PART XIII. ET I C lTrUS.

CHAP. XVI.
OfModefty^ oppojite to Ambition.
AS concerning Modefty.^ there needs little more to be laid, than what we formerly declared,when we fliew’d it was not the part of a wile man to affed highOfEces,or Honours in a Common- wealth, but rather fo to contain him- felf, as to live in fome private corner : Where- fore,here I (hall once more give the fame coun- fcl, which I give to all my friends. Live clofe, or private, ( provided no necelfities of the Com¬ mon-wealth require ocherwife,)for even experi¬ ence teacheth, that he hath lived well, who hath well concealed himfelf
It is but too frequently feen, that they who climb up to the top of Honour, are caftdown by envy, as with a Thunder-bolt, and then too late acknowledge that it is much better, quietly to obey, than by laborious climbing up the nar¬ row path of ambitions to aim at command and foveraignty, and to arrive there, where noth¬ ing can be expeded, but a great and dangerous precipitation. Befides, are not they, whom the common people gaze upon with admirati¬ on, glittering with Titles and Honours, the raofl unhappy of all men, for that their breads are gnawn v/ich Weighty and troublefome cares ? You mud not imagine that fuch perfons live quiet and fccure in mind ; for it is impodible, mit that they who are feared by many, (hould themfelves fenr many.
And though you fee them fend out great Na¬ vies, command Legions,companed with Guards, yet you mud not think they live all quiet, or in¬ deed do at all partake of any true pleafure, for all thefe things are ridiculous pageantry and dreams : Fears and cares are not afraid of the noife of Arms, nor dand in awe of the bright- nefs of gold, or fplendor of purple, but bold¬ ly intrude amongd Princes and Potentates, and, like the Vulture, which the Poets talk of, gnaw and pt^y on their hearts.
Neither mud you think,that the Body is any thing the better for this, fmee you fee that Fe¬ vers go away nothing the fooner, if you lye in a bed of Tyrian purple, in a chamber furnilhed with rich Tapidry, than under a plain homely coverlet^ and that we take no harm by the want of purple robes, embroidered with Gold and pearl,as long as we have a courfe plain Garment lufficient to keep away the cold. And what, if, being cheerful and contented with rags and a bed of draw,you (hould indruft men how vain thofe are, who with adonifh’d and turbulent minds gape and third after the trifles of magni¬ ficence, not underdanding how few and fmall thofe things are which make a happy life ? Be- leive me that which you (hall fay will appear far more magnificent and high, being delivered from a Mattrefs covered with courfe cloath ; for it is not only fpoken but praftifed.
Though your houfe (hine not with Silver and Gold, refound not with mufick, hath not any Golden Irfiages of Boyes holding tapers to light you at your nightly Revels a.nd BanquetSi truly, it is not a whit le(s pleafant to repofe yourfelf on the foft grafs by a purling dream,undernfath
a fpreading tree and efpecially in the fpring at what time the fields are befprinked with flow¬ ers, the Brids entertain you with their mufiek, the Wed wind fans yon, and Nature herfelf fmiles on you.
AVhy therefore (hould any man, that may live thus in his own fields and garden, perfue hon¬ our? and not rather modedly redrain his defires witliin this compafs ; For to aim at glory by odencation of Virtue, Science, Eloquence, Nobi¬ lity , Wealth, Attendants, Attire, Beauty, Meeh,ahdthc like, is a ridiculous vanity • In all thefe, Modedy requires no more than that we tianfgrefs not decency through rudicity,dupN dity, br negligence, it i^(a3 1 faid,)eqoally bafe and abjedf, CO grow infolent, upon poiTelTion of thefe, as to be cad down at their lols.
Hereupon a wife man, if he happen to have the Images or datues of his Ancedors or other perfons, will be far from taking pride in them, or (hewing them as badges of honour • yet on the other fide, he will not neglect them, but place and keep them carefully in his gallery.
In like manner, neither will he be folicitous about his own Funeral, or give order that it be performed Magnificently. He will only confi- der what may bebfneficial and pleafant to his (uccefTours, knowing that as fou himfelf or his dead Body, it is all one what becomes of it. For to propagate vanity even beyound death is madnefs, and fuch alfo is the fancy of thofe, who would not that their dead Bodies (hould be devoured by wild beads. For, if that be an ill mud it not be very bad to have them burnt’ embalmed, and immerfed in honey, to grov-y cold and diff under a Marble-done, to be pref- fed and confuraed with Earth ?
CHAP. XVIL
OfModeration^oppoJJte to Avarice,
THe next is Moderation, or that difpofition of mind by vyhich a man is contented with little, and than which be caiinot have a greater Good. To be content with little is thegreateft wealth in the world,forafrnuch as a mean edate proportion’d to the the Law of Nature is' great riches. To have wherewithal to prevent hun¬ ger, third, and cold, is a felicity equal to that of the Divinity ^ and who poifelTes fo much, and defires no more, however the world may edeem him poor, is the riched man.
How fweet a thing is this poverty, cheerful and contented with what is enough, that is, with thofe riches of nature which fuffice to pre- ferve from hunger, third, and cold ^ Truly, feeing the riches of nature are finite and eafie to be had, but thofe that are coveted out ’of vain opinions,are without meafure and infinite, we ought to be thankful to kind Nature, for making thofe things necclTary , that are ‘eafie to be had, and thofe that are hard to be got, unneeelTaryi
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620
EPICURUS.