第4章

Sect。XXVIII。

WHENthoulookestupontheImperfectionsofothers,allowoneEyeforwhatisLaudableinthem,&;thebalancetheyhavefromsomeexcellency,whichmayrenderthemconsiderable。whilewelookwithfearorhatredupontheteethoftheViper,wemaybeholdhisEyewithlove。InvenemousNaturessomethingmaybeamiable:PoysonsaffordAntipoysons:nothingistotally,oraltogetheruseleslybad。NotableVirtuesaresometimesdashedwithnotoriousVices,&;insomevicioustempershavebeenfoundillustriousActsofVirtue;whichmakessuchobservableworthinsomeactionsofKingDemetrius,Antonius,andAhab,asarenottobefoundinthesamekindinAristides,Numa,orDavid。Constancy,Generosity,Clemency,&;LiberalityhavebeenhighlyconspicuousinsomePersonsnotmarktoutinotherconcernsforExampleorImitation。ButsinceGoodnessisexemplaryinall,ifothershavenototherVirtues,letusnotbewantingintheirs,norscorningthemfortheirViceswhereofwearefree,becondemnedbytheirVirtues,whereinwearedeficient。ThereisDrossAlloy,&;

Embasementinallhumantemper,andhefliethwithoutWings,whothinkstofindOphyrorpureMetalinany。ForperfectionisnotlikeLightcenter’dinanyoneBody,butlikethedispersedSeminalitiesofVegetablesattheCreationscatteredthroughthewholeMassoftheEarth,noplaceproducingallandalmostallsome。Sothat’tiswell,ifaperfectMancanbemadeoutofmanyMen,andtotheperfectEyeofGodevenoutofMankind。Time,whichperfectssomeThings,imperfectsalsoothers。CouldweintimatelyapprehendtheIdeatedMan,andashestoodintheintellectofGoduponthefirstexertionbyCreation,wemightmorenarrowlycomprehendourpresentDegeneration,andhowwidelywearefallenfromthepureExemplarandIdeaofourNature:forafterthiscorruptiveElongationfromaprimitiveandpureCreation,wearealmostlostinDegeneration;andAdamhathnotonlyfallenfromhisCreator,butweourselvesfromAdam,ourTychoandprimaryGenerator。

Sect。XXIX。

QUARRELnotrashlywithAdversitiesnotyetunderstood;andoverlooknottheMerciesoftenboundupinthem。

ForweconsidernotsufficientlythegoodofEvils,norfairlycomputetheMerciesofProvidenceinthingsafflictiveatfirsthand。ThefamousAndreasDoriabeinginvitedtoaFeastbyAloysioFieschiwithdesigntoKillhim,justthenightbefore,fellmercifullyintoafitoftheGoutandsoescapedthatmischief。WhenCatointendedtoKillhimself,fromablowwhichhegavehisservant,whowouldnotreachhisSworduntohim,hisHandsoswell’dthathehadmuchadotoEffecthisdesign。HerebyanyonebutaresolvedStoickmighthavetakenafairhintofconsideration,andthatsomemercifullGeniuswouldhavecontrivedhispreservation。TobesagaciousinsuchintercurrencesisnotSuperstition,butwaryandpiousDiscretion,andtocontemnsuchhintsweretobedeafuntothespeakinghandofGod,whereinSocrates&;Cardanwouldhardlyhavebeenmistaken。

Sect。XXX。

BREAKnotopenthegateofDestruction,andmakenohasteorbustleuntoRuin。PostnotheedleslyonuntothenonultraofFolly,orprecipiceofPerdition。LetviciouswayshavetheirTropicksandDeflexions,andswimintheWatersofSinbutasintheAsphaltickLake,thoughsmearedanddefiled,nottosinktothebottom。IfthouhastdiptthyfootintheBrink,yetventurenotoverRubicon。RunnotintoExtremitiesfromwhencethereisnoregression。IntheviciouswaysoftheWorlditmercifullyfallethoutthatwebecomenotextemporewicked,butittakethsometimeandpainstoundoourselves。WefallnotfromVirtue,likeVulcanfromHeaven,inaday。BadDispositionsrequiresometimetogrowintobadHabits,badHabitsmustunderminegood,andoftenrepeatedactsmakeushabituallyevil:sothatbygradualdepravations,andwhilewearebutstaggeringlyevil,wearenotleftwithoutParenthesesofconsiderations,thoughtfulrebukes,andmercifulinterventions,torecalusuntoourselves。FortheWisdomofGodhathmethodiz’dthecourseofthingsuntothebestadvantageofgoodness,andthinkingConsideratorsoverlooknotthetractthereof。

Sect。XXXI。

SINCEMen&;WomenhavetheirproperVirtues&;Vices,&;evenTwinsofdifferentsexeshavenotonlydistinctcoveringsintheWomb,butdifferingqualitiesandVirtuousHabitsafter;transplacenottheirProprietiesandconfoundnottheirDistinctions。

LetMasculineandfeminineaccomplishmentsshineintheirproperOrbs,andadorntheirRespectivesubjects。HoweverunitenottheVicesofbothSexesinone;benotMonstrousinIniquity,norHermaphroditicallyVitious。

Sect。XXXII。

IFgenerousHonesty,Valour,andplainDealing,betheCognisanceofthyFamilyorCharacteristickofthyCountry,holdfastsuchinclinationssucktinwiththyfirstBreath,andwhichlayintheCradlewiththee。Fallnotintotransformingdegenerations,whichundertheoldnamecreateanewNation。BenotanAlieninthineownNation;bringnotOrontesintoTiber;learntheVirtuesnottheVicesofthyforeignNeighbours,andmakethyimitationbydiscretionnotcontagion。

FeelsomethingofthyselfinthenobleActsofthyAncestors,andfindinthineownGeniusthatofthyPredecessors。RestnotundertheExpiredmeritsofothers,shinebythoseofthyown。FlamenotlikethecentralfirewhichenlightnethnoEyes,whichnoManseeth,andmostmenthinkthere’snosuchthingtobeseen。AddoneRayuntothecommonLustre;addnotonlytotheNumberbuttheNoteofthyGeneration;andprovenotaCloudbutanAsteriskinthyRegion。

Sect。XXXIII。

SINCEthouhastanAlaruminthyBreast,whichtellstheethouhastaLivingSpiritintheeabovetwothousandtimesinanhour;dullnotawaythyDaysinsloathfulsupinity&;thetediousnessofdoingnothing。TostrenuousMindsthereisaninquietudeinoverquietness,andnolaboriousnessinlabour;andtotreadamileaftertheslowpaceofaSnail,ortheheavymeasuresoftheLazyofBrazilia,wereamosttiringPennance,andworsethanaRaceofsomefurlongsattheOlympicks。TherapidcoursesoftheheavenlybodiesareratherimitablebyourThoughtsthanourcorporealMotions;yetthesolemnmotionsofourlivesamountuntoagreatermeasurethaniscommonlyapprehended。SomefewmenhavesurroundedtheGlobeoftheEarth;yetmanyinthesetLocomotions&;movementsoftheirdayshavemeasuredthecircuitofit,andtwentythousandmileshavebeenexceededbythem。Movecircumspectlynotmeticulously,&;rathercarefullysollicitousthananxiouslysollicitudinous。ThinknotthereisaLyonintheway,norwalkwithLeadenSandalsinthepathsofGoodness;butinallVirtuousmotionsletPrudencedeterminethymeasures。

StrivenottorunlikeHerculesafurlonginabreath:FestinationmayprovePrecipitation:Deliberatingdelaymaybewisecunctation,andslownessnosloathfulness。