Head, I say strike that Part of him which he guards: and be you assured, that whatever you shew a desire to guard, there your master will attack you. Remember but this, whom will you any longer flatter, or fear?

But I want to sit where the Senators do.

Do not you see, that by this you straiten yourself? You squeeze yourself?

Why, how else shall I see the Show, in the Amphitheatre cleverly?

Do not see it (at all), Man; and you will not be squeezed. Why do you give yourself Trouble? Or wait a little while; and when the Show is over, go sit in the Senators' Places, and sun yourself. For remember, that this holds universally; we squeeze ourselves; we straiten ourselves: that is; our own Principles squeeze and straiten us. What is it to be reviled,for Instance? Stand by a Stone, and revile it; and what will you get? If you, therefore, would hear like a Stone, what would your Reviler be the better? But, if the Reviler hath the Weakness of the Reviled for an Advantage-ground, then he carries his Point." Strip him." "What do you mean by him ?" "Take my Clothes; strip off them (if you will).”—“ I

have

have put an Affront upon you."-“ Much Good it do you."

may

§. 4. These Things were the Study of Socrates; and, by this Means, he always preserved the same Countenance. But we had rather exercise and study any thing, than how to become unrestrained and free. The Philosophers talk Paradoxes.

And are there not Paradoxes in other Arts? What is more paradoxical, than the pricking any one's Eye, to make him see If a Person was to tell this to one ignorant of Surgery, would not he laugh at him? Where is the Wonder then, if, in Philosophy too, many Truths appear Paradoxes to the Ignorant?

CHAP. XXVI.

What the Law of Life is.

§. 1. As one (of his Scholars) was reading hypothetical Syllogisms; it is likewise a Law in these, says Epictetus, to admit what follows from the Hypothesis: but

much

much more is it a Law in Life, to do what "follows from Nature. For, if we desire in every Subject of Action, and in every Circumstance, to keep up to Nature; we must, on every Occasion, evidently make it our Aim, neither to let Consequences escape our Observation, nor to admit Contradictions. Philosophers, therefore, first exercise us in Theory, which is the more easy task, and then lead us to the more difficult for in Theory, there is nothing to oppose our following what we are taught; but in Life, there are many things to draw us aside. It is ridiculous then, to say, we must begin from these; for it is not easy to begin from the most difficult: and this excuse Children should make, to those Parents, who dislike that they should learn philoso phical Speculations." Am I to blame then, Sir, and ignorant of my duty, and of what is incumbent on me? If this is neither to be learnt, nor taught, why do you find fault with me? If it is to be taught, pray teach me yourself: or, if you cannot, give me leave to learn it from those who profess to understand it. Besides: do you think that I voluntarily fall into Evil, and miss of Good? Heaven forbid! What then, is the Cause of my Faults?". Ignorance. "Are

you

you not willing then, that I should get rid of my Ignorance? Who was ever taught the Art of Music, or Navigation, by Anger? Do you expect then, that your Anger should teach me the Art of Living?"—This however, is allowed to be said only by one who really hath that Intention. But he who reads these Things, and applies to the Philosophers, merely for the sake of shewing, at an Entertainment, that he understands hypothetical Syllogisms; what doth he do it for, but to be admired by some Senator, who happens to sit near him

§. 2. I once saw a Person weeping and embracing the knees of Epaphroditus; and deploring his hard Fortune, that he had not 50,000l. left. What said Epaphroditus, then? Did he laugh at him, as we should do? No: but cried out with Astonishment, Poor Man! How could you be silent? How could you bear it?

§. 3. The first Step, therefore, towards becoming a Philosopher, is, being sensible in what State the ruling Faculty of the Mind is for, when a Person knows it to be in a weak one, he will not immediately employ it in great Attempts. But,

The Text is so very corrupt in some Parts of this Chapter, that the Translation must have been wholly conjectural; and therefore is omitted.

for

for want of this, some, who can scarce get down a Morsel, buy, and set themselves to swallow, whole Treatises; and so they throw them up again, or cannot digest them and then come Cholics, Fluxes, and Fevers. Such Persons ought to consider what they can bear. Indeed, it is easy to convince an ignorant Person in Theory; but in matters relating to Life, no one offers himself to Conviction; and we hate those who have convinced us. Socrates used to say, that we ought not to live a Life unexamined.

CHAP. XXVII.

Of the several Appearances of Things to

the Mind: and what Remedies are to be

provided for them.

§. .APPEARANCES to the Mind are of

Four Kinds. Things are either what they appear to be or they neither are, nor appear to be or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear