MEDITATIONS. BOOK VII. §. 1. WHAT is this wickednefs, which you thus complain of?* Nothing more than what you have already often seen. And indeed, to whatever comes to pass, you may apply the fame remark"It is what I have before often seen. And, * Our ancestors complained, we complain, and poste rity will complain: That our manners are degenerate, that vice prevails, and that human affairs are rapidly tending to the very abyfs of profligacy and wickedness. Sed hominum funt ista, non temporûm. SEN. Ep. 97. "These are the faults of men, not of the times." in general, if you reflect on what paffes around you, you will find that all the events of the prefent age are but what the histories of every age, of every city, and of every There is nothing new; the fame things are commonly repeated, and are of fhort duration. family, are full of. 2. Those wife maxims [fo effential to happiness] can never be entirely erafed from your mind, unless the ideas which gave birth to them are extinguished; which, however, it is in your power (and it is very much your intereft) frequently to rekindle in your mind. It is in my power to form a proper opinion of every incident; why then do I fuffer any perturbation of mind? Nothing external has any coercive power over my fentiments. Be firm in this perfuafion, and you will be happy. You will also have this further advantage, by thus recollecting paft events, that you will, in fome measure, live over again the time that is past. 3. A fondness for pompous profeffions, grand exhibitions on the ftage, or skirmishes in the amphitheatre; the care of flocks and herds; herds; these are some of the folemn amusements of mankind; and are of much the fame importance as the quarrelling of dogs for a bone, of fishes catching at a bait, an hillock of ants in an uproar about carrying a grain of corn, of mice scampering across a room in a fright, or puppets danced on wires. Such is the bustle of human life! Let us, however, amidst this ludicrous scene of things not be out of humour, but contemplate it with complacency and benevolence; remembering always to estimate the value of men by the utility of those employments on which they beftow their attention. 4. In every difcourfe, attend to what is faid; and in every action, obferve what is done. In the one, confider the end to which it is directed; in the other, the fense of the words and the views of the speaker. 5. Have I abilities for the business in hand, or not? If I have, I will make use of the talents, as given me by Providence for this purpofe; if I have not, I will either refign the affair to one better qualified to execute it; or if it be an indifpenfible part of my own duty, in that cafe, I will perform it to the best of my power; taking to my affistance one, who, under my directions, can accomplish it; that the public may not fuffer by the opportunity being loft. For, whatever I do, either alone, or in conjunction with another, ought to have nothing in view but what is conducive to the good of the community.* 6. How many much-celebrated men are now configned to oblivion! how many also of thofe, who concurred in celebrating them, are themselves now entirely forgotten! 7. Be not ashamed to receive affistance, when neceffary. Your business is to perform your duty, like a foldier on ftorming a town. Suppose you were lamed, and unable to mount the walls alone, would you refuse the affiftance of your comrade? 8. Be not folicitous about future poffibilities. You will encounter them when they approach, under the conduct of the fame rea * The Emperor's known conduct gives dignity to these fentiments. fon |