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passion or fear； the same； after the same manner； repeat from life to
death。 Your death is a part of the order of the universe； 'tis a part of
the life of the world。
〃'Inter se mortales mutua vivunt
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
Et； quasi cursores； vitai lampada tradunt。'
＇〃Mortals； amongst themselves； live by turns； and； like the runners
in the games； give up the lamp； when they have won the race； to the
next comer。〃Lucretius； ii。 75； 78。＇
〃Shall I exchange for you this beautiful contexture of things？ 'Tis the
condition of your creation； death is a part of you； and whilst you
endeavour to evade it； you evade yourselves。 This very being of yours
that you now enjoy is equally divided betwixt life and death。 The day of
your birth is one day's advance towards the grave：
〃'Prima； qux vitam dedit； hora carpsit。'
＇〃The first hour that gave us life took away also an hour。〃
Seneca； Her。 Fur。； 3 Chor。 874。＇
〃'Nascentes morimur； finisque ab origine pendet。'
＇〃As we are born we die； and the end commences with the beginning。〃…
…Manilius； Ast。； iv。 16。＇
〃All the whole time you live； you purloin from life and live at the
expense of life itself。 The perpetual work of your life is but to lay
the foundation of death。 You are in death； whilst you are in life；
because you still are after death； when you are no more alive； or； if you
had rather have it so； you are dead after life； but dying all the while
you live； and death handles the dying much more rudely than the dead； and
more sensibly and essentially。 If you have made your profit of life； you
have had enough of it； go your way satisfied。
〃‘Cur non ut plenus vita； conviva recedis？'
＇〃Why not depart from life as a sated guest from a feast？
〃Lucretius； iii。 951。＇
〃If you have not known how to make the best use of it； if it was
unprofitable to you； what need you care to lose it； to what end would you
desire longer to keep it？
〃'Cur amplius addere quaeris；
Rursum quod pereat male； et ingratum occidat omne？'
＇〃Why seek to add longer life； merely to renew ill…spent time； and
be again tormented？〃Lucretius； iii。 914。＇
〃Life in itself is neither good nor evil； it is the scene of good or evil
as you make it。' And； if you have lived a day； you have seen all： one day
is equal and like to all other days。 There is no other light； no other
shade； this very sun； this moon； these very stars； this very order and
disposition of things； is the same your ancestors enjoyed； and that shall
also entertain your posterity：
〃‘Non alium videre patres； aliumve nepotes
Aspicient。'
＇〃Your grandsires saw no other thing； nor will your posterity。〃
Manilius； i。 529。＇
〃And； come the worst that can come； the distribution and variety of all
the acts of my comedy are performed in a year。 If you have observed the
revolution of my four seasons； they comprehend the infancy； the youth；
the virility； and the old age of the world： the year has played his part；
and knows no other art but to begin again； it will always be the same
thing：
〃'Versamur ibidem； atque insumus usque。'
＇〃We are turning in the same circle； ever therein confined。〃
Lucretius； iii。 1093。
〃'Atque in se sua per vestigia volvitur annus。'
＇〃The year is ever turning around in the same footsteps。〃
Virgil； Georg。； ii。 402。
〃I am not prepared to create for you any new recreations：
〃'Nam tibi prxterea quod machiner； inveniamque
Quod placeat； nihil est； eadem sunt omnia semper。'
＇〃I can devise； nor find anything else to please you： 'tis the same
thing over and over again。〃Lucretius iii。 957＇
〃Give place to others； as others have given place to you。 Equality is
the soul of equity。 Who can complain of being comprehended in the same
destiny； wherein all are involved？ Besides； live as long as you can； you
shall by that nothing shorten the space you are to be dead； 'tis all to
no purpose； you shall be every whit as long in the condition you so much
fear； as if you had died at nurse：
〃'Licet quot vis vivendo vincere secla；
Mors aeterna tamen nihilominus illa manebit。'
＇〃Live triumphing over as many ages as you will； death still will
remain eternal。〃Lucretius； iii。 1103＇
〃And yet I will place you in such a condition as you shall have no reason
to be displeased。
〃'In vera nescis nullum fore morte alium te；
Qui possit vivus tibi to lugere peremptum；
Stansque jacentem。'
＇〃Know you not that； when dead； there can be no other living self to
lament you dead； standing on your grave。〃Idem。； ibid。； 898。＇
〃Nor shall you so much as wish for the life you are so concerned about：
〃‘Nec sibi enim quisquam tum se vitamque requirit。
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
〃'Nec desiderium nostri nos afficit ullum。'
〃Death is less to be feared than nothing； if there could be anything less
than nothing。
〃'Multo 。 。 。 mortem minus ad nos esse putandium；
Si minus esse potest； quam quod nihil esse videmus。'
〃Neither can it any way concern you； whether you are living or dead：
living； by reason that you are still in being； dead； because you are no
more。 Moreover； no one dies before his hour： the time you leave behind
was no more yours than that was lapsed and gone before you came into the
world； nor does it any more concern you。
〃'Respice enim； quam nil ad nos anteacta vetustas
Temporis aeterni fuerit。'
＇〃Consider how as nothing to us is the old age of times past。〃
Lucretius iii。 985＇
Wherever your life ends； it is all there。 The utility of living consists
not in the length of days； but in the use of time； a man may have lived
long； and yet lived but a little。 Make use of time while it is present
with you。 It depends upon your will； and not upon the number of days； to
have a sufficient length of life。 Is it possible you can imagine never
to arrive at the place towards which you are continually going？ and yet
there is no journey but hath its end。 And； if company will make it more
pleasant or more easy to you； does not all the world go the self…same
way？
〃'Omnia te； vita perfuncta； sequentur。'
＇〃All things； then； life over； must follow thee。〃
Lucretius； iii。 981。＇
〃Does not all the world dance the same brawl that you do？ Is there
anything that does not grow old； as well as you？ A thousand men； a
thousand animals； a thousand other creatures； die at the same moment that
you die：
〃‘Nam nox nulla diem； neque noctem aurora sequuta est；
Quae non audierit mistos vagitibus aegris
Ploratus； mortis comites et funeris atri。'
＇〃No night has followed day； no day has followed night； in which
there has not been heard sobs and sorrowing cries； the companions of
death and funerals。〃Lucretius； v。 579。＇
〃To what end should you endeavour to draw back； if there be no
possibility to evade it？ you have seen examples enough of those who have
been well pleased to die； as thereby delivered from heavy miseries； but
have you ever found any who have been dissatisfied with dying？ It must；
therefore； needs be very foolish to condemn a thing you have neither
experimented in your own person； nor by that of any other。 Why dost thou
complain of me and of destiny？ Do we do thee any wrong？ Is it for thee
to govern us； or for us to govern thee？ Though； peradventure； thy age
may not be accomplished； yet thy life is： a man of low stature is as much
a man as a giant； neither men nor their lives are measured by the ell。
Chiron refused to be immortal； when he was acquainted with the conditions
under which he was to enjoy it； by the god of time itself and its
duration； his father Saturn。 Do but seriously consider how much more
insupportable and painful an immortal life would be to man than what I
have already given him。 If you had not death； you would eternally curse
me for having deprived you of it； I have mixed a little bitterness with
it； to the end； that seeing of what convenience it is； you might not too
greedily and indiscreetly seek and embrace it： and that you might be so
established in this moderation； as neither to nauseate life； nor have any
antipathy for dying； which I have decreed you shall once do； I have
tempered the one and the other betwixt pleasure and pain。 It was I that
taught Thales； the most eminent of your sages； that to live and to die
were indifferent； which made him； very wisely； answer him； 'Why then he
did not die？' 'Because；' said he； 'it is indifferent。'＇Diogenes
Laertius； i。 35。＇ Water； earth； air； and fire； and the other parts of
this creation of mine； are no more instruments of thy life than they are
of thy death。 Why dost thou fear thy last day？ it contributes no more to
thy dissolution； than every one of the rest： the last ste