Non quare, et unde; quid habeat, tantum rogant. Meritò illa amores cœlitum atque hominum movet. But is he rich? all cry. Not, is he good? They afk not, why? or whence? but what he has. Say, what 'tis fcandalous to have? why, nothing. upon When the latter part of these verses were recited in a tragedy of Euripides, the whole audience rose up tumultuoufly; and with great refentment condemned the actor, author, and poetry. Eut Euripides fprung the stage, and humbly begged their patience, 'till they should fee the catastrophe of the wretch who had made this extraordinary fpeech. It was Bellerophons (V.) (1), who here, from poetical juftice, met with that condign punishment, which every guilty wretch feels in his own breaft. For avarice never efcapes with impunity. O what floods of tears, what inceffant toil does the exact from her devoteés! How miferable does fhe make thofe who only live in expectation! How much more miferable thofe, who have obtained their fondeft wishes? For behold! what anxieties and daily cares attend on men, according to their feveral poffeffions! Money is often poffeffed with greater torment than that by which it was acquired, What bitter fighs do their loffes create? which heavy as they fell upon them, still feel heavier. Lastly, though fortune fhould take nothing from them, whatever fhe denies them further, is deemed a lofs. they call him rich, and wish themWhat then? Do you think any But all men think fuch a one happy, felves in his condition. It may be fo. one can be in a worfe condition, than the man who is envied by others, and wretched in himself? I only wish that all who are greedy of wealth, would feriously and honeftly confer with the rich themselves. I wish that all who gape after titles and honours would confult the ambitious; and such as have reached the first state of dignity! Truly, I believe, they would change their minds; as the great themfelves do, who are still hunting after fomething, and condemning what they before admired. For no one is contented with his own happiness, tho' it flows in upon him to his wish. Still do they complain of their wrong defigns, and unhappy fuccefs, and had much rather be what they were before. Therefore it is philofophy alone that can give this truly valuable bleffing; to do nothing that requires repentance. And this solid happinefs, which no tempeft can shake, is not to be conferred, by the study of apt and well-chofen words, or a fweet fluency of difcourfe: let it flow as it will, fo that the mind be calm and compofed; fo long as this continues truly great, and firm in its own confequence, neglectful of the opinion of others; and enjoys complacency in thofe very things, that to others are difpleafing. Such a one estimates his proficiency in life by his conduct; and rightly judgeth that his knowledge is to be valued according to his not knowing, either how to covet, or how to fear. ANNO ANNOTATION S, &c. (α) Et veluti fignes] So the Greeks, ένσημαινειν. τὰ μαθηματα δι' ἀπλότητα τῶν ψυχῶν és Catos évorjavopeva. Bafil. The Latins fay ponere figna. Non eft mihi tempus aventi Ponere figna novis præceptis.-Hor. S. ii. 4. 1. I have not leifure now, to mark new rules. (b) De capfulâ totos] Lipfius. al. tortos. Scaliger reads it, Defcapulatos, and applies it to those who affect a loose robe, or undress. Effluit effufo queis toga laxa finu. Tibull. 1. Malthinus tunicis demiffis ambulat. Hor. S. i. 2. 25. Walks with his gown below his heels. (c) Oratio vultus eft animi.] Much the fame with what he had faid in the foregoing Epiftle, Talis eft oratio, qualis vita. So Democritus ap. Laert. calls, Speech, eid whov To 68, than which fays Erafmus nothing can be more juft. Man is known by his speech as brazen veffels by their ringing. And to this Perfius alludes, -Sonat vitium percufla malignè Refpondet viridi non cocta fidelia limo. iii. 21. A flaw is in thy ill-bak'd vessel found, 'Tis hollow, and returns a jarring found. Dryden. There is another fentence in Latin to the fame purpose. Tale ingenium, qualis oratio. See Erafm. p. 1456. To which Terence alludes.-Nam mihi quale ingenium habeas, fuit indicium oratio. Heauton. We say in English, Speech is the picture of the mind. (d) Si circumtonfa eft] Varro in Fragm. Alii fant circumtonfi et torti atque unctuli, ut mangonis videantur effe fervi; others are fo trimmed and curled, that you would take them for the flaves upon Sale. (e) Ut fas fit vidiffe] So in Livy, 1. 1. So in Livy, 1. 1. Proculus, at the fight of Romulus, (fuppofed to have been made a God) venerebundus adftitit, precibus petens, ut contra intueri fas effet. It was the general opinion of all nations that no one can fee God; according to that of the Evangelift-No man bath feen God at any time. In a Note (in my translation) of Vida's hymns, (published in 1725) I have obferved, That when the Shechinah, or divine glory filled the tabernacle, Mofes could not enter therein but upon peril of his life. Exod. xl. 35. Nor could the Priests afterwards enter the temple that was built by Solomon, when the glory of the Lord had filled that house. ii. Chron. vii. 1. ii. Chron. vii. 1. We understand therefore by his appearance to Jacob, Mofes, &c. Gen. xxxii. 30. Exod. xxiv. 20, &c. that fomewhat was obvious to their fenfes that plainly difcovered the more immediate prefence of God; fo that they could no more doubt of it, than of one talking with them face to face; not that there was any fimilitude, whereby idolatry might pretend to represent him. Deut. iv. 15. Job, iv. 16. i. John, iv. 12. (f) So the Prophet Ijaiah, To what purpose is the multitude of your facrifices unto me? faith the Lord; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beafts; I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs, or cf he goats, &c. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; ceaje to do evil; learn to do well; feek judgment, relieve the oppressed; judge the VOL. II. Sf fatherless, fatherless, plead for the widow.-Come now, let us reafon together, faith the Lord; though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be white as fnow; though they be red like crimson, they fhall be as wool. If. i. In burnt-offerings and facrifices thou hast had no pleasure. Heb. x. 6. See i. Sam. XV. 22. Pf. xl. 6. li. 16. If. lxvi. 3. Heb. xv. 6. Matth. xii. 7. 11-20. (g) Eruginofi animi veternum] al. ærumnofi. But Gronovius afks what connection there can be between malitiam, and ærumnofi, iniquity, and the being unfortunate? They are ærumnofi, who undergo great hardships, which they did not deferve, as Hercules, Ulyffes, Regulus; let the paradoxical Stoics difpute what they pleafe, concerning the laft. This word, ærumnofus, belongs to Fortune, not to any fault or vice in the man. He therefore reads aruginofi, and fupports it from the following: (6) Bracteata felicitas] Vett. Gloff. Bratteam, feu Bracteam, tenuem auri argentique laminam ; a thin plate of gold or filver. Bracteatum lacunar. Sidon. i. 10. Mentis aureæ dictum bracteatum. Plin. Paneg-Vid. Juret, ad Symm. 1. i. Ep. 16. (i) Alluding to what King Antigonus faid to a certain woman admiring his felicity, O mulier fi fcias quantum mali fub fafcia ifta (diademate) lateat, nec humi jacentem tollas: O woman, if thou didst know what afflictions lie under this diadem, you would not floop to take it off the ground. (4) Sine me vocari.]—Gronovius reads it, fino me, as Populus me fibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipfe domi. Hor. S. i. r. 66. Let the poor fools bifs me, where'er I come, I bless myself, to fee my bags at home. Creech. These verses are faid to be taken from different places, the latter from the Greek of Euripides: ap. Stob. Serm. 89. Ω χρυσέ, δεξίωμα κάλλιστον βροτοις, Ως ἐδὲ μητηρ ήδονας τοιας έχει Ου παῖδες άνθρωποισιν, ο φίλος πατήρ, (1) Lipfius obferves, that if Seneca means here the poet's Bellerophon, (Hor. Od. iii. 7. 15.) be cannot fee what gold has to do in the cafe. Bellerophon was punished for his pride and ambition. EPISTLE EPISTLE CXVI. On the Affections and Paffions. IT hath often been disputed, whether it were better to have moderate affections, or none at all. We Stoics are for difcarding them entirely: the Peripatetics are fatisfied with moderating or governing them. But for my part 1 cannot conceive how any degree of a disease can be thought healthful or beneficial. Be not afraid, Lucilius, I am not for depriving you of any of those things you are unwilling to be denied. I will grant, nay, indulge you in those which you seek after and think neceffary to life, as being both profitable and pleasant. I will detract only the vicious part. For when I forbid you to covet, I permit you to will (a): that you may make the fame efforts with better courage and resolution, and better relish such pleasures. Why not? they will fooner attend you when you command, than when you serve them. But it is natural, you fay, to be troubled at the loss of a friend: forgive a while the tears that fo justly flow. It is natural to be concerned at the opinion of mankind; and be made forrowful by adverfity. Why will you not allow fo just a dread, as is that of men's having a bad opinion of you? There is no vice but what meets with an advocate; and which in the beginning is not foftened and palliated by fome excufe or other: but on this very account it spreads the more. You will find it difficult to put an end to it, when once you have permitted a beginning. Every affection is but weak and feeble in its first rife: but felf-inftigated it gathers ftrength as it proceeds. It is much easier therefore excluded at first than expelled afterwards. Who can deny but that every affection flows as it were (b) from a certain natural principle? Nature hath committed us to the care and charge of ourfelves. True; but when we are too indulgent herein, we become faulty. Nature hath annexed pleafure even to things neceffary; not |