grievous, if not more: Because it hath no certain Bounds, nor can contain and rest it felf in any Thing. Both are very contrary to Tranquillity, To be able to alter Nothing, and to endure Nothing.

XV.

A fimple, and a kind of careless Behaviour is beft alfo for those who would live in Tranquillity. They cannot be happy, who, as Seneca is wont to fpeak, do anxiè fe componere; compofe themselves, and form their Behaviour with an anxious Study and Care. Such a conftant Obfervation of thémfelves in every fmall Thing, torments and racks tliem. It cannot be a pleafant Life, becaufe too follicitous; though all Things fhould fucceed as they defire. But that is not to be expected; and therefore as there is no End of their Cares, fo their Vexation is perpetual; because many Things will ftill fall out against their Wills. They are furprized oftentimes, and do not appear the fame as ufually. This they are afraid of, and when it happens, they fret to be found out of their fet and studied Garb and Way. On the contrary, what Pleafure is there in a fincere, unaffected, and felfadorned Simplicity, which feigns nothing, but fhows it felf as it is? Some may defpife it, but it is better to bear that Defpifal, than to be tormented with perpetual Conftraints, in the acting of a Perfon which is not our felves.

This Rule of Seneca I take to be the fame with that of Antoninus, which is brief and eafily remembred, Ἐπὶ τω σύντομον ἀεὶ Tpene, ever go the shortest Way;

and

Lib.4. Se&.7.

the shortest Way is that of Nature, for it is ftreight on; and a Right Line, which hath no Crookedness, is always the fhorteft.

to this is another Rule, which is,

XVI.

Near of kin

To avoid too much Nicenefs and Curiosity in all Things; For this is an Humour, which is very hard to pleafe; it is fo wanton that it regards not what it hath, and will not be inuch better fatisfied with what it defires: And truly it is a Sign that fuch Perfons are in no great need of what they crave; if they had lefs they would be more thankful, even for thofe very things which they now contemn. According to the Proverb among the Hebrews, Qui infufflat poculo fuo non Jitit, He is not a Thirft that blows into his Cup: That is fo curious, they mean, as to stand to to blow away the Froth. Again,

XVII.

A Man that would live in Peace, muft not much regard the vain Cenfures of others, and their trifiing Opinions of him. No Man's Efteem is worth any thing, but his who lives according to Nature, faith Antoninus; as for other Men, remember but how they live at home, and how abroad; how they are in the Night, and how in the Day; who the Perfons are that they mingle Bb themfelves

themselves withal and make their Companions, and you will never think the Praife of fuch Men worth any thing, nor that it is worth your Pains to study to please those, who cannot tell always how to please themfelves: I might add, that their Calumnies are no more to be regarded neither: For if we defpife them, they gain no Belief at all; whereas if we receive them with Anger and Defire of Revenge, they will be confirmed with many, and feem to be confeffed and acknowledged.

27. Petro,

This is a certain Rule, which EraLib.2. Ep. fmus inculcates to a great Friend of his, Ægidio. Verè magni eft animi, &c. It is truly the Part of a noble and great Mind to neglect fome Injuries, and to have neither Cares nor Tongue for fome Mens Reproaches. And this is as certain, that we can never be at Rest, if, ad rumorem componimur, we form and shape our felves according to the common Talk and Rumour: We must not follow other Mens Opinions, but our own; nor fashion our Behaviour and Conversation according to their Humour, but our own Reafon: Nothing hath intangled Men in greater Mischiefs than this, that they are overborn by the common Cry, and fuffer themselves to be governed by the Fancies, and the Discourfes, and the Cenfures of the Multitude. This makes even That feem beft which is received with greatest Applaufe and common Confent; fo that Men do not live according to their own Mind, but after the Mode: By this Means, faith Seneca, the whole World is undone; for

as

as you fee it is in a great Crowd, when many People thrust and prefs one another, if one fall he draws a great many after him; fo it is here, the first deftroys thofe that follow; no Man errs, but he is the Caufe of Error to another; Men follow their Leaders, and while every Man had rather believe than judge, we never judge of Life it felf, but always go upon Credit. I mention this, becaufe it fprings many times from the foolish Awe wherein we ftand of the Opinion of others concerning us, which makes us go, not as we should, but in their Road.

Since Men are so apt therefore to follow one another in Folly, it will be fit to add this as the next Rule.

XVIII.

Be curious in choofing your Company; always fhunning that which is bad: For there is great Danger, as the aforefaid Author hath well noted, in the Converfation of thofe who are unlike us. It disorders fome Thing that was well compofed, it renews ill Affections, and whatsoever is weak or not well cured in the Mind, it exulcerates and makes it fore again. Behold this rotten Apple faid Hier. Cardan. to a young Man whom he was diffwading from ill Society, it hath corrupted a whole Heap of good Fruit; but fhew me, if thou canst any Heap of found Apples, tho' never fo great, that could cure one which was rotten. It is a certain Truth, Pravi femper obfunt, etiamfi benevolos fe fimulant; Naughty

Bb 2

Men

Men ever do us Hurt, tho' they carry themselves as if they had a good Will to us; therefore let them be avoided, and fuffer not your own, or their good Nature, to deceive you into their FellowThip, to which Mifchief you will be the lefs prone, if you can learn to be good Company for your felves. Thefe two indeed are to take their Turns, Company and Solitude; the former of which will make us have a Defire of our felves, and the latter of other Men; one of them will be a Remedy for the other, for Solitude will cure the Loathing we may have of Company, and Company again will take away the Tediousness of Solitude. But let us never be fo weary of our felves, as to prefer any fort of Company before being alone. Let it be good, for elle we are better without them, though we be never fo dull and indifpofed. Again,

θυμίας.

ΧΙΧ.

Plutarch, I remember, advifes, that when we are alone, we would take into our Company, excellent Men who are gone before us, tos dos Sewper; as his Words are, confider L. Пsels well and propound to our felves the Examples of famous Men who have born Affliction equally. And he hath a long Difcourfe to show, that this Contemplation conduces much to Compofure of Mind; and Inftances in many great Men among their Heathen Worthies, who had done nobly in their Generations: But there are no Patterns of Contentment and Patience like those which the holy Scriptures have fet before

us,