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to regulate your conduct； you have done a great deal more than he who has
composed books。 Have you known how to take repose； you have done more
than he who has taken empires and cities。
The glorious masterpiece of man is to live to purpose； all other things：
to reign； to lay up treasure； to build； are but little appendices and
props。 I take pleasure in seeing a general of an army； at the foot of a
breach he is presently to assault； give himself up entire and free at
dinner； to talk and be merry with his friends。 And Brutus； when heaven
and earth were conspired against him and the Roman liberty； stealing some
hour of the night from his rounds to read and scan Polybius in all
security。 'Tis for little souls； buried under the weight of affairs； not
from them to know how clearly to disengage themselves； not to know how to
lay them aside and take them up again：
〃O fortes； pejoraque passi
Mecum saepe viri！ nunc vino pellite curas
Cras ingens iterabimus aequor。〃
＇〃O brave spirits； who have often suffered sorrow with me； drink
cares away； tomorrow we will embark once more on the vast sea。〃
Horace； Od。； i。 7； 30。＇
Whether it be in jest or earnest； that the theological and Sorbonnical
wine； and their feasts； are turned into a proverb； I find it reasonable
they should dine so much more commodiously and pleasantly； as they have
profitably and seriously employed the morning in the exercise of their
schools。 The conscience of having well spent the other hours； is the
just and savoury sauce of the dinner…table。 The sages lived after that
manner； and that inimitable emulation to virtue； which astonishes us both
in the one and the other Cato； that humour of theirs； so severe as even
to be importunate； gently submits itself and yields to the laws of the
human condition； of Venus and Bacchus； according to the precepts of their
sect； that require the perfect sage to be as expert and intelligent in
the use of natural pleasures as in all other duties of life：
〃Cui cor sapiat； ei et sapiat palatus。〃
Relaxation and facility； methinks； wonderfully honour and best become a
strong and generous soul。 Epaminondas did not think that to take part；
and that heartily； in songs and sports and dances with the young men of
his city； were things that in any way derogated from the honour of his
glorious victories and the perfect purity of manners that was in him。
And amongst so many admirable actions of Scipio the grandfather； a person
worthy to be reputed of a heavenly extraction； there is nothing that
gives him a greater grace than to see him carelessly and childishly
trifling at gathering and selecting cockle shells； and playing at quoits；
＇This game； as the 〃Dictionnaire de Trevoux〃 describes it； is one
wherein two persons contend which of them shall soonest pick up some
object。＇
amusing and tickling himself in representing by writing in comedies the
meanest and most popular actions of men。 And his head full of that
wonderful enterprise of Hannibal and Africa； visiting the schools in
Sicily； and attending philosophical lectures； to the extent of arming the
blind envy of his enemies at Rome。 Nor is there anything more remarkable
in Socrates than that； old as he was； he found time to make himself
taught dancing and playing upon instruments； and thought it time well
spent。 This same man was seen in an ecstasy； standing upon his feet a
whole day and a night together； in the presence of all the Grecian army；
surprised and absorbed by some profound thought。 He was the first；
amongst so many valiant men of the army； to run to the relief of
Alcibiades； oppressed with the enemy； to shield him with his own body；
and disengage him from the crowd by absolute force of arms。 It was he
who； in the Delian battle； raised and saved Xenophon when fallen from his
horse； and who； amongst all the people of Athens； enraged as he was at so
unworthy a spectacle； first presented himself to rescue Theramenes； whom
the thirty tyrants were leading to execution by their satellites； and
desisted not from his bold enterprise but at the remonstrance of
Theramenes himself； though he was only followed by two more in all。 He
was seen； when courted by a beauty with whom he was in love； to maintain
at need a severe abstinence。 He was seen ever to go to the wars； and
walk upon ice； with bare feet； to wear the same robe； winter and summer；
to surpass all his companions in patience of bearing hardships； and to
eat no more at a feast than at his own private dinner。 He was seen； for
seven…and…twenty years together； to endure hunger； poverty； the
indocility of his children； and the nails of his wife； with the same
countenance。 And； in the end； calumny； tyranny； imprisonment； fetters；
and poison。 But was this man obliged to drink full bumpers by any rule
of civility？ he was also the man of the whole army with whom the
advantage in drinking； remained。 And he never refused to play at
noisettes； nor to ride the hobby…horse with children； and it became him
well； for all actions； says philosophy； equally become and equally honour
a wise man。 We have enough wherewithal to do it； and we ought never to
be weary of presenting the image of this great man in all the patterns
and forms of perfection。 There are very few examples of life； full and
pure； and we wrong our teaching every day； to propose to ourselves those
that are weak and imperfect； scarce good for any one service； and rather
pull us back； corrupters rather than correctors of manners。 The people
deceive themselves； a man goes much more easily indeed by the ends； where
the extremity serves for a bound； a stop； and guide； than by the middle
way； large and open； and according to art； more than according to nature：
but withal much less nobly and commendably。
Greatness of soul consists not so much in mounting and in pressing
forward； as in knowing how to govern and circumscribe itself； it takes
everything for great； that is enough； and demonstrates itself in
preferring moderate to eminent things。 There is nothing so fine and
legitimate as well and duly to play the man； nor science so arduous as
well and naturally to know how to live this life； and of all the
infirmities we have； 'tis the most barbarous to despise our being。
Whoever has a mind to isolate his spirit； when the body is ill at ease；
to preserve it from the contagion； let him by all means do it if he can：
but otherwise let him on the contrary favour and assist it； and not
refuse to participate of its natural pleasures with a conjugal
complacency； bringing to it； if it be the wiser； moderation； lest by
indiscretion they should get confounded with displeasure。 Intemperance
is the pest of pleasure； and temperance is not its scourge； but rather
its seasoning。 Euxodus； who therein established the sovereign good； and
his companions； who set so high a value upon it； tasted it in its most
charming sweetness； by the means of temperance； which in them was
singular and exemplary。
I enjoin my soul to look upon pain and pleasure with an eye equally
regulated：
〃Eodem enim vitio est effusio animi in laetitia
quo in dolore contractio；〃
＇〃For from the same imperfection arises the expansion of the
mind in pleasure and its contraction in sorrow。〃
Cicero； Tusc。 Quaes。； iv。 31。＇
and equally firm； but the one gaily and the other severely； and so far as
it is able； to be careful to extinguish the one as to extend the other。
The judging rightly of good brings along with it the judging soundly of
evil： pain has something of the inevitable in its tender beginnings； and
pleasure something of the evitable in its excessive end。 Plato couples
them together； and wills that it should be equally the office of
fortitude to fight against pain； and against the immoderate and charming
blandishments of pleasure： they are two fountains； from which whoever
draws； when and as much as he needs； whether city； man； or beast； is very
fortunate。 The first is to be taken medicinally and upon necessity； and
more scantily； the other for thirst； but not to； drunkenness。 Pain；
pleasure； love and hatred are the first things that a child is sensible
of： if； when reason comes； they apply it to themselves； that is virtue。
I have a special vocabulary of my own； I 〃pass away time；〃 when it is ill
and uneasy； but when 'tis good I do not pass it away： 〃I taste it over
again and adhere to it〃； one must run over the ill and settle upon the
good。 This ordinary phrase of pastime； and passing away the time；
represents the usage of those wise sort of people who think they cannot
do better with their lives than to let them run out and slide away； pass
them over； and baulk them； and； as much as they can； ignore them and shun
them as a thing of troublesome and contemptible quality： but I know it to
be another kind of thing； and find it both valuable and commodious； even
in its latest decay； wherein I now enjoy it； and nature has delivered it
into our hands in such and so favourable circumstances that we have only
ourselves to blame if it be troubl