es　and　commonwealths。　We　may　also　foresee　things　future；　for　they　shall　all　be　of　the　same　kind；　neither　is　it　possible　that　they　should　leave　the　tune；　or　break　the　concert　that　is　now　begun；　as　it　were；　by　these　things　that　are　now　done　and　brought　to　pass　in　the　world。　It　comes　all　to　one　therefore；　whether　a　man　be　a　spectator　of　the　things　of　this　life　but　forty　years；　or　whether　he　see　them　ten　thousand　years　together：　　for　what　shall　he　see　more？　'And　as　for　those　parts　that　came　from　the　earth；　they　shall　return　unto　the　earth　again；　and　those　that　came　from　heaven；　they　also　shall　return　unto　those　heavenly　places。'　Whether　it　be　a　mere　dissolution　and　unbinding　of　the　manifold　intricacies　and　entanglements　of　the　confused　atoms；　or　some　such　dispersion　of　the　simple　and　incorruptible　elements　。　。　。　'With　meats　and　drinks　and　divers　charms；　they　seek　to　divert　the　channel；　that　they　might　not　die。　Yet　must　we　needs　endure　that　blast　of　wind　that　cometh　from　above；　though　we　toil　and　labour　never　so　much。'
  XXVIII。　　He　hath　a　stronger　body；　and　is　a　better　wrestler　than　I。　What　then？　　Is　he　more　bountiful？　is　he　more　modest？　Doth　he　bear　all　adverse　chances　with　more　equanimity：　or　with　his　neighbour's　offences　with　more　meekness　and　gentleness　than　I？
  XXIX。　　Where　the　matter　may　be　effected　agreeably　to　that　reason；　which　both　unto　the　Gods　and　men　is　common；　there　can　be　no　just　cause　of　grief　or　sorrow。　　For　where　the　fruit　and　benefit　of　an　action　well　begun　and　prosecuted　according　to　the　proper　constitution　of　man　may　be　reaped　and　obtained；　or　is　sure　and　certain；　it　is　against　reason　that　any　damage　should　there　be　suspected。　In　all　places；　and　at　all　times；　it　is　in　thy　power　religiously　to　embrace　whatsoever　by　God's　appointment　is　happened　unto　thee；　and　justly　to　converse　with　those　men；　whom　thou　hast　to　do　with；　and　accurately　to　examine　every　fancy　that　presents　itself；　that　nothing　may　slip　and　steal　in；　before　thou　hast　rightly　apprehended　the　true　nature　of　it。
  XXX。　　Look　not　about　upon　other　men's　minds　and　understandings；　but　look　right　on　forwards　whither　nature；　both　that　of　the　universe；　in　those　things　that　happen　unto　thee；　and　thine　in　particular；　in　those　things　that　are　done　by　thee：　　doth　lead；　and　direct　thee。　Now　every　one　is　bound　to　do　that；　which　is　consequent　and　agreeable　to　that　end　which　by　his　true　natural　constitution　he　was　ordained　unto。　As　for　all　other　things；　they　are　ordained　for　the　use　of　reasonable　creatures：　　as　in　all　things　we　see　that　that　which　is　worse　and　inferior；　is　made　for　that　which　is　better。　Reasonable　creatures；　they　are　ordained　one　for　another。　That　therefore　which　is　chief　in　every　man's　constitution；　is；　that　he　intend　the　common　good。　　The　second　is；　that　he　yield　not　to　any　lusts　and　motions　of　the　flesh。　　For　it　is　the　part　and　privilege　of　the　reasonable　and　intellective　faculty；　that　she　can　so　bound　herself；　as　that　neither　the　sensitive；　nor　the　appetitive　faculties；　may　not　anyways　prevail　upon　her。　For　both　these　are　brutish。　　And　therefore　over　both　she　challengeth　mastery；　and　cannot　anyways　endure；　if　in　her　right　temper；　to　be　subject　unto　either。　　And　this　indeed　most　justly。　For　by　nature　she　was　ordained　to　command　all　in　the　body。　The　third　thing　proper　to　man　by　his　constitution；　is；　to　avoid　all　rashness　and　pre…cipitancy；　and　not　to　be　subject　to　error。　To　these　things　then；　let　the　mind　apply　herself　and　go　straight　on；　without　any　distraction　about　other　things；　and　she　hath　her　end；　and　by　consequent　her　happiness。
  XXXI。　　As　one　who　had　lived；　and　were　now　to　die　by　right；　whatsoever　is　yet　remaining；　bestow　that　wholly　as　a　gracious　overplus　upon　a　virtuous　life。　　Love　and　affect　that　only；　whatsoever　it　be　that　happeneth；　and　is　by　the　fates　appointed　unto　thee。　　For　what　can　be　more　reasonable？　And　as　anything　doth　happen　unto　thee　by　way　of　cross；　or　calamity；　call　to　mind　presently　and　set　before　thine　eyes；　the　examples　of　some　other　men；　to　whom　the　self…same　thing　did　once　happen　likewise。　　Well；　what　did　they？　　They　grieved；　they　wondered　；　they　complained。　　And　where　are　they　now？　All　dead　and　gone。　　Wilt　thou　also　be　like　one　of　them？　Or　rather　leaving　to　men　of　the　world　（whose　life　both　in　regard　of　themselves；　and　them　that　they　converse　with；　is　nothing　but　mere　mutability；　or　men　of　as　fickle　minds；　as　fickle　bodies；　ever　changing　and　soon　changed　themselves：　let　it　be　thine　only　care　and　study；　how　to　make　a　right　use　of　all　such　accidents。　　For　there　is　good　use　to　be　made　of　them；　and　they　will　prove　fit　matter　for　thee　to　work　upon；　if　it　shall　be　both　thy　care　and　thy　desire；　that　whatsoever　thou　doest；　thou　thyself　mayst　like　and　approve　thyself　for　it。　And　both　these；　see；　that　thou　remember　well；　according　as　the　diversity　of　the　matter　of　the　action　that　thou　art　about　shall　require。　　Look　within；　within　is　the　fountain　of　all　good。　Such　a　fountain；　where　springing　waters　can　never　fail；　so　thou　dig　still　deeper　and　deeper。　　XXXII。　　Thou　must　use　thyself　also　to　keep　thy　body　fixed　and　steady；　free　from　all　loose　fluctuant　either　motion；　or　posture。　And　as　upon　thy　face　and　looks；　thy　mind　hath　easily　power　over　them　to　keep　them　to　that　which　is　grave　and　decent；　so　let　it　challenge　the　same　power　over　the　whole　body　also。　But　so　observe　all　things　in　this　kind；　as　that　it　be　without　any　manner　of　affectation。
  XXXIII。　　The　art　of　true　living　in　this　world　is　more　like　a　wrestler's；　than　a　dancer's　practice。　　For　in　this　they　both　agree；　to　teach　a　man　whatsoever　falls　upon　him；　that　he　may　be　ready　for　it；　and　that　nothing　may　cast　him　down。
  XXXIV。　　Thou　must　continually　ponder　and　consider　with　thyself；　what　manner　of　men　they　be；　and　for　their　minds　and　understandings　what　is　their　present　estate；　whose　good　word　and　testimony　thou　dost　desire。　　For　then　neither　wilt　thou　see　cause　to　complain　of　them　that　offend　against　their　wills；　or　find　any　want　of　their　applause；　if　once　thou　dost　but　penetrate　into　the　true　force　and　ground　both　of　their　opinions；　and　of　their　desires。　'No　soul　（saith　he）　is　willingly　bereft　of　the　truth；'　and　by　consequent；　neither　of　justice；　or　temperance；　or　kindness；　and　mildness；　nor　of　anything　that　is　of　the　same　kind。　It　is　most　needful　that　thou　shouldst　always　remember　this。　For　so　shalt　thou　be　far　more　gentle　and　moderate　towards　all　men。
  XXXV。　　What　pain　soever　thou　art　in；　let　this　presently　come　to　thy　mind；　that　it　is　not　a　thing　whereof　thou　needest　to　be　ashamed；　neither　is　it　a　thing　whereby　thy　understanding；　that　hath　the　government　of　all；　can　be　made　worse。　　For　neither　in　regard　of　the　substance　of　it；　nor　in　regard　of　the　end　of　it　（which　is；　to　intend　the　common　good）　can　it　alter　and　corrupt　it。　This　also　of　Epicurus　mayst　thou　in　most　pains　find　some　help　of；　that　it　is　'neither　intolerable；　nor　eternal；'　so　thou　keep　thyself　to　the　true　bounds　and　limits　of　reason　and　give　not　way　to　opinion。　This　also　thou　must　consider；　that　many　things　there　be；　which　oftentimes　unsensibly　trouble　and　vex　thee；　as　not　armed　against　them　with　patience；　because　they　go　not　ordinarily　under　the　name　of　pains；　which　in　very　deed　are　of　the　same　nature　as　pain；　as　to　slumber　unquietly；　to　suffer　heat；　to　want　appetite：　when　therefore　any　of　these　things　make　thee　discontented；　check　thyself　with　these　words：　　Now　hath　pain　given　thee　the　foil；　thy　courage　hath　failed　thee。
  XXXVI。　　Take　heed　lest　at　any　time　thou　stand　so　affected；　though　towards　unnatural　evil　men；　as　ordinary　men　are　commonly　one　towards　another。
  XXXVII。　　How　know　we　whether　Socrates　were　so　eminent　indeed；　and　of　so　extraordinary　a　disposition？　　For　that　he　died　more　gloriously；　that　he　disputed　with　the　Sophists　more　subtilly；　that　he　watched　in　the　frost　more　assiduously；　that　being　commanded　to　fetch　innocent　Salaminius；　he　refused　to　do　it　more　generously；　all　this　will　not　serve。　Nor　that　he　walked　in　the　streets；　with　much　gravity　and　majesty；　as　was　objected　unto　him　by　his　adversaries：　　which　nevertheless　a　man　may　well　doubt　of；　whether　it　were　so　or　no；　or；　which　above　all　the　rest；　if　so　be　that　it　were　true；　a　man　would　well　consider　of；　whether　commendable；　or　dis…commendable。　The　thing　therefore　that　we　must　inquire　into；　is　this；　what　manner　of　soul　Socrates　had：　whether　his　disposition　was　such；　as　that　all　that　he　stood　upon；　and　sought　after　in　this　world；　was　barely　this；　that　he　might　ever　carry　himself　justly　towards　men；　and　holily　towards　the　Gods。　Neither　vexing　himself　to　no　purpose　at　the　wickedness　of　others；　nor　yet　ever　condescending　to　any　man's　evil　fact；　or　evil　intentions；　through　either　fear；　or　engagement　of　friendship。　Whether　of　those　things　that　happened　unto　him　by　God's　appointment；　he　neither　did　wonder　at　any　when　it　did　happen；　or　thought　it　intolerable　in　the　trial　of　it。　　And　lastly；　whether　he　never　did　suffer　his　mind　to　sympathise　with　the　senses；　and　affections　of　the　body。　For　we　must　not　think　that　Nature　hath　so　mixed　and　tempered　it　with　the　body；　as　that　she　hath　not　power　to　circumscribe　herself；　and　by　herself　to　intend　her　own　ends　and　occasions。
  XXXVIII。　　For　it　is　a　thing　very　possible；　that　a　man　should　be　a　very　divine　man