: ut fo much as fhedding a Tear: a great Instance of her Courage, in his Banifhment; and of her Prudence, in his Death. This (fays Epicurus) is the laft, and the bleffedest Day of my life; when he was ready to expire in an extreme Torment of the Stone. It is never faid of the three hundred Fabii, that they were overcome, but that they were flain; nor of Regulus, that he was vanquished by the Carthaginians, but that he was taken. The Spartans prohibited all Exercife where the Victory was des clared by the Voice, and Submission of him that was worfled. When Phaeton begged of Phebus the Govern¬ ment of the Chariot of the Sun for one Day, the Poets make him fo far from being discouraged by his Father's telling him of the Danger of the Undertaking, and how he himself had much ado to keep his Seat for fear, when he looked down from the Meridian, that it proved a Spur to his Importunity. That's the thing (fays Phaeton) that I would be at; to stand firm at that Difficulty, where Phœbus himself trembles. Security is the Caution of narrow Minds But as Fire tries Gold, fo does Difficulty, and Hazard try virtuous Men. Not but that he may be as valiant that watches upon the Tower, as he that fights upon his Knees; only the one has had the good Fortune of an Occafion for the Proof of his Refolution. As fome Creatures are cruel; others crafty, and some timorous; fo Man is endued with a glorious and an excellent fpirit, that prompts him, not fo much to regard a fafe Life, as an honeft. Providence has made him the Master of this lower World; and he reckons it his Duty to facri fice his own particular to the Advantage of the whole. And yet there are vaft difference, even in the fame Action done by a brave Perfon, and by a ftupid: as the Death of Cato was honourable; but that of Brutus was fhameful. Nor is it death itself that we recommend for glorious; but it is a glorious thing to die as we ought. Neither is it Poverty, Banishment, or Pain, that we com mend; but the Man that behaves himself bravely under thofe Afflictions. How were the Gladiators contemned that called for Quarter? And thofe on the other fide favoured, that defpifed it. Many a Man faves his Life, by not fearing to lofe it; and many a Man lofes his Life, for being over folicitous to fave it. We are many times afraid of dying by one thing; and we come to die by another. As for Example; we are threatned by an Enemy, and we die by a Plurify, The Fear of Death enlarges all other things that we fear. To bear it with Conftancy, we should compute, that whether our Lives. be long, or short, it comes all to a Point: Some Hours we lofe; what if they were Days, Months, Years? What matters it if I never arrive at that which I muft certainly part with when I have it? Life is but one Point of flying Time; and that which is to come is no more mine, than that which is pait. And, we have this for our Comfort too, that whofoever now fears Death, will, fometime or other, come to wish it. If Death be troublefome or terrible; the fault is in us, and not in Death itfelf. It is as great Madness for a Man to fear that which he is not to feel, as that which he is not to fuffer; the Difference lies in the Manner of dying, and not in the Iffue of Death itself. 'Tis a more inglorious Death to be fmothered with Perfumes, than to be torn to Pieces with Pincers. Provided my Mind be not fick, I fhall not much leed my Body. I am prepared for my last Hour, without tormenting myfelf when it will come. It is be twixt the Stoics and other Philofophers, as betwixt Men and Women; thay are both equally neceffary for Soci ety; only the one is born for Government, and the o ther for Subjection. Other Sects deal with their Difa ciples, as plaufible, Phyficians do with their Patients; they flatter and humour them; whereas the Stoics ga a bolder way to work, and confider rather their Profit, than their Pleafure. Le ET no Man prefume to advise others, that has not firt given good Counsel to himfelf; and he may then pretend to help his Neighbour. It is, in fhort, as hard a Matter to give good Counsel, as to take it: Let it however be agreed, betwixt the two Parties, that the one defigns to confer a Benefit, and the other to receive it. Some People fcorn to be taught; others are afhamed of it, as they would be of going to School when they are old: But it is never too late to learn what it is always neceffary to know; and it is no Shame to learn, fo long as we are ignorant; that is to fay, fo long as we live. When any thing is amifs in our Bodies, or Eftates, we have Recourfe prefently to the Phyfician, or the Lawier for Help And why not to the Philofopher, in the Dif orders of our Mind? No Man lives, but he that applies himself to Wisdom; for he takes into his own Life the Supplement of all paft Ages. 'Tis a fair Step towards Happiness and Virtue, to delight in the Converfation of good and of wife Men: And where that cannot be had, the next point is, to keep no Company at all. Solitude affords Bufinefs enough; and the Entertainment is com fortable and eafy. Whereas public Offices are vexatious and restless. There's a great Difference betwixt a Life of Leifure, and of Laziness. When People will exprefs their Envy of a Man in a happy Condition; they will fay, He lives at his ease. When in truth, the Man is dead, alive. There is a long Life, and there is a long Death: The former, when we enjoy the Benefits of a right Mind; and the other, when the Senfes are extinguifhed; and the Body dead before-hand. He that makes me the Master of my own Time and places me in a State of Freedom, lays a great Obligation upon me. As a Merchant, that has a confiderable Fortune abroad, is more fenfible of the Bleffing of a fair Wind and fafe Paffage, than he that has only Ballast, or fome coarse Commodity in the Veffel: So that Man that employs his Privacy upon Thoughts divine and precious, is more fenfible of the Comfort of that Freedom, than he that bends his Meditation an ill way. For, he confiders all the Benefits of his Exemption from common Duties, he enjoys himfelf with infinite Delight, and makes his Gratitude anfwerable to his Obligations. He is the belt of Subjects and the happiest of Men; and he lives to Nature and to himself. Most Men are to themselves the worst Company they can keep. If they be good, quiet, and temperate, they are as good alone, as in Company: But if otherwife, let them converse with others, and avoid thenfelves: But, he that has made himself good Company, can never be too much alone. Many a Ship is loft in the Harbour, but more in the Ocean; as many an honest Man is condemned, but more guilty. This however is certain, he that cannot fecure himself in Privacy, fhall be much more expofed in Public. That which the World calls Felicity, is greedy itfelf, and expofed to the Greediness of others. Profperity, like a fair Gale, upon a ftrong Current, carries a Man in a Trice out of the very fight of Peace, and Quiet; and if it be not tempered, and regulated, it is fo far from eafing us, that it proves an Oppreffion to us. A bufy, and a for. tunate Man in the World calls many Men his Friends, that are at best but his Guefts. And if People flock to him; 'tis but as they do to a Fountain, which they both exhauft and trouble. WHAT greater Slavery can there be, than that of Princes in this very refpect, that they are chained to their Poft, and cannot make themfelves lefs? All their Words and Actions are defcanted upon, and made public Difcourfe; and there are many things allowable to a private Man, that are not fit for a Governor. I can walk alone where I please; without a Sword, without Fear, and without Company; whereas a Prince must be armed in Peace, and cannot with Dignity quit his Guard; The Fortune has him in Custody; a Train befets him where ever he goes; and there's no making of any Efcape. He is little better than nailed to his Place, and it is the Perfection of his Mifery that he cannot go lefs. He can no more conceal himself, than the Sun in the Firmament; whereas his Subjects may come and go, change Habits and Humour, without being taken notice of. Servitude is the Fate of Palaces; the Splendor of a Crown draws all Mens Eyes upon it. When Cafar fpeaks, the whole World hears his Voice, and trembles at his Displeasure; and where it falls, it thakes whatsoever is near it. His Lips are the Oracles of the People; and Government is the Cement that binds them together; But ftill he that is Master of many, is the Servant yet of more, Power, 'tis true, of all things belongs to the Prince; but the Property, to particular Perfons, and the fame thing may be both yours and mine in feveral Refpects. We cannot fay that a Son, or a Servant has nothing, because a Mafter, or a Father may take it away if he will; or that he cannot give willingly, because he may hinder it, whether he will or no. This is Power, and true Dominion and not to rule and command, when we may do it when we please. The Strength of a Prince is in the Love of his People; for there is nothing so great, but it must itfelf perish; when it is become the common Safety that it fhould be fo. Tyrants are hated, because they are feared; and because they are hated, they will be feared. They are rendered odious to Pofterity; and they had better never have been born, than to stand upon Res cord for the Plagues of Mankind. Miferable is that People, where their very Keepers are their Executioners. And, it is not an armed Tyranny neither, but the unarmed Vices of Avarice, and Envy, that we ought to be most afraid of, Some will not endure to have their Vices touched, but will fhrink and ftruggle under the Operati on, as if they were under the Hand of a Surgeon. But, this fhall not hinder me from launcing and probing, because of the Cries and Groans of the Patient. Every Man fhould have Monitor at his Elbow, to keep him from Avarice, by fhewing him how rich a Man he may be with a little from Ambition, by representing the Disputes and Hazard that accompany Greatness; which makes him |