登陆注册
5362600000145

第145章

In husbandry, study, hunting, and all other exercises, men are to proceed to the utmost limits of pleasure, but must take heed of engaging further, where trouble begins to mix with it. We are to reserve so much employment only as is necessary to keep us in breath and to defend us from the inconveniences that the other extreme of a dull and stupid laziness brings along with it. There are sterile knotty sciences, chiefly hammered out for the crowd; let such be left to them who are engaged in the world's service. I for my part care for no other books, but either such as are pleasant and easy, to amuse me, or those that comfort and instruct me how to regulate my life and death:

"Tacitum sylvas inter reptare salubres, Curantem, quidquid dignum sapienti bonoque est."

["Silently meditating in the healthy groves, whatever is worthy of a wise and good man."--Horace, Ep., i. 4, 4.]

Wiser men, having great force and vigour of soul, may propose to themselves a rest wholly spiritual but for me, who have a very ordinary soul, it is very necessary to support myself with bodily conveniences; and age having of late deprived me of those pleasures that were more acceptable to me, I instruct and whet my appetite to those that remain, more suitable to this other reason. We ought to hold with all our force, both of hands and teeth, the use of the pleasures of life that our years, one after another, snatch away from us:

"Carpamus dulcia; nostrum est, Quod vivis; cinis, et manes, et fabula fies."

["Let us pluck life's sweets, 'tis for them we live: by and by we shall be ashes, a ghost, a mere subject of talk."-- Persius, Sat., v. 151.]

Now, as to the end that Pliny and Cicero propose to us of glory, 'tis infinitely wide of my account. Ambition is of all others the most contrary humour to solitude; glory and repose are things that cannot possibly inhabit in one and the same place. For so much as I understand, these have only their arms and legs disengaged from the crowd; their soul and intention remain confined behind more than ever:

"Tun', vetule, auriculis alienis colligis escas?"

["Dost thou, then, old man, collect food for others' ears?"--Persius, Sat., i. 22. they have only retired to take a better leap, and by a stronger motion to give a brisker charge into the crowd. Will you see how they shoot short?

Let us put into the counterpoise the advice of two philosophers, of two very different sects, writing, the one to Idomeneus, the other to Lucilius, their friends, to retire into solitude from worldly honours and affairs. "You have," say they, "hitherto lived swimming and floating; come now and die in the harbour: you have given the first part of your life to the light, give what remains to the shade. It is impossible to give over business, if you do not also quit the fruit; therefore disengage yourselves from all concern of name and glory; 'tis to be feared the lustre of your former actions will give you but too much light, and follow you into your most private retreat. Quit with other pleasures that which proceeds from the approbation of another man: and as to your knowledge and parts, never concern yourselves; they will not lose their effect if yourselves be the better for them. Remember him, who being asked why he took so much pains in an art that could come to the knowledge of but few persons? 'A few are enough for me,' replied he;

'I have enough with one; I have enough with never an one.'--[Seneca, Ep., 7.]-- He said true; you and a companion are theatre enough to one another, or you to yourself. Let the people be to you one, and be you one to the whole people. 'Tis an unworthy ambition to think to derive glory from a man's sloth and privacy: you are to do like the beasts of chase, who efface the track at the entrance into their den. You are no more to concern yourself how the world talks of you, but how you are to talk to yourself. Retire yourself into yourself, but first prepare yourself there to receive yourself: it were a folly to trust yourself in your own hands, if you cannot govern yourself. A man may miscarry alone as well as in company. Till you have rendered yourself one before whom you dare not trip, and till you have a bashfulness and respect for yourself, "Obversentur species honestae animo;"

["Let honest things be ever present to the mind"--Cicero, Tusc. Quaes., ii. 22.] present continually to your imagination Cato, Phocion, and Aristides, in whose presence the fools themselves will hide their faults, and make them controllers of all your intentions; should these deviate from virtue, your respect to those will set you right; they will keep you in this way to be contented with yourself; to borrow nothing of any other but yourself; to stay and fix your soul in certain and limited thoughts, wherein she may please herself, and having understood the true and real goods, which men the more enjoy the more they understand, to rest satisfied, without desire of prolongation of life or name." This is the precept of the true and natural philosophy, not of a boasting and prating philosophy, such as that of the two former.

同类推荐
  • 贾氏谭录

    贾氏谭录

    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。
  • 西域行程记

    西域行程记

    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。
  • 大日经持诵次第仪轨

    大日经持诵次第仪轨

    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。
  • 佛说钵兰那赊嚩哩大陀罗尼经

    佛说钵兰那赊嚩哩大陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 大方广佛华严经续入法界品

    大方广佛华严经续入法界品

    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
  • 新竹县制度考

    新竹县制度考

    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。
  • 心灵盛宴:小故事 大人生

    心灵盛宴:小故事 大人生

    本书运用大量经典清新、精彩有趣、充满智慧的故事,从品德修养、性格情绪、处世待人、治学之道、职业打拼、友爱情感六个方面展现健康豁达的人生态度,小故事中蕴藏着大智慧,小故事中涵盖着大人生。
  • 学院:拽校花VS王牌校草

    学院:拽校花VS王牌校草

    她到底是谁。是他全心守护的妹妹?是他总爱调戏的少年?是他寻找已久的至亲?亦或是与他有着契约诅咒关系的恋人?她的身上到底有什么秘密【本文美男多多,精彩多多。】
  • 千百年眼

    千百年眼

    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。
  • 吃货王妃

    吃货王妃

    失恋王妃简介:失恋醉酒,她遭遇车祸,灵魂抽离之际,耳边只剩下刚甩了她的负心汉的话:吃相像猪,饿死鬼投胎的吧?老娘就是一个吃货,吃货犯法了?一朝穿越,她成了皇妃。本以为古代以胖为美,她现在穿金戴银,日子过得舒坦,可以好好的遵从本性吃个够,却没想到她所在的皇朝还是流行凹凸有致的S美。因为前世被甩的记忆,她装模作样减了几天肥。最后饿得半夜出来偷食。谁?竟敢和老娘抢东西,为了一个梨,她把未曾谋面的丈夫给咬了。一番恶斗,她顶着乱糟糟的乞丐头,得意地看着眼前咬牙切齿的男人:”怎么的,不爽啊?不爽就来咬我啊!”男人眼中的皎洁一闪而过,下一刻,她的唇一痛,真的被咬了!片段一:丫鬟小翠慌慌忙忙地跑来议事厅禀报王爷:“王爷…王爷,不好了,王妃和表小姐打起来了?”某王爷慵懒地卧倒在贵妃椅上,眼都没有斜上一眼,继续和幕僚议事:“淮南水灾,昨日赈灾之事,皇兄特意交代下来,你们可是有上好的对策?”幕僚一向听闻王爷宠妻,不解地问道:“王爷,王妃打架,您竟然是不担心吗?”某王爷自信一笑:“本王的王妃生猛,何惧她小表妹风一吹就倒的蒲柳之资。”丫鬟大喘了一口气,接着道:“不,王爷,王妃身子不适,差点给背过气去…”话还没有说完,某王爷已经用了轻功,一溜烟就不见了。下人慌慌忙忙地请了御医,结果让人啼笑皆非。王妃为了表小姐桌子上的一盘樱桃不至于落入他人之口,竟然一盘子全部吞了,这才让樱桃子卡了喉咙。某王爷一脸铁青:“本王不是吩咐过,不准任何人和王妃抢食物,来人,把王妃的表妹带来,杖打三十。”本文一对一,溺宠,男女主身心干净,小白。
  • 万界独宰

    万界独宰

    成无上神体,修无尽大道。传三千道法,踏至强巅峰!少年叶云成为神物宿主,觉醒逆天体质。踏破苍穹,纵横乾坤,独宰万界。书友扣扣群:278704241新浪微博:雨落尘扬YLCY
  • 钟形罩(20世纪经典)

    钟形罩(20世纪经典)

    埃斯特是波士顿一所大学的全优生,获得了在纽约一家时尚杂志的实习机会。她却对纽约的生活充满了疑惑,无数的可能性让她无法确定未来,也无法回到从前她认为安全的生活状态。埃斯特最后决定当一名作家,但是却在道德、行为和自我意识的矛盾中挣扎。在这部感人至深的自传性小说中,西尔维娅·普拉斯回顾了她年轻时所经历的失望、愤怒、压抑、最终的崩溃以及后来的治疗过程,充满了让人震撼的智慧和令人心碎的坦诚。
  • 席少宠妻如命

    席少宠妻如命

    初次见面,是因为一场意外。霸道的他心里多了一个娇俏的身影,几经波折,终于将这个刁蛮小姑娘变成了自己的萌妻……
  • 莫奈(世界历史名人丛书)

    莫奈(世界历史名人丛书)

    19世纪的欧洲文艺在战争的炮火中、机器的轰鸣中、科学的呼唤中步入了一个崭新的历史时期。人们反对传统文化的束缚 讲究个性解放 追求自由、平等。
  • 淳熙严州图经

    淳熙严州图经

    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。