thee　no　better　than　of　a　mere　brute；　and　of　an　ape。　　XIV。　　Not　as　though　thou　hadst　thousands　of　years　to　live。　　Death　hangs　over　thee：　whilst　yet　thou　livest；　whilst　thou　mayest；　be　good。
  XV。　　Now　much　time　and　leisure　doth　he　gain；　who　is　not　curious　to　know　what　his　neighbour　hath　said；　or　hath　done；　or　hath　attempted；　but　only　what　he　doth　himself；　that　it　may　be　just　and　holy？　or　to　express　it　in　Agathos'　words；　Not　to　look　about　upon　the　evil　conditions　of　others；　but　to　run　on　straight　in　the　line；　without　any　loose　and　extravagant　agitation。
  XVI。　　He　who　is　greedy　of　credit　and　reputation　after　his　death；　doth　not　consider；　that　they　themselves　by　whom　he　is　remembered；　shall　soon　after　every　one　of　them　be　dead；　and　they　likewise　that　succeed　those；　until　at　last　all　memory；　which　hitherto　by　the　succession　of　men　admiring　and　soon　after　dying　hath　had　its　course；　be　quite　extinct。　But　suppose　that　both　they　that　shall　remember　thee；　and　thy　memory　with　them　should　be　immortal；　what　is　that　to　thee？　I　will　not　say　to　thee　after　thou　art　dead；　but　even　to　thee　living；　what　is　thy　praise？　　But　only　for　a　secret　and　politic　consideration；　which　we　call　oikonomian　or　dispensation。　　For　as　for　that；　that　it　is　the　gift　of　nature；　whatsoever　is　commended　in　thee；　what　might　be　objected　from　thence；　let　that　now　that　we　are　upon　another　consideration　be　omitted　as　unseasonable。　That　which　is　fair　and　goodly；　whatsoever　it　be；　and　in　what　respect　soever　it　be；　that　it　is　fair　and　goodly；　it　is　so　of　itself；　and　terminates　in　itself；　not　admitting　praise　as　a　part　or　member：　that　therefore　which　is　praised；　is　not　thereby　made　either　better　or　worse。　　This　I　understand　even　of　those　things；　that　are　commonly　called　fair　and　good；　as　those　which　are　commended　either　for　the　matter　itself；　or　for　curious　workmanship。　As　for　that　which　is　truly　good；　what　can　it　stand　in　need　of　more　than　either　justice　or　truth　；　or　more　than　either　kindness　and　modesty？　　Which　of　all　those；　either　becomes　good　or　fair；　because　commended；　or　dispraised　suffers　any　damage？　Doth　the　emerald　become　worse　in　itself；　or　more　vile　if　it　be　not　commended？　　Doth　gold；　or　ivory；　or　purple？　Is　there　anything　that　doth　though　never　so　common；　as　a　knife；　a　flower；　or　a　tree？
  XVII。　　If　so　be　that　the　souls　remain　after　death　（say　they　that　will　not　believe　it）；　how　is　the　air　from　all　eternity　able　to　contain　them？　How　is　the　earth　（say　I）　ever　from　that　time　able　to　Contain　the　bodies　of　them　that　are　buried？　　For　as　here　the　change　and　resolution　of　dead　bodies　into　another　kind　of　subsistence　（whatsoever　it　be；）　makes　place　for　other　dead　bodies　：　so　the　souls　after　death　transferred　into　the　air；　after　they　have　conversed　there　a　while；　are　either　by　way　of　transmutation；　or　transfusion；　or　conflagration；　received　again　into　that　original　rational　substance；　from　which　all　others　do　proceed：　and　so　give　way　to　those　souls；　who　before　coupled　and　associated　unto　bodies；　now　begin　to　subsist　single。　　This；　upon　a　supposition　that　the　souls　after　death　do　for　a　while　subsist　single；　may　be　answered。　And　here；　（besides　the　number　of　bodies；　so　buried　and　contained　by　the　earth）；　we　may　further　consider　the　number　of　several　beasts；　eaten　by　us　men；　and　by　other　creatures。　　For　notwithstanding　that　such　a　multitude　of　them　is　daily　consumed；　and　as　it　were　buried　in　the　bodies　of　the　eaters；　yet　is　the　same　place　and　body　able　to　contain　them；　by　reason　of　their　conversion；　partly　into　blood；　partly　into　air　and　fire。　　What　in　these　things　is　the　speculation　of　truth？　to　divide　things　into　that　which　is　passive　and　material；　and　that　which　is　active　and　formal。
  XVIII。　　Not　to　wander　out　of　the　way；　but　upon　every　motion　and　desire；　to　perform　that　which　is　just：　　and　ever　to　be　careful　to　attain　to　the　true　natural　apprehension　of　every　fancy；　that　presents　itself。
  XIX。　　Whatsoever　is　expedient　unto　thee；　O　World；　is　expedient　unto　me；　nothing　can　either　be　'unseasonable　unto　me；　or　out　of　date；　which　unto　thee　is　seasonable。　　Whatsoever　thy　seasons　bear；　shall　ever　by　me　be　esteemed　as　happy　fruit；　and　increase。　O　Nature！　from　thee　are　all　things；　in　thee　all　things　subsist；　and　to　thee　all　tend。　　Could　he　say　of　Athens；　Thou　lovely　city　of　Cecrops；　and　shalt　not　thou　say　of　the　world；　Thou　lovely　city　of　God？
  XX。　　They　will　say　commonly；　Meddle　not　with　many　things；　if　thou　wilt　live　cheerfully。　　Certainly　there　is　nothing　better；　than　for　a　man　to　confine　himself　to　necessary　actions；　to　such　and　so　many　only；　as　reason　in　a　creature　that　knows　itself　born　for　society；　will　command　and　enjoin。　　This　will　not　only　procure　that　cheerfulness；　which　from　the　goodness；　but　that　also；　which　from　the　paucity　of　actions　doth　usually　proceed。　For　since　it　is　so；　that　most　of　those　things；　which　we　either　speak　or　do；　are　unnecessary；　if　a　man　shall　cut　them　off；　it　must　needs　follow　that　he　shall　thereby　gain　much　leisure；　and　save　much　trouble；　and　therefore　at　every　action　a　man　must　privately　by　way　of　admonition　suggest　unto　himself；　What？　may　not　this　that　now　I　go　about；　be　of　the　number　of　unnecessary　actions？　Neither　must　he　use　himself　to　cut　off　actions　only；　but　thoughts　and　imaginations　also；　that　are　unnecessary　for　so　will　unnecessary　consequent　actions　the　better　be　prevented　and　cut　off。
  XXI。　　Try　also　how　a　good　man's　life；　（of　one；　who　is　well　pleased　with　those　things　whatsoever；　which　among　the　common　changes　and　chances　of　this　world　fall　to　his　own　lot　and　share；　and　can　live　well　contented　and　fully　satisfied　in　the　justice　of　his　own　proper　present　action；　and　in　the　goodness　of　his　disposition　for　the　future：）　will　agree　with　thee。　　Thou　hast　had　experience　of　that　other　kind　of　life　：　make　now　trial　of　this　also。　　Trouble　not　thyself　any　more　henceforth；　reduce　thyself　unto　perfect　simplicity。　Doth　any　man　offend？　　It　is　against　himself　that　he　doth　offend：　why　should　it　trouble　thee？　　Hath　anything　happened　unto　thee　？　It　is　well；　whatsoever　it　be；　it　is　that　which　of　all　the　common　chances　of　the　world　from　the　very　beginning　in　the　series　of　all　other　things　that　have；　or　shall　happen；　was　destinated　and　appointed　unto　thee。　To　comprehend　all　in　a　few　words；　our　life　is　short；　we　must　endeavour　to　gain　the　present　time　with　best　discretion　and　justice。　Use　recreation　with　sobriety。　　XXII。　　Either　this　world　is　a　kosmoz　or　comely　piece；　because　all　disposed　and　governed　by　certain　order：　or　if　it　be　a　mixture；　though　confused；　yet　still　it　is　a　comely　piece。　For　is　it　possible　that　in　thee　there　should　be　any　beauty　at　all；　and　that　in　the　whole　world　there　should　be　nothing　but　disorder　and　confusion？　and　all　things　in　it　too；　by　natural　different　properties　one　from　another　differenced　and　distinguished；　and　yet　all　through　diffused；　and　by　natural　sympathy；　one　to　another　united；　as　they　are？
  XXIII。　　A　black　or　malign　disposition；　an　effeminate　disposition；　an　hard　inexorable　disposition；　a　wild　inhuman　disposition；　a　sheepish　disposition；　a　childish　disposition；　a　blockish；　a　false；　a　scurril；　a　fraudulent；　a　tyrannical：　　what　then？　If　he　be　a　stranger　in　the　world；　that　knows　not　the　things　that　are　in　it；　why　not　he　a　stranger　as　well；　that　wonders　at　the　things　that　are　done　in　it？
  XXIV。　　He　is　a　true　fugitive；　that　flies　from　reason；　by　which　men　are　sociable。　　He　blind；　who　cannot　see　with　the　eyes　of　his　understanding。　　He　poor；　that　stands　in　need　of　another；　and　hath　not　in　himself　all　things　needful　for　this　life。　He　an　aposteme　of　the　world；　who　by　being　discontented　with　those　things　that　happen　unto　him　in　the　world；　doth　as　it　were　apostatise；　and　separate　himself　from　common　nature's　rational　administration。　For　the　same　nature　it　is　that　brings　this　unto　thee；　whatsoever　it　be；　that　first　brought　thee　into　the　world。　He　raises　sedition　in　the　city；　who　by　irrational　actions　withdraws　his　own　soul　from　that　one　and　common　soul　of　all　rational　creatures。
  XXV。　　There　is；　who　without　so　much　as　a　coat；　and　there　is；　who　without　so　much　as　a　book；　doth　put　philosophy　in　practice。　　I　am　half　naked；　neither　have　I　bread　to　eat；　and　yet　I　depart　not　from　reason；　saith　one。　But　I　say；　I　want　the　food　of　good　teaching；　and　instructions；　and　yet　I　depart　not　from　reason。　　XXVI。　　What　art　and　profession　soever　thou　hast　learned；　endeavour　to　affect　it；　and　comfort　thyself　in　it；　and　pass　the　remainder　of　thy　life　as　one　who　from　his　whole　heart　commits　himself　and　whatsoever　belongs　unto　him；　unto　the　gods：　and　as　for　men；　carry　not　thyself　either　tyrannically　or　servilely　towards　any。　　XXVII。　　Consider　in　my　mind；　for　example's　sake；　the　times　of　Vespasian：　　thou　shalt　see　but　the　same　things：　some　marrying；　some　bringing　up　children；　some　sick；　some　dying；　some　fighting；　some　feasting；　some　merchan…dising；　some　tilling；　some　flattering；　some　boasting；　some　suspecting；　some　undermining；　some　wishing　to　die；　some　fretting　and　murmuring　at　their　present　estate；　some　wooing；　some　hoarding；　some　seeking　after　magistracies；　and　some　after　kingdoms。　　And　is　not　that　their　age　quite　over；　and　ended？　Again；　consider　now　the　times　of　Trajan。　　There　likewise　thou　seest　the　very　self…same　things；　and　that　age　also　is　now