the meditations-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　side　thou　must　take　heed；　as　much　to　flatter　them；　as　to　be　angry　with　them：　for　both　are　equally　uncharitable；　and　equally　hurtful。　And　in　thy　passions；　take　it　presently　to　thy　consideration；　that　to　be　angry　is　not　the　part　of　a　man；　but　that　to　be　meek　and　gentle；　as　it　savours　of　more　humanity；　so　of　more　manhood。　That　in　this；　there　is　strength　and　nerves；　or　vigour　and　fortitude：　whereof　anger　and　indignation　is　altogether　void。　　For　the　nearer　everything　is　unto　unpassionateness；　the　nearer　it　is　unto　power。　And　as　grief　doth　proceed　from　weakness；　so　doth　anger。　For　both；　both　he　that　is　angry　and　that　grieveth；　have　received　a　wound；　and　cowardly　have　as　it　were　yielded　themselves　unto　their　affections。　　If　thou　wilt　have　a　tenth　also；　receive　this　tenth　gift　from　Hercules　the　guide　and　leader　of　the　Muses：　that　is　a　mad　man's　part；　to　look　that　there　should　be　no　wicked　men　in　the　world；　because　it　is　impossible。　　Now　for　a　man　to　brook　well　enough；　that　there　should　be　wicked　men　in　the　world；　but　not　to　endure　that　any　should　transgress　against　himself；　is　against　all　equity；　and　indeed　tyrannical。

XVII。　　Four　several　dispositions　or　inclinations　there　be　of　the　mind　and　understanding；　which　to　be　aware　of；　thou　must　carefully　observe：　and　whensoever　thou　doest　discover　them；　thou　must　rectify　them；　saying　to　thyself　concerning　every　one　of　them；　This　imagination　is　not　necessary；　this　is　uncharitable：　　this　thou　shalt　speak　as　another　man's　slave；　or　instrument；　than　which　nothing　can　be　more　senseless　and　absurd：　for　the　fourth；　thou　shalt　sharply　check　and　upbraid　thyself；　for　that　thou　doest　suffer　that　more　divine　part　in　thee；　to　become　subject　and　obnoxious　to　that　more　ignoble　part　of　thy　body；　and　the　gross　lusts　and　concupiscences　thereof。　　XVIII。　　What　portion　soever；　either　of　air　or　fire　there　be　in　thee；　although　by　nature　it　tend　upwards；　submitting　nevertheless　to　the　ordinance　of　the　universe；　it　abides　here　below　in　this　mixed　body。　　So　whatsoever　is　in　thee；　either　earthy；　or　humid；　although　by　nature　it　tend　downwards；　yet　is　it　against　its　nature　both　raised　upwards；　and　standing；　or　consistent。　So　obedient　are　even　the　elements　themselves　to　the　universe；　abiding　patiently　wheresoever　（though　against　their　nature）　they　are　placed；　until　the　sound　as　it　were　of　their　retreat；　and　separation。　Is　it　not　a　grievous　thing　then；　that　thy　reasonable　part　only　should　be　disobedient；　and　should　not　endure　to　keep　its　place：　yea　though　it　be　nothing　enjoined　that　is　contrary　unto　it；　but　that　only　which　is　according　to　its　nature？　　For　we　cannot　say　of　it　when　it　is　disobedient；　as　we　say　of　the　fire；　or　air；　that　it　tends　upwards　towards　its　proper　element；　for　then　goes　it　the　quite　contrary　way。　For　the　motion　of　the　mind　to　any　injustice；　or　incontinency；　or　to　sorrow；　or　to　fear；　is　nothing　else　but　a　separation　from　nature。　Also　when　the　mind　is　grieved　for　anything　that　is　happened　by　the　divine　providence；　then　doth　it　likewise　forsake　its　own　place。　For　it　was　ordained　unto　holiness　and　godliness；　which　specially　consist　in　an　humble　submission　to　God　and　His　providence　in　all　things；　as　well　as　unto　justice：　　these　also　being　part　of　those　duties；　which　as　naturally　sociable；　we　are　bound　unto；　and　without　which　we　cannot　happily　converse　one　with　another：　　yea　and　the　very　ground　and　fountain　indeed　of　all　just　actions。

XIX。　　He　that　hath　not　one　and　the　self…same　general　end　always　as　long　as　he　liveth；　cannot　possibly　be　one　and　the　self…same　man　always。　　But　this　will　not　suffice　except　thou　add　also　what　ought　to　be　this　general　end。　For　as　the　general　conceit　and　apprehension　of　all　those　things　which　upon　no　certain　ground　are　by　the　greater　part　of　men　deemed　good；　cannot　be　uniform　and　agreeable；　but　that　only　which　is　limited　and　restrained　by　some　certain　proprieties　and　conditions；　as　of　community：　that　nothing　be　conceived　good；　which　is　not　commonly　and　publicly　good：　so　must　the　end　also　that　we　propose　unto　ourselves；　be　common　and　sociable。　　For　he　that　doth　direct　all　his　own　private　motions　and　purposes　to　that　end；　all　his　actions　will　be　agreeable　and　uniform；　and　by　that　means　will　be　still　the　same　man。

XX。　　Remember　the　fable　of　the　country　mouse　and　the　city　mouse；　and　the　great　fright　and　terror　that　this　was　put　into。

XXI。　　Socrates　was　wont　to　call　the　common　conceits　and　opinions　of　men；　the　common　bugbears　of　the　world　：　the　proper　terror　of　silly　children。

XXII。　　The　Lacedaemonians　at　their　public　spectacles　were　wont　to　appoint　seats　and　forms　for　their　strangers　in　the　shadow；　they　themselves　were　content　to　sit　anywhere。

XXIII。　　What　Socrates　answered　unto　Perdiccas；　why　he　did　not　come　unto　him；　Lest　of　all　deaths　I　should　die　the　worst　kind　of　death；　said　he：　　that　is；　not　able　to　requite　the　good　that　hath　been　done　unto　me。　　XXIV。　　In　the　ancient　mystical　letters　of　the　Ephesians；　there　was　an　item；　that　a　man　should　always　have　in　his　mind　some　one　or　other　of　the　ancient　worthies。　　XXV。　　The　Pythagoreans　were　wont　betimes　in　the　morning　the　first　thing　they　did；　to　look　up　unto　the　heavens；　to　put　themselves　in　mind　of　them　who　constantly　and　invariably　did　perform　their　task：　as　also　to　put　themselves　in　mind　of　orderliness；　or　good　order；　and　of　purity；　and　of　naked　simplicity。　　For　no　star　or　planet　hath　any　cover　before　it。

XXVI。　　How　Socrates　looked；　when　he　was　fain　to　gird　himself　with　a　skin；　Xanthippe　his　wife　having　taken　away　his　clothes；　and　carried　them　abroad　with　her；　and　what　he　said　to　his　fellows　and　friends；　who　were　ashamed；　and　out　of　respect　to　him；　did　retire　themselves　when　they　saw　him　thus　decked。

XXVII。　　In　matter　of　writing　or　reading　thou　must　needs　be　taught　before　thou　can　do　either：　　much　more　in　matter　of　life。　'For　thou　art　born　a　mere　slave；　to　thy　senses　and　brutish　affections；'　destitute　without　teaching　of　all　true　knowledge　and　sound　reason。

XXVIII。　　'My　heart　smiled　within　me。'　　'They　will　accuse　even　virtue　herself；　with　heinous　and　opprobrious　words。'

XXIX。　　As　they　that　long　after　figs　in　winter　when　they　cannot　be　had；　so　are　they　that　long　after　children；　before　they　be　granted　them。

XXX。　　'As　often　as　a　father　kisseth　his　child；　he　should　say　secretly　with　himself'　（said　Epictetus；）　'tomorrow　perchance　shall　he　die。'　But　these　words　be　ominous。　　No　words　ominous　（said　he）　that　signify　anything　that　is　natural：　　in　very　truth　and　deed　not　more　ominous　than　this；　'to　cut　down　grapes　when　they　are　ripe。'　Green　grapes；　ripe　grapes；　dried　grapes；　or　raisins：　so　many　changes　and　mutations　of　one　thing；　not　into　that　which　was　not　absolutely；　but　rather　so　many　several　changes　and　mutations；　not　into　that　which　hath　no　being　at　all；　but　into　that　which　is　not　yet　in　being。

XXXI。　　'Of　the　free　will　there　is　no　thief　or　robber：'　out　of　Epictetus；　Whose　is　this　also：　　that　we　should　find　a　certain　art　and　method　of　assenting；　and　that　we　should　always　observe　with　great　care　and　heed　the　inclinations　of　our　minds；　that　they　may　always　be　with　their　due　restraint　and　reservation；　always　charitable；　and　according　to　the　true　worth　of　every　present　object。　And　as　for　earnest　longing；　that　we　should　altogether　avoid　it：　and　to　use　averseness　in　those　things　only；　that　wholly　depend　of　our　own　wills。　　It　is　not　about　ordinary　petty　matters；　believe　it；　that　all　our　strife　and　contention　is；　but　whether；　with　the　vulgar；　we　should　be　mad；　or　by　the　help　of　philosophy　wise　and　sober；　said　he。　　XXXII。　　Socrates　said；　'What　will　you　have？　the　souls　of　reasonable；　or　unreasonable　creatures？　　Of　reasonable。　　But　what？　Of　those　whose　reason　is　sound　and　perfect？　or　of　those　whose　reason　is　vitiated　and　corrupted？　　Of　those　whose　reason　is　sound　and　perfect。　Why　then　labour　ye　not　for　such？　　Because　we　have　them　already。　What　then　do　ye　so　strive　and　contend　between　you？'


THE　TWELFTH　BOOK

I。　Whatsoever　thou　doest　hereafter　aspire　unto；　thou　mayest　even　now　enjoy　and　possess；　if　thou　doest　not　envy　thyself　thine　own　happiness。　And　that　will　be；　if　thou　shalt　forget　all　that　is　past；　and　for　the　future；　refer　thyself　wholly　to　the　Divine　Providence；　and　shalt　bend　and　apply　all　thy　present　though