approved Character in the State, should carelessly suffer the most excellent thing that belongs to you, to be neglected, and lost."" No certainly."-" But do you take care of it yourself? And is it by the Instructions of another, or by your own Discovery [how it ought to be done?]"Here, now, comes the Danger, that he may first say, Pray, good Sir, what Business is that of yours? What are you to me? Then, if you persist to trouble him, he may lift up his Hand, and give you a Box on the Ear. I myself was once a great Admirer of this Method of Instruction, till I fell into such kind of Adventures.

CHAP. XIII.

Of Solicitude.

§. 1. WHEN I see any one solicitous, I

say, What doth this Man mean? Unless he wanted something or other, not in his own Power, how could he still be solicitous? A Musician, for instance, feels no Solicitude,

while he is singing by himself: but when he appears upon the Stage he doth; even if his Voice be ever so good, or he plays ever so well. For what he wants is not only to sing well, but likewise to gain Applause. But this is not in his own Power. In short, where his Skill lies, there is his Courage. (Bring any ignorant Person, and he doth not mind him.) But in the Point which he neither understands, nor hath studied, there he is solicitous.

What Point is that?

He doth not understand what a Multitude is; nor what the Applause of a Multitude. He hath learnt, indeed, how to strike Bass and Treble; but what the Applause of the many is, and what Force it hath in Life, he neither understands, nor hath studied. Hence he must necessarily tremble, and turn pale. I cannot, indeed, say, that a Man is no Musician, when I see him afraid; but I can say something else; and that not one, but many things. And, first of all, . I call him a Stranger; and say, This Man doth not know in what Country he is: and though he hath lived here so long, he is ignorant of the Laws and Customs of the State; and what is permitted, and what

not:

not: nor hath he ever consulted any Lawyer, who might tell and explain to him the Laws. Yet no Man writes a Will, without knowing how it ought to be written, or consulting some one who doth know nor doth he rashly sign a Bond, or give Security. But he uses his Desire and Aversion, exerts his Pursuits, Intentions, and Resolutions, without consulting any Lawyer about the Mat

ter.

How do you mean without a Lawyer?

He knows not, that he chuses what is not allowed him; and doth not chuse what is necessary and he knows not what is his own, and what belongs to others: for if he did know, he would never be hindered; would never be restrained; would never be solicitous.

How so?

Why: doth any one fear things that are not Evils?

No.

Doth any one fear things, that are Evils indeed, but which it is in his own Power to prevent?

No, surely.

§. 2. If, then, the things independent on Choice, are neither good nor evil; and

all

all that do depend on Choice, are in our own Power, and can neither be taken away from us, or given to us, unless we please; what room is there left for Solicitude? But we are solicitous about this paltry Body, or Estate, of ours; or about the Determination of Cæsar; and not at all about any thing internal. Are we ever solicitous not to take up a false Opinion? No: for this is in our own Power. Or not to exert our Pursuits, contrary to Nature? No: nor this neither. When, therefore, you see any one pale with Solicitude, as the Physician pronounces from the Complexion, that such a Patient is disordered in the Spleen, another in the Liver; so do you likewise say, this Man is disordered in his Desires and Aversions: he cannot walk steady; he is in a Fermentation. For nothing else changes the Complexion, or causes a Trembling, or sets the Teeth a chattering.

No Force, no Firmness, the pale Coward shows;
He shifts his Place: his Colour comes and goes.
Terror and Death in his wild Eye-balls stare;
With chatt'ring Teeth he stands, and stiffen'd Hair.

POPE'S Homer.

Therefore

Therefore* Zeno, when he was to meet Antigonus, felt no Solicitude. For over what he admired, Antigonus had no Power: and those things of which he had the Power, Zeno did not regard. But Antigonus felt a Solicitude when he was to meet Zeno; and with Reason; for he was desirous to please him; and this was external. But Zeno was not desirous to please Antigonus: for no one skilful in any Art, is desirous to please a Person unskilful.

I am desirous [says one of his Scholars] to please You.

For what? Do you know the Rules, by which one Man judges of another? Have you studied to understand what a good, and what a bad Man is; and how each becomes such? Why then are not you yourself a good Man?

On what Account am I not?

Because no good Man laments, nor sighs, nor groans: no good Man turns pale, and

Antigonus Gonatas, King of Macedon, had so great an Esteem for Zeno, that he often took a Journey to Athens to visit him; and endeavoured, by magnificent Promises, to allure him to his Court; but without Success. He gave it as a Reason, for the distinguished Regard which he paid him, that, though he had made him many, and very considerable Offers, Zeno never appeared either mean or insolent.

trembles,