登陆注册
5362600000143

第143章

We must break the knot of our obligations, how strong soever, and hereafter love this or that, but espouse nothing but ourselves: that is to say, let the remainder be our own, but not so joined and so close as not to be forced away without flaying us or tearing out part of our whole. The greatest thing in the world is for a man to know that he is his own. 'Tis time to wean ourselves from society when we can no longer add anything to it; he who is not in a condition to lend must forbid himself to borrow. Our forces begin to fail us; let us call them in and concentrate them in and for ourselves. He that can cast off within himself and resolve the offices of friendship and company, let him do it.

In this decay of nature which renders him useless, burdensome, and importunate to others, let him take care not to be useless, burdensome, and importunate to himself. Let him soothe and caress himself, and above all things be sure to govern himself with reverence to his reason and conscience to that degree as to be ashamed to make a false step in their presence:

"Rarum est enim, ut satis se quisque vereatur."

["For 'tis rarely seen that men have respect and reverence enough for themselves."--Quintilian, x. 7.]

Socrates says that boys are to cause themselves to be instructed, men to exercise themselves in well-doing, and old men to retire from all civil and military employments, living at their own discretion, without the obligation to any office. There are some complexions more proper for these precepts of retirement than others. Such as are of a soft and dull apprehension, and of a tender will and affection, not readily to be subdued or employed, whereof I am one, both by natural condition and by reflection, will sooner incline to this advice than active and busy souls, which embrace: all, engage in all, are hot upon everything, which offer, present, and give themselves up to every occasion. We are to use these accidental and extraneous commodities, so far as they are pleasant to us, but by no means to lay our principal foundation there; 'tis no true one; neither nature nor reason allows it so to be. Why therefore should we, contrary to their laws, enslave our own contentment to the power of another? To anticipate also the accidents of fortune, to deprive ourselves of the conveniences we have in our own power, as several have done upon the account of devotion, and some philosophers by reasoning; to be one's own servant, to lie hard, to put out our own eyes, to throw our wealth into the river, to go in search of grief; these, by the misery of this life, aiming at bliss in another; those by laying themselves low to avoid the danger of falling: all such are acts of an excessive virtue. The stoutest and most resolute natures render even their seclusion glorious and exemplary:

"Tuta et parvula laudo, Quum res deficiunt, satis inter vilia fortis Verum, ubi quid melius contingit et unctius, idem Hos sapere et solos aio bene vivere, quorum Conspicitur nitidis fundata pecunia villis."

["When means are deficient, I laud a safe and humble condition, content with little: but when things grow better and more easy, I all the same say that you alone are wise and live well, whose invested money is visible in beautiful villas."--Horace, Ep., i. 15, 42.]

A great deal less would serve my turn well enough. 'Tis enough for me, under fortune's favour, to prepare myself for her disgrace, and, being at my ease, to represent to myself, as far as my imagination can stretch, the ill to come; as we do at jousts and tiltings, where we counterfeit war in the greatest calm of peace. I do not think Arcesilaus the philosopher the less temperate and virtuous for knowing that he made use of gold and silver vessels, when the condition of his fortune allowed him so to do; I have indeed a better opinion of him than if he had denied himself what he used with liberality and moderation. I see the utmost limits of natural necessity: and considering a poor man begging at my door, ofttimes more jocund and more healthy than I myself am, I put myself into his place, and attempt to dress my mind after his mode; and running, in like manner, over other examples, though I fancy death, poverty, contempt, and sickness treading on my heels, I easily resolve not to be affrighted, forasmuch as a less than I takes them with so much patience; and am not willing to believe that a less understanding can do more than a greater, or that the effects of precept cannot arrive to as great a height as those of custom. And knowing of how uncertain duration these accidental conveniences are, I never forget, in the height of all my enjoyments, to make it my chiefest prayer to Almighty God, that He will please to render me content with myself and the condition wherein I am. I see young men very gay and frolic, who nevertheless keep a mass of pills in their trunk at home, to take when they've got a cold, which they fear so much the less, because they think they have remedy at hand.

Every one should do in like manner, and, moreover, if they find themselves subject to some more violent disease, should furnish themselves with such medicines as may numb and stupefy the part.

The employment a man should choose for such a life ought neither to be a laborious nor an unpleasing one; otherwise 'tis to no purpose at all to be retired. And this depends upon every one's liking and humour. Mine has no manner of complacency for husbandry, and such as love it ought to apply themselves to it with moderation:

["Endeavour to make circumstances subject to me, and not me subject to circumstances."--Horace, Ep., i. i, 19.]

同类推荐
  • 欧阳修集

    欧阳修集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 尤氏喉症指南

    尤氏喉症指南

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 玉音法事

    玉音法事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 辩中边论述记

    辩中边论述记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 隋书

    隋书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生俏甜妻养成记

    重生俏甜妻养成记

    堂堂修仙界天机门第三百六十代掌门人穿到贫困落后,吃不饱穿不暖的平行空间——平汉1958年。
  • 石话实说

    石话实说

    “告诉您最想知道的石家庄一百个故事”,一直是我们的愿望,随着大型系列文化节目《石话实说》的播出和结集出版,今天终于如愿以偿了。三十万年前,石家庄人的先祖就在太行山下、滹沱河畔点燃文明火种,直到今天,演进为拥有千万人口的繁华都市。这条波澜壮阔、星光璀璨的历史长河属于中国,属于世界。全景记述这亘古的传奇是石家庄广播电视台应当具有的文化自觉与文化担当。
  • 七燕翎

    七燕翎

    小说讲述了现代都市龟大爷蔺子然为代表的一批青年与STW联盟谋略纵横、尔虞我诈的商战。STW联盟崇尚拜金主义,它的成员来自社会各个层面,每个成员都爱财如命,他们为了金钱不择手段,一些精英成员深藏在诸多公司,步步为营,予以击命的一击。
  • 梦中剑

    梦中剑

    梦中不见梦中剑,梦中无君梦难圆。剑芒彻骨梦已碎,梦醒时分泪涟涟。主人公谢晓荻从方外五大剑客之一的谢梦得之处学得“大梦剑法”后开始闯荡江湖,却无意中得罪了一个神秘的门派——“无量门”。绝世武功,阴谋诡计,权势之争,儿女情长……一个妙彩纷呈的武侠世界。
  • 网游之无上剑骨

    网游之无上剑骨

    无上剑骨,岂会折腰?武侠类网游,大宗师如云,请君品尝。
  • 听说,你曾爱我如命

    听说,你曾爱我如命

    谢景川说:“我唯一的愿望,就是你永远消失在我面前。”五年无爱的婚姻,宋悠然成了丈夫最恨的人。后来,她真的消失了。人人都说谢太太作茧自缚,才会落得一个死后无人收尸的下场。可随着那一桩桩的旧事不断的揭开,他却发现……她在最好的年纪里,曾给予他最纯真的喜欢。她也曾经在余震不断的废墟里,为他不顾生死。她这一生只爱过一个人,为了他赌上万贯家财,敛去一身骄傲,甚至不惜自己的性命。
  • 锋剑春秋

    锋剑春秋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 兵皇

    兵皇

    在灵兵的世界天才少年却无法凝聚灵兵,这是何等的悲催啊!不过别担心,吉人自有天相,偶遇神秘人,他炼体十锻成就金刚石体,百炼凡兵,灵凡双修成兵皇之名。
  • The Adv,Of Wisteria Lodge

    The Adv,Of Wisteria Lodge

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 游戏实习生

    游戏实习生

    游戏,真的有那么简单吗?^_^你觉得呢?或者说这真的是游戏吗?