is　according　to　Nature。　　XXXVII。　　Use　thyself；　as　often；　as　thou　seest　any　man　do　anything；　presently　（if　it　be　possible）　to　say　unto　thyself；　What　is　this　man's　end　in　this　his　action？　But　begin　this　course　with　thyself　first　of　all；　and　diligently　examine　thyself　concerning　whatsoever　thou　doest。

XXXVIII。　　Remember；　that　that　which　sets　a　man　at　work；　and　hath　power　over　the　affections　to　draw　them　either　one　way；　or　the　other　way；　is　not　any　external　thing　properly；　but　that　which　is　hidden　within　every　man's　dogmata；　and　opinions：　That；　that　is　rhetoric；　that　is　life；　that　（to　speak　true）　is　man　himself。　　As　for　thy　body；　which　as　a　vessel；　or　a　case；　compasseth　thee　about；　and　the　many　and　curious　instruments　that　it　hath　annexed　unto　it；　let　them　not　trouble　thy　thoughts。　For　of　themselves　they　are　but　as　a　carpenter's　axe；　but　that　they　are　born　with　us；　and　naturally　sticking　unto　us。　But　otherwise；　without　the　inward　cause　that　hath　power　to　move　them；　and　to　restrain　them；　those　parts　are　of　themselves　of　no　more　use　unto　us；　than　the　shuttle　is　of　itself　to　the　weaver；　or　the　pen　to　the　writer；　or　the　whip　to　the　coachman。


THE　ELEVENTH　BOOK

I。　The　natural　properties；　and　privileges　of　a　reasonable　soul　are：　That　she　seeth　herself；　that　she　can　order；　and　compose　herself：　that　she　makes　herself　as　she　will　herself：　　that　she　reaps　her　own　fruits　whatsoever；　whereas　plants；　trees；　unreasonable　creatures；　what　fruit　soever　（be　it　either　fruit　properly；　or　analogically　only）　they　bear；　they　bear　them　unto　others；　and　not　to　themselves。　Again；　whensoever；　and　wheresoever；　sooner　or　later；　her　life　doth　end；　she　hath　her　own　end　nevertheless。　　For　it　is　not　with　her；　as　with　dancers　and　players；　who　if　they　be　interrupted　in　any　part　of　their　action；　the　whole　action　must　needs　be　imperfect：　but　she　in　what　part　of　time　or　action　soever　she　be　surprised；　can　make　that　which　she　bath　in　her　hand　whatsoever　it　be；　complete　and　full；　so　that　she　may　depart　with　that　comfort；　'I　have　lived；　neither　want　I　anything　of　that　which　properly　did　belong　unto　me。'　　Again；　she　compasseth　the　whole　world；　and　penetrateth　into　the　vanity；　and　mere　outside　（wanting　substance　and　solidity）　of　it；　and　stretcheth　herself　unto　the　infiniteness　of　eternity；　and　the　revolution　or　restoration　of　all　things　after　a　certain　period　of　time；　to　the　same　state　and　place　as　before；　she　fetcheth　about；　and　doth　comprehend　in　herself；　and　considers　withal；　and　sees　clearly　this；　that　neither　they　that　shall　follow　us；　shall　see　any　new　thing；　that　we　have　not　seen；　nor　they　that　went　before；　anything　more　than　we：　　but　that　he　that　is　once　come　to　forty　（if　he　have　any　wit　at　all）　can　in　a　manner　（for　that　they　are　all　of　one　kind）　see　all　things；　both　past　and