the meditations-第39章

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behold　the　true　nature；　both　that　of　the　universe；　and　her　own　in　particular。

XII。　　Will　any　contemn　me？　let　him　look　to　that；　upon　what　grounds　he　does　it：　　my　care　shall　be　that　I　may　never　be　found　either　doing　or　speaking　anything　that　doth　truly　deserve　contempt。　Will　any　hate　me？　let　him　look　to　that。　　I　for　my　part　will　be　kind　and　loving　unto　all；　and　even　unto　him　that　hates　me；　whom…soever　he　be；　will　I　be　ready　to　show　his　error；　not　by　way　of　exprobation　or　ostentation　of　my　patience；　but　ingenuously　and　meekly：　such　as　was　that　famous　Phocion；　if　so　be　that　he　did　not　dissemble。　For　it　is　inwardly　that　these　things　must　be：　　that　the　Gods　who　look　inwardly；　and　not　upon　the　outward　appearance；　may　behold　a　man　truly　free　from　all　indignation　and　grief。　For　what　hurt　can　it　be　unto　thee　whatsoever　any　man　else　doth；　as　long　as　thou　mayest　do　that　which　is　proper　and　suitable　to　thine　own　nature？　　Wilt　not　thou　（a　man　wholly　appointed　to　be　both　what；　and　as　the　common　good　shall　require）　accept　of　that　which　is　now　seasonable　to　the　nature　of　the　universe？　　XIII。　　They　contemn　one　another；　and　yet　they　seek　to　please　one　another：　　and　whilest　they　seek　to　surpass　one　another　in　worldly　pomp　and　greatness；　they　most　debase　and　prostitute　themselves　in　their　better　part　one　to　another。

XIV。　　How　rotten　and　insincere　is　he；　that　saith；　I　am　resolved　to　carry　myself　hereafter　towards　you　with　all　ingenuity　and　simplicity。　O　man；　what　doest　thou　mean！　what　needs　this　profession　of　thine？　the　thing　itself　will　show　it。　　It　ought　to　be　written　upon　thy　forehead。　No　sooner　thy　voice　is　heard；　than　thy　countenance　must　be　able　to　show　what　is　in　thy　mind：　　even　as　he　that　is　loved　knows　presently　by　the　looks　of　his　sweetheart　what　is　in　her　mind。　Such　must　he　be　for　all　the　world；　that　is　truly　simple　and　good；　as　he　whose　arm…holes　are　offensive；　that　whosoever　stands　by；　as　soon　as　ever　he　comes　near　him；　may　as　it　were　smell　him　whether　he　will　or　no。　　But　the　affectation　of　simplicity　is　nowise　laudable。　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　u