第22章

nottopurchaselands，ofwhichIhavenoneed，buttopurchasepleasure:

"Nonessecupidum，pecuniaest;nonesseemacem，vertigalest。"

["Nottobecovetous，ismoney;nottobeacquisitive，isrevenue。"

——Cicero，Paradox。，vi。3。]

Ineitheraminanygreatapprehensionofwanting，norindesireofanymore:

"Divinarumfructusestincopia;copiamdeclaratsatietas。"

["Thefruitofrichesisinabundance;satietydeclaresabundance。"

——Idem，ibid。，vi。2。

AndIamverywellpleasedthatthisreformationinmehasfallenoutinanagenaturallyinclinedtoavarice，andthatIseemyselfclearedofafollysocommontooldmen，andthemostridiculousofallhumanfollies。

Feraulez，amanthathadrunthroughbothfortunes，andfoundthattheincreaseofsubstancewasnoincreaseofappetiteeithertoeatingordrinking，sleepingortheenjoymentofhiswife，andwhoontheothersidefeltthecareofhiseconomicslieheavyuponhisshoulders，asitdoesonmine，wasresolvedtopleaseapooryoungman，hisfaithfulfriend，whopantedafterriches，andmadehimagiftofallhis，whichwereexcessivelygreat，and，moreover，ofallhewasinthedailywayofgettingbytheliberalityofCyrus，hisgoodmaster，andbythewar;

conditionallythatheshouldtakecarehandsomelytomaintainandplentifullytoentertainhimashisguestandfriend;whichbeingaccordinglydone，theyafterwardslivedveryhappilytogether，bothofthemequallycontentwiththechangeoftheircondition。’TisanexamplethatIcouldimitatewithallmyheart;andIverymuchapprovethefortuneoftheagedprelatewhomIseetohavesoabsolutelystrippedhimselfofhispurse，hisrevenue，andcareofhisexpense，committingthemonewhiletoonetrustyservant，andanotherwhiletoanother，thathehisspunoutalongsuccessionofyears，asignorant，bythismeans，ofhisdomesticaffairsasamerestranger。

Theconfidenceinanotherman’svirtueisnolightevidenceofaman’sown，andGodwillinglyfavourssuchaconfidence。AstowhatconcernshimofwhomIamspeaking，Iseenowhereabettergovernedhouse，morenoblyandconstantlymaintainedthanhis。Happytohaveregulatedhisaffairstosojustaproportionthathisestateissufficienttodoitwithouthiscareortrouble，andwithoutanyhindrance，eitherinthespendingorlayingitup，tohisothermorequietemployments，andmoresuitablebothtohisplaceandliking。

Plenty，then，andindigencedependupontheopinioneveryonehasofthem;andrichesnomorethangloryorhealthhaveotherbeautyorpleasurethanhelendsthembywhomtheyarepossessed。

Everyoneiswellorillatease，accordingashesofindshimself;nothewhomtheworldbelieves，buthewhobelieveshimselftobeso，iscontent;andinthisalonebeliefgivesitselfbeingandreality。

Fortunedoesusneithergoodnorhurt;sheonlypresentsusthematterandtheseed，whichoursoul，morepowerfulthanshe，turnsandappliesasshebestpleases;thesolecauseandsovereignmistressofherownhappyorunhappycondition。Allexternalaccessionsreceivetasteandcolourfromtheinternalconstitution，asclotheswarmus，notwiththeirheat，butourown，whichtheyarefittocoverandnourish;hewhowouldshieldtherewithacoldbody，woulddothesameserviceforthecold，forsosnowandicearepreserved。And，certes，afterthesamemannerthatstudyisatormenttoanidleman，abstinencefromwinetoadrunkard，frugalitytothespendthrift，andexercisetoalazy，tender—bredfellow，soitisofalltherest。Thethingsarenotsopainfulanddifficultofthemselves，butourweaknessorcowardicemakesthemso。Tojudgeofgreat，andhighmattersrequiresasuitablesoul;otherwiseweattributethevicetothemwhichisreallyourown。Astraightoarseemscrookedinthewateritdoesnotonlyimportthatweseethething，buthowandafterwhatmannerweseeit。

Afterallthis，why，amongstsomanydiscoursesthatbysomanyargumentspersuadementodespisedeathandtoendurepain，canwenotfindoutonethathelpsus？Andofsomanysortsofimaginationsashavesoprevaileduponothersastopersuadethemtodoso，whydoesnoteveryoneapplysomeonetohimself，themostsuitabletohisownhumour？Ifhecannotdigestastrong—workingdecoctiontoeradicatetheevil，lethimatleasttakealenitivetoeaseit:

["Itisaneffeminateandflimsyopinion，normoresoinpainthaninpleasure，inwhich，whileweareatourease，wecannotbearwithoutacrythestingofabee。Thewholebusinessistocommendthyself。"——Cicero，Tusc。Quaes。，ii。22。]

Astotherest，amandoesnottransgressphilosophybypermittingtheacrimonyofpainsandhumanfrailtytoprevailsomuchabovemeasure;fortheyconstrainhertogobacktoherunanswerablereplies:"Ifitbeilltoliveinnecessity，atleastthereisnonecessityuponamantoliveinnecessity":"Nomancontinuesilllongbutbyhisownfault。"Hewhohasneitherthecouragetodienorthehearttolive，whowillneitherresistnorfly，whatcanwedowithhim？

CHAPTERXLI

NOTTOCOMMUNICATEAMAN’SHONOUR

Ofallthefolliesoftheworld，thatwhichismostuniversallyreceivedisthesolicitudeofreputationandglory;whichwearefondoftothatdegreeastoabandonriches，peace，life，andhealth，whichareeffectualandsubstantialgoods，topursuethisvainphantomandemptyword，thathasneitherbodynorholdtobetakenofit:

Lafama，ch’invaghisceaundolcesuonoGlisuperbimortali，etparsibella，Euneco，unsogno，anzid’unsognoun’ombra，Ch’adogniventosidileguaasgombra。"

["Fame，whichwithalluringsoundcharmsproudmortals，andappearssofair，isbutanecho，adream，nay，theshadowofadream，whichateverybreathvanishesanddissolves。"

——Tasso，Gerus。，xiv。63。]

Andofalltheirrationalhumoursofmen，itshouldseemthatthephilosophersthemselvesareamongthelastandthemostreluctanttodisengagethemselvesfromthis:’tisthemostrestiveandobstinateofall:

"Quiaetiambeneproficientesanimostentarenoncessat。"

["Becauseitceasesnottoassailevenwell—directedminds"

——St。Augustin，DeCivit。Dei，v。14。]

Thereisnotanyoneofwhichreasonsoclearlyaccusesthevanity;butitissodeeplyrootedinusthatIdarenotdeterminewhetheranyoneeverclearlydischargedhimselffromitorno。Afteryouhavesaidallandbelievedallhasbeensaidtoitsprejudice，itproducessointestineaninclinationinoppositiontoyourbestargumentsthatyouhavelittlepowertoresistit;for，asCicerosays，eventhosewhomostcontrovertit，wouldyetthatthebookstheywriteaboutitshouldvisitthelightundertheirownnames，andseektoderivegloryfromseemingtodespiseit。Allotherthingsarecommunicableandfallintocommerce:welendourgoodsandstakeourlivesforthenecessityandserviceofourfriends;buttocommunicateaman’shonour，andtorobeanotherwithaman’sownglory，isveryrarelyseen。

Andyetwehavesomeexamplesofthatkind。CatulusLuctatiusintheCimbrianwar，havingdoneallthatinhimlaytomakehisflyingsoldiersfaceaboutupontheenemy，ranhimselfatlastawaywiththerest，andcounterfeitedthecoward，totheendhismenmightratherseemtofollowtheircaptainthantoflyfromtheenemy;whichwastoabandonhisownreputationinordertocovertheshameofothers。WhenCharlesV。cameintoProvenceintheyear1537，’tissaidthatAntoniodeLeva，seeingtheemperorpositivelyresolveduponthisexpedition，andbelievingitwouldredoundverymuchtohishonour，did，nevertheless，verystifflyopposeitinthecouncil，totheendthattheentiregloryofthatresolutionshouldbeattributedtohismaster，andthatitmightbesaidhisownwisdomandforesighthadbeensuchasthat，contrarytotheopinionofall，hehadbroughtaboutsogreatanenterprise;whichwastodohimhonourathisownexpense。TheThracianambassadorscomingtocomfortArchileonida，themotherofBrasidas，uponthedeathofherson，andcommendinghimtothatheightastosayhehadnotlefthislikebehindhim，sherejectedthisprivateandparticularcommendationtoattributeittothepublic:"Tellmenotthat，"saidshe;"IknowthecityofSpartahasmanycitizensbothgreaterandofgreaterworththanhe。"InthebattleofCrecy，thePrinceofWales，beingthenveryyoung，hadthevanguardcommittedtohim:themainstressofthebattlehappenedtobeinthatplace，whichmadethelordswhowerewithhim，findingthemselvesovermatched，sendtoKingEdwardtoadvancetotheirrelief。Heinquiredoftheconditionhissonwasin，andbeingansweredthathewasaliveandonhorseback:"Ishould，then，dohimwrong，"saidtheking，"nowtogoanddeprivehimofthehonourofwinningthisbattlehehassolongandsobravelysustained;whathazardsoeverheruns，thatshallbeentirelyhisown";and，accordingly，wouldneithergonorsend，knowingthatifhewent，itwouldbesaidallhadbeenlostwithouthissuccour，andthatthehonourofthevictorywouldbewhollyattributedtohim。

"Semperenimquodpostremumadjectumest，idremtotamvideturtraxisse。"

["Foralwaysthatwhichislastadded，seemstohaveaccomplishedthewholeaffair。"——Livy，xxvii。45。]

ManyatRomethought，andwouldusuallysay，thatthegreatestofScipio’sactswereinpartduetoLaelius，whoseconstantpracticeitwasstilltoadvanceandsupportScipio’sgrandeurandrenown，withoutanycareofhisown。AndTheopompus，kingofSparta，tohimwhotoldhimtherepubliccouldnotmiscarrysinceheknewsowellhowtocommand，"Tisrather，"answeredhe，"becausethepeopleknowsowellhowtoobey。"

Aswomensucceedingtopeerageshad，notwithstandingtheirsex，theprivilegetoattendandgivetheirvotesinthetrialsthatappertainedtothejurisdictionofpeers;sotheecclesiasticalpeers，notwithstandingtheirprofession，wereobligedtoattendourkingsintheirwars，notonlywiththeirfriendsandservants，butintheirownpersons。AstheBishopofBeauvaisdid，whobeingwithPhilipAugustusatthebattleofBouvines，hadanotableshareinthataction;buthedidnotthinkitfitforhimtoparticipateinthefruitandgloryofthatviolentandbloodytrade。Hewithhisownhandreducedseveraloftheenemythatdaytohismercy，whomhedeliveredtothefirstgentlemanhemeteithertokillorreceivethemtoquarter，referringthewholeexecutiontothisotherhand;andhedidthiswithregardtoWilliam，EarlofSalisbury，whomhegaveuptoMessireJehandeNesle。WithalikesubtletyofconsciencetothatIhavejustnamed，hewouldkillbutnotwound，andforthatreasoneverfoughtwithamace。Andacertainpersonofmytime，beingreproachedbythekingthathehadlaidhandsonapriest，stifflyandpositivelydeniedhehaddoneanysuchthing:themeaningofwhichwas，hehadcudgelledandkickedhim。

CHAPTERXLII

OFTHEINEQUALITYAMOUNGSTUS。

Plutarchsayssomewherethathedoesnotfindsogreatadifferencebetwixtbeastandbeastashedoesbetwixtmanandman;whichhesaysinreferencetotheinternalqualitiesandperfectionsofthesoul。And，intruth，IfindsovastadistancebetwixtEpaminondas，according