the meditations-第34章

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eature；　will　be　the　worse　for　it；　thou　mayest　proceed。　Next　then　thou　must　examine；　what　thy　nature　as　thou　art　a　living　sensible　creature；　doth　require。　　And　that；　whatsoever　it　be；　thou　mayest　admit　of　and　do　it；　if　thy　nature　as　thou　art　a　reasonable　living　creature；　will　not　be　the　worse　for　it。　Now　whatsoever　is　reasonable；　is　also　sociable；　Keep　thyself　to　these　rules；　and　trouble　not　thyself　about　idle　things。

III。　　Whatsoever　doth　happen　unto　thee；　thou　art　naturally　by　thy　natural　constitution　either　able；　or　not　able　to　bear。　If　thou　beest　able；　be　not　offended；　but　bear　it　according　to　thy　natural　constitution；　or　as　nature　hath　enabled　thee。　If　thou　beest　not　able；　be　not　offended。　　For　it　will　soon　make　an　end　of　thee；　and　itself；　（whatsoever　it　be）　at　the　same　time　end　with　thee。　　But　remember；　that　whatsoever　by　the　strength　of　opinion；　grounded　upon　a　certain　apprehension　of　both　true　profit　and　duty；　thou　canst　conceive　tolerable；　that　thou　art　able　to　bear　that　by　thy　natural　constitution。

IV。　　Him　that　offends；　to　teach　with　love　and　meek　ness；　and　to　show　him　his　error。　　But　if　thou　canst　not；　then　to　blame　thyself；　or　rather　not　thyself　neither；　if　thy　will　and　endeavours　have　not　been　wanting。

V。　Whatsoever　it　be　that　happens　unto　thee；　it　is　that　which　from　all　time　was　appointed　unto　thee。　　For　by　the　same　coherence　of　causes；　by　which　thy　substance　from　all　eternity　was　appointed　to　be；　was　also　whatsoever　should　happen　unto　it；　destinated　and　appointed。

VI。　　Either　with　Epicurus；　we　must　fondly　imagine　the　atoms　to　be　the　cause　of　all　things；　or　we　must　needs　grant　a　nature。　Let　this　then　be　thy　first　ground；　that　thou　art　part　of　that　universe；　which　is　governed　by　nature。　Then　secondly；　that　to　those　parts　that　are　of　the　same　kind　and　nature　as　thou　art；　thou　hast　relation　of　kindred。　For　of　these；　if　I　shall　always　be　mindful；　first　as　I　am　a　part；　I　shall　never　be　displeased　with　anything；　that　falls　to　my　particular　share　of　the　common　chances　of　the　world。　For　nothing　that　is　behoveful　unto　the　whole；　can　be　truly　hurtful　to　that　which　is　part　of　it。　　For　this　being　the　common　privilege　of　all　natures；　that　they　contain　nothing　in　themselves　that　is　hurtful　unto　them；　it　cannot　be　that　the　nature　of　the　universe　（whose　privilege　beyond　other　particular　natures；　is；　that　she　cannot　against　her　will　by　any　higher　external　cause　be　constrained；）　should　beget　anything　and　cherish　it　in　her　bosom　that　should　tend　to　her　own　hurt　and　prejudice。　As　then　I　bear　in　mind　that　I　am　a　part　of　such　an　universe；　I　shall　not　be　displeased　with　anything　that　happens。　And　as　I　have　relation　of　kindred　to　those　parts　that　are　of　the　same　kind　and　nature　that　I　am；　so　I　shall　be　careful　to　do　nothing　that　is　prejudicial　to　the　community；　but　in　all　my　deliberations　shall　they　that　are　of　my　kind　ever　be；　and　the　common　good；　that；　which　all　my　intentions　and　resolutions　shall　drive　unto；　as　that　which　is　contrary　unto　it；　I　shall　by　all　means　endeavour　to　prevent　and　avoid。　These　things　once　so　fixed　and　concluded；　as　thou　wouldst　think　him　a　happy　citizen；　whose　constant　study　and　practice　were　for　the　good　and　benefit　of　his　fellow　citizens；　and　the　carriage　of　the　city　such　towards　him；　that　he　were　well　pleased　with　it　；　so　must　it　needs　be　with　thee；　that　thou　shalt　live　a　happy　life。

VII。　　All　parts　of　the　world；　（all　things　I　mean　that　are　contained　within　the　whole　world；　must　of　necessity　at　some　time　or　other　come　to　corruption。　　Alteration　I　should　say；　to　speak　truly　and　properly；　but　that　I　may　be　the　better　understood；　I　am　content　at　this　time　to　use　that　more　common　word。　　Now　say　I；　if　so　be　that　this　be　both　hurtful　unto　them；　and　yet　unavoidable；　would　not；　thinkest　thou；　the　whole　itself　be　in　a　sweet　case；　all　the　parts　of　it　being　subject　to　alteration；　yea　and　by　their　making　itself　fitted　for　corruption；　as　consisting　of　things　different　and　contrary？　And　did　nature　then　either　of　herself　thus　project　and　purpose　the　affliction　and　misery　of　her　parts；　and　therefore　of　purpose　so　made　them；　not　only　that　haply　they　might；　but　of　necessity　that　they　should　fall　into　evil；　or　did　not　she　know　what　she　did；　when　she　made　them？　　For　either　of　these　two　to　say；　is　equally　absurd。　But　to　let　pass　nature　in　general；　and　to　reason　of　things　particular　according　to　their　own　particular　natures；　how　absurd　and　ridiculous　is　it；　first　to　say　that　all　parts　of　the　whole　are；　by　their　proper　natural　constitution；　subject　to　alteration；　and　then　when　any　such　thing　doth　happen；　as　when　one　doth　fall　sick　and　dieth；　to　take　on　and　wonder　as　though　some　strange　thing　had　happened？　Though　this　besides　might　move　not　so　grievously　to　take　on　when　any　such　thing　doth　happen；　that　whatsoever　is　dissolved；　it　is　dissolved　into　those　things；　whereof　it　was　compounded。　For　every　dissolution　is　either　a　mere　dispersion；　of　the　elements　into　those　elements　again　whereof　everything　did　consist；　or　a　change；　of　that　which　is　more　solid　into　earth；　and　of　that　which　is　pure　and　subtile　or　spiritual；　into　air。　So　that　by　this　means　nothing　is　lost；　but　all　resumed　again　into　those　rational　generative　seeds　of　the　universe；　and　this　universe；　either　after　a　certain　period　of　time　to　lie　consumed　by　fire；　or　by　continual　changes　to　be　renewed；　and　so　for　ever　to　endure。　Now　that　solid　and　spiritual　that　we　speak　of；　thou　must　not　conceive　it　to　be　that　very　same；　which　at　first　was；　when　thou　wert　born。　For　alas！　all　this　that　now　thou　art　in　either　kind；　either　for　matter　of　substance；　or　of　life；　hath　but　two　or　three　days　ago　partly　from　meats　eaten；　and　partly　from　air　breathed　in；　received　all　its　influx；　being　the　same　then　in　no　other　respect；　than　a　running　river；　maintained　by　the　perpetual　influx　and　new　supply　of　waters；　is　the　same。　That　therefore　which　thou　hast　since　received；　not　that　which　came　from　thy　mother；　is　that　which　comes　to　change　and　corruption。　But　suppose　that　that　for　the　general　substance；　and　more　solid　part　of　it；　should　still　cleave　unto　thee　never　so　close；　yet　what　is　that　to　the　proper　qualities　and　affections　of　it；　by　which　persons　are　distinguished；　which　certainly　are　quite　different？

VIII。　　Now　that　thou　hast　taken　these　names　upon　thee　of　good；　modest；　true；　of　emfrwn；　sumfrwn；　uperfrwn；　take　heed　lest　at　any　times　by　doing　anything　that　is　contrary；　thou　be　but　improperly　so　called；　and　lose　thy　right　to　these　appellations。　Or　if　thou　do；　return　unto　them　again　with　all　possible　speed。　And　remember；　that　the　word　emfrwn　notes　unto　thee　an　intent　and　intelligent　consideration　of　every　object　that　presents　itself　unto　thee；　without　distraction。　　And　the　word　emfrwn　a　ready　and　contented　acceptation　of　whatsoever　by　the　appointment　of　the　common　nature；　happens　unto　thee。　　And　the　word　sumfrwn；　a　super…extension；　or　a　transcendent；　and　outreaching　disposition　of　thy　mind；　whereby　it　passeth　by　all　bodily　pains　and　pleasures；　honour　and　credit；　death　and　whatsoever　is　of　the　same　nature；　as　matters　of　absolute　indifferency；　and　in　no　wise　to　be　stood　upon　by　a　wise　man。　　These　then　if　inviolably　thou　shalt　observe；　and　shalt　not　be　ambitious　to　be　so　called　by　others；　both　thou　thyself　shalt　become　a　new　man；　and　thou　shalt　begin　a　new　life。　For　to　continue　such　as　hitherto　thou　hast　been；　to　undergo　those　distractions　and　distempers　as　thou　must　needs　for　such　a　life　as　hitherto　thou　hast　lived；　is　the　part　of　one　that　is　very　foolish；　and　is　overfond　of　his　life。　　Whom　a　man　might　compare　to　one　of　those　half…eaten　wretches；　matched　in　the　amphitheatre　with　wild　beasts；　who　as　full　as　they　are　all　the　body　over　with　wounds　and　blood；　desire　for　a　great　favour；　that　they　may　be　reserved　till　the　next　day；　then　also；　and　in　the　same　estate　to　be　exposed　to　the　same　nails　and　teeth　as　before。　　Away　therefore；　ship　thyself；　and　from　the　troubles　and　distractions　of　thy　former　life　convey　thyself　as　it　were　unto　these　few　names；　and　if　thou　canst　abide　in　them；　or　be　constant　in　the　practice　and　possession　of　them；　continue　there　as　glad　and　joyful　as　one　that　were　translated　unto　some　such　place　of　bliss　and　happiness　as　that　which　by　Hesiod　and　Plato　is　called　the　Islands