PART XIII.

E 9 I C U R U S.
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txert.
In the firfl place therefore rve mujl look upon this as a general Rule ; In contingent things^ that which is to come is neither absolutely ours, nor abfolutcly not ours fo that we are neither to hope for it, as if it muft certainly come topafs, beciiufe ic may be diverted by fome accident intervening ^ rtor to dcfpair of it, as if it mujh certainly not come to pafs, becaufe it may fall out, that no accident may in¬ tervene to divert it. Thus, not being deftitate of all hope, we (hall not be without Ibme plea- fure *, nor being quite fruftrated of our hope,vve Ihall not receive any trouble.
This difference there is betwixt a wife Man and a Fool •, the wife Man expefts future things, but depends not on them,and in the mean time enjoys the prefent, ( by confidering how great and pleafant they are,) and remembers the j^aft with delight. But the life of a Fool (as I laid before,) is unpleafant and timorous, for that it is wholly carried on to the future.
Flow many may we fee, who neither remem¬ ber the paft good, nor enjoy the prefent ? they are wholly taken up with expeftation of future things, and, thofe being uncertain, they are per¬ petually alhi^ed with angnilhand fear, and are exceedingly grieved when they too late per¬ ceive, that they have in vain addided them- felves to the getting of Riches,or Flonours, or Power, or Glory • for they fail of obtaining '' thofe Pleafures, with the hopes whereof being enflamed, they had undergone many and great labours. Not to fay any thing of thofe others, who being abjeft and narrow-hearted defpair cf all things,and are, for the moft part,malevolent, envious, morofe, fhunners of the light, evil fpeakers, monftrous.
Ifky a wife Man remembers the paft goods with delight and gratitude ; but indeed it can¬ not fufficiently be lamented, that we are too un¬ grateful towards the paft, in not calling to mind, nor accouting amongft pleafures all the good things we have received ; forafmuch as no plea- fure is more certain, than that which cannot now be taken from us. The prefent goods are not yet confummate and wholly folid, fome chance or other may intervene, and cut them off in half ^ the future are dependent and un¬ certain, what is already paft is only fafe,and out of all danger to be loft.
Among the paft goods f reckon, not only fuch as we have enjoyed, but even the avoidance of the Ills that might have befall’n us •, as alfo, our deliverance out of fuch Ills as did fall on us, and mihgt have lafted longer, likeyvife the remem¬ brance and delight that we fuftained them con- ftantly and bravely,
As to the defire of prolonging Life to a vaft extent, 1 already hinted, that a wife Man muft cut off that defire, becaufe there would imme¬ diately upon it follow Defperation, which is /lever without trouble and anguilh. Fiither it conduceth to confider, that no greater pleafure can be recived from an age of infinite duration, than may be received from this which we know to be finite,provided a Man meafure the bounds of itby right reafon.
For feeing that to meafure the bounds of Na¬ ture by right veafon, is nothing elfe but to con¬ fider, (as I faid before,) that the fupreme plea fare is no other, that an exemption from pain
and trouble, it is manifeft, that it can neither be made greater by length ^ nor lefter, or more remifs, by fhortnefs of time.
And though the hopes of a more prolonged pleafure, or of a longer age, feem to render the prefent pleafure more incenfe; yet it is on¬ ly fa with thole, wlu meafure the bound of plea- mre,not by right realbp.,buc by vain defire; and who look upon themfelvcs fo, as if, when they die and ceafe to be, they fhould yet be trouoied at the privation of pleafure, as if they had been alive. Whence it happens, that, as I hinted formerly, to underftand fully, that Death no¬ thing concerns us, much conduceth to our en¬ joyment of this mortal life, not by adding any thing of uncertain time, but by calling away the defire of Immortality.
Wherefore feeing that fince Nature hath pre- feribed bounds to corporeal pleafure, and the defire of eternal duration takes them av necedary that the mind or reafon interpofe,that, by difeourfing upon thofe bounds, and extirpa¬ ting the defire of Sempiternity, it may make life every way perfeft, lo that we being content therewith, fliall not want a longer duration.
Moreover, neither fliall we be deprived of pleafure, even then when Death fliall fummon us, forafmuch as we have attained the perfeft and delightful end of the beTF life, departing like Guefts full and well fatisfied with life, and having duly difeharged that Office, to acquit ourfelves of which we received life.
CHAP. XIX.
Vf Fortitude in general.
WE come next to Fortitude, which I af¬ firmed to be the other part of Honefly, becaufe it wichftands Fear, and all things that ufe to caufe Fear ; whereby, they who behave themfelvcs not timorous and cowardly, but va¬ liantly and ftoutly,are faid to behave themfelvcs honcftly and befeemingly. This may be mani- fefted many ways, efpecially from War, where¬ in they who behave themfelves with courage and honefty,get honour above the reft. Whence Honeft is almoft the very fame with that, which in the common efteem is Honourable.
That this virtue conduceth alfo to pleafure,' m.ay be inferred from hence,for that neither the undergoing of Labours,,nor the fuffering of Pains, arc things in themfelves alle6tive,nor pa¬ tience, nor affiduity,nor watching,nor induftry, though fo highly commended, nor Fortitude it- ’ felf- but we perfue thefe,to the end we may live without care and fear, and fo(as much as poflible) free both the body and mind from moleflation.
For as by the fear of death ( for example, ) all the quiet of life is difturbed ; and as to fink under pains, and to bear them with a dejefted and weak mind, is a great mifery, and by filch lownefs of fpirit, many have quite undone their Parents, Friends,Country,and even themfelves : fo on the other ride,a ftrong and gallant mind is free frdm all care and anguilh, for it contemns
I deaths
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EPICURUS.