le；　or　void　of　natural　affection。
  IX。　　Of　Alexander　the　Platonic；　not　often　nor　without　great　necessity　to　say；　or　to　write　to　any　man　in　a　letter；　'I　am　not　at　leisure'；　nor　in　this　manner　still　to　put　off　those　duties；　which　we　owe　to　our　friends　and　acquaintances　（to　every　one　in　his　kind）　under　pretence　of　urgent　affairs。
  X。　Of　Catulus；　not　to　contemn　any　friend's　expostulation；　though　unjust；　but　to　strive　to　reduce　him　to　his　former　disposition：　freely　and　heartily　to　speak　well　of　all　my　masters　upon　any　occasion；　as　it　is　reported　of　Domitius；　and　Athenodotus：　and　to　love　my　children　with　true　affection。
  XI。　　From　my　brother　Severus；　to　be　kind　and　loving　to　all　them　of　my　house　and　family；　by　whom　also　I　came　to　the　knowledge　of　Thrasea　and　Helvidius；　and　Cato；　and　Dio；　and　Brutus。　He　it　was　also　that　did　put　me　in　the　first　conceit　and　desire　of　an　equal　commonwealth；　administered　by　justice　and　equality；　and　of　a　kingdom　wherein　should　be　regarded　nothing　more　than　the　good　and　welfare　of　the　subjects。　　Of　him　also；　to　observe　a　constant　tenor；　（not　interrupted；　with　any　other　cares　and　distractions；）　in　the　study　and　esteem　of　philosophy：　to　be　bountiful　and　liberal　in　the　largest　measure；　always　to　hope　the　best；　and　to　be　confident　that　my　friends　love　me。　In　whom　I　moreover　observed　open　dealing　towards　those　whom　he　reproved　at　any　time；　and　that　his　friends　might　without　all　doubt　or　much　observation　know　what　he　would；　or　would　not；　so　open　and　plain　was　he。
  XII。　　From　Claudius　Maximus；　in　all　things　to　endeavour　to　have　power　of　myself；　and　in　nothing　to　be　carried　about；　to　be　cheerful　and　courageous　in　all　sudden　chances　and　accidents；　as　in　sicknesses：　to　love　mildness；　and　moderation；　and　gravity：　　and　to　do　my　business；　whatsoever　it　be；　thoroughly；　and　without　querulousness。　Whatsoever　he　said；　all　men　believed　him　that　as　he　spake；　so　he　thought；　and　whatsoever　he　did；　that　he　did　it　with　a　good　intent。　His　manner　was；　never　to　wonder　at　anything；　never　to　be　in　haste；　and　yet　never　slow：　　nor　to　be　perplexed；　or　dejected；　or　at　any　time　unseemly；　or　excessively　to　laugh：　　nor　to　be　angry；　or　suspicious；　but　ever　ready　to　do　good；　and　to　forgive；　and　to　speak　truth；　and　all　this；　as　one　that　seemed　rather　of　himself　to　have　been　straight　and　right；　than　ever　to　have　been　rectified　or　redressed；　neither　was　there　any　man　that　ever　thought　himself　undervalued　by　him；　or　that　could　find　in　his　heart；　to　think　himself　a　better　man　than　he。　He　would　also　be　very　pleasant　and　gracious。
  XIII。　　In　my　father；　I　observed　his　meekness；　his　constancy　without　wavering　in　those　things；　which　after　a　due　examination　and　deliberation；　he　had　determined。　　How　free　from　all　vanity　he　carried　himself　in　matter　of　honour　and　dignity；　（as　they　are　esteemed：）　　his　laboriousness　and　assiduity；　his　readiness　to　hear　any　man；　that　had　aught　to　say　tending　to　any　common　good：　　how　generally　and　impartially　he　would　give　every　man　his　due；　his　skill　and　knowledge；　when　rigour　or　extremity；　or　when　remissness　or　moderation　was　in　season；　how　he　did　abstain　from　all　unchaste　love　of　youths；　his　moderate　condescending　to　other　men's　occasions　as　an　ordinary　man；　neither　absolutely　requiring　of　his　friends；　that　they　should　wait　upon　him　at　his　ordinary　meals；　nor　that　they　should　of　necessity　accompany　him　in　his　journeys；　and　that　whensoever　any　business　upon　some　necessary　occasions　was　to　be　put　off　and　omitted　before　it　could　be　ended；　he　was　ever　found　when　he　went　about　it　again；　the　same　man　that　he　was　before。　　His　accurate　examination　of　things　in　consultations；　and　patient　hearing　of　others。　He　would　not　hastily　give　over　the　search　of　the　matter；　as　one　easy　to　be　satisfied　with　sudden　notions　and　apprehensions。　His　care　to　preserve　his　friends；　how　neither　at　any　time　he　would　carry　himself　towards　them　with　disdainful　neglect；　and　grow　weary　of　them；　nor　yet　at　any　time　be　madly　fond　of　them。　His　contented　mind　in　all　things；　his　cheerful　countenance；　his　care　to　foresee　things　afar　off；　and　to　take　order　for　the　least；　without　any　noise　or　clamour。　Moreover　how　all　acclamations　and　flattery　were　repressed　by　him：　how　carefully　he　observed　all　things　necessary　to　the　government；　and　kept　an　account　of　the　common　expenses；　and　how　patiently　he　did　abide　that　he　was　reprehended　by　some　for　this　his　strict　and　rigid　kind　of　dealing。　　How　he　was　neither　a　superstitious　worshipper　of　the　gods；　nor　an　ambitious　pleaser　of　men；　or　studious　of　popular　applause；　but　sober　in　all　things；　and　everywhere　observant　of　that　which　was　fitting；　no　affecter　of　novelties：　　in　those　things　which　conduced　to　his　ease　and　convenience；　（plenty　whereof　his　fortune　did　afford　him；）　without　pride　and　bragging；　yet　with　all　freedom　and　liberty：　so　that　as　he　did　freely　enjoy　them　without　any　anxiety　or　affectation　when　they　were　present；　so　when　absent；　he　found　no　want　of　them。　　Moreover；　that　he　was　never　commended　by　any　man；　as　either　a　learned　acute　man；　or　an　obsequious　officious　man；　or　a　fine　orator；　but　as　a　ripe　mature　man；　a　perfect　sound　man；　one　that　could　not　endure　to　be　flattered；　able　to　govern　both　himself　and　others。　　Moreover；　how　much　he　did　honour　all　true　philosophers；　without　upbraiding　those　that　were　not　so；　his　sociableness；　his　gracious　and　delightful　conversation；　but　never　unto　satiety；　his　care　of　his　body　within　bounds　and　measure；　not　as　one　that　desired　to　live　long；　or　over…studious　of　neatness；　and　elegancy；　and　yet　not　as　one　that　did　not　regard　it：　　so　that　through　his　own　care　and　providence；　he　seldom　needed　any　inward　physic；　or　outward　applications：　but　especially　how　ingeniously　he　would　yield　to　any　that　had　obtained　any　peculiar　faculty；　as　either　eloquence；　or　the　knowledge　of　the　laws；　or　of　ancient　customs；　or　the　like；　and　how　he　concurred　with　them；　in　his　best　care　and　endeavour　that　every　one　of　them　might　in　his　kind；　for　that　wherein　he　excelled；　be　regarded　and　esteemed：　and　although　he　did　all　things　carefully　after　the　ancient　customs　of　his　forefathers；　yet　even　of　this　was　he　not　desirous　that　men　should　take　notice；　that　he　did　imitate　ancient　customs。　Again；　how　he　was　not　easily　moved　and　tossed　up　and　down；　but　loved　to　be　constant；　both　in　the　same　places　and　businesses；　and　how　after　his　great　fits　of　headache　he　would　return　fresh　and　vigorous　to　his　wonted　affairs。　　Again；　that　secrets　he　neither　had　many；　nor　often；　and　such　only　as　concerned　public　matters：　his　discretion　and　moderation；　in　exhibiting　of　the　public　sights　and　shows　for　the　pleasure　and　pastime　of　the　people：　in　public　buildings。　　congiaries；　and　the　like。　　In　all　these　things；　having　a　respect　unto　men　only　as　men；　and　to　the　equity　of　the　things　themselves；　and　not　unto　the　glory　that　might　follow。　Never　wont　to　use　the　baths　at　unseasonable　hours；　no　builder；　never　curious；　or　solicitous；　either　about　his　meat；　or　about　the　workmanship；　or　colour　of　his　clothes；　or　about　anything　that　belonged　to　external　beauty。　In　all　his　conversation；　far　from　all　inhumanity；　all　boldness；　and　incivility；　all　greediness　and　impetuosity；　never　doing　anything　with　such　earnestness；　and　intention；　that　a　man　could　say　of　him；　that　he　did　sweat　about　it：　but　contrariwise；　all　things　distinctly；　as　at　leisure；　without　trouble；　orderly；　soundly；　and　agreeably。　　A　man　might　have　applied　that　to　him；　which　is　recorded　of　Socrates；　that　he　knew　how　to　want；　and　to　enjoy　those　things；　in　the　want　whereof；　most　men　show　themselves　weak；　and　in　the　fruition；　intemperate：　but　to　hold　out　firm　and　constant；　and　to　keep　within　the　compass　of　true　moderation　and　sobriety　in　either　estate；　is　proper　to　a　man；　who　hath　a　perfect　and　invincible　soul；　such　as　he　showed　himself　in　the　sickness　of　Maximus。
  XIV。　　From　the　gods　I　received　that　I　had　good　grandfathers；　and　parents；　a　good　sister；　good　masters；　good　domestics；　loving　kinsmen；　almost　all　that　I　have；　and　that　I　never　through　haste　and　rashness　transgressed　against　any　of　them；　notwithstanding　that　my　disposition　was　such；　as　that　such　a　thing　（if　occasion　had　been）　might　very　well　have　been　committed　by　me；　but　that　It　was　the　mercy　of　the　gods；　to　prevent　such　a　concurring　of　matters　and　occasions；　as　might　make　me　to　incur　this　blame。　That　I　was　not　long　brought　up　by　the　concubine　of　my　father；　that　I　preserved　the　flower　of　my　youth。　　That　I　took　not　upon　me　to　be　a　man　before　my　time；　but　rather　put　it　off　longer　than　I　needed。　That　I　lived　under　the　government　of　my　lord　and　father；　who　would　take　away　from　me　all　pride　and　vainglory；　and　reduce　me　to　that　conceit　and　opinion　that　it　was　not　impossible　for　a　prince　to　live　in　the　court　without　a　troop　of　guards　and　followers；　extraordinary　apparel；　such　and　such　torches　and　statues；　and　other　like　particulars　of　state　and　magnificence；　but　that　a　man　may　reduce　and　contract　himself　almost　to　the　state　of　a　private　man；　and　yet　for　all　that　not　to　become　the　more　base　and　remiss　in　those　public　matters　and　affairs；　wherein　power　and　authority　is　requisite。　That　I　have　had　such　a　brother；　who　by　his　own　example　might　stir　me　up　to　think　of　myself；　and　by　his　respect　and　love；　delight　and　please　me。　　That　I　have　got　ingen