XVIII。　　Make　it　not　any　longer　a　matter　of　dispute　or　discourse；　what　are　the　signs　and　proprieties　of　a　good　man；　but　really　and　actually　to　be　such。
  XIX。　　Ever　to　represent　unto　thyself；　and　to　set　before　thee；　both　the　general　age　and　time　of　the　world；　and　the　whole　substance　of　it。　And　how　all　things　particular　in　respect　of　these　are　for　their　substance；　as　one　of　the　least　seeds　that　is：　　and　for　their　duration；　as　the　turning　of　the　pestle　in　the　mortar　once　about。　　Then　to　fix　thy　mind　upon　every　particular　object　of　the　world；　and　to　conceive　it；　（as　it　is　indeed；）　as　already　being　in　the　state　of　dissolution；　and　of　change；　tending　to　some　kind　of　either　putrefaction　or　dispersion；　or　whatsoever　else　it　is；　that　is　the　death　as　it　were　of　everything　in　his　own　kind。
  XX。　　Consider　them　through　all　actions　and　occupations；　of　their　lives：　as　when　they　eat；　and　when　they　sleep：　　when　they　are　in　the　act　of　necessary　exoneration；　and　when　in　the　act　of　lust。　　Again；　when　they　either　are　in　their　greatest　exultation；　and　in　the　middle　of　all　their　pomp　and　glory；　or　being　angry　and　displeased；　in　great　state　and　majesty；　as　from　an　higher　place；　they　chide　and　rebuke。　How　base　and　slavish；　but　a　little　while　ago；　they　were　fain　to　be；　that　they　might　come　to　this；　and　within　a　very　little　while　what　will　be　their　estate；　when　death　hath　once　seized　upon　them。
  XXI。　　That　is　best　for　every　one；　that　the　common　nature　of　all　doth　send　unto　every　one；　and　then　is　it　best；　when　she　doth　send　it。
  XXII。　　The　earth；　saith　the　poet；　doth　often　long　after　the　rain。　So　is　the　glorious　sky　often　as　desirous　to　fall　upon　the　earth；　which　argues　a　mutual　kind　of　love　between　them。　　And　so　（say　I）　doth　the　world　bear　a　certain　affection　of　love　to　whatsoever　shall　come　to　pass　With　thine　affections　shall　mine　concur；　O　world。　　The　same　（and　no　other）　shall　the　object　of　my　longing　be　which　is　of　thine。　Now　that　the　world　doth　love　it　is　true　indeed　so　is　it　as　commonly　said；　and　acknowledged　ledged；　when；　according　to　the　Greek　phrase；　imitated　by　the　Latins；　of　things　that　used　to　be；　we　say　commonly；　that　they　love　to　be。
  XXIII。　　Either　thou　dost　Continue　in　this　kind　of　life　and　that　is　it；　which　so　long　thou　hast　been　used　unto　and　therefore　tolerable：　or　thou　doest　retire；　or　leave　the　world；　and　that　of　thine　own　accord；　and　then　thou　hast　thy　mind：　　or　thy　life　is　cut　off；　and　then　mayst。　　thou　rejoice　that　thou　hast　ended　thy　charge。　One　of　these　must　needs　be。　　Be　therefore　of　good　comfort。　XXIV　Let　it　always　appear　and　be　manifest　unto　thee　that　solitariness；　and　desert　places；　by　many　philosophers　so　much　esteemed　of　and　affected；　are　of　themselves　but　thus　and　thus；　and　that　all　things　are　them　to　them　that　live　in　towns；　and　converse　with　others　as　they　are　the　same　nature　everywhere　to　be　seen　and　observed：　to　them　that　have　retired　themselves　to　the　top　of　mountains；　and　to　desert　havens；　or　what　other　desert　and　inhabited　places　soever。　For　anywhere　it　thou　wilt　mayest　thou　quickly　find　and　apply　that　to　thyself；　which　Plato　saith　of　his　philosopher；　in　a　place：　as　private　and　retired；　saith　he；　as　if　he　were　shut　up　and　enclosed　about　in　some　shepherd's　lodge；　on　the　top　of　a　hill。　　There　by　thyself　to　put　these　questions　to　thyself。　　or　to　enter　in　these　considerations：　What　is　my　chief　and　principal　part；　which　hath　power　over　the　rest？　What　is　now　the　present　estate　of　it；　as　I　use　it；　and　what　is　it；　that　I　employ　it　about？　　Is　it　now　void　of　reason　ir　no　？　Is　it　free；　and　separated；　or　so　affixed；　so　congealed　and　grown　together　as　it　were　with　the　flesh；　that　it　is　swayed　by　the　motions　and　inclinations　of　it？
  XXV。　　He　that　runs　away　from　his　master　is　a　fugitive。　　But　the　law　is　every　man's　master。　　He　therefore　that　forsakes　the　law；　is　a　fugitive。　So　is　he；　whosoever　he　be；　that　is　either　sorry；　angry；　or　afraid；　or　for　anything　that　either　hath　been；　is；　or　shall　be　by　his　appointment；　who　is　the　Lord　and　Governor　of　the　universe。　For　he　truly　and　properly　is　Nomoz；　or　the　law；　as　the　only　nemwn；　or　distributor　and　dispenser　of　all　things　that　happen　unto　any　one　in　his　lifetime…　Whatsoever　then　is　either　sorry；　angry；　or　afraid；　is　a　fugitive。
  XXVI。　　From　man　is　the　seed；　that　once　cast　into　the　womb　man　hath　no　more　to　do　with　it。　　Another　cause　succeedeth；　and　undertakes　the　work；　and　in　time　brings　a　child　（that　wonderful　effect　from　such　a　beginning！）　to　perfection。　　Again；　man　lets　food　down　through　his　throat；　and　that　once　down；　he　hath　no　more　to　do　with　it。　Another　cause　succeedeth　and　distributeth　this　food　into　the　senses；　and　the　affections：　　into　life；　and　into　strength；　and　doth　with　it　those　other　many　and　marvellous　things；　that　belong　unto　man。　These　things　therefore　that　are　so　secretly　and　invisibly　wrought　and　brought　to　pass；　thou　must　use　to　behold　and　contemplate；　and　not　the　things　themselves　only；　but　the　power　also　by　which　they　are　effected；　that　thou　mayst　behold　it；　though　not　with　the　eyes　of　the　body；　yet　as　plainly　and　visibly　as　thou　canst　see　and　discern　the　outward　efficient　cause　of　the　depression　and　elevation　of　anything。
  XXVII。　　Ever　to　mind　and　consider　with　thyself；　how　all　things　that　now　are；　have　been　heretofore　much　after　the　same　sort；　and　after　the　same　fashion　that　now　they　are：　　and　so　to　think　of　those　things　which　shall　be　hereafter　also。　　Moreover；　whole　dramata；　and　uniform　scenes；　or　scenes　that　comprehend　the　lives　and　actions　of　men　of　one　calling　and　profession；　as　many　as　either　in　thine　own　experience　thou　hast　known；　or　by　reading　of　ancient　histories；　（as　the　whole　court　of　Adrianus；　the　whole　court　of　Antoninus　Pius；　the　whole　court　of　Philippus；　that　of　Alexander；　that　of　Croesus）：　　to　set　them　all　before　thine　eyes。　For　thou　shalt　find　that　they　are　all　but　after　one　sort　and　fashion：　only　that　the　actors　were　others。
  XXVIII。　　As　a　pig　that　cries　and　flings　when　his　throat　is　cut；　fancy　to　thyself　every　one　to　be；　that　grieves　for　any　worldly　thing　and　takes　on。　　Such　a　one　is　he　also；　who　upon　his　bed　alone；　doth　bewail　the　miseries　of　this　our　mortal　life。　And　remember　this；　that　Unto　reasonable　creatures　only　it　is　granted　that　they　may　willingly　and　freely　submit　unto　Providence：　but　absolutely　to　submit；　is　a　necessity　imposed　upon　all　creatures　equally。
  XXIX。　　Whatsoever　it　is　that　thou　goest　about；　consider　of　it　by　thyself；　and　ask　thyself；　What？　because　I　shall　do　this　no　more　when　I　am　dead；　should　therefore　death　seem　grievous　unto　me？
  XXX。　　When　thou　art　offended　with　any　man's　transgression；　presently　reflect　upon　thyself；　and　consider　what　thou　thyself　art　guilty　of　in　the　same　kind。　　As　that　thou　also　perchance　dost　think　it　a　happiness　either　to　be　rich；　or　to　live　in　pleasure；　or　to　be　praised　and　commended；　and　so　of　the　rest　in　particular。　For　this　if　thou　shalt　call　to　mind；　thou　shalt　soon　forget　thine　anger；　especially　when　at　the　same　time　this　also　shall　concur　in　thy　thoughts；　that　he　was　constrained　by　his　error　and　ignorance　so　to　do：　for　how　can　he　choose　as　long　as　he　is　of　that　opinion？　Do　thou　therefore　if　thou　canst；　take　away　that　from　him；　that　forceth　him　to　do　as　he　doth。
  XXXI。　　When　thou　seest　Satyro；　think　of　Socraticus　and　Eutyches；　or　Hymen；　and　when　Euphrates；　think　of　Eutychio；　and　Sylvanus；　when　Alciphron；　of　Tropaeo…phorus；　when　Xenophon；　of　Crito；　or　Severus。　And　when　thou　doest　look　upon　thyself；　fancy　unto　thyself　some　one　or　other　of　the　Caasars；　and　so　for　every　one；　some　one　or　other　that　hath　been　for　estate　and　profession　answerable　unto　him。　Then　let　this　come　to　thy　mind　at　the　same　time；　and　where　now　are　they　all？　　Nowhere　or　anywhere？　　For　so　shalt　thou　at　all　time。　be　able　to　perceive　how　all　worldly　things　are　but　as　the　smoke；　that　vanisheth　away：　　or；　indeed；　mere　nothing。　　Espccially　when　thou　shalt　call　to　mind　this　also；　that　whatsoever　is　once　changed；　shall　never　be　again　as　long　as　the　world　endureth。　　And　thou　then；　how　long　shalt　thou　endure？　　And　why　doth　it　not　suffice　thee；　if　virtuously；　and　as　becometh　thee；　thou　mayest　pass　that　portion　of　time；　how　little　soever　it　be；　that　is　allotted　unto　thee？
  XXXII。　　What　a　subject；　and　what　a　course　of　life　is　it；　that　thou　doest　so　much　desire　to　be　rid　of。　　For　all　these　things；　what　are　they；　but　fit　objects　for　an　understanding；　that　beholdeth　everything　according　to　its　true　nature；　to　exercise　itself　upon？　Be　patient；　therefore；　until　that　（as　a　strong　stomach　that　turns　all　things　into　his　own　nature；　and　as　a　great　fire　that　turneth　in　flame　and　light；　whatsoever　thou　doest　cast　into　it）　thou　have　made　these　things　also　familiar；　and　as　it　were　natural　unto　thee。
  XXXIII。　　Let　it　not　be　in　any　man's　power；　to　say　truly　of　thee；　that　thou　art　not　truly　simple；　or　sincere　and　open；　or　not　good。　Let　him　be　deceived　whosoever　he　be　that　shall　have　any　such　opinion　of　thee。　　For　all　this　doth　depend　of　thee。　For　who　is　it　that　should　hinder　thee　from　being　either　truly　simple　or　good？　　Do　thou　only　resolve　rather　not　to　live；　than　not　to　be　such。　　For　indeed　neither　doth　it　stand　with　reason　that　he　should　live　that　is　not　such。　What　then　is　it　that　may　upon　this　present　occasion　according　to　best　r