F what we behold as miraculous, m the _ Heavens did not fcare us j if we could re-* fled enough to overcome the fear of Death, becaufe it no wife concerns usj if, in fine, our Knowledge went fo far as to find out the true End of all the Evils, and' Good Things, the ftudy of Phyfical Speculations would be altogether ufelefsand unneceflary. ^Tis a thing impoffible,that he that tremble* at the fight of the Prodigies of Nature, and is ftartrd atall the Events of Life, fliould be €ver exempt from Fear ^ he muft confider the va ft extent of Things, and penetrate in- to it •, he muft cure his Mind of the ridicu* lous impreffions of Fables, for without the difcoveryand knowledge of Nature, tfeerc can be no tafte of true Pleafure.
Reflection.
Our Philofopher here diflfers very much from Socrates^ who defpis'd the Knowledge^ of Nature and would have us buiy ourfelves wich no other Study than that of Morals; becaufe he held the Knowledge of Natural Things to be of no Ucilicy tov^ardsthe reformation of our vicious Inclinau* ons; and that what pafi^d in the Heaven^ did not belong to our Enquiry. Eficurm on.the contniry will have us pry and fearchv into the Secret$* c^ Fhyiicky not for her owct &ke^ but becaufe* it eii-. listens the Mind, diftuflb: ^tnd >KattiiAcs the . T T " " Caufis •*■ ■«■ MMM EpicuhusV Morals^ Caufes and the End of all, makes us defpiTe Death, and fupplies us with Kennedies againft Fear; which are <;atavi a^d fitfe Means to live and die peaceable.
Jujiin gives us on InftaQCje of the Tfnxh of thi^ Maxkn, in tiie Perlbn of JSfaminonJ^,i^o)jmi^ d^geronfly wounded, was carryM'oik oftheBa^ tel; y^heohecame to Jum&lf, he knew be miift die, bfic (hewU po ^ore Gonoscn at.the afqfKoacfa 9f Death, than he had ezprefild in.^e iusy ^jche A&ioo: The firft jlting he a^k'd, wa^ Wl^^her j||if Buckler was lafe, which it (eeops W2\s tlve Cfitlj thing he fear*d tne lofi of; when lie un4^rfto(^ vc was, he order'd it to be brought to him, and ki&'d It, as the Witneis of his ^lof? and Labours: Then being informed the Thehfishizd got the ViAbry,/ 0mpi,tMfy\d (lays be); and with tfaoie Words ex* xnr'd, eiydiiig bis Life be bad (b often exposed ibr l^s Country, with^ Con^^n^ationop theSucccb of its Anns.
The true Caujle of lb tpany ^Iprions A^qn^ and lb fine a Deadi, was without doubt J(bc SPW Progrels he had made in Philolbphy; *twasj]|pp Subjed: of Admiration, that he who had*^ been brought up in Arms, Ihould be fo great a Proficient in the Sciences: Twas by their means he had gain'd liich a Contempt for Riches, as not to leave wherewith to bury him; and it was by the help cf bis Attainments, that he wasalways ihtrspid, aiul ^batbe mever fwervUfrato the Precepts ofn^/^ Ibm; infomuch, that it might be.fiiid^be was not s fffe Jnm^ 4nd virfiiMi MaMfiban m ftedi Coft^in.
Hf fhUt wis (fays Semcd)iti9 void ofj^/fr^ 4M de<- €iimcrji%rceeijie its AttMci^ wiibuit Biflmktmmf ^mipin.fine^^fafi biJJfehapfih and fuittfy^ $mtf nron ipdjfcwHtiue tbifiwty qfPhiU^^ifiot "^ C4mfij4iis£t.bijjdin4fdjiti9 tnak^ bimavn m " 4mdr$mmu. mJbikfaUi iwutbe flu$im Jhi bMi ,bvth mth Comments dffd RejU£tio»Sn Max. X.
IT |s of lijttle life mot to be afraid of Mttu if we ftiO doubt how Things ate traDi^ afted in the Heavens, upon tlie Sartb, an4 in the vtft ' Immenfity of the grfa^ ph^lt i What Qskt or ReQ: can be have, who is not ann'd in himfelf agiiaft all that c^an tcrrifit m dilcojaapoft his Interior.
Refi^ECTioN.
Refi^ECTioN.
tmethit eatptefSis adrnk^ably well Efiatrm^^ Utoughj:; 'tiV in vsin (&ys he) tl^t ^n (ahoiprs inceffanffy to beaf up fVenlth; thiU h hokf pfm, fiobilit} as the Center cfhi Pknity; and, that bt exptfes hi Life to gratify hi Ambition i nay, the Glory of Commandinjr i ujelefs to his PeUcity: la t^ikf what can be lioj>*d from theie AdvanugeSj, if our Paflions rage and diftnrb us, if the thoughts of Death feiies as. if Fortune diverts it felf with theOredulity and foolery of our Hopes, and if • at the (atne time we make the World tremble by theitren^ of our Power, we want in ourielvea; Fir9i;iiie& aod Ckmftancy of Mind?
MtcMm was not comeoted, thd* the l^ivoiitite of J^ftut; th^^lbar of Death radt'd him fo <;rt^^ -~ 1 -1..- ■■ ^,..1 Epicurus holds,That 'tis not fufficient to be fecure in reference to Men, but that we muft be fo like- wife with reference to any inward Agitations that may difquiet us; and rendei* us uiihappy. A Cita^ del well guarded, and a numerous Army, may fomctimes proted us from the Storms that the fe- ditiousFury and Treafon of the People may raife, but thefe are but weak and ineffedlual Remedies againft what perfeCutes us inwardly. A Clzp of Thunder, a Dream, a fudden Fear (hall.cdftke t Prince tremble, tho' furroundcd with his Gn^s; an unruly Pailion (hall devour him in his Pakce^ and he chat Commands others, is unhappy enough not to be his own Matter.
We fliould, therefore, f^ek for this Heljp from Philofophy, which the generality make their Pride to be ignorant of, tho' at the fame time true Glory can only fall to the (hare of the Learned ^ and^that the unaccountable Rife of an Ignorant Man, who has no other Merit than the Favour of Fortune^ ought to be his Shame.
Max. XL Max. XL THE Quiet and Safety that is found iaSo^ litudeand Retirement from theWorld, itiay be equally cnjoy'd by us, tho' in it, pro- vided that we keep ftriftly to the Medium of Temperance, and confine otir Defires tor what Nature exafts for its PrefervatiOn, which is common and eafily procurable. Ill' eStSt whatever fhe counts molt delicious i&d e^tquiiite, is common and limited: but |f we mth Comments and Reflections. i z^ we liften to the wanton Appetites Opinion creates, when it is deceived by falfe Appea- rances, our Luxury flrall be infatiable, and nothing Ihallbc able to fatisfie it.
Reflection* It is certain chat Redrement contributes very tnuch to the Happinefs of Life, becaufe 'cis aloioft a fure Means to meditate with Succefs. "Wherefore Dioclefian having (way^d the Empire with all the Glory of a Conqueror,not finding therein the Tran- quility he dcfir'd, prefer'd to the Ambition of Reigning, the quiet of his Mind, and efteem'd him- felf more happy in a litde Country Houfe, where he employ 'd himfcif in cultivating the Earth, than he had been in the moft Magnificent Palaces: And notwithftanding he was afterward folicited to re- afFume the Government,, he never Would quit that way of Living.
In effed, the Mind there exercifes its Faculties more freely, and the Body is not fo liable to be difcompos'd: The Paffions don't find Matter to pro- voke their Fury or Weaknefs, and we are out of danger of being itiov'd by the flattering Ideas of Obje(5):s. But in Eficurm^s Opinion, there is a more Heroic way to the Felicity of this World, which is, to remain amongft its Commorions and Difturbance, without partaking of *em; to be in a Shipwreck without pcrifliingi 'tis to be firm a- gainft the fofiinels of PJeafiires; *tis, in fine, to have plenty, and yet be contented with little, fince Nature would not be loaded with fiiperfluotis Delicacies, and requires only wh^t is neceflary« K MAX.
• r Max. XIL THE Wife Man can never have but a mo- derate Fortune; but if he is not Confi- derable by the Advantages that depend on her, the Greatnefs of his Mind, and the Ex- cellency of his Ctounfels, are fufEcient todi- ftinguifli him from the reft of Majikind: Thefe are the chief Springs of the moft re- markable Events of Life- Reflection.
Reflection.
The Wife Man is feldom Fartum?s Favpuriiie.; her Bounties are generally the Lot of mean Soidsj and he is above chat defpicable Condidon. What is not a Man forced to do, to nick the time wheis She^s in the Humor i A Minute procures her whole Influence, and the next lof^ull her Favonr $ and jfbmetimes 'tis the labour of a Mao's Life to lix his unaccountable Being, unlels it be to his D€flru(ition.
She delights in giving us vain Hopes^ and ^ben we think we are lure of "em, (he talces Pkafure in difappointing us; fhe flatters us only to be the more vexatious i 'tis an unhappy thing to be ber Slave; fhe challenges all our v igilancy and Care, and is jealous if all our Time is not facrific'd to her Ca- pricioufnefs.
The Wife Man, who is acquainted with her Con- dud and Inconftancy, feeks his Qiiiet in Contem- plation; for as Fortune does not ad with Dit cretion, and, that one muft be amongft the Crowd of her Devotees^ to hope for any thing fiom her, Shcis jvuh Comments and Reflexions.
She does not pry into a Comer to feek aPerfbn worthy of her Favours j on the contrary, (he avoids Merit as much as ihe can, and loads with her Bounties whom (he pleafes.
Wherefore our Philofopher aflerts. That he that is ertdow*d with the folid Advantages of Wifdom, defpifes thofe that are to be hop'd ror from her In"- juftice, being fiiUy {atisfy'd wim the interiourPIea^ fures that the ftudy of Philofbphy affords, by whole E:tcellency he exceeds the reft of his Age in his Notions 5 and by the ftrength of whofe Arguments, and the exadtnefs of her Counfels, he eafily reduces fern into Pradlice.
Ariftides was fo poor, that the Public was at the ChargeofCIoathing him when he went to com- mand the Army of the Athenians i and yet he was one of the greateft Captains Greece has afibrded: He beat the Petfians at Maraehen; hedtavcXerxee away, who defign'd the utter Ruin of his Countrj', and was fumam'd The Juft.
1 have followed Visruvim^s Thought in the ex- plication of this Maxim; tho' fome are of Opinion, chat Eficurus's meaning is beft explain'd by Senc" r^, who fays, that the Wife Man ihould be latisfy'd with litde; but I think die firft Interpretation moft probable, becaufe the Wife Man being for the mofl: fart difgracM by Fortune, is recompenc'd (as our *hilofopher well d:>ferve$) with the Gifts of the Mind 3 'tis certain, that without exclaiming' a- gainft her Inconftancy, he is always contented with a Mediocrity, according to the Precepts oi Philofophy.
K^ MA?Cdbaai* iji Evi CM KMS^s Morals J Max. XIII.
THe Juft is^ of all Mankind, he that l#res freeft from Trouble and Diforder j whereas the Injuft, on the contrary,is always difturb'dand perlcx'd.
Rei^lection.
** The Juft (fays Solomon) is not fubjed:to InCOn^ " ftancy j he is ever the fame, he never fullys thd *' Beauty of his Character; he is both Man and ** Iinmortal at the fame time. " How bleft is the '* Juft! (fays Tbemlftm) he is not infiaiour to y«^'- ** ter in Power; he not only commands Men, but ** the very Elements; 'tis he is the Canfe of their ** fruitful EfFeds, and 'tis through his Means, and for his Sake, that their Utility anfwers the cx- pedtatiofi of Men.
He is of an undaunted Courage, and toid of Fear: Thus Cefelim the Lawyer, could never be prevaird with to regifter the cruel Adb of the ' Trmrrviri; the Threats of thofe three Pcrfecutors of Mankind, could not (hake his Conftancy, Caracal la having defir'd Pafinianui to juftify be- fore the Senate the Murther of his Brother, which had been perpetrated by his Order, this eminent Man, who was look d upon as the very Reftige of the Law, refiis'd his Eloquence to the Injuftice of this Prince, and chofe rather to die, than coward- ly to obey him and betray his Duty j which would have rendered his Life unhappy.
The Juft Man is not blinded with Ambition; j^ulus being declared Regent after the Death of his Brother Eumcnes, never would fufier his own Chil- dren mth Comments ani Refieifions. 1 3 j dren to be educated as if they had a Right to the Empire, notwithftanding the prefling Inftances of Stratmiccy who ^as Widow to the dece^fed King, and whom Atalm had afterwards marry'd: On the contrary, he refign'd the Scepter to his Pupil, as foon as he had attain'd the Age that was required to govern.
The Juft Man condemns himfelf, rather than to be tormented with the thought of having acSed con- trary to Juftice. Char$ndas, one of the Athenian I^egiflators, having made a Law, by which he for- bid any-body to appear arm'd in the public Af- femblies, chancing to be at one of 'em in his return from the Country, without having laid by his Sword, kill'd himielf upon the (pot, to ratifie the Law he had made,and to confirm it by th^ Punilh- ment he inflided on hipifelf In fine, the Juft Man is always happy; 'twas what made the Emperor Nerva^ after a ftri(3: Exa- mination of his Life, declare. He did not find him- felf confcious of any thing that could hinder him from living without Fear, tho' he fliould abdicate the Dignity of Emperor. Twas ufual among the PerJianSf rather to dilbbey the Prince, than adt any thing that was unjuft j nay, the Kings themfelves made ^tm take ^n Oath to this eflfeA, when they en- tered upon any Office or Employment.
*Tis with great reafon that our Philofopher pro- mifes the Juft Man an unalterable Tranquility,and aflures us at the fame time. That the Unjuft is ever Unhappy^ bepaufe every thing fcares him, and he is in continual Fears and Oiftxuft.
Dionyfius the Tyrant cntrench'd his Houfe, no- body was fufter'd to enter his Chamber, which wa^ always well guarded; notwithftanding this, h^ was not free from Fear^ his Wives, his Brother, nay, his own Son, were pot fufier'd to approach him without being fearch*d, whether they bad'nq "Arms ^bout *em under their Cloathes: All tbi^ K 3 E^ll Precaution could not make him cafic ftiU: He caus'd his Hair to be finc^'d off with live Coals,iiot daring to truft 'em to make ufe of Sdflars, left they ihonld attempt his Life; he wa3 rcfklcfe and uneafic ftill, notwithftanding aU thisCarc, and trembL'd at his own imaginary Fears. What a Kfturt is here ofan UnjuftMan!
Max. XIV.
THE Pleafurc of the Body, which is no- thing elfe than the feeking to avoid that Pain that attends the wantof fomcthing Nature requires, is incapable of cncreafc or augmentation i it is only diverfify'd accord- ing as Circumftances are different: But the Pleafure the Mind propofes^as the End of its Felicity, depends entirely on the manner how we cure ourfelves of thofe Chimerical Notions, and whatever has any affinity with ^em, by reafon they difturb the Mind.
REFLECTIpN.
REFLECTIpN.
Our Philofopher docs not imitate the Stoics, he does not make ufe of InveAives to repel their Ca- lumnies, neither docs he malicioufly interpret their Sentiments; he is contented without naming 'em, to declare in feveral Places of his Writmgs,that his Opinion concerning the Nature of Good is mifin- terpretcd and difingenuoufly explained i and it be- ing a thing of Confequence and Moment, he fre- quently repeats what he means by the Word P*^- fi*re. " '■ JT^i 'Tis (fays fac) the Tranquility of the Mind; 'tk the Contempianon of all that pafles in the Um-% verie ^ 'tis to check the Fury of the Paflions \ 'tis, in fine, the knowing how to cure ourlelves of falfe Im- preffions, which being for themoft pan nothing but Fables, are moft commonly the aource of all our Frights.
Man would be happy, Ms in his Power to he £b, and neverthelefs he rambles from the way thar leads to that State, at the very time be labours to attain it; for the Felicity of Life confifting in that unfhakeable Finnneis and Conftancy we have arm*d pur felves with againft all Events, he on the con- trary is furpriz'd at the fmalleft Things; his Re- fleddons difturb him, and he is perplext in his En- quiries, and finking under the Burthen of his Mifr fortunes, he pafies his Life tx^iferably in imaginary Fears and Alanps.
"•?- Max. XV.
"•?- Max. XV.
IF it were poflSble for Man to live for ever, the Pleafure he would receive therefrom would not be greater than what he might experience during the limited fpace of his Life, if he could fufficieutly refine nis Reafoju to kqoiy the true &;ope and Eqd thereof.
Reflection.
Pleafufe, according to Eficurm] confifts in the being void of Fear, without Difturbance, and fim from Paiiu Phijofophy teaches us the Megos to ir EpicuRUs^i Moralsy void thefe things; She places us in that feaire State that is the very blifs of Life, and fo compleats its Felicity; fo that were that to be much longer, this would not be more perfed, becaufe nothing can go beyond the Calm of the Mind and Health of the Body, thefe two things being the Confti^ tuents of Pleafure.
Seneca is of this Opinion; TPhen once (lays this Philofopher) J have difcharg^d the Duty I owe to my felf^ that my Mind isfo fixt andfettN, that no Event r»hatever can ruffle or difturb it, and that it is duly informed wherein conjifts the Haffinefs of Man; f maks ^^ different between a Day and an Age.
Max. XVL NAture has prefcrib'd Bouods to the Plea- fures of the Body; we lofe all the Sweetnefs thereof when we wifhit werce- verlafting:But the Mind reforms this Error, and reafons with exadnefs on the Scope ^nd End the Pleafure of the Body ought to have, as well as concerning what is to caufe its laft Diflblution.
. It fliews us, that the defire of an unlimit- ed Pleafure is ridiculous, and by fo doing renders our Life perfeftly Happy; infbmuch, that Man being fatisfy'd with his manner of Living, has no need (iov its Felicity^ of Infi- nity of Time; nay,he is not deprived of Plea- fure, tho' he jDcrceives that his Mortal Con- dition leads hijm infenfibly to the Grave, lince he tlicre finds wh^t happily fiuilhw his Courfe.. RE^ mfh Comments and, Reflections. i J 7 Reflection I.
Ipicurm (hews in this Maxim, that the Unhap- efs of Man proceeds from his being infatiable; rebels againft Nature, that is content with lit-. ; and far from following the Didates (he in- es, be-hears her Counfels with Contempt, and ters himfelf, that he knows better than ihe, how ought to lead his Life: If he obtains what he ires, he foon grows weary of it; he is never con- ted, becaufe he is always upon the fearch; he icies for his Felicity what caufes his Unhappi- "s; he will enrich Nature by overlading it; he nks there can be no Pleafure but in Excels; and len he has plung'd himfelf therein to gratify his ^idity, he is more Unhappy than before, by rea- i.that very Excefs is but Temporary, whereas would have it Everlafting. Seneca, has well digefted our Philofopher's Notion.' ^at Enemy (fays hej hoi been more cruel foxvards e OhjeBs of his Hatred^ than irregular andunxpar" ntable Pleafurcs are to tho/ewho abandon themfelves their criminal EffeBs! Tis with the greateit: iftice they are perfecuted by the Fury thereof, hich muft needs be infinite, when thefe Pleafures 3 beyoud ahe Bounds pre(crib'd by Nature, who as a certain Medium, beyond which to force her, J to ule Violence to her. But whatever Luxury nd Debauchery require, is without Bounds. The skcejfary is meafur'd by' its Vt^lity^ whereas what s fuperfluous, can have no Moderation, Reflection 2.
The later part of this Maxim is a Confajuence ^f the Sentiments of our Philojbpher 5 he will have us conftantly meditating how to live well, and how to die well j he looks upon thefe two things to be infcparable, becaufe they conftitutei the Hap- pincfs of Life: To live wcll,according to him,is to keep in fubjedtion the violence of the Paffions; and to die well, is to have forefcen this laft End, and be prepared againft its Alarms.
He fays in feveral places. That Life k fkdfant and delightful^ when wefafs it in Cmtetnplation^and make a good ufe (fits ^fletiions, and en/qy the ex* ceUency of their PraBice. Death u alfi a good things when we heboid its apfroacb without Bear\ but we ough not to dejire it^ fays our Philofipher, according to Seneca, Wejhould neither be too fond of Life, nor too much out of conceit with it^ and we ought mot to leave it, by a rajh and frecifitate ^fo&tion. A Wife and M/tgnanimous Man may upon oecdfiom re* tire from the World, but *tis unvfottby if him, bii JOefarture (hould loo^ lil^e a Flighti rf0» Max. XVII.
HE that has difcover'd after what mait; ner Natuf e has liinitted all things tt^ lating to life, mult needs know the Means to get rid of that Uneafinefs the Body feels when it wants any thing, and muft have found out the happy Secret of rightly order- ing the whole Courfe of his Life fo, that he has no occafion to feek his Felicity in thofe things, the Acquifition whereof is full of Uncertainty and Danger, ■ ,' I mth Comments and Rejleiiions. 119 Reflection.
"While Nature is our GuiJe^ we know how to con- fine ourfelves to what fhe requires; we are fenfible what is requifite to prcfcrvc the Body free from Pain; we know, in line, what is neceflary for thai; fort of Life that is without Difturbance or Fear.
Happy i be (fays Seneca) that applies the A^ivity efhis MindtoQood; V«r then he may befaidto eman" cifate himfelfjrcrn the tyrannical Power of Fortune; he « moderate in Profperity; Adverjity cannot affeti him fo m tojhakfi hn Conjiancyy and he beMds^ mtk'-^ out Concern what aftonifhes other People: To him a* lone it belongs to defpife^ by the Strength of his I^a^ fony what may be his Huin, and to prefer an exati Me^ dium to all that is Excejfive; becaufe the one ii ufc' fulfor the Comfort of Life; and Excefs^ as it is fuper^ fiudus, can have only dangerous Confi^uences.
T Max. XVm.
Here are two forts of Pleafurcs; thofe _ that Nature infpires, aud thofe that are fuperfluous: There are others, which tho' Natiiral^are neverthelefs of no Utility j and there are fonie that are not conformable to the beat of Nature,and which flie no way requires i thefe fervc only to gratify the whimikal Chimera^s Opinion raites.
ThoUt Eficwiu efkeems natural, and neceP- Dieiginu fary to banifli Pain*, as it happens when we fpeaks. Drink, being very dry. Etc calls thofe Na- Natural Unneceflary ones,that only ferve to diverfify Pleafure, and that are notrequifite to drive away Pain; of this kind is deUcions Fare. There are others again neither Na-- rural nor Neceflkry, as Crowns of Flowers and Statues.
Thofe Fleafures which are Natural, caufe no Uneafinefs, provided there be Moderati- on in the Cafe: If they go beyond the Bounds prefcrib'd to Pleafure, they are forc't in their End, but we hope to find fomething agreeable in that Excefs •, which vainEx- peftation proceeds from the fooljifii Opini-^ on of Men.
Reflection, This Maxim is admirably defcrib'd by Lucre^/of: Epicurus (fays he) l{new very well tU Art of fixing our bejircs by the Precepts of pPifdoniy and bMni/king whatever creates our Fears: He hasjhew^d us where to find the fiver cign Gocdf and how to enjoy it; he condemns the in/at iable Avidity of Man, and bm made him finjible, that the Occupation of his whole Life was nothing elfi than the fruitlefs Labour of the Donalds.
Moderatiion is always the Character of our Phir lolophcr 5 (he is, according to him, the very Source of Felicity, and the only Means to want nothing: In fine, Wifdom tqaches \is how to reftKun our Paffions; (he (hews us that certain Medium, whofe Bounds muft not be pafs'd, if we confult the Satis- fadion of the Mind oi|: Body, and makes us know, ' that the cliicfeft Utility of Life confifts in the nequid nifnis.
MA3C, mth Comments und R e fleet ions. 14c Max. XIX.
OlF all the things Wifdom fupplies us with for a happy Life, there is none more confiSerable than th^ of a true Friend. He that is ftrongly perfwaded that there is nothing in Life more folid than Friend fhip, knows how to fortifie his Mind againft the Fear tliat is caus'd by the Duration or Eter- nity of Pain.
Reflection.
Reflection.
A true Friend is fo charming a thing, that Self to would never leave the Forutti, till he had gain'd the Friendfliip of fome-body* Solomon zSxxrtsMS^ That he is a cmftans^ ProtcBor^ that never forfak^s our Interefty that in our abfence oppofes the Ene- mies of our Fortune or Merit j that parrys the Strokes of thofe that envy or calumniate us. It is (fays this WifeXing) y«cA a Jreafure as far exceeds whatever vpe can imagine. Gold and Silver (that make Men violate thofe things that are moft holy) have not Power enough to alter hisFidelity. He there- fore concludes, That a faithful friend is an infaU lible Remedy againft alt Misfbrtunes^and that bjhk means one maj in a manner become immortal, * 'Tis this pcrfeA Friendfliip that Eficurusht^ty^d. none capable of but the 14^fe Man; he maintain'd^ that he alone. could know its Delicacy, and that his whole Application was neceffary to acquit him^ felf duly thereof. He (hews in feveral places the value he had for. this Commerce,which he thought none but Phil^tfhers could carry on with Difcrccion: EpicurusV Moralsy cibn: And he adds here, Tliac nothing can fb much concribure to make Life happy, as this mutualZJnion, of whofe wonderfiil Efie(^s there has been hereto- tore fcveral inftances, that Pofterity has look'd np- on as inimitable, through the Corruption of that noble Caufc that gave *em Binh.
How raviihing is the Coniblation of a true Friend! ^tis an in vinciUe Succour againft Fortune; ^cis an impenetrable Buckler againft the Darts (^ Infidelity; he fuffers with Pleafure for what he loves; nay, encounters Death it felf to preferve its Life: But fuch a Friend is, now a-days, fought for in vain. This is well olrfervy by the Oracle of Wife Men; Man ((ays he)JhaBioudfy declare h has been all in vain^ the indefatigable Paint I have ta* ken to make my felf Friends ^ Adverfity has made me fenfible I was imposed upon ^ and that aUthe Premifes that were made me ^ were never intended to ieexeetH tedy if Occajjon required: The Oaths that were tiakps^ to cement our Vnion, werefo many Perjuries i Esc- ferience has tauf^ht me they were only fVindi^ is it witljout caufe then I affliH my felf^ and die alm^ with Grief?
Max. XX.
Max. XX.
Common Right is nothing elie than that Utility, which has been acknowledg'd by XJiiivcrfal Confent to be the Caule of that Juftice Men have obfervM one towards another. It is by the help thereof, (hat without offending others, or being offended the mfelves, they liv'd free from Infult,be- caufe in all their Defircs they had Nature for their Quide- RE- I l l I I ■ mth Comments and RefleHions. 145 Reflection.
The Stoics^ as Cicero reports^ pretended, tfaac Mature had infpir'd Men with chat Common l(tghfi chat maintained their t^iiiWy and that eftablifhM the CMl Society by the Equity of its Lsws. Cujoi the Famous Lawyer was of their Opinion. But Efic$^ rm, as Lucretius well obferves, had a Notion, that the Primitive Men, being the ProduSt of the Earthy were llkewife tainted with the l(ttfticify of their firft Mother, and that they liv'd after a Beaftlike man- ner, without Method or Order^ and without any Partition of the Wealth of the World; from whence it happened that the Strongefl always overcame the Weakeft, and chat all things were in fuch Confufi- m^ that Mankind had nothing to exped:, but utter Ruin and Deftru&ion, had not they who had a clearer Sight than othersy made it their bufinefs to improve the reft^ and made 'em know, that it was Df the laft Coniequence to make L^itpj, which by their own Nature, and of themfilves, could redrefs their Evils, They afterwards (hew'd, as Plato relates, treat- ing of the Origin oijufticcy that the Vengeance that xvasufually tak^n^ was the Caufe of frejh Outrage; and that it was therefore neceffary to conftituce fuch Laws, as might refkrain the one from offend- ing, and the other from being offended. This was alfo Eficurus^s Sentiment, as Lucretius reports it, which is agreeable to his Syftem concerning the fortuitous Birth of Men; he look'd upon it as a thing impoffible that Nature ihould give 'em foper- fed: an Idea of that mutual Juftice which the Laws enforce, becauie She was rough and unpolipo'd in 'em, and they foUow'd entirely their Inclination and Temper, which Lining had not yet reSn'd: And And as our Philofbfber was convince, as Seneca in- forms us, that there was a fort of Wife Men, who ow'd all their iVifdom to their natural Principles and Cotfipofition, fo ir happened in this firft Co!>- ftitution of the World, which afforded fomc who faw the indifpenfible Neceflity of prefcriUng to Men a Regular way of Living, and at the &me time make *em fenfible of the NecefGtj there was to fubmit to certain Laws, the innringing whocof ihould be Capital UJuftice and Efuhj were by Nahare imprinted in Man^s Soul, has not Epicurus Reafon to enquire of the Stoics, how it came to pais, tliat more than Natural H^ajon was requifite in the firft JnfiituHn of LawSf and that the Primitive Legiflators were obliged to have recourfe to Divine Power, to noakc their Laws recciv'd with Applaufe?
Numa Pomplius prevaird with the l(fmMni to fnbmit to his Decrees and Ordinances, by firft per- fwading 'em, that he conversed £uniliarly with the Goddeis Ef^eria, for whom they bad a particu- lar Veneratioa Licwrgus made the iame ule of the Oracle of AfoUo, to gain Credit with the Jtht' nians; and:2^leucus gave what Laws he ploui'dtD i the L<vri/iwj, oecaufe he had the Adrefs to make 'cm believe, chat Minerva fiiequently appeared to him, and inftrudted him bovv to reform and.poliih 'em. ' " " ' MAX tvith Comments and Reflections. 14 J Max. XXI.
WE arc neither Juft nor Unjutt t6 Brutca, whofe fierce Nature will lot fuffer 'em to abide with Man, without Lttacking him,and confequently without bc- ng attack'd by him: The Cafe is the fame Arith thofe Nations, with whom we cannot iettle fucH an Alliance as is requifite for ^ mutual Safety.
« Reflectioit, « Reflectioit, Bficsi-us look*d upon Nature as die fureft Guide for die Happinefs of Life 5 and although he had a due Regard to Man, for the Excellency g£ his Reafon, he confider'd at the fame nme the tJnhappinefs into which his falfe Notions had caft him; infomuch, that he feem'd to be prepofle&'d in favour of Brutes, on the fcore of their caiie way of Living, fined he would have us (in. Imitation of 'em) make ourfelves Happy by feeking Pleafure and avoiding Pain 9 which they did by a natural Inftina:.
Our Philofifherf therefore, pretends, that thofe Brutes who live inoffenfively amongft us, deferve a Gentle, and as it were, a Juft Ufage from us ^ whereas thofe we find to be deftru<3ive and pernio* cious to us, inay be deftroy'd withput Injuftice.
This This Opinion has had its Followers. The Fi- delity of Dcgs, and other Animals^ has been bt^ quentlv experienced, and Poftericy has been careful to pre^rve the Memory thereof in feveral Inftan- ces. Plutarch tells a Story of oneC^rnriuir, of the Ifland Paros, who having bought feveial Dolphins that were frefh taken, he flung ^em immediately in- to the Sea again; a little rime after, a fiiudl Boat in which he chanced to be, fiink, and one of thefe Dolphins c^rry'^d him fafe to the Share. He adds fomething ftill more furprizing, that the fame Man being dead, as they were burning his Corpse thofe Fifh were obferv^d to continue thdr Grati- tude, appearing near the Bank, as if they affifted at his FuneraL Alexander the Great, who had concper'd fb ma- ny Kings, thought he did an ad of Juftice, when he built Bucethala in memory of his Horfe, that would never luffer any-body elfe to set upon his Back, and had carry *d him in moft of his oatde^ and dy'd of the Wounds it received in one.
Mta Max. XXIL Mta Max. XXIL JUflice is nothing in it fcJf: Mankind united in Society, difcover'd the Utility and Advantage of agreeing among them- felvcs, to obierve certain Conditions for their living inofienfively one towards ano- ther.
RE- MM mthCimtments aput RefieSfions.
h fc<M Rbblecti^oV* Ariftipm (as Dkgetas iJ^tfku relaceil^ didtM« allow of any natural Right %\ h^ would have i^ that Laws ziaA Cufioms made the ^tfi or Vniu^ Ariftoih afliires us,^ fome Philofophers have nd4 that Opinion, and that for this Reafon, Thafwkai Nature ordain% wm fixt and unalterable; whereas the Laws were liable to change. He fiiys in ano* tber place^ Hat thefe xtbo maintain there i amp tWntj Naturally Juft er Unjuft, exclufive #/ Society^ rather Jfeat^at random, thanfrtroe their Ofinion.
One would think, Eficurms here fuppofes, there are fome People fo altogether Wild and Brutifh, as to live without any Order or Rule, which is not ve- ry probable ^ there are none to be found who have hot iome Laws to govern them£blves by, which at«^ at leaft Juf^ with reiped to themfelves, Th^ Men-eaters, die Cannibals, and other Nations late- ly diicoVfrM, have a fort of Juftice among theos^ felves, which they Religioufly obferve one towardf another. It is impoflible for four or five Perfbni|^ how ^^d ibever or Brutiih they may be, to hold any Commerce among themJCblves, without I^ariH ing from Time and Experience, That -there are fome Points to be agreed upon, in order tothjduif Peaceable and Qiiiet Living, and to prevent Mii^ chiefs from whence it follows, by a natural. Con- iequence, that Epicurus was much in the righ^ when he aflened. That it was Seeitty tbatfirft Jiif\ covtrd the Vtility of LawSi t i MAX.
Max. XXIII.
INjufticeisnot in it felf afl Evil, bccatife what is Unjnft in one Country, is Juft in another: It is only fo far an Evil, as it holds us in peq)etual Fear, by the remorfe of a di- iiurVd Confcience •, wh^ch makes us appre- hend, that our Cr imes may come to the Knowledge of thofe who have Power to pu- oilh 'em.
Reflection.