the meditations-第22章

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XLVII。　　It　is　in　thy　power　absolutely　to　exclude　all　manner　of　conceit　and　opinion；　as　concerning　this　matter；　and　by　the　same　means；　to　exclude　all　grief　and　sorrow　from　thy　soul。　For　as　for　the　things　and　objects　themselves；　they　of　themselves　have　no　such　power；　whereby　to　beget　and　force　upon　us　any　opinion　at　all。　　XLVIII。　　Use　thyself　when　any　man　speaks　unto　thee；　so　to　hearken　unto　him；　as　that　in　the　interim　thou　give　not　way　to　any　other　thoughts；　that　so　thou　mayst　（as　far　as　is　possible）　seem　fixed　and　fastened　to　his　very　soul；　whosoever　he　be　that　speaks　unto　thee。

XLIX。　　That　which　is　not　good　for　the　bee…hive；　cannot　be　good　for　the　bee。

L。　Will　either　passengers；　or　patients；　find　fault　and　complain；　either　the　one　if　they　be　well　carried；　or　the　others　if　well　cured？　Do　they　take　care　for　any　more　than　this；　the　one；　that　their　shipmaster　may　bring　them　safe　to　land；　and　the　other；　that　their　physician　may　effect　their　recovery？

LI。　　How　many　of　them　who　came　into　the　world　at　the　same　time　when　I　did；　are　already　gone　out　of　it？

LII。　　To　them　that　are　sick　of　the　jaundice；　honey　seems　bitter；　and　to　them　that　are　bitten　by　a　mad　dog；　the　water　terrible；　and　to　children；　a　little　ball　seems　a　fine　thing。　And　why　then　should　I　be　angry？　or　do　I　think　that　error　and　false　opinion　is　less　powerful　to　make　men　transgress；　than　either　choler；　being　immoderate　and　excessive；　to　cause　the　jaundice；　or　poison；　to　cause　rage？

LIII。　　No　man　can　hinder　thee　to　live　as　thy　nature　doth　require。　Nothing　can　happen　unto　thee；　but　what　the　common　good　of　nature　doth　require。

LIV。　　What　manner　of　men　they　be　whom　they　seek　to　please；　and　what　to　get；　and　by　what　actions：　　how　soon　time　will　cover　and　bury　all　things；　and　how　many　it　hath　already　buried！


THE　SEVENTH　BOOK

I。　What　is　wickedness　？　　It　is　that　which　many　time　and　often　thou　hast　already　seen　and　known　in　the　world。　And　so　oft　as　anything　doth　happen　that　might　otherwise　trouble　thee；　let　this　memento　presently　come　to　thy　mind；　that　it　is　that　which　thou　hast　already　often　Seen　and　known。　Generally；　above　and　below；　thou　shalt　find　but　the　same　things。　The　very　same　things　whereof　ancient　stories；　middle　age　stories；　and　fresh　stories　are　full　whereof　towns　are　full；　and　houses　full。　There　is　nothing　that　is　new。　　All　things　that　are；　are　both　usual　and　of　little　continuance。

II。　　What　fear　is　there　that　thy　dogmata；　or　philosophical　resolutions　and　conclusions；　should　become　dead　in　thee；　and　lose　their　proper　power　and　efficacy　to　make　thee　live　happy；　as　long　as　those　proper　and　correlative　fancies；　and　representations　of　things　on　which　they　mutually　depend　（which　continually　to　stir　up　and　revive　is　in　thy　power；）　are　still　kept　fresh　and　alive？　It　is　in　my　power　concerning　this　thing　that　is　happened；　what　soever　it　be；　to　conceit　that　which　is　right　and　true。　If　it　be；　why　then　am　I　troubled？　　Those　things　that　are　without　my　understanding；　are　nothing　to　it　at　all：　and　that　is　it　only；　which　doth　properly　concern　me。　Be　always　in　this　mind；　and　thou　wilt　be　right。

Ill。　　That　which　most　men　would　think　themselves　most　happy　for；　and　would　prefer　before　all　things；　if　the　Gods　would　grant　it　unto　them　after　their　deaths；　thou　mayst　whilst　thou　livest　grant　unto　thyself；　to　live　again。　　See　the　things　of　the　world　again；　as　thou　hast　already　seen　them。　　For　what　is　it　else　to　live　again？　Public　shows　and　solemnities　with　much　pomp　and　vanity；　stage　plays；　flocks　and　herds；　conflicts　and　con　tentions：　a　bone　thrown　to　a　company　of　hungry　curs；　a　bait　for　greedy　fishes；　the　painfulness；　and　continual　burden…bearing　of　wretched　ants；　the　running　to　and　fro　of　terrified　mice：　little　puppets　drawn　up　and　down　with　wires　and　nerves：　these　be　the　objects　of　the　world。　　among　all　these　thou　must　stand　steadfast；　meekly　affected；　and　free　from　all　manner　of　indignation；　with　this　right　ratiocination　and　apprehension；　that　as　the　worth　is　of　those　things　which　a　man　doth　affect；　so　is　in　very　deed　every　man's　worth　more　or　less。

IV。　　Word　after　word；　every　one　by　itself；　must　the　things　that　are　spoken　be　conceived　and　understood；　and　so　the　things　that　are　done；　purpose　after　purpose；　every　one　by　itself　likewise。　And　as　in　matter　of　purposes　and　actions；　we　must　presently　see　what　is　the　proper　use　and　relation　of　every　one；　so　of　words　must　we　be　as　ready；　to　consider　of　every　one　what　is　the　true　meaning；　and　signification　of　it　according　to　truth　and　nature；　however　it　be　taken　in　common　use。

V。　Is　my　reason；　and　understanding　sufficient　for　this；　or　no？　If　it　be　sufficient；　without　any　private　applause；　or　public　ostentation　as　of　an　instrument；　which　by　nature　I　am　provided　of；　I　will　make　use　of　it　for　the　work　in　hand；　as　of　an　instrument；　which　by　nature　I　am　provided　of。　　if　it　be　not；　and　that　otherwise　it　belong　not　unto　me　particularly　as　a　private　duty；　I　will　either　give　it　over；　and　leave　it　to　some　other　that　can　better　effect　it：　or　I　will　endeavour　it；　but　with　the　help　of　some　other；　who　with　the　joint　help　of　my　reason；　is　able　to　bring　somewhat　to　pass；　that　will　now　be　seasonable　and　useful　for　the　common　good。　For　whatsoever　I　do　either　by　myself；　or　with　some　other；　the　only　thing　that　I　must　intend；　is；　that　it　be　good　and　expedient　for　the　public。　For　as　for　praise；　consider　how　many　who　once　were　much　commended；　are　now　already　quite　forgotten；　yea　they　that　commended　them；　how　even　they　themselves　are　long　since　dead　and　gone。　Be　not　therefore　ashamed；　whensoever　thou　must　use　the　help　of　others。　For　whatsoever　it　be　that　lieth　upon　thee　to　effect；　thou　must　propose　it　unto　thyself；　as　the　scaling　of　walls　is　unto　a　soldier。　And　what　if　thou　through　either　lameness　or　some　other　impediment　art　not　able　to　reach　unto　the　top　of　the　battlements　alone；　which　with　the　help　of　another　thou　mayst；　wilt　thou　therefore　give　it　over；　or　go　about　it　with　less　courage　and　alacrity。　because　thou　canst　not　effect　it　all　alone？

VI。　　Let　not　things　future　trouble　thee。　　For　if　necessity　so　require　that　they　come　to　pass；　thou　shalt　（whensoever　that　is）　be　provided　for　them　with　the　same　reason；　by　which　whatsoever　is　now　present；　is　made　both　tolerable　and　acceptable　unto　thee。　All　things　are　linked　and　knitted　together；　and　the　knot　is　sacred；　neither　is　there　anything　in　the　world；　that　is　not　kind　and　natural　in　regard　of　any　other　thing；　or；　that　hath　not　some　kind　of　reference　and　natural　correspondence　with　whatsoever　is　in　the　world　besides。　For　all　things　are　ranked　together；　and　by　that　decency　of　its　due　place　and　order　that　each　particular　doth　observe；　they　all　concur　together　to　the　making　of　one　and　the　same　＇〃Kosmos〃　ed＇　or　world：　as　if　you　said；　a　comely　piece；　or　an　orderly　composition。　For　all　things　throughout；　there　is　but　one　and　the　same　order；　and　through　all　things；　one　and　the　same　God；　the　same　substance　and　the　same　law。　　There　is　one　common　reason；　and　one　common　truth；　that　belongs　unto　all　reasonable　creatures；　for　neither　is　there　save　one　perfection　of　all　creatures　that　are　of　the　same　kind；　and　partakers　of　the　same　reason。

VII。　　Whatsoever　is　material；　doth　soon　vanish　away　into　the　common　substance　of　the　whole；　and　whatsoever　is　formal；　or；　whatsoever　doth　animate　that　which　is　material；　is　soon　resumed　into　the　common　reason　of　the　whole；　and　the　fame　and　memory　of　anything；　is　soon　swallowed　up　by　the　general　age　and　duration　of　the　whole。

VIII。　　To　a　reasonable　creature；　the　same　action　is　both　according　to　nature；　and　according　to　reason。　　IX。　　Straight　of　itself；　not　made　straight。

X。　As　several　members　in　one　body　united；　so　are　reasonable　creatures　in　a　body　divided　and　dispersed；　all　made　and　prepared　for　one　common　operation。　　And　this　thou　shalt　apprehend　the　better；　if　thou　shalt　use　thyself　often　to　say　to　thyself；　I　am　meloz；　or　a　member　of　the　mass　and　body　of　reasonable　substances。　But　if　thou　shalt　say　I　am　meroz；　or　a　part；　thou　dost　not　yet　love　men　from　thy　heart。　　The　joy　that　thou　takest　in　the　exercise　of　bounty；　is　not　yet　grounded　upon　a　due　ratiocination　and　right　apprehension　of　the　nature　of　things。　Thou　dost　exercise　it　as　yet　upon　this　ground　barel