bat are more worthy.

And

reasonable to pay a Reverence even to the Memory of eminent Virtues. He that is not illuftrious in himself, may yet be reputed fo in the Right of his Ancestors. there is a Gratitude to be entailed upon the Offspring of famous Progenitors. Was it not for the Father's Sake that Cicero the Son was made Conful? And was it not the Eminence of one Pompey, that raised and dignified the reft of his Family! How came Caligula to be Em. peror of the world? a Man fo cruel that he fpilt Blood as greedily as if he were to drink it? The Empire was not given to himself, but to his Father Germanicus: A braver Man deferved that for him, which he could ne ver have challenged upon his own Merit. What was it that preferred Fabius Perficus? (whofe very Mouth was the uncleaneft Part about him :) What was it, but the three hundred of that Family that fo generously oppofed the Enemy, for the Safety of the Common-wealth,

Providence-itfelf is gracious to the wicked Pofterity of an Honourable

NAY, Providence itself is gracious to the wicked Pofterity of an Ho nourable Race. The Counfels of Heaven are guided by Wisdom, Mercy, and Juftice. Some Men are made Kings for their proper Virtues, without any Refpect to their Predeceffors. Others for their Ancestors fakes, whofe Virtues, though neglected in their Lives, come to be afterward rewarded in their Iffues.

Race.

And.

it is but Equality, that our Gratitude fhould extend as far as the Influence of their heroical Actions and Examples..

CHA P. XII.

The Benefactor must have no By-ends.

WE

E come now to the main Point of the Matter in question that is to fay, Whether or no it be a thing defirable in itself, the Giving and Receiving of Benefits? there is a Sect of Philofophers that accounts nothing valuable, but what is profitable; and fo makes all Virtue mercenary: An unmanly Miftake, to imagine, that

the Hope-of Gain, or Fear of Lofs, should make a Man either the more or the less honest. As who fhould fay, What fhall I get by it, and I'll be an honeft Man? Whereas on the contrary, Honesty is a Thing in itself to be purchased at any Rate. It is not for a Body to fay, It will be a Charge; a Hazard; I fhall give Offence, &c. My Bufinefs is to do what I ought to do: All other Confiderations are foreign to the Office. Whenfoever my Duty calls me, 'tis my Part to attend, without fcrupulizing upon Forms or Difficulties. Shall I fee an honest Man oppreffed at the Bar, and not affift him, for fear of a Court-Faction? Or not fecond him upon the Highway against Thieves for fear of a Broken-head? And chufe rather to fit ftill the quiet Spectator of Fraud and Violence? Why will Men be juft, temperate, generous, brave, but because it carries along with it Fame, and a good Confcience? And for the fame Reafon, and no other, (to apply it to the Subject in hand) let a Man alfo be bountiful. The School of Epicurus, I'm fure, will never fwallow that doctrine; (this effeminate Tribe of lazy and voluptuous Philofophers; they'll tell you, that Virtue is but the Vaffal and Servant of Pleasure. No, fays Epicurus, I am not for Pleasure neither, without Virtue. But, why then for Pleasure, fay I, before Virtue? Not that the Strefs of the Controverfy lies upon the Order only; for the Power of it, as well as the Dignity is now under Debate. It is the Office of Vir tue to fuperintend, to lead, and to govern; but the Parts. you have affigned it, are, to fubmit, to follow, and to be under Command. But this, you'll fay, is nothing to the Purpose, fo long as both fides are agreed, that there can be no happiness without Virtue: Take away that, fays Epicurus, and I am as little a Friend to Pleasure as you. The Pinch in short, is this, whether Virtue itfelf be the fupreme Good, or only the Cause of it? It is not the inverting of the Order that will clear this Point; (though it is a very prepofterous Error, to fet that firft which should be last.) It does not half fo much offend me, ranging Pleasure before Virtue, as the very comparing of them; and the bringing of two Oppofites, and profeffed Enemies, into any fort of Competition.

THE Drift of this Difcourfe is, to fupport the Caufe

Epift. XXVI. All Things are produced of Caufe and Matter. Of Providence. A brave Man is a Match for Fortune too!! Page 371 Epift. XXVII. Some Traditions of the Ancients concerning Thunder and Lightning, with the Author's Contemplations thereupon Epift. XXVIII. A Contemplation of Heaven, and heavenly Things. Of God, and of the Soul

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SENECA

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BENEFIT S.

I

CHAP. I.

Of BENEFITS in general.

T is, perhaps, one of the moft pernicious Errors of a rash, and inconfiderate Life, the common Ignorance of the World in the Matter of exchanging Benefits. And this arifes from a Miftake, partly in the Perfon that we would oblige, and partly in the Thing itfelf. To begin with the latter; A Benefit is a good Office, done with Intention and Judgment; that is to fay, with a due Regard to all the Circumftances of what, how, why, when, where, to whom, how much, and the like. Or otherwife, It is a voluntary and benevolent Action that delights the Giver, in the Comfort it brings to the Receiver. It will be hard to draw this Subject, either into Method or Compafs; the one, because of the infinite Variety and Com

Α

plication of Cafes; the other, by reafon of the large Extent of it: For the whole Business (almost) of Mankind in Society, falls under this Head: The Duties of Kings, and Subjects; Husbands, and Wives; Parents and Children; Mafters, and Servants; Natives, and Strangers; high, and low; rich, and poor; ftrong, and weak; Friends, and Enemies. The very Meditation of it breeds good Blood, and generous Thoughts; and inftructs us in all the Parts of Honour, Humanity, Friendfhip, Piety, Gratitude, Prudence, and Juftice. In fhort, the Art and Skill of conferring Benefits, is, of all human Duties, the most abfolutely neceffary to the Well-being both of reasonable Nature, and of every Individual; as the very Cement of all Communities, and the Bleffing of Particulars. He that does good to another Man, does alfo good to himself; not only in the Confequence, but in the very Act of doing it: For the Confcience of Welldoing is an ample Reward. OF. Benefits in general, there are feveral Sorts; as neceffary, profitable and delightful. Some Things there are, without which we cannot live; others, without which we ought not to live; and fome again without which we will not live. In the first Rank are thofe which deliver us from capital Dangers, or Apprehenfions of Death: And the Favour is rated according to the Hazard; for the greater the Extremity, the greater feems the Obligation. The next is the Cafe wherein we may indeed live, but we had better die: As in the Queftion of Liberty, Modefty, and a good Confcience. In the third Place follow those Things which Cuftom, Ufe, Affinity, and Acquaintance, have made dear to us; as Husbands, Wives, Children, Friends, &c. which an honeft Man will preserve at his utmost Peril: Of Things profitable there is a large Field; as Money, Honour, &c. to which might be added Matters of Superfluity and Pleafure. But, we fhall open a Way to the Circumstances of a Benefit, by fome previous and more general Deliberations upon the Thing itfelf.

*Benefits neceffary, profitable and de lightful.