the meditations-第35节

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able。　There　is　nothing　more　shameful　than　perfidious　friendship。　Above　all　things；　that　must　be　avoided。　　However　true　goodness；　simplicity；　and　kindness　cannot　so　be　hidden；　but　that　as　we　have　already　said　in　the　very　eyes　and　countenance　they　will　show　themselves。

XV。　　To　live　happily　is　an　inward　power　of　the　soul；　when　she　is　affected　with　indifferency；　towards　those　things　that　are　by　their　nature　indifferent。　　To　be　thus　affected　she　must　consider　all　worldly　objects　both　divided　and　whole：　　remembering　withal　that　no　object　can　of　itself　beget　any　opinion　in　us；　neither　can　come　to　us；　but　stands　without　still　and　quiet；　but　that　we　ourselves　beget；　and　as　it　were　print　in　ourselves　opinions　concerning　them。　Now　it　is　in　our　power；　not　to　print　them；　and　if　they　creep　in　and　lurk　in　some　corner；　it　is　in　our　power　to　wipe　them　off。　Remembering　moreover；　that　this　care　and　circumspection　of　thine；　is　to　continue　but　for　a　while；　and　then　thy　life　will　be　at　an　end。　And　what　should　hinder；　but　that　thou　mayest　do　well　with　all　these　things？　　For　if　they　be　according　to　nature；　rejoice　in　them；　and　let　them　be　pleasing　and　acceptable　unto　thee。　　But　if　they　be　against　nature；　seek　thou　that　which　is　according　to　thine　own　nature；　and　whether　it　be　for　thy　credit　or　no；　use　all　possible　speed　for　the　attainment　of　it：　　for　no　man　ought　to　be　blamed；　for　seeking　his　own　good　and　happiness。

XVI。　　Of　everything　thou　must　consider　from　whence　it　came；　of　what　things　it　doth　consist；　and　into　what　it　will　be　changed：　what　will　be　the　nature　of　it；　or　what　it　will　be　like　unto　when　it　is　changed；　and　that　it　can　suffer　no　hurt　by　this　change。　And　as　for　other　men's　either　foolishness　or　wickedness；　that　it　may　not　trouble　and　grieve　thee；　first　generally　thus；　What　reference　have　I　unto　these？　and　that　we　are　all　born　for　one　another's　good：　　then　more　particularly　after　another　consideration；　as　a　ram　is　first　in　a　flock　of　sheep；　and　a　bull　in　a　herd　of　cattle；　so　am　I　born　to　rule　over　them。　　Begin　yet　higher；　even　from　this：　　if　atoms　be　not　the　beginning　of　all　things；　than　which　to　believe　nothing　can　be　more　absurd；　then　must　we　needs　grant　that　there　is　a　nature；　that　doth　govern　the　universe。　If　such　a　nature；　then　are　all　worse　things　made　for　the　better's　sake；　and　all　better　for　one　another's　sake。　　Secondly；　what　manner　of　men　they　be；　at　board；　and　upon　their　beds；　and　so　forth。　But　above　all　things；　how　they　are　forced　by　their　opinions　that　they　hold；　to　do　what　they　do；　and　even　those　things　that　they　do；　with　what　pride　and　self…conceit　they　do　them。　Thirdly；　that　if　they　do　these　things　rightly；　thou　hast　no　reason　to　be　grieved。　　But　if　not　rightly；　it　must　needs　be　that　they　do　them　against　their　wills；　and　through　mere　ignorance。　For　as；　according　to　Plato's　opinion；　no　soul　doth　willingly　err；　so　by　consequent　neither　doth　it　anything　otherwise　than　it　ought；　but　against　her　will。　　Therefore　are　they　grieved；　whensoever　they　hear　themselves　charged；　either　of　injustice；　or　unconscionableness；　or　covetousness；　or　in　general；　of　any　injurious　kind　of　dealing　towards　their　neighbours。　　Fourthly；　that　thou　thyself　doest　transgress　in　many　things；　and　art　even　such　another　as　they　are。　And　though　perchance　thou　doest　forbear　the　very　act　of　some　sins；　yet　hast　thou　in　thyself　an　habitual　disposition　to　them；　but　that　either　through　fear；　or　vainglory；　or　some　such　other　ambitious　foolish　respect；　thou　art　restrained。　　Fifthly；　that　whether　they　have　sinned　or　no；　thou　doest　not　understand　perfectly。　For　many　things　are　done　by　way　of　discreet　policy；　and　generally　a　man　must　know　many　things　first；　before　he　be　able　truly　and　judiciously　to　judge　of　another　man's　action。　Sixthly；　that　whensoever　thou　doest　take　on　grievously；　or　makest　great　woe；　little　doest　thou　remember　then　that　a　man's　life　is　but　for　a　moment　of　time；　and　that　within　a　while　we　shall　all　be　in　our　graves。　　Seventhly；　that　it　is　not　the　sins　and　transgressions　themselves　that　trouble　us　properly；　for　they　have　their　existence　in　their　minds　and　understandings　only；　that　commit　them；　but　our　own　opinions　concerning　those　sins。　Remove　then；　and　be　content　to　part　with　that　conceit　of　thine；　that　it　is　a　grievous　thing；　and　thou　hast　removed　thine　anger。　But　how　should　I　remove　it？　　How？　reasoning　with　thyself　that　it　is　not　shameful。　　For　if　that　which　is　shameful；　be　not　the　only　true　evil　that　is；　thou　also　wilt　be　driven　whilest　thou　doest　follow　the　common　instinct　of　nature；　to　avoid　that　which　is　evil；　to　commit　many　unjust　things；　and　to　become　a　thief；　and　anything；　that　will　make　to　the　attainment　of　thy　intended　worldly　ends。　Eighthly；　how　many　things　may　and　do　oftentimes　follow　upon　such　fits　of　anger　and　grief；　far　more　grievous　in　themselves；　than　those　very　things　which　we　are　so　grieved　or　angry　for。　Ninthly；　that　meekness　is　a　thing　unconquerable；　if　it　be　true　and　natural；　and　not　affected　or　hypocritical。　　For　how　shall　even　the　most　fierce　and　malicious　that　thou　shalt　conceive；　be　able　to　hold　on　against　thee；　if　thou　shalt　still　continue　meek　and　loving　unto　him；　and　that　even　at　that　time；　when　he　is　about　to　do　thee　wrong；　thou　shalt　be　well　disposed；　and　in　good　temper；　with　all　meekness　to　teach　him；　and　to　instruct　him　better？　As　for　example；　My　son；　we　were　not　born　for　this；　to　hurt　and　annoy　one　another；　it　will　be　thy　hurt　not　mine；　my　son：　and　so　to　show　him　forcibly　and　fully；　that　it　is　so　in　very　deed：　and　that　neither　bees　do　it　one　to　another；　nor　any　other　creatures　that　are　naturally　sociable。　　But　this　thou　must　do；　not　scoffingly；　not　by　way　of　exprobation；　but　tenderly　without　any　harshness　of　words。　Neither　must　thou　do　it　by　way　of　exercise；　or　ostentation；　that　they　that　are　by　and　hear　thee；　may　admire　thee：　but　so　always　that　nobody　be　privy　to　it；　but　himself　alone：　yea；　though　there　be　more　present　at　the　same　time。　These　nine　particular　heads；　as　so　many　gifts　from　the　Muses；　see　that　thou　remember　well：　　and　begin　one　day；　whilest　thou　art　yet　alive；　to　be　a　man　indeed。　　But　on　the　other　side　thou　must　take　heed；　as　much　to　flatter　them；　as　to　be　angry　with　them：　for　both　are　equally　uncharitable；　and　equally　hurtful。　And　in　thy　passions；　take　it　presently　to　thy　consideration；　that　to　be　angry　is　not　the　part　of　a　man；　but　that　to　be　meek　and　gentle；　as　it　savours　of　more　humanity；　so　of　more　manhood。　That　in　this；　there　is　strength　and　nerves；　or　vigour　and　fortitude：　whereof　anger　and　indignation　is　altogether　void。　　For　the　nearer　everything　is　unto　unpassionateness；　the　nearer　it　is　unto　power。　And　as　grief　doth　proceed　from　weakness；　so　doth　anger。　For　both；　both　he　that　is　angry　and　that　grieveth；　have　received　a　wound；　and　cowardly　have　as　it　were　yielded　themselves　unto　their　affections。　　If　thou　wilt　have　a　tenth　also；　receive　this　tenth　gift　from　Hercules　the　guide　and　leader　of　the　Muses：　that　is　a　mad　man's　part；　to　look　that　there　should　be　no　wicked　men　in　the　world；　because　it　is　impossible。　　Now　for　a　man　to　brook　well　enough；　that　there　should　be　wicked　men　in　the　world；　but　not　to　endure　that　any　should　transgress　against　himself；　is　against　all　equity；　and　indeed　tyrannical。

XVII。　　Four　several　dispositions　or　inclinations　there　be　of　the　mind　and　understanding；　which　to　be　aware　of；　thou　must　carefully　observe：　and　whensoever　thou　doest　discover　them；　thou　must　rectify　them；　saying　to　thyself　concerning　every　one　of　them；　This　imagination　is　not　necessary；　this　is　uncharitable：　　this　thou　shalt　speak　as　another　man's　slave；　or　instrument；　than　which　nothing　can　be　more　senseless　and　absurd：　for　the　fourth；　thou　shalt　sharply　check　and　upbraid　thyself；　for　that　thou　doest　suffer　that　more　divine　part　in　thee；　to　become　subject　and　obnoxious　to　that　more　ignoble　part　of　thy　body；　and　the　gross　lusts　and　concupiscences　thereof。　　XVIII。　　What　portion　soever；　either　of　air　or　fire　there　be　in　thee；　although　by　nature　it　tend　upwards；　submitting　nevertheless　to　the　ordinance　of　the　universe；　it　abides　here　below　in　this　mixed　body。　　So　whatsoever　is　in　thee；　either　earthy；　or　humid；　although　by　nature　it　tend　downwards；　yet　is　it　against　its　nature　both　raised　upwards；　and　standing；　or　consistent。　So　obedient　are　even　the　elements　themselves　to　the　universe；　abiding　patiently　wheresoever　（though　against　their　nature）　they　are　placed；　until　the　sound　as　it　were　of　their　retreat；　and　separation。　Is　it　not　a　grievous　thing　then；　that　thy　reasonable　part　only　should　be　disobedient；　and　should　not　endure　to　keep　its　place：　yea　though　it　be　nothing　enjoined　that　is　contrary　unto　it；　but　that　only　which　is　according　to　its　nature？　　For　we　cannot　say　of　it　when　it　is　disobedient；　as　we　say　of　the　fire；　or　air；　that　it　tends　upwards　towards　its　proper　element；　for　then　goes　it　the　quite　contrary　way。　For　the　motion　of　the　mind　to　any　injustice；　or　incontinency；　or　to　sorrow；　or　to　fear；　is　nothing　else　but　a　separation　from　nature。　Also　when　the　mind　is　grieved　for　anything　that　is　happened　by　the　divine　providence；　then　doth　it　likewise　forsake　its　own　place。　For　it　was　ordained　unto　holiness　and　godliness；　which　specially　consist　in　an　humble　submission　to　God　and　His　providence　in　all