have more benefits than injuries done unto
thee.
Be more ready to love than to hate; fo
ftialt thou be loved by more than hate thee.
Be willing to commend, and be flow to
cenfure ; fo Ihall praife be upon thy virtues,
and the eye of enmity fliall be blind to thy
imperfecftions. '
When thou doft good, do it becaufe it is
good; not becaufe men efteem it: whea
thou avoideft evil, fly it becaufe it is evil;
not becaufe men fpeak againft it : be honeft
for lo>'e of honefty, and thou fhalt be uni-
formly fo ; he that doth it without princi-
ple, is wavering.
Wilh rather to be reproved by the wife,
than to be applauded by him who hath no
anderftanding; when they tell thee of a
fault, they fuppofe thou canft improve ; the
other, whea he praifcth thee, thinketh thee
like unto himfelf.
Accept not an office for which thou art
not qualified, left he who knoweth more of
it defpife thee.
Inftrudt not another in that wherein thy-
felf art ignorant ; when he feeth it, he wiil
upbraid thee.
Expeft not a friendfhip with him who
hath mjured thee; he who fuffereth the
wrong, may forgive it ; but he who doth
It, never will be well with him.
Lay not too great obligations on him thoa
wifheft thy friend; behold! the fenfe of
them will drive him from thee : a little be-
nefit gaineth friendlbip ; a great one makedi
an enemy.
Neverthelefs, ingratitude is not in the
nature of man ; neither is his anger irre-
concileable : he hateth to be put in mind of
a debt he cannot pay; he is alhamed in
the prefence of him whom he hath in-
jured.
Repine not at the good of a ftranger,
neither rejoice thou in the evil that befalfeth
thine enemy : wilheft thou that others Ihould
do thus to thee ?
Wouldft thou enjoy the good-v/ill of all
men, let thine own benevolence be univer-
fal. If thou obtaineft it not by this, no
other means could give it thee : and know,
though thou haft it not, thou haft the
greater pleafure of having merited it.
7. Presumption.
Pride and meannefs feem incompatible;
bat man reconcileth contrarieties : he is at
once 'the moft miferable and the moft arro-
gant of all creatures.
Frefumption is the bane of reafon ; it Is
the
'1()2
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book I,
the nurfc of error ; yet it is congenial with
reafon in us.
Who is there that judgeth not either too
highly of lumfelf, or thinketh too meanly
of others.
Our Creator himfelf efcapeth not our
prefumption: how then fhall we be fafe
from one another?
What is the origin of fuperftition ? and
whence arifeth falfe worihip ? From cur
prefuming to reafon about what is above
our reach, to comprehend what is incom-
prehenfible.
Limited and v/eak as our underftandings
are, we employ not even their little forces
as we ought. We foar not high enough in
our approaches to God's greatnefs ; we give
not wing enough to our ideas, when we
enter into the adoration of divinity.
Man who fears to breathe a whifper
againft his earthly fovereign, trembles not
to arraign the difpcnfations of his God ; he
forgetteth his majefty, and rejudgeth his
judgments.
Me who dareth not repeat the name of his
prince without honour, yet blufheth not to
call that of his Creator to be witnefs to a
lie.
He who would hear the fentence of the
all her motions are but to entertain his eye.
While he courts the rays of the fun to
warm him, he fuppofeth it made only to be
of ufe to him ; while he traceth the moon
in her nightly path, he believeth that (he
was created to do him pleafure.
Fool to thine own pride ! be humble !
kncv/ thou art not the caufe why the world
holdeth its courfe; for thee are not made the
viciilitudes of fummer and winter.
No change would follow if thy whole
race exifted not ; thou art but one among
millions that are blefTed in it.
Exalt not thyfelf to the heavens; for.
magiftrate with lilence, yet dareth to plead
he attempteth to fooch
lo, the angels are above thee : nor difdaij
thy fellow-inhabitants of the earth, thoug >
they are inf-^rior to thee. Are they not the
work of the fame hand ?
Thou who art happy by the mercy of thy
Creator, how dareft thou in v/antonnefs put
others of his creatures to torture? Beware
that cruelty return not upon thee.
Serve they not all the fiime univerfal
Mafter with thee ? Hath he not appointed
unto each its laws ? Hath he not care of
their prefer vation ? and darefl thou to in^i
fringe it ?
Set not thy judgment above that of all
the earth ; neither condemn as falfehood
what agreeth not with thine own apprchen-
fion. Who gave thee the power of deter-
mining for others ? or who took from the
M'orld the right of choice ?
How many things have been rejefted,
which are now received as truths ? How
many now received as truths, fhall in their
but that this is not thy^day of turn be delpifed ? Of what then can man be
certain ?
Do the good that thou knoweil, and hap-
pinefs fl-iall be unto thee. Virtue is more
thy bufmefs here than wifdora.
Truth and falfehood, have they not the
fame appearance in what we underftand not ?
what then but our prefumption can deter-
mine between them ?
We eafily believe wliat is above our com-
prehenfion : or we are proud to pretend it,
that it may appear we underftand it. Is not
this folly and arrogance ? ^
Who is it that affirms moft boldly ?^ho
is it that holds his opinion moft obftinately ?
Even he who hath moft ignorance : for he
aifo hath moft pride.
Every man, v/hen he layeth hold of an
opinion, deiireth to remain in it ; but molt
of all he who hath moft prefumption. He
contenteth not himfelf to betrav his own
with the Eternal
him with intrcaties, to flatter him with pro-
mifes, to agree with him upon conditions ;
nay, to brave and murmur at him if his re-
queft is not granted.
Why art thou unouniilied, O man! in
thy impiety
retribution.
Be not like unto thofe who fight with the
thunder ; neither dare thou to deny thy
Creator thy pra}'crs, becaufe he chaftifeth
thee. Thy madnefs in this is on thine own
head ; thy impiety hurtcth no one but
th)-felf.
Why boaftcth man that he is the fa-
vourite of his Malcer, yet neglefteth to
pay his thanks, and his adorations for it ?
Kow fuiteth fuch a life with a belief fo
taughty ?
Man, who is truly but a mote in the wide
expanfe, believeth the whole earth and hea-
ven to be created for him : he thinketh the
whole frame of nature hath intereft in his
well-being.
As the fool, while the images tremble on
the bofom of the water, thinketh that trees,
towns, and the v/ide horizon, are dancing
to do him pleafure ; {o man, while nature
performs her deilined courfe, belieyes that
foul ; but he will impofe oa others to be
lieve in it alfo.
tT/
Book I. MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.
I9S
Say not that truth is eftablifhed by years.
Or that in a multitude of believers there is
certainty.
One human propofition hath as much au-
thority as another, if reafon maketh not
the difference.
Of the AFFECTIONS 0/ MAN, ivhkh
are- hurtful to him/elf and others.
I. COVETOUSNESS.
Riches are not worthy a ftrong attention ;
herefore an earneft care of obtaining them
riunjuftifiable.
" The defire of what man calleth good, the
joy he taketh in pofleifmg it, is grounded
only in opinion. Form not thy opinion
from the vulgar; examine the worth of
things thyfelf, and thou fhalt not be co-
vetous.
An immoderate defire of riches is a poifon
lodged in the foul. It contaminates and
dellroys every thing that was good in it.
It is no fooner rooted there, than all virtue,
all honefty, all natural aitedion, fly before
the face of it.
The covetous would fell his children for
gold ; his parent might die ere he would
open his coffer; nay, he coniidereth not
himfelf in refpeft of it. In the fearch of
happinefs he maketh himfelf unhappy.
As the man who felleth his houfe to pur-
chafe ornaments for the embellifliment of it,
even fo is he who giveth up peace in the
fearch of riches, in hope that he may be
happy in enjoying them.
Where covetoufnefs reigneth, know that
the foul is poor. Whofo accounteth riches
the principal good of man, will throw a'.vay
ail other goods in thepurfuit of them.
Whofo feareth poverty as the greateft evil
of his nature, will purchafe to himfelf all
ether evils in the avoiding of it.
Thou fool, is not virtue more worth than
riches ? is not guilt more bafe than poverty ?
Enough for his necefTities is in the power of
every man ; be content with it, and thy
happinefs ftiall fmile at the forrows of him
who heapeth up more.
Nature hath hid gold beneath the earth,
as if unworthy to be feen ; fih er hath (he
placed where thou trampleft it under thy feet.
Meancth (he not by this to inform thee, that
gold is not worthy thy regard, that filver is
beneath thy notice ?
' Covetoufnefs burieth under the ground
millions of wretches ; tliefs dig for their
hard matters what returneth the injury;
what maketh them more miferable than
their flaves.
The earth is barren ofgood things where
fhe hoardeth up treafure : where gold is in
her bowels, there no herb groweth.
As the horfe flndeth not there his grafs,
nor the mule his provender : as 'the fields of
corn laugh not on the fides of tlie hills ;
as the olive holdeth not forth there her
fruits, nor the vine her clufters ; even fo
no good dwelleth in the bread of him whofe
heart broodeth over his treafure.
Riches are fervants to the wife ; but they
are tyrants over the foul of the fool.
The covetous ferveth his gold ; it ferveth
not him. He poflefleth his wealth as the
fick doth a fever ; it burneth and tortureth
him, and will not quit him until death.
Hath not gold deftroyed the virtue of
millions ? Did it ever add to the goodnefs
of any ?
Is it not moft abundant with the worft of
men ? wherefore then fhouldfl thou defire to
be diftinguilhed by poffeffing it ?
Have not the wifeft been thofe who have
had leaft of it ? and is not wifdom happinefs ?
Have not the word of thy fpecies pof-
feffed the greateft portions of it ? and hatU
not their end been miferable ?
Poverty wanteth many things ; but cove-
toufnefs denieth itfelf all.
The covetous can be good to no masi;
but he is to none fo cruel as to himfelf.
If thou art induftrious to procure gold,
be generous in the difpofal of it. Maa
never is fo happy as when he giveth happi-
nefs to another.
2. Profusion.
If there be a vice greater than the hoard-
ing up of riches, it is the employing them
to ufelefs purpofes.
He that prodigally lavifheth that which
he hath to fpare, robbeth the poor of what
nature giveth them a right unto.
He who fquandereth away his treafure,
refufeth the means to do good : he denieth
himfelf the praflice of virtues whofe reward
is in their hand, whofe en4 is no other thaa
his own happinefs.
It is more difficult to be well with riches,
than to be at eafe under the want of them.
Man governeth himfelf much ealier in po-
verty than in abundance.
Poverty requireth but one virtue, pa-
tience, to fupport it ; the rich, if he have
not charity, temperance, prudence, and
many more, is guilty.
O The
I
LEGANT EXTRACTS,
194
The poor hath onl^ the gdod of his own
ftate committed unto him 5 the rich is in-
truded with the welfare of thoufands.
He that giveth away his treafure wifely,
giveth away his plagues : he that retaineth
their increafe, heapeth up forrows.
Refufe not unto the ftranger that which
he wanteth ; deny not unto thy brother even
that which thou wanteft thyfelf.
Know there is more delight in being
without what thou haft given, than in pof-
feffing millions which thou knoweft not the
ufe of.
3. Revenge.
The root of revenge is in the weak nefs
of the foul : the moft abjeft and timorous
are the moft addidled to it.
Who torture thofe they hate, but cow-
ards ? who murder thofe they rob but wo-
men ?
The feeling an injury muft be previous to
the revenging it ; but the noble mind dif-
daineth to fay, It hurts me.
If the injury is not below thy notice, he
that doth it unto thee, in that, maketh him-
felf fo : wouldft thou enter the lifts with
thine inferior ?
Difdain the man who attempteth to wrong
thee ; condemn him who would give thee
difquiet.
In this thou not only prefcrveft thine own
peace, but thou inflifteft all the punifhment
of revenge, without ftopping to employ it
againft him.
As the tempeft and the thunder afte^Tl not
the fun or the ftars, but fpend their fury
on ftones and trees below ; fo injuries afcend
not to the fouls of the great, but wafte
themfelves on fuch as are thofe who offer
them.
Poornefs of fpirit will aftuate revenge ;
vreatnefs of foul defpifeth the offence : nay,
it doth good unto him who intended to
have diftiirbed it.
Why feekeft thou vengeance, O man!
with what purpofe is it that thou purfueft
it.!' Thinkeft thou to pain thine adverfary
by it ? Know that thyfelf feeleft its greateft
torments.
Revenge gnaweth the heart of him who is
infefted with it, while he againft; whom it is
intended, remaineth eafy.
It is unjuft in the anguifh it infli(Ss j
therefore nature intended it not for thee :
needeth he who is injured more pain ? or
ought he to add force to the alfliclion which
another has caft upon him ?
I'he man who meditateth revenge is not
Book I.
content with the mifchief he hath received 1
he addeth to his anguifti the punifhment
due unto another : while he whom he feek-
eth to hurt goeth his way laughing; he
maketh himfelf merrj- at this addition to his
miferj'.
Revenge is painful in the intent, and it ]
is dangerous in the execution : feldom doth
the axe fall where he who lifted it up in-
tended ; and lo, he remembereth not that it j
muft recoil againft him.
While the revengeful feeketh his enemy's ;
hurt, he oftentimes procureth his own de-j
ftrudion : while he aimeth at one of the
eyes of his adverfary, lo, he patteth ou^
both his own.
If he attaiii not his end, he lamenteth it ;]
if he fucceed, he repenteth of it : the fear-i
of juftice taketh away the peace of his own
foul ; the care to hide him from it, dcftroy=
eth that of his friend.
Can the death of thine adverfary fatiate
thy hatred ? can the fetting him at reft re- «
ftorc thy peace ? 1!
Wouldft thou make him forry for his of-, f
fence, conquer him and fpare him : in death
he owneth not thy fuperiority ; nor feeleth
he more the power of thy wrath.
In re\enge there, fliould be a triumph of
the avenger; and he who hath injured him,
fhould feel his difpleafure ; he ftiould fuffer
pain from it, and fhould repent him of the
caufe.
This is the revenge infpired from anger ;
but that which makes thee great is con-
tempt.
Murder for an injury arifeth only from
cov ardice : he who inflideth it, feareth
that the enemy may live and avenge himfelf.
Death endeth the quarrel ; but it reftoreth
not the reputation : killing is an aft of cau-
tion, not of courage ; it may be fafe, but
it is not honourable.
There is nothing fo eafy as to revenge an
offence ; but nothing is fo honourable as to
pardon it.
The greateft viftory man can obtain, is
over himfelf; he that dildaineth to feel an
injury, retorteth it upon him who offereth
it.
When thou meditateft revenge, thou
confefTeft that thou feeleft the wrong : when
thou complaineft, thou acknowledgeft thy-
felf hurt by it ; meaneft thou to add this
triumph to the pride of thine enemy ?
That cannot be an injury which is not
felt ; how then can he who defpifeth it re-.
venge it ?
If thou thiak it difhonourable to bear an
offence.
Book I.
MORAL AND RELIGIOUS.
19s
offence, more is in thy power ; thou mayeft
conquer it.
Good offices will make a man afhamed to
be thine enemy : greatncfs of foul will
terrify him from the thought of hurting thee.
The greater the wrong, the more glory
there is m pardoning it ; and by how much
more juftifiable would be revenge, by fo
much the more honour is in clemency.
Hail thou a riglit to be a judge in thine
1 own caufe ; to be a party in the aft, and yet
I to pronounce fentence on it ? Before thou
condemned, let another fay it is juft.
The revengeful is feared, and therefore
he is hated ; but he that is endued with cle-
mency, is adored : the praife of his aftions
remaineth for ever ; and the love of the
world attendeth him.
4. Cruelty, Hatred, fl«^ Envy.
Revenge is deteftable : what then is cru-
elty ? Lo, it poffefTeth the mifchiefs of the
other; but it wanteth even the pretence of
its provocations.
Men difown it as not of their nature;
they are alhamcd of it as a ftranger to their
hearts : do they not call it inhumanity ?
Whence then is her origin ? unto what
that is human oweth (Vie her exiftence ? Her
father is Fear ; and behold Difmay, is it
not her mother ?
The hero lifteth his fvvord againft the
enemy that refifteth ; but no fooner doth he
fubmit, than he is fatisfied.
It is not in honour to trample on the ob-
jeft that feareth ; it is not in virtue to infult
what is beneath it : fubduethe infolent, and
fpare the humble ; and thou art at the
height of viftory.
He who wanteth virtue to arrive at this
end, he who hath not courage to afcend
thus into it ; lo, he fupplieth the place of
conqueft by murder, of fovereignty by
(laughter.
He who feareth all, ftriketh at all : why
are tyrants cruel, but becaufe they live in
terror ?
Civil wars are the moil bloody, becaufe
thofe who fight in them are cowards : con-
fpirators are murderers, becaufe in death
there is filence. Is it not fear that telleth
them they may be betrayed ?
The cur will tear the carcafe, though he
dared not look it in the face while living :
the hound that hunteth it to the death,
mangleth it not afterwards.
That thou mayeft not be cruel, fet thy-
felf too high for hatred ; that thou mayeft
not be inhuman, place thyfelf above the
reach of envy.
Every man may be viewed in two lights ;
in one he will be troublefome, in the other
lefs offenfive : chufe to fee him in that in
which he leaft hurteth thee ; then ftialt tlioa
not do hurt unto him.
What is there that a man may not turn
unto his good ? In that which -olieadeth us
molt:, thtre is more groiuid for complaint
than hatred. Man would be reconciled to
him of whom he complaineth : whom mur-
dereth he, but laim whom he hateth ?
If thou art prevented of a benefit, fly not
into rage : the lofs of thy reafon is the want
of a greater.
Becaufe thou art robbed of thy cloak,
wouldft thou ftrip thyfelf of thy coat alfo ?
When thou envieft tlie m,an who pof-
feffeth honours ; when his titles and hi$
greatnefs raife thy indignation; feck to
know whence t!«ey came unto him ; enquirfj
by what means he was poflefied of them,
and thine envy will be turned into pity. :
If the fame fortune were offered unto thee
at the fame price, be alfured, if thou wert
wife, thou wouldft refufe it.
What is the pay for titles, but flattery ?
how doth man purchafe power, but by
being a flave to him v/ho giveth it ?
Wouldft thou lofe thine own liberty, to^
be able to take away that of another ? or
canft thou envy him who doth fo ?
Man purchafcth nothing of his fuperiora
but for a price; and that price is it DO,t
more than the value ? Wouldft thou pcrveri;
the cuftoms of the world ? wouldfc thou
have the purchafe and the price alfo ? .
As thou canft not envy what thou wouldft
not accept, difdain this caufe of hatred ; and
drive from thy foul this occafion of the pa-
rent of cruelty.
If thou poficffeft honour, canft thou envy
that which is obtained at the expence of it ?
If thou knoweft the value of virtue, piticft
thou not thofe who have bartered it fo
meanly ?
When thou haft taught thyfelf to bear
the feeming good of men without repining*
thou wilt hear of their real happinefs with
pleafure.
If thou fecft good things fall to one who
deferveth them, thou wilt rejoice in it : fqx
virtue is happy in the profperity of the vir-
tuous.
He who rejoiceth In the happinefs of
another, increafeth by it his own.
r. Heaviness o/'Heart.
The foul of the cheerful forceth a fmile
upon the face of afRi^Uon ) but the dcfpbn-
O z denci
r96
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book I.
dence of the fad deadeneth even the bright-
nefs of joy.
What is the fource of fadnefs, but a
feeblenefs of the foul ? what giveth it power
but the want of fpirit ? Roufe thyfelf to the
combat, and fhe quitteth the field before
thou ftrikeft.
Sadnefs is an enemy to thy race,_ there-
fore drive her from thy heart ; flie poifoneth
the fweets of thy life, therefore fufier her
not to enter thy dwelling.
She raifeth the lofs of a ftraw to the de-
ftruftion of thy fortune. While Hie vexeth
thy foul about trifles, flie robbeth thee of
thine attendance to the things of confe-
quence: behold, fhe but prophefieth what
Ihe feemeth to relate unto thee.
She fprcadeth drowfinefs as a veil over
thy virtues : fhe hideth them from thofe
who would honour thee in beholding them ;
Hie entangleth and keepeth them down,
while fhe maketh it moft neceffary for thee
to exert them.
Lo, fhe opprefTeth thee with evil ; and fhe
tieth down thine hands, when they would
throw the load from off thee.
If thou wouldfl avoid what is bafe, if
thou wouldfl difdain what' is cowardly, if
thou wouldfl drive from thy heart what is
unjufl, fuffer not fadnefs to lay hold upon it.
Suffer it not to cover itfelf with the face
of piety ; let it not deceive thee with a fbew
of wifdom. Religion payeth honour to thy
Maker ; let it not be clouded with melan-
choly. Wifdom maketh thee happy ; know
then, that forrow in her fight is as a
llranger.
For what fhould man be forrowful ; but
for affliiftions ? Why fhould his heart give
up joy, when the caufes of it are not re-
moved from him ? Is not this being mifera-
ble for the fake of mifery ?
As the mourner who looketh fad becaufe
he is hired to do fo, who weepeth becaufe
his tears are paid for ; fuch is the man who
fuffereth his heart to be fad, not becaufe he
fuffereth ought, but becaufe he is gloomy.
It is not the occafion that produceth the
forrow; for, behold, the fame thing fhall
be to another rejoicing.
Afk men if their fadnefs maketh things
better, and they will confefs to thee that it
is folly ; nay, they will praife him who bear-
eth his ills with patience, who maketh head
againfl misfortune with courage. Applaufe
ihould be followed by imitation,
Sadnefs is againfl nature, for it troubleth
her motions : lo, it rendereth diflorted what-
foever uature ijath uiade anjiabl?.
As the oak falleth before the tempefl, and
raifeth not its head again ; fo boweth the
heart of man to the force of fadnefs, and re-
turneth unto his flrength no more.
As the fnow melteth upon the mountains,
from the rain that trickleth down their fides,
even fo is beauty wafhed from off the cheek
by tears ; and neither the one nor the other,
refloreth itfelf again.
As the pearl is diffolved by the vinegar,
which feemeth at firfl only to obfcure itg
furface ; fo is thy happinefs, O man ! fvval-
lowed up by heavinefs of heart, though at
firfl it feemeth only to cover it as with its
fhadow.
Behold fadnefs in the public flreets ; cafl
thine eye upon her in the places of refort ;
avoideth fbc ;iot every one ? and doth not
every one fly from her prefence ?
See how fhe droopeth her head, like the
flower whofe root is cut afunder! fee how
fhe fixeth her eyes upon the earth! fee how
they ferve her to no purpofe but for weeping !
Is there in her mouth difcourfe ? is there
in her heart the love of fociety? is there in
her foul, reafon ? Afk her the caufe, fhe
knoweth it not ; enquire the occafion, and
behold there is none.
Yet doth her flrength fail her: lo, at
length fhe finketh into the grave ; and no
one faith. What is become of her ?
Hafl thou underfl:anding, and feeft thou
not this! haft thou piety, and perceiveil
thou not thine error ?
God created thee in mercy ; had he not
intended thee to be happy, his beneiicence
would not have called thee into exillcnce ;
how darefl thou then to fly in the face of
Majefly ? .
Whilfl thou art mofl happy with inno-
cence, thou doft him mofl honour ; and
what is thy difcontent but murmuring
againfl him?
Created he not all things liable to
changes, and darefl thou to weep at their
changing ?
If \v»e know the law of nature, wherefore
do 'we complain of it ? if we are ignorant
of it, what fhall we accufe but our blindnefs
to what every moment giveth us prooTof ?
Know that it is not thou that art to give
laws to the world ; thy part is to fubmit to
them as thou findefl them. - K" they diflrefs