按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
For all passions that suffer themselves to be relished and digested are
but moderate：
〃Curae leves loquuntur； ingentes stupent。〃
＇〃Light griefs can speak： deep sorrows are dumb。〃
Seneca； Hippolytus； act ii。 scene 3。＇
A surprise of unexpected joy does likewise often produce the same effect：
〃Ut me conspexit venientem； et Troja circum
Arma amens vidit； magnis exterrita monstris；
Diriguit visu in medio； calor ossa reliquit；
Labitur； et longo vix tandem tempore fatur。〃
＇〃When she beheld me advancing； and saw； with stupefaction； the
Trojan arms around me； terrified with so great a prodigy； she
fainted away at the very sight： vital warmth forsook her limbs： she
sinks down； and； after a long interval； with difficulty speaks。〃…
AEneid； iii。 306。＇
Besides the examples of the Roman lady； who died for joy to see her son
safe returned from the defeat of Cannae； and of Sophocles and of
Dionysius the Tyrant； ＇Pliny； vii。 53。 Diodorus Siculus； however （xv。
c。 20）； tells us that Dionysius 〃was so overjoyed at the news that he
made a great sacrifice upon it to the gods； prepared sumptuous feasts； to
which he invited all his friends； and therein drank so excessively that
it threw him into a very bad distemper。〃＇who died of joy； and of
Thalna； who died in Corsica； reading news of the honours the Roman Senate
had decreed in his favour； we have； moreover； one in our time； of Pope
Leo X。； who upon news of the taking of Milan； a thing he had so ardently
desired； was rapt with so sudden an excess of joy that he immediately
fell into a fever and died。 ＇Guicciardini； Storia d'Italia； vol。
xiv。＇ And for a more notable testimony of the imbecility of human
nature； it is recorded by the ancients ＇Pliny； 'ut supra'＇ that
Diodorus the dialectician died upon the spot； out of an extreme passion
of shame； for not having been able in his own school； and in the presence
of a great auditory； to disengage himself from a nice argument that was
propounded to him。 I； for my part； am very little subject to these
violent passions； I am naturally of a stubborn apprehension； which also；
by reasoning； I every day harden and fortify。
CHAPTER III
THAT OUR AFFECTIONS CARRY THEMSELVES BEYOND US
Such as accuse mankind of the folly of gaping after future things； and
advise us to make our benefit of those which are present； and to set up
our rest upon them； as having no grasp upon that which is to come； even
less than that which we have upon what is past； have hit upon the most
universal of human errors； if that may be called an error to which nature
herself has disposed us； in order to the continuation of her own work；
prepossessing us； amongst several others； with this deceiving
imagination； as being more jealous of our action than afraid of our
knowledge。
We are never present with； but always beyond ourselves： fear； desire；
hope； still push us on towards the future； depriving us； in the meantime；
of the sense and consideration of that which is to amuse us with the
thought of what shall be； even when we shall be no more。 ＇Rousseau；
Emile； livre ii。＇
〃Calamitosus est animus futuri auxius。〃
＇〃The mind anxious about the future is unhappy。〃
Seneca； Epist。； 98。＇
We find this great precept often repeated in Plato； 〃Do thine own work；
and know thyself。〃 Of which two parts； both the one and the other
generally； comprehend our whole duty； and do each of them in like manner
involve the other； for who will do his own work aright will find that his
first lesson is to know what he is； and that which is proper to himself；
and who rightly understands himself will never mistake another man's work
for his own； but will love and improve himself above all other things；
will refuse superfluous employments； and reject all unprofitable thoughts
and propositions。 As folly； on the one side； though it should enjoy all
it desire； would notwithstanding never be content； so； on the other；
wisdom； acquiescing in the present； is never dissatisfied with itself。
＇Cicero； Tusc。 Quae。； 57； v。 18。＇ Epicurus dispenses his sages from
all foresight and care of the future。
Amongst those laws that relate to the dead； I look upon that to be very
sound by which the actions of princes are to be examined after their
decease。 ＇Diodorus Siculus； i。 6。＇ They are equals with； if not
masters of the laws； and； therefore； what justice could not inflict upon
their persons； 'tis but reason should be executed upon their reputations
and the estates of their successorsthings that we often value above
life itself。 'Tis a custom of singular advantage to those countries
where it is in use； and by all good princes to be desired； who have
reason to take it ill； that the memories of the wicked should be used
with the same reverence and respect with their own。 We owe subjection
and obedience to all our kings； whether good or bad； alike； for that has
respect unto their office； but as to esteem and affection； these are only
due to their virtue。 Let us grant to political government to endure them
with patience； however unworthy； to conceal their vices； and to assist
them with our recommendation in their indifferent actions； whilst their
authority stands in need of our support。 But； the relation of prince and
subject being once at an end； there is no reason we should deny the
expression of our real opinions to our own liberty and common justice；
and especially to interdict to good subjects the glory of having
reverently and faithfully served a prince； whose imperfections were to
them so well known； this were to deprive posterity of a useful example。
And such as； out of respect to some private obligation； unjustly espouse
and vindicate the memory of a faulty prince； do private right at the
expense of public justice。 Livy does very truly say； ＇xxxv。 48。＇
〃That the language of men bred up in courts is always full of vain
ostentation and false testimony； every one indifferently magnifying his
own master； and stretching his commendation to the utmost extent of
virtue and sovereign grandeur。〃 Some may condemn the freedom of those
two soldiers who so roundly answered Nero to his beard； the one being
asked by him why he bore him ill…will？ 〃I loved thee；〃 answered he；
〃whilst thou wert worthy of it； but since thou art become a parricide； an
incendiary； a player； and a coachman； I hate thee as thou dost deserve。〃
And the other； why he should attempt to kill him？ 〃Because；〃 said he；
〃I could think of no other remedy against thy perpetual mischiefs。〃
＇Tacitus； Annal。； xv。 67。＇ But the public and universal testimonies
that were given of him after his death （and so will be to all posterity；
both of him and all other wicked princes like him）； of his tyrannies and
abominable deportment； who； of a sound judgment； can reprove them？
I am scandalised； that in so sacred a government as that of the
Lacedaemonians there should be mixed so hypocritical a ceremony at the
interment of their kings； where all their confederates and neighbours；
and all sorts and degrees of men and women； as well as their slaves； cut
and slashed their foreheads in token of sorrow； repeating in their cries
and lamentations that that king （let him have been as wicked as the
devil） was the best that ever they had；＇Herodotus； vi。 68。＇ by this
means attributing to his quality the praise that only belongs to merit；
and that of right is due to supreme desert； though lodged in the lowest
and most inferior subject。
Aristotle； who will still have a hand in everything； makes a 'quaere'
upon the saying of Solon； that none can be said to be happy until he is
dead： 〃whether； then； he who has lived and died according to his heart's
desire； if he have left an ill repute behind him； and that his posterity
be miserable； can be said to be happy？〃 Whilst we have life and motion；
we convey ourselves by fancy and preoccupation； whither and to what we
please； but once out of being； we have no more any manner of
communication with that which is； and it had therefore been better said
by Solon that man is never happy； because never so； till he is no more。
〃Quisquam
Vix radicitus e vita se tollit； et eicit；
Sed facit esse sui quiddam super inscius ipse；
Nec removet satis a projecto corpore sese； et
Vindicat。〃
＇〃Scarcely one man can； even in dying； wholly detach himself from
the idea of life； in his ignorance he must needs imagine that there
is in him something that survives him； and cannot sufficiently
separate or emancipate himself from his remains〃
Lucretius； iii。 890。＇
Bertrand de Guesclin； dying at the siege of the Castle of Rancon； near
unto Puy； in Auvergne； the besieged were afterwards； upon surrender；
enjoined to lay down the keys of the place upon the corpse of the dead
general。 Bartolommeo d'Alviano； the Venetian General； happening to die
in the service of the Republic in Brescia； and his corpse being to be
carried through the territory of Verona； an enemy's country； most of the
army were inclined t