the meditations-第30节

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ommitted；　didst　not　only　not　foresee　it；　but　moreover　dost　wonder　at　it；　that　such　a　thing　should　be。　But　then　especially；　when　thou　dost　find　fault　with　either　an　unthankful；　or　a　false　man；　must　thou　reflect　upon　thyself。　For　without　all　question；　thou　thyself　art　much　in　fault；　if　either　of　one　that　were　of　such　a　disposition；　thou　didst　expect　that　he　should　be　true　unto　thee：　or　when　unto　any　thou　didst　a　good　turn；　thou　didst　not　there　bound　thy　thoughts；　as　one　that　had　obtained　his　end；　nor　didst　not　think　that　from　the　action　itself　thou　hadst　received　a　full　reward　of　the　good　that　thou　hadst　done。　For　what　wouldst　thou　have　more？　　Unto　him　that　is　a　man；　thou　hast　done　a　good　turn：　　doth　not　that　suffice　thee？　What　thy　nature　required；　that　hast　thou　done。　　Must　thou　be　rewarded　for　it？　　As　if　either　the　eye　for　that　it　seeth；　or　the　feet　that　they　go；　should　require　satisfaction。　For　as　these　being　by　nature　appointed　for　such　an　use；　can　challenge　no　more；　than　that　they　may　work　according　to　their　natural　constitution：　　so　man　being　born　to　do　good　unto　others　whensoever　he　doth　a　real　good　unto　any　by　helping　them　out　of　error；　or　though　but　in　middle　things；　as　in　matter　of　wealth；　life；　preferment；　and　the　like；　doth　help　to　further　their　desires　he　doth　that　for　which　he　was　made；　and　therefore　can　require　no　more。


THE　TENTH　BOOK

I。　O　my　soul；　the　time　I　trust　will　be；　when　thou　shalt　be　good；　simple；　single；　more　open　and　visible；　than　that　body　by　which　it　is　enclosed。　　Thou　wilt　one　day　be　sensible　of　their　happincss；　whose　end　is　love；　and　their　affections　dead　to　all　worldly　things。　Thou　shalt　one　day　be　full；　and　in　want　of　no　external　thing：　not　seeking　pleasure　from　anything；　either　living　or　insensible；　that　this　world　can　afford；　neither　wanting　time　for　the　continuation　of　thy　pleasure；　nor　place　and　opportunity；　nor　the　favour　either　of　the　weather　or　of　men。　　When　thou　shalt　have　content　in　thy　present　estate；　and　all　things　present　shall　add　to　thy　content：　when　thou　shalt　persuade　thyself；　that　thou　hast　all　things；　all　for　thy　good；　and　all　by　the　providence　of　the　Gods：　and　of　things　future　also　shalt　be　as　confident；　that　all　will　do　well；　as　tending　to　the　maintenance　and　preservation　in　some　sort；　of　his　perfect　welfare　and　happiness；　who　is　perfection　of　life；　of　goodness；　and　beauty；　who　begets　all　things；　and　containeth　all　things　in　himself；　and　in　himself　doth　recollect　all　things　from　all　places　that　are　dissolved；　that　of　them　he　may　beget　others　again　like　unto　them。　Such　one　day　shall　be　thy　disposition；　that　thou　shalt　be　able；　both　in　regard　of　the　Gods；　and　in　regard　of　men；　so　to　fit　and　order　thy　conversation；　as　neither　to　complain　of　them　at　any　time；　for　anything　that　they　do；　nor　to　do　anything　thyself；　for　which　thou　mayest　justly　be　condemned。

II。　　As　one　who　is　altogether　governed　by　nature；　let　it　be　thy　care　to　observe　what　it　is　that　thy　nature　in　general　doth　require。　That　done；　if　thou　find　not　that　thy　nature；　as　thou　art　a　living　sensible　creature；　will　be　the　worse　for　it；　thou　mayest　proceed。　Next　then　thou　must　examine；　what　thy　nature　as　thou　art　a　living　sensible　creature；　doth　require。　　And　that；　whatsoever　it　be；　thou　mayest　admit　of　and　do　it；　if　thy　nature　as　thou　art　a　reasonable　living　creature；　will　not　be　the　worse　for　it。　Now　whatsoever　is　reasonable；　is　also　sociable；　Keep　thyself　to　these　rules；　and　trouble　not　thyself　about　idle　things。

III。　　Whatsoever　doth　happen　unto　thee；　thou　art　naturally　by　thy　natural　constitution　either　able；　or　not　able　to　bear。　If　thou　beest　able；　be　not　offended；　but　bear　it　according　to　thy　natural　constitution；　or　as　nature　hath　enabled　thee。　If　thou　beest　not　able；　be　not　offended。　　For　it　will　soon　make　an　end　of　thee；　and　itself；　（whatsoever　it　be）　at　the　same　time　end　with　thee。　　But　remember；　that　whatsoever　by　the　strength　of　opinion；　grounded　upon　a　certain　apprehension　of　both　true　profit　and　duty；　thou　canst　conceive　tolerable；　that　thou　art　able　to　bear　that　by　thy　natural　constitution。

IV。　　Him　that　offends；　to　teach　with　love　and　meek　ness；　and　to　show　him　his　error。　　But　if　thou　canst　not；　then　to　blame　thyself；　or　rather　not　thyself　neither；　if　thy　will　and　endeavours　have　not　been　wanting。

V。　Whatsoever　it　be　that　happens　unto　thee；　it　is　that　which　from　all　time　was　appointed　unto　thee。　　For　by　the　same　coherence　of　causes；　by　which　thy　substance　from　all　eternity　was　appointed　to　be；　was　also　whatsoever　should　happen　unto　it；　destinated　and　appointed。

VI。　　Either　with　Epicurus；　we　must　fondly　imagine　the　atoms　to　be　the　cause　of　all　things；　or　we　must　needs　grant　a　nature。　Let　this　then　be　thy　first　ground；　that　thou　art　part　of　that　universe；　which　is　governed　by　nature。　Then　secondly；　that　to　those　parts　that　are　of　the　same　kind　and　nature　as　thou　art；　thou　hast　relation　of　kindred。　For　of　these；　if　I　shall　always　be　mindful；　first　as　I　am　a　part；　I　shall　never　be　displeased　with　anything；　that　falls　to　my　particular　share　of　the　common　chances　of　the　world。　For　nothing　that　is　behoveful　unto　the　whole；　can　be　truly　hurtful　to　that　which　is　part　of　it。　　For　this　being　the　common　privilege　of　all　natures；　that　they　contain　nothing　in　themselves　that　is　hurtful　unto　them；　it　cannot　be　that　the　nature　of　the　universe　（whose　privilege　beyond　other　particular　natures；　is；　that　she　cannot　against　her　will　by　any　higher　external　cause　be　constrained；）　should　beget　anything　and　cherish　it　in　her　bosom　that　should　tend　to　her　own　hurt　and　prejudice。　As　then　I　bear　in　mind　that　I　am　a　part　of　such　an　universe；　I　shall　not　be　displeased　with　anything　that　happens。　And　as　I　have　relation　of　kindred　to　those　parts　that　are　of　the　same　kind　and　nature　that　I　am；　so　I　shall　be　careful　to　do　nothing　that　is　prejudicial　to　the　community；　but　in　all　my　deliberations　shall　they　that　are　of　my　kind　ever　be；　and　the　common　good；　that；　which　all　my　intentions　and　resolutions　shall　drive　unto；　as　that　which　is　contrary　unto　it；　I　shall　by　all　means　endeavour　to　prevent　and　avoid。　These　things　once　so　fixed　and　concluded；　as　thou　wouldst　think　him　a　happy　citizen；　whose　constant　study　and　practice　were　for　the　good　and　benefit　of　his　fellow　citizens；　and　the　carriage　of　the　city　such　towards　him；　that　he　were　well　pleased　with　it　；　so　must　it　needs　be　with　thee；　that　thou　shalt　live　a　happy　life。

VII。　　All　parts　of　the　world；　（all　things　I　mean　that　are　contained　within　the　whole　world；　must　of　necessity　at　some　time　or　other　come　to　corruption。　　Alteration　I　should　say；　to　speak　truly　and　properly；　but　that　I　may　be　the　better　understood；　I　am　content　at　this　time　to　use　that　more　common　word。　　Now　say　I；　if　so　be　that　this　be　both　hurtful　unto　them；　and　yet　unavoidable；　would　not；　thinkest　thou；　the　whole　itself　be　in　a　sweet　case；　all　the　parts　of　it　being　subject　to　alteration；　yea　and　by　their　making　itself　fitted　for　corruption；　as　consisting　of　things　different　and　contrary？　And　did　nature　then　either　of　herself　thus　project　and　purpose　the　affliction　and　misery　of　her　parts；　and　therefore　of　purpose　so　made　them；　not　only　that　haply　they　might；　but　of　necessity　that　they　should　fall　into　evil；　or　did　not　she　know　what　she　did；　when　she　made　them？　　For　either　of　these　two　to　say；　is　equally　absurd。　But　to　let　pass　nature　in　general；　and　to　reason　of　things　particular　according　to　their　own　particular　natures；　how　absurd　and　ridiculous　is　it；　first　to　say　that　all　parts　of　the　whole　are；　by　their　proper　natural　constitution；　subject　to　alteration；　and　then　when　any　such　thing　doth　happen；　as　when　one　doth　fall　sick　and　dieth；　to　take　on　and　wonder　as　though　some　strange　thing　had　happened？　Though　this　besides　might　move　not　so　grievously　to　take　on　when　any　such　thing　doth　happen；　that　whatsoever　is　dissolved；　it　is　dissolved　into　those　things；　whereof　it　was　compounded。　For　every　dissolution　is　either　a　mere　dispersion；　of　the　elements　into　those　elements　again　whereof　everything　did　consist；　or　a　change；　of　that　which　is　more　solid　into　earth；　and　of　that　which　is　pure　and　subtile　or　spiritual；　into　air。　So　that　by　this　means　nothing　is　lost；　but　all　resumed　again　into　those　rational　generative　seeds　of　the　universe；　and　this　universe；　either　after　a　certain　period　of　time　to　lie　consumed　by　fire；　or　by　continual　changes　to　be　renewed；　and　so　for　ever　to　endure。　Now　that　solid　and　spiritual　that　we　speak　of；　thou　must　not　conceive　it　to　be　that　very　same；　which　at　first　was；　when　thou　wert　born。　For　alas！　all　this　that　now　thou　art　in　either　kind；　either　for　matter　of　substance；　or　of　life；　hath　but　two　or　three　days　ago　partly　from　meats　eaten；　and　partly　from　air　breathed　in；　received　all　its　influx；　being　the　same　then　in　no　other　respect；　than　a　running　river；　maintained　by　the　perpetual　influx　and　new　supply　of　waters；　is　the　same。　That　therefore　which　thou　hast　since　received；　not　that　which　came　from　thy　mother；　is　that　which　comes　to　change　and　corruption。　But　suppose　that　that　for　the　general　substance；　and　more　solid　part　of　it；　should　still　cleave　unto　thee　never　so　close；　yet　what　is　that　to　the　proper　qualities　and　affections　of　it；　by　which　persons　are　distinguished；　which　certainly