the meditations-第35章

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　unto　some　such　place　of　bliss　and　happiness　as　that　which　by　Hesiod　and　Plato　is　called　the　Islands　of　the　Blessed；　by　others　called　the　Elysian　Fields。　And　whensoever　thou　findest　thyself；　that　thou　art　in　danger　of　a　relapse；　and　that　thou　art　not　able　to　master　and　overcome　those　difficulties　and　temptations　that　present　themselves　in　thy　present　station：　get　thee　into　any　private　corner；　where　thou　mayst　be　better　able。　Or　if　that　will　not　serve　forsake　even　thy　life　rather。　But　so　that　it　be　not　in　passion　but　in　a　plain　voluntary　modest　way：　this　being　the　only　commendable　action　of　thy　whole　life　that　thus　thou　art　departed；　or　this　having　been　the　main　work　and　business　of　thy　whole　life；　that　thou　mightest　thus　depart。　　Now　for　the　better　remembrance　of　those　names　that　we　have　spoken　of；　thou　shalt　find　it　a　very　good　help；　to　remember　the　Gods　as　often　as　may　be：　and　that；　the　thing　which　they　require　at　our　hands　of　as　many　of　us；　as　are　by　nature　reasonable　creation　is　not　that　with　fair　words；　and　outward　show　of　piety　and　devotion　we　should　flatter　them；　but　that　we　should　become　like　unto　them：　　and　that　as　all　other　natural　creatures；　the　fig　tree　for　example；　the　dog　the　bee：　both　do；　all　of　them；　and　apply　themselves　unto　that。　which　by　their　natural　constitution；　is　proper　unto　them；　so　man　likewise　should　do　that；　which　by　his　nature；　as　he　is　a　man；　belongs　unto　him。

IX。　　Toys　and　fooleries　at　home；　wars　abroad：　　sometimes　terror；　sometimes　torpor；　or　stupid　sloth　：　this　is　thy　daily　slavery。　By　little　and　little；　if　thou　doest　not　better　look　to　it；　those　sacred　dogmata　will　be　blotted　out　of　thy　mind。　How　many　things　be　there；　which　when　as　a　mere　naturalist；　thou　hast　barely　considered　of　according　to　their　nature；　thou　doest　let　pass　without　any　further　use？　　Whereas　thou　shouldst　in　all　things　so　join　action　and　contemplation；　that　thou　mightest　both　at　the　same　time　attend　all　present　occasions；　to　perform　everything　duly　and　carefully　and　yet　so　intend　the　contemplative　part　too；　that　no　part　of　that　delight　and　pleasure；　which　the　contemplative　knowledge　of　everything　according　to　its　true　nature　doth　of　itself　afford；　might　be　lost。　　Or；　that　the　true　and　contemn　plative　knowledge　of　everything　according　to　its　own　nature；　might　of　itself；　（action　being　subject　to　many　lets　and　impediments）　afford　unto　thee　sufficient　pleasure　and　happiness。　Not　apparent　indeed；　but　not　concealed。　　And　when　shalt　thou　attain　to　the　happiness　of　true　simplicity；　and　unaffected　gravity？　When　shalt　thou　rejoice　in　the　certain　knowledge　of　every　particular　object　according　to　its　true　nature：　　as　what　the　matter　and　substance　of　it　is；　what　use　it　is　for　in　the　world：　how　long　it　can　subsist：　　what　things　it　doth　consist　of：　who　they　be　that　are　capable　of　it；　and　who　they　that　can　give　it；　and　take　it　away？

X。　As　the　spider；　when　it　hath　caught　the　fly　that　it　hunted　after；　is　not　little　proud；　nor　meanly　conceited　of　herself：　　as　he　likewise　that　hath　caught　an　hare；　or　hath　taken　a　fish　with　his　net：　as　another　for　the　taking　of　a　boar；　and　another　of　a　bear：　so　may　they　be　proud；　and　applaud　themselves　for　their　valiant　acts　against　the　Sarmatai；　or　northern　nations　lately　defeated。　For　these　also；　these　famous　soldiers　and　warlike　men；　if　thou　dost　look　into　their　minds　and　opinions；　what　do　they　for　the　most　part　but　hunt　after　prey？

XI。　　To　find　out；　and　set　to　thyself　some　certain　way　and　method　of　contemplation；　whereby　thou　mayest　clearly　discern　and　represent　unto　thyself；　the　mutual　change　of　all　things；　the　one　into　the　other。　Bear　it　in　thy　mind　evermore；　and　see　that　thou　be　throughly　well　exercised　in　this　particular。　　For　there　is　not　anything　more　effectual　to　beget　true　magnanimity。　　XII。　　He　hath　got　loose　from　the　bonds　of　his　body；　and　perceiving　that　within　a　very　little　while　he　must　of　necessity　bid　the　world　farewell；　and　leave　all　these　things　behind　him；　he　wholly　applied　himself；　as　to　righteousness　in　all　his　actions；　so　to　the　common　nature　in　all　things　that　should　happen　unto　him。　And　contenting　himself　with　these　two　things；　to　do　all　things　justly；　and　whatsoever　God　doth　send　to　like　well　of　it：　　what　others　shall　either　say　or　think　of　him；　or　shall　do　against　him；　he　doth　not　so　much　as　trouble　his　thoughts　with　it。　　To　go　on　straight；　whither　right　and　reason　directed　him；　and　by　so　doing　to　follow　God；　was　the　only　thing　that　he　did　mind；　that；　his　only　business　and　occupation。

XIII。　　What　use　is　there　of　suspicion　at　all？　or；　why　should　thoughts　of　mistrust；　and　suspicion　concerning　that　which　is　future；　trouble　thy　mind　at　all？　　What　now　is　to　be　done；　if　thou　mayest　search　and　inquiry　into　that；　what　needs　thou　care　for　more？　And　if　thou　art　well　able　to　perceive　it　alone；　let　no　man　divert　thee　from　it。　　But　if　alone　thou　doest　not　so　well　perceive　it；　suspend　thine　action；　and　take　advice　from　the　best。　　And　if　there　be　anything　else　that　doth　hinder　thee；　go　on　with　prudence　and　discretion；　according　to　the　present　occasion　and　opportunity；　still　proposing　that　unto　thyself；　which　thou　doest　conceive　most　right　and　just。　For　to　hit　that　aright；　and　to　speed　in　the　prosecution　of　it；　must　needs　be　happiness；　since　it　is　that　only　which　we　can　truly　and　properly　be　said　to　miss　of；　or　miscarry　in。

XIV。　　What　is　that　that　is　slow；　and　yet　quick？　merry；　and　yet　grave？　He　that　in　all　things　doth　follow　reason　for　his　guide。

XV。　　In　the　morning　as　soon　as　thou　art　awaked；　when　thy　judgment；　before　either　thy　affections；　or　external　objects　have　wrought　upon　it；　is　yet　most　free　and　impartial：　put　this　question　to　thyself；　whether　if　that　which　is　right　and　just　be　done；　the　doing　of　it　by　thyself；　or　by　others　when　thou　art　not　able　thyself；　be　a　thing　material　or　no。　For　sure　it　is　not。　　And　as　for　these　that　keep　such　a　life；　and　stand　so　much　upon　the　praises；　or　dispraises　of　other　men；　hast　thou　forgotten　what　manner　of　men　they　be？　that　such　and　such　upon　their　beds；　and　such　at　their　board：　what　their　ordinary　actions　are：　　what　they　pursue　after；　and　what　they　fly　from：　　what　thefts　and　rapines　they　commit；　if　not　with　their　hands　and　feet；　yet　with　that　more　precious　part　of　theirs；　their　minds：　　which　（would　it　but　admit　of　them）　might　enjoy　faith；　modesty；　truth；　justice；　a　good　spirit。

XVL　Give　what　thou　wilt；　and　take　away　what　thou　wilt；　saith　he　that　is　well　taught　and　truly　modest；　to　Him　that　gives；　and　takes　away。　And　it　is　not　out　of　a　stout　and　peremptory　resolution；　that　he　saith　it；　but　in　mere　love；　and　humble　submission。

XVII。　　So　live　as　indifferent　to　the　world　and　all　worldly　objects；　as　one　who　liveth　by　himself　alone　upon　some　desert　hill。　For　whether　here；　or　there；　if　the　whole　world　be　but　as　one　town；　it　matters　not　much　for　the　place。　　Let　them　behold　and　see　a　man；　that　is　a　man　indeed；　living　according　to　the　true　nature　of　man。　If　they　cannot　bear　with　me；　let　them　kill　me。　　For　better　were　it　to　die；　than　so　to　live　as　they　would　have　thee。

XVIII。　　Make　it　not　any　longer　a　matter　of　dispute　or　discourse；　what　are　the　signs　and　proprieties　of　a　good　man；　but　really　and　actually　to　be　such。

XIX。　　Ever　to　represent　unto　thyself；　and　to　set　before　thee；　both　the　general　age　and　time　of　the　world；　and　the　whole　substance　of　it。　And　how　all　things　particular　in　respect　of　these　are　for　their　substance；　as　one　of　the　least　seeds　that　is：　　and　for　their　duration；　as　the　turning　of　the　pestle　in　the　mortar　once　about。　　Then　to　fix　thy　mind　upon　every　particular　object　of　the　world；　and　to　conceive　it；　（as　it　is　indeed；）　as　already　being　in　the　state　of　dissolution；　and　of　change；　tending　to　some　kind　of　either　putrefaction　or　dispersion；　or　whatsoever　else　it　is；　that　is　the　death　as　it　were　of　everything　in　his　own　kind。

XX。　　Consider　them　through　all　actions　and　occupations；　of　their　lives：　as　when　they　eat；　and　when　they　sleep：　　when　they　are　in　the　act　of　necessary　exoneration；　and　when　in　the　act　of　lust。　　Again；　when　they　either　are　in　their　greatest　exultation；　and　in　the　middle　of　all　their　pomp　and　glory；　or　being　angry　and　displeased；　in　great　state　and　majesty；　as　from　an　higher　place；　they　chide　and　rebuke。　How