degree of madness to defer one moment acquiring the only arms capable of defending us against attacks which at every moment we are exposed to? Our being miserable, or not miserable, when we fall into misfortunes, depends on the manner in which we have enjoyed prosperity. If we have applied ourselves betimes to the study of wisdom, and to the practice of virtue, these evils become indifferent; but if we have neglected to do so, 10 they become necessary. In one case they are evils, in the other they are remedies for greater evils than themselves. Zeno rejoiced that a shipwreck had thrown him on the Athenian coast: and he owed to the loss of his fortune 15 the Portique would have borne a fit of the the acquisition which he made of virtue, of wisdom, of immortality. There are good and bad airs for the mind, as well as for the body. Prosperity often irritates our chronical distempers, and leaves no hopes of finding any 20 specific but in adversity. In such cases banishment is like change of air, and the evils we suffer are like rough medicines applied to inveterate diseases. What Anacharsis said of the vine, may aptly enough be said of pros- 25 perity. She bears the three grapes of drunkenness, of pleasure, and of sorrow: and happy it is if the last can cure the mischief which the former work. When afflictions fail to have their due effect, the case is desperate. They 30 mad, than not to live! If banishment there

pitch of nature and truth. A spirit of opposition to another doctrine, which grew into great vogue while Zeno flourished, might occasion this excess. Epicurus10 placed the sovereign 5 good in pleasure. His terms were wilfully, or accidentally mistaken. His scholars might help to pervert his doctrine, but rivalship enflamed the dispute; for in truth there is not so much difference between stoicism reduced to reasonable intelligible terms, and genuine orthodox epicurism, as is imagined. The felicis animi immota tranquillitas," and the voluptas of the latter, are near enough a-kin: and I much doubt whether the firmest hero of

stone, on the principles of Zeno, with greater magnanimity and patience than Epicurus did on those of his own philosophy. However, Aristotle took a middle way, or explained himself better, and placed happiness in the joint advantages of the mind, of the body, and of fortune. They are reasonably joined; but certain it is, that they must not be placed on an equal foot. We can much better bear the privation of the last, than of the others; and poverty itself, which mankind is so afraid of, per mare pauperiem fugiens, per saxa, per ignes,12 is surely preferable to madness, or the stone, though Chrysippus13 thought it better to live

fore, by taking from us the advantages of fortune, cannot take from us the more valuable advantages of the mind and the body, when we have them; and if the same accident is able to

pray for? When we pray against misfortunes, 35 restore them to us, when we have lost them,

are the last remedy which indulgent Providence uses: and if they fail, we must languish and die in misery and contempt. Vain men! how seldom do we know what to wish or to

and when we fear them most, we want them most. It was for this reason that Pythagoras forbid his disciples to ask anything in particular of God. The shortest and the best prayer

banishment is a very slight misfortune to those who are already under the dominion of reason, and a very great blessing to those who are still plunged in vices which ruin the health

which we can address to him, who knows our 40 both of body and mind. It is to be wished for, wants, and our ignorance in asking, is this: "Thy will be done."

in favour of such as these, and to be feared by none. If we are in this case, let us second the designs of Providence in our favour, and make some amends for neglecting former

Tully says, in some part of his works, that as happiness is the object of all philosophy, so the disputes among philosophers arise from 45 opportunities by not letting slip the last.

their different notions of the sovereign good. Reconcile them in that point, you reconcile them in the rest. The school of Zeno placed this sovereign good in naked virtue, and wound the principle up to an extreme beyond the 50

Zeno of Cyprus, the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy.

7 A Scythian philosopher, who resided for some time in Athens. Diogenes Laertius reports him as saying "That the vine bears three sorts of clusters: the first, of pleasure, the second, of debauchery, and the third, of discontent and repentance."

8 This expression occurs in a prayer in the church of England service: "Almighty God. ... who knoweth our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking,"

etc.

Cicero, whose full name was Marcus Tullius Cicero.

Si

We may

nolis sanus, curres hydropicus. 14
shorten the evils which we might have pre-
vented, and as we get the better of our dis-

10 Epicurus (342-270 B. C.) was the founder of the "Epicurean School" of philosophy. His teachings were almost directly opposed to those of Zeno and other Stoic philosophers.

11 "The immovable serenity of the happy soul." Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca, and the other Stoic philosophers, laid great stress on the attainment of a lofty tranquility of mind, which all earthly shocks or accidents would be powerless to disturb.

12 "Flying poverty through the sea, through the rocks, through the flames.'

13 A Stoic philosopher who resided in Athens, and lived about 200 B. C.

14"If you are unwilling when well, you shall run when you are dropsical."

orderly passions, and vicious habits, we shall feel our anxiety diminish in proportion. All the approaches to virtue are comportable. With how much joy will the man, who improves his misfortunes in this manner, discover that those evils, which he attributed to his exile, sprung from his vanity and folly, and vanish with them! He will see that, in his former temper of mind, he resembled the

Rural amusements, and philosophical meditations, will make your hours glide smoothly on; and if the indulgence of Heaven has given you a friend like Lælius," nothing is wanting 5 to make you completely happy.

These are some of those reflections which may serve to fortify the mind under banishment, and under the other misfortunes of life, which it is every man's interest to prepare for,

effeminate prince15 who could drink no water 10 because they are common to all men: I say,

but that of the river Choaspes; or the simple queen, in one of the tragedies of Euripides, who complained bitterly, that she had not lighted the nuptial torch, and that the river

they are common to all men; because even they who escape them are equally exposed to them. The darts of adverse fortune are always levelled at our heads. Some reach us, some

Ismenus had not furnished the water at her 15 graze against us, and fly to wound our neigh

bours. Let us therefore impose an equal temper on our minds, and pay without murmuring the tribute which we owe to humanity. The winter brings cold, and we must freeze.

son's wedding. Seeing his former state in this ridiculous light, he will labour on with pleasure towards another as contrary as possible to it; and when he arrives there, he will be convinced by the strongest of all proofs, his own experi- 20 The summer returns with heat, and we must ence, that he was unfortunate because he was vicious, not because he was banished.

If I was not afraid of being thought to refine oo much, I would venture to put some ad

melt. The inclemency of the air disorders our health, and we must be sick. Here we are exposed to wild beasts, and there to men more savage than the beasts; and if we escape the

vantages of fortune, which are due to exile, 25 inconveniencies and dangers of the air and the into the scale against those which we lose by exile. If you are wise, your leisure will be worthily employed, and your retreat will add new lustre to your character. Imitate Thucydides in Thracia, or Xenophon in his little farm 30 at Scillus. In such a retreat you may sit down, like one of the inhabitants of Elis, who judged of the Olympic games, without taking any part in them. Far from the hurry of the world, and almost an unconcerned spectator 35 us submit to this order, let us be persuaded

earth, there are perils by water and perils by fire. This established course of things it is not in our power to change; but it is in our power to assume such a greatness of mind as becomes wise and virtuous men; as may enable us to encounter the accidents of life with fortitude, and to conform ourselves to the order of nature, who governs her great kingdom, the world, by continual mutations. Let

that whatever does happen ought to happen, and never be so foolish as to expostulate with nature. The best resolution we can take is to suffer what we cannot alter, and to pursue,

of what passes in it, having paid in a public life what you owed to the present age, pay in a private life what you owe to posterity. Write as you live, without passion; and build your reputation, as you build your happiness, on 40 without repining, the road which Providence, the foundations of truth. If you want the talents, the inclination, or the necessary materials for such a work, fall not however into sloth. Endeavour to copy after the example of Scipio" at Linturnum. Be able to say to 45 orders with spirit and cheerfulness, and not yourself,

Innocuas amo delicias doctamque quietem.18

15 The water of the Choaspes "was so pure that the 50 Persian kings used to carry it with them in silver vessels when on foreign expeditions." The allusion in the text seems to have been suggested by a passage in Plutarch's Morals, in which, after declaring that we should be thankful for those restrictions which we impose on ourselves, Plutarch adds-" yet we mock the Persian Kings, for that (if it be true which is reported of them) they drink of all the water only of the river Choaspes," etc.

16 Jocaste, in The Phenician Virgins of Euripides. "Publius Cornelius Scipio, the conqueror of Hannibal, who gained the name of Africanus. In spite of his great services, he lost the popular favor, and was forced to retire to his country place at Liternum.

18 "I love harmless pleasures and learned quiet."

who directs everything, has marked out to us: for it is not enough to follow; and he is but a bad soldier who sighs, and marches on with reluctancy. We must receive the

endeavour to sink out of the post which is assigned us in this beautiful disposition of things, whereof even our sufferings make a necessary part. Let us address ourselves to God, who governs all, as Cleanthes 20 did in those admirable verses, which are going to lose part of their grace and energy in my translation of them.

19 Gaius Lælius, whose wisdom gained for him the name of Sapius, a philosopher, orator, and lover of country life, and a close friend of Scipio Africanus, the younger. Lælius is given a prominent part in Cicero's dialogue on Friendship (De Amicitia).

20 A Stoic philosopher; disciple and successor of Zeno. His Hymn to Jupiter is all that remains of his numerous works.