the meditations-第3章

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es　as　fellow…workers　with　God。

Such　is　the　system　which　underlies　the　Meditations　of　Marcus　Aurelius。　Some　knowledge　of　it　is　necessary　to　the　right　understanding　of　the　book；　but　for　us　the　chief　interest　lies　elsewhere。　We　do　not　come　to　Marcus　Aurelius　for　a　treatise　on　Stoicism。　He　is　no　head　of　a　school　to　lay　down　a　body　of　doctrine　for　students；　he　does　not　even　contemplate　that　others　should　read　what　he　writes。　His　philosophy　is　not　an　eager　intellectual　inquiry；　but　more　what　we　should　call　religious　feeling。　　The　uncompromising　stiffness　of　Zeno　or　Chrysippus　is　softened　and　transformed　by　passing　through　a　nature　reverent　and　tolerant；　gentle　and　free　from　guile；　the　grim　resignation　which　made　life　possible　to　the　Stoic　sage　becomes　in　him　almost　a　mood　of　aspiration。　His　book　records　the　innermost　thoughts　of　his　heart；　set　down　to　ease　it；　with　such　moral　maxims　and　reflections　as　may　help　him　to　bear　the　burden　of　duty　and　the　countless　annoyances　of　a　busy　life。

It　is　instructive　to　compare　the　Meditations　with　another　famous　book；　the　Imitation　of　Christ。　　There　is　the　same　ideal　of　self…control　in　both。　　It　should　be　a　man's　task；　says　the　Imitation；　'to　overcome　himself；　and　every　day　to　be　stronger　than　himself。'　　'In　withstanding　of　the　passions　standeth　very　peace　of　heart。'　　'Let　us　set　the　axe　to　the　root；　that　we　being　purged　of　our　passions　may　have　a　peaceable　mind。'　To　this　end　there　must　be　continual　self…examination。　'If　thou　may　not　continually　gather　thyself　together；　namely　sometimes　do　it；　at　least　once　a　day；　the　morning　or　the　evening。　In　the　morning　purpose；　in　the　evening　discuss　the　manner；　what　thou　hast　been　this　day；　in　word；　work；　and　thought。'　But　while　the　Roman's　temper　is　a　modest　self…reliance；　the　Christian　aims　at　a　more　passive　mood；　humbleness　and　meekness；　and　reliance　on　the　presence　and　personal　friendship　of　God。　The　Roman　scrutinises　his　faults　with　severity；　but　without　the　self…contempt　which　makes　the　Christian　'vile　in　his　own　sight。'　The　Christian；　like　the　Roman；　bids　'study　to　withdraw　thine　heart　from　the　love　of　things　visible'；　but　it　is　not　the　busy　life　of　duty　he　has　in　mind　so　much　as　the　contempt　of　all　worldly　things；　and　the　'cutting　away　of　all　lower　delectations。'　Both　rate　men's　praise　or　blame　at　their　real　worthlessness；　'Let　not　thy　peace；'　says　the　Christian；　'be　in　the　mouths　of　men。'　　But　it　is　to　God's　censure　the　Christian　appeals；　the　Roman　to　his　own　soul。　　The　petty　annoyances　of　injustice　or　unkindness　are　looked　on　by　each　with　the　same　magnanimity。　'Why　doth　a　little　thing　said　or　done　against　thee　make　thee　sorry？　It　is　no　new　thing；　it　is　not　the　first；　nor　shall　it　be　the　last；　if　thou　live　long。　　At　best　suffer　patiently；　if　thou　canst　not　suffer　joyously。'　　The　Christian　should　sorrow　more　for　other　men's　malice　than　for　our　own　wrongs；　but　the　Roman　is　inclined　to　wash　his　hands　of　the　offender。　'Study　to　be　patient　in　suffering　and　bearing　other　men's　defaults　and　all　manner　infirmities；'　says　the　Christian；　but　the　Roman　would　never　have　thought　to　add；　'If　all　men　were　perfect；　what　had　we　then　to　suffer　of　other　men　for　God？'　　The　virtue　of　suffering　in　itself　is　an　idea　which　does　not　meet　us　in　the　Meditations。　Both　alike　realise　that　man　is　one　of　a　great　community。　'No　man　is　sufficient　to　himself；'　says　the　Christian；　'we　must　bear　together；　help　together；　comfort　together。'　But　while　he　sees　a　chief　importance　in　zeal；　in　exalted　emotion　that　is；　and　avoidance　of　lukewarmness；　the　Roman　thought　mainly　of　the　duty　to　be　done　as　well　as　might　be；　and　less　of　the　feeling　which　should　go　with　the　doing　of　it。　To　the　saint　as　to　the　emperor；　the　world　is　a　poor　thing　at　best。　'Verily　it　is　a　misery　to　live　upon　the　earth；'　says　the　Christian；　few　and　evil　are　the　days　of　man's　life；　which　passeth　away　suddenly　as　a　shadow。

But　there　is　one　great　difference　between　the　two　books　we　are　considering。　　The　Imitation　is　addressed　to　others；　the　Meditations　by　the　writer　to　himself。　　We　learn　nothing　from　the　Imitation　of　the　author's　own　life；　except　in　so　far　as　he　may　be　assumed　to　have　practised　his　own　preachings；　the　Meditations　reflect　mood　by　mood　the　mind　of　him　who　wrote　them。　In　their　intimacy　and　frankness　lies　their　great　charm。　These　notes　are　not　sermons；　they　are　not　even　confessions。　There　is　always　an　air　of　self…consciousness　in　confessions；　in　such　revelations　there　is　always　a　danger　of　unctuousness　or　of　vulgarity　for　the　best　of　men。　St。　Augus…tine　is　not　always　clear　of　offence；　and　John　Bunyan　himself　exaggerates　venial　peccadilloes　into　heinous　sins。　But　Marcus　Aurelius　is　neither　vulgar　nor　unctuous；　he　extenuates　nothing；　but　nothing　sets　down　in　malice。　He　never　poses　before　an　audience；　he　may　not　be　profound；　he　is　always　sincere。　　And　it　is　a　lofty　and　serene　soul　which　is　here　disclosed　before　us。　　Vulgar　vices　seem　to　have　no　temptation　for　him；　this　is　not　one　tied　and　bound　with　chains　which　he　strives　to　break。　　The　faults　he　detects　in　himself　are　often　such　as　most　men　would　have　no　eyes　to　see。　To　serve　the　divine　spirit　which　is　implanted　within　him；　a　man　must　'keep　himself　pure　from　all　violent　passion　and　evil　affection；　from　all　rashness　and　vanity；　and　from　all　manner　of　discontent；　either　in　regard　of　the　gods　or　men'：　or；　as　he　says　elsewhere；　'unspotted　by　pleasure；　undaunted　by　pain。'　Unwavering　courtesy　and　consideration　are　his　aims。　'Whatsoever　any　man　either　doth　or　saith；　thou　must　be　good；'　'doth　any　man　offend？　　It　is　against　himself　that　he　doth　offend：　why　should　it　trouble　thee？'　　The　offender　needs　pity；　not　wrath；　those　who　must　needs　be　corrected；　should　be　treated　with　tact　and　gentleness；　and　one　must　be　always　ready　to　learn　better。　'The　best　kind　of　revenge　is；　not　to　become　like　unto　them。'　There　are　so　many　hints　of　offence　forgiven；　that　we　may　believe　the　notes　followed　sharp　on　the　facts。　Perhaps　he　has　fallen　short　of　his　aim；　and　thus　seeks　to　call　his　principles　to　mind；　and　to　strengthen　himself　for　the　future。　That　these　sayings　are　not　mere　talk　is　plain　from　the　story　of　Avidius　Cassius；　who　would　have　usurped　his　imperial　throne。　Thus　the　emperor　faithfully　carries　out　his　own　principle；　that　evil　must　be　overcome　with　good。　　For　each　fault　in　others；　Nature　（says　he）　has　given　us　a　counteracting　virtue；　'as；　for　example；　against　the　unthankful；　it　hath　given　goodness　and　meekness；　as　an　antidote。'

One　so　gentle　towards　a　foe　was　sure　to　be　a　good　friend；　and　indeed　his　pages　are　full　of　generous　gratitude　to　those　who　had　served　him。　In　his　First　Book　he　sets　down　to　account　all　the　debts　due　to　his　kinsfolk　and　teachers。　　To　his　grandfather　he　owed　his　own　gentle　spirit；　to　his　father　shamefastness　and　courage；　he　learnt　of　his　mother　to　be　religious　and　bountiful　and　single…minded。　Rusticus　did　not　work　in　vain；　if　he　showed　his　pupil　that　his　life　needed　amending。　　Apollonius　taught　him　simplicity；　reasonableness；　gratitude；　a　love　of　true　liberty。　So　the　list　runs　on；　every　one　he　had　dealings　with　seems　to　have　given　him　something　good；　a　sure　proof　of　the　goodness　of　his　nature；　which　thought　no　evil。

If　his　was　that　honest　and　true　heart　which　is　the　Christian　ideal；　this　is　the　more　wonderful　in　that　he　lacked　the　faith　which　makes　Christians　strong。　　He　could　say；　it　is　true；　'either　there　is　a　God；　and　then　all　is　well；　or　if　all　things　go　by　chance　and　fortune；　yet　mayest　thou　use　thine　own　providence　in　those　things　that　concern　thee　properly；　and　then　art　thou　well。'　　Or　again；　'We　must　needs　grant　that　there　is　a　nature　that　doth　govern　the　universe。'　　But　his　own　part　in　the　scheme　of　things　is　so　small；　that　he　does　not　hope　for　any　personal　happiness　beyond　what　a　serene　soul　may　win　in　this　mortal　life。　'0　my　soul；　the　time　I　trust　will　be；　when　thou　shalt　be　good；　simple；　more　open　and　visible；　than　that　body　by　which　it　is　enclosed；'　but　this　is　said　of　the　calm　contentment　with　human　lot　which　he　hopes　to　attain；　not　of　a　time　when　the　trammels　of　the　body　shall　be　cast　off。　For　the　rest；　the　world　and　its　fame　and　wealth；　'all　is　vanity。'　The　gods　may　perhaps　have　a　particular　care　for　him；　but　their　especial　care　is　for　th