VIRTUE CONSISTS IN ACTION. The whole of virtue consists in practice. FATHERLAND NOT A REFUGE FOR OUR IDLENESS. Nor has our fatherland produced and brought us up, so that she should derive no advantage from us, or that we should regard it as created for our mere convenience-as a place where we may tranquilly while away our useless existence in idleness and sloth. Such is not the proper view in which we should regard our country. She claims from us the mightiest exertions of our mind, and of all our powers, and only gives back for our private use what remains of our stock of time after we have been so employed. Euripides (Fr. Incert. 19) says: A FREE STATE. If the people hold the supreme power, they affirm that no form of government is more excellent, more free, more happy, inasmuch as they are the masters of laws, courts, war, peace, leagues, lives, and fortunes of every one. LAWS OUGHT TO BE EQUAL TO ALL. If all cannot be equal in property, if the talents of all cannot be the same, the laws at least should be the same to those who are citizens in the same state. THE WEALTHIEST REGARDED THE NOBLEST. For riches, great fame, wealth unaccompanied by wisdom and the knowledge of living virtuously "The whole heaven can be traversed by a bird; the whole and commanding properly, are only the cause of earth is the fatherland of the noble-minded." STATESMEN RESEMBLE THE DIVINE POWERS. Nor is there anything in which the virtue of mankind approaches nearer to the gods than when they are employed in founding new commonwealths, and in preserving those already founded. BOOKS. My books are always at leisure for me, they are never engaged. A COMMONWEALTH BOUND BY THE COMPACT OF JUSTICE. A state is the common weal of a people: but a people is not every assembly of men brought together in any way; it is an assembly of men united together by the bonds of just laws, and by common advantages. greater disgrace, and of exhibiting insolence in more glaring colors; nor is there any form of state more disgraceful to men than that in which the wealthiest are regarded the noblest. AUTHORITIES LESS THAN ARGUMENTS. In the eyes of a wise judge, proofs by reasoning are of more value than witnesses. REVOLUTIONARY MADNESS. When a people has once treated with violence a just king, or hurled him from his throne, or even, what has often happened, has tasted the blood of the nobles, and subjected the whole commonwealth to their fury, do not be foolish enough to imagine that it would be easier to calm the most furious hurricane at sea, or flames of fire, than to curb the unbridled insolence of the multitude. CHANGES OF GOVERNMENT LIKE A GAME OF BALL. [Creator, the decider and passer of the law. Who Then tyrants snatch the government from kings like at a game of ball; from them the nobles or people in their turn, to whom succeed factious parties or tyrants; nor does the same form of government ever remain for any length of time. THE RESULT OF TOO GREAT LICENCE. Excessive licence leads both nations and private individuals into excessive slavery. So Matthew v. 17: "I am not come to destroy the law." KING, LORDS, COMMONS. Since this is so, in my opinion monarchy is by ever does not obey it will fly from himself, and despises the nature of man, and by that very circumstance will suffer the severest punishments, though he may escape other things which men are wont to regard as punishments. So Psalm xix. 7: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the sizple." RIGORS OF LAW. The path of law is of such a kind in some things that there is no room for favor. INTERCOURSE BY LETTERS. You are aware that there are many kinds of far the best of the three forms; but the monarch-epistolary correspondence, but that alone is the ical is excelled by that which is made up and most assured, for the sake of which it was inventformed of the three best kinds of government. ed-namely, to inform the absent, if there be anyIn a state there ought to be something super-emi- thing which it is of importance that they should nent and royal; another portion of power ought know, either about our affairs or their own. to be assigned to the nobles, and some ought to be reserved for the lower classes. WHAT PRODUCES CHANGE IN MANNERS. In maritime cities there is a certain corruption and change of habits; for they are intermingling with new modes of speech and manners, and there are imported not only foreign merchandise but manners also, so there is no fixedness in the institutions of the country. GREATEST NUMBER. In a state this rule ought always to be observed, that the greatest number should not have the predominant power. A MONARCHICAL FORM OF GOVERNMENT. A royal form of government is not only not to be found fault with, but I know not whether it is not to be far preferred to other simple forms. JUSTICE ORDERS TO CONSULT THE GOOD OF ALL. Justice commands us to have mercy on all men, to consult for the interests of mankind, to give every one his due, not to commit sacrilege, and not to covet the goods of others. LAW. True law is right reason, in unison with nature, pervading all, never varying, eternal, which summons man to duty by its commands, deters him from fraudulent acts, which, moreover, neither commands nor forbids the good in vain, nor yet affects the bad by commanding or forbidding. It is not allowable to annul this law, nor is it lawful to take anything from it, nor to abrogate it altogether; nor are we able to be released from it, either by the senate or by the people; nor is there any other expounder or interpreter to be sought; nor will there be one law at Rome, another at Athens, one now, another hereafter; but one eternal and immutable law will rule all nations, and at all times, and there will be one common, as it were, master and ruler of all-namely, God, the A MODEST MAN. therein do I delight:... for thy judgments are good: . LOVE SOMETIMES COUNTERFEIT. All civil wars are full of numberless calamities, but victory itself is more to be dreaded than any-quicken me in thy righteousness.” thing else. For though it should decide itself on the side of the more deserving, yet it will be apt to inspire even those with a spirit of insolence and cruelty, and though they be not so by inclination, they at least will be by necessity. For the conqueror must, in many instances, find himself obliged to submit to the pressure of those who have assisted him in his conquest. CHANGES SUITED TO AMUSE. There is nothing more suited to amuse the reader than the changes to which we are subject and the vicissitudes of fortune. So Cowper ("The Timepiece," bk. ii.):— "Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor. TRUE WISDOM. I regard the greatest praise of wisdom to be, that man should be self-dependent, and to have no doubts as to the proper method of living well or ill. NOTHING TO BE MORE GUARDED AGAINST THAN CRIME. Let us be of that opinion, which reason and vir tue dictate, that we have nothing to guard against in life except crime; and when we are free from that, we may endure everything else with patience and moderation. EVERY ONE DISSATISFIED WITH HIS CONDITION. THE MISERY OF OTHERS. The comfort derived from the misery of others is slight. CONSOLATION UNDER ADVERSITY. It is, indeed, the greatest consolation under adversity, to be conscious of having always meant well, and to be persuaded that nothing but guilt deserves to be considered as a severe evil. So Hebrews xiii. 18: ... A pretended affection is not easily distinguished from a real one, unless in seasons of distress. For adversity is to friendship what fire is to gold the only infallible test to discover the genuine from the counterfeit. In all other cases they both have the same common marks. In the formation of new friendships it is of importance to attend to the manner in which the "We trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing approaches are made, and by whose means the to live honestly." ALLEVIATION OF MISFORTUNE. For to reflect on the misfortunes to which mankind in general are exposed, greatly contributes to alleviate the weight of those which we ourselves endure. avenues of friendship (if I may so express myself) are laid open. TO BE PRAISED BY ONE PRAISED BY ALL THE I am delighted to be praised by one who is praised by all the world. A MAN WITHOUT GUILE. A man without guile and deceit. THE POPULACE. The hungry and wretched proletarians, those city leeches that suck dry the public treasury. CONVERSATION IN PRIVATE HOUSES. THE JUDGMENTS OF POSTERITY. The judgment of those who come after us is truer, because it is freed from feelings of envy and malevolence. HYPOCRISY IN MOST MEN. For every man's nature is concealed with many folds of disguise, and covered as it were with va Conversation in private meetings and dinner rious veils. His brows, his eyes, and very often parties is more unreserved. VENGEANCE. I hate and shall continue to hate, the man; would that I could take vengeance on him! But his own shameless manners will be a sufficient punishment. So Romans xii. 19: "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." SADDLING THE WRONG HORSE. The pack-saddle has been put on the ox. THE CAUSES OF EVENTS. The causes of events always excite me more than the events themselves. THERE IS HOPE WHILE THERE IS LIFE. While there is life, there is hope. So Psalm ix. 18: "The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever." Theocritus (Idyl. iv. 1. 42) says: "There are hopes in the living, but the dead are without hope." And Gay ("The sick Man and the Angel ") says:"While there's life, there's hope,' he cried." The idea is also thus expressed-" Dum spiro, spero." THE COMMAND OF THE SEA GIVES SUPREME POWER. His plan is evidently that of Themistocles, for he thinks that he who gains the command of the sea must obtain supreme power. A GOOD CONSCIENCE. During the whole of our life we ought not to depart a nail's breadth from a pure conscience. So Acts xxi. 16: his countenance are deceitful, and his speech is most commonly a lie. THE EVILS WHICH ARE BORNE WITH MOST PAIN, Men ought to bear with greatest difficulty those things which must be borne from their own fault. RAILINGS AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE. While railing and abusive language are altogether unworthy of men of letters and of gentlemanly feeling, they are not less unsuitable to high rank and dignified behavior. MOROSENESS AND PASSIONATENESS. While passionateness is the mark of a weak and silly mind in the daily intercourse of private life, so also there is nothing so out of place as to exhibit moroseness of temper in high command SELF-LOVE. How much in love with himself, and that without a rival. CLAUDIAN. FLOURISHED ABOUT A.D. 400. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIANUS, a Latin poet, flourished during the reigns of Theodosius and his sons Honorius and Arcadius, A.D. 395–408. He was certainly a native of Alexandria in Egypt, as he himself alludes to the fact, though some assert that "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a con- he was born in Gaul or Spain. We have no inforscience void of offence toward God and toward men." A POET. mation respecting his education, and little regarding the circumstances of his life. We know that he spent much time at Rome, and that he ac There has never been a poet who thought any companied Stilicho the general of Arcadius, to the one else superior to himself. TO-MORROW. North of Italy. Many of his poems are in praise of Stilicho, whose favor and protection he enjoyed. At Rome he acquired such reputation that To-morrow will give something as food for the senate ordered a statue to be erected to his thought. CHANGE OF PLAN. honor, and in the inscription, which was found in the twelfth century, compared him to Virgil and Homer. Though in some of his writings he No wise man has ever said that change of plan speaks favorably of the Christian religion, there is inconstancy. THE VIRTUOUS ARE NOT SUSPICIOUS. seems every reason to believe that he was a pagan. He left a number of poems, partly epic, partly panegyric, partly lyric. His largest work is enti For the more virtuous any man is, the less easily tled "De Raptu Proserpinæ," in three books, but does he suspect others to be vicious. it is unfinished. A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK. Nothing is more unendurable than a low-born man raised to high estate. WE PITY THOSE WHO SUFFER LIKE OURSELVES. All feel pity for those like themselves. GREAT POWER REQUIRES TO BE ADMINISTERED WITH A FIRM HAND. The administration of public affairs requires a stern heart. THE CAUTIOUS SAILOR. The cautious sailor sees long before the approach of the south-west wind. REPENTANCE AT POINT OF DEATH. What use to confess our faults at the moment the vessel is sinking? What use are tears which follow the sins we have committed? HOW BLIND MEN ARE TO THE RESULTS OF How blind to consequences is the love of vicious indulgence! The future is disregarded; the present allures us to a short-lived enjoyment, and lust, forgetful of future suffering, hurries us along the forbidden path. MEN EASILY RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL HABITS. Nature easily reverts to her original habits. WHAT WILL NOT TIME CHANGE? What will not length of time be able to change? THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED. THE EXAMPLE OF THE REIGNING PRINCE. The people follow the example of their prince, and laws have less influence in moulding their lives than the model which his life exhibits. THE FICKLE PEOPLE. The fickle populace always change with the opinions of the prince. PRIDE. The noblest conduct is stained by the addition of pride. VIRTUE IS ITS OWN REWARD. Virtue indeed is its own reward. VIRTUE. Virtue desires no foreign aid; cares not for praise; is full of life by her own resources; not to be moved by any of the chances of life; looks down on the affairs of mortals from her seat aloft. REASON, NOT PASSION, OUGHT TO GUIDE MAN. That man approaches the gods, who is guided by reason and not by passion, and who, weighing the facts, can proportion the punishment with discretion. HOW A KINGDOM OUGHT TO BE GOVERNED. violent means, and calmness will best enforce the Power will accomplish more by gentle than by imperial mandates. NO MAN PERFECT. The man who is fair in face, is often of a dark dye in morals; he who is fair in mind, is deformed in body; this man is distinguished in war, but in Hence let ages learn that there is nothing insu- private life is disgraced by his vices. perable to the good or safe to the bad. |