give judgment of their voyage by many heralds from the enemies' observing together the space of time camp), in order to a treaty with it; and the force of the wind that driv--then you may, with a great deal eth them, and compute that, in all of confidence and alacrity, go on probability, in so many months, with the management of your warwith such a gale, they have gone like expedition; and very reasonably forward to such or such a place. at last expect a conquest, and enjoy Just so it is in the pursuit of Wis- a crown of righteousness for your dom; he that is always at his busi-reward.

ness, constantly upon the road, 8 It is another very good argunever makes any steps or halts, nor ment to prove that by labor and meets with obstacles and lets in the exercise you have shaken off all way, but under the conduct of right stupidity and sluggishness of temreason travels smoothly, securely, per, and that you are arrived at a and quietly along, may be assured perfection of virtue, if for the future that he has one true sign of a pro- your resolutions be more firm and ficient. your application more intense than they were when you first set out. This appears true, if you but observe its contrary; for it is a very bad sign if, after a small time spent in trial, you find many and repeated intermissions, or your affections yielding or cool in the pursuit.

6 Astronomers tell us that planets, after they have finished their progressive motion, for some small time acquiesce and become stationary, as they term it. Now in the pursuit of Wisdom it is not so; there is no point of rest or acquiescence during the whole procedure, for the nature of progress is to be always advancing, more or less. The scales in which our actions are, as it were weighed, cannot at all stand in equilibrio, but our soul is continually either raised by the addition of good, or cast down with the counterpoise of evil.

9 This may be illustrated by what is observable in the growth of a cane. At first it appears above ground with a full and pleasing sprout, which by little and little, taper-wise, by a continued and equal distribution of matter, rises to a very great height. Toward the root you may observe that there are formed certain steps 7 Therefore, as the oracle told the and joints, which are at a consideraCirrhæans that they ought to fight ble distance from one another, continually, day and night, so you because there the juice is plentiful and every wise man ought to be and strong. But toward the top the perpetually upon your guard. And nutrimentive particles vibrate and if you can be assured that you main-palpitate, as if they were quite spent tain a constant combat with vice; with the length of their journey, and that you are always at enmity with thereupon, you see, they form themit and never so much as come to selves many small, weak, and tender terms; or receive any diversions, joints, as so many supports and applications, or avocations (as so breathing-places.

10 So it happens with those that reputed vicious; yet evil reports are pursue Wisdom. At first setting out so inconsiderable to a wise man, that, they take long steps and make great if he have a greater aversion to the advances. But if, after some at- nature of evil than to the infamy tempts, they perceive not in them- that attends it, he will not fear what

selves any alteration for the better, but meet with frequent checks and oppositions the farther they go, ordinarily they faint; make any excuses to be off from their engagement; despond of ever going through with it; and thereupon proceed no farther.

II But, on the contrary, he that is winged with desire flies at the proposed advantage, and by a stout and vigorous pursuit cuts off all pretences of delay from crowding in upon him or hindering his journey.

is said of him abroad, nor what calumnies are raised, if so be he be made the better by them.

15 Nor is it enough that one take care of all his discourses and words; but he ought also to observe that the whole tenor of his actions be guided by profit rather than vain. pomp, and by truth rather than ostentation. For if a passionate lover who has placed his affection upon any beloved object seeks no witnesses to attest its sincerity, but has such an eager desire when alone and in pri12 From all these instances you vate, that, like a covered flame, it may collect this great truth: that burns more vigorously and insensibly whenever you do, by setting the for being shut up; much more ought comforts of virtue and the difficul- a moralist and a lover of Wisdom ties and errors of study one against who has attained both the habit the other, perceive that you have and exercise of virtue sit down selfutterly expelled all emulation, jeal- contented, and applaud himself in ousy, and every thing else that uses private, neither needing nor desiring to disturb or discourage young men, encomiasts or auditors from abroad. you may then assuredly conclude with yourself that you have made very laudable progress.

16 There is a humor in some of the poets, of an old peevish housekeeper, that calls to his maid aloud: Do you see, Dionysia (that is his maid's name), I am now pleased, and have laid by all choler and passion. Just such like is the practice of some, who, as soon as they have done any

13 Now he that examines his own failings with the greatest severity, that impartially blames or corrects himself as often as he does amiss, or (which is almost as commendable) grows firmer and better by present thing which is obliging and civil, advice, as well as more able to endure a reprimand for the future, seems to me truly and sincerely to have rejected and forsaken vice.

14 It is certainly our duty to avoid all appearance of evil, and to be ashamed to give occasion even to be

presently blaze it abroad, and turn their own heralds. Such men show plainly that they look beyond themselves for satisfaction; that they are desirous of praise and applause; and that they never were admitted near spectators of virtue, never saw her

in her noble, royal dress, but only nificant, which, because they have had some transient sight of her in a nothing in them, grow bolt upright dream or an empty, airy phantasm; and indeed, that they expose their actions to the public, as painters do their pictures, to be gazed at and admired by the idle multitude.

begin to fill and become well poised with solid notions, they look down into themselves, and quite lay aside that insolent and arrogant humor, which is excusable only in those who are very young.

and appear above the rest. So it is amongst those who seek Wisdom: those that are most empty-headed, and have least firmness and solidity, have always the greatest share of 17 Another sign of a proficient in confidence, formality, and stiffness in virtue is, when the proficient has their address; look largest, walk given any thing to his friend or done with the most state, and top upon any charity, if he keeps it to him- and condemn others, with the highself and does not report it to any- est arrogance and severity of any body; and (which is more) if he hath living. But when once their brains voted right against a majority of biassed suffragans, withstood the dishonest attempts of some rich and powerful man, generously rejected bribes when offered, abstained from inordinate drinking when athirst and alone; or at night, when none sees 20 Those that are to be initiated or knows what he does, if he hath in the ceremonies of the gods run conquered the fiercest passions; if to their temples at first with a great (I say) he contain himself from speak- deal of noise, clamor, and rudeness; ing of such actions, and do not in but as soon as the solemnity is seen company boast of his performances, and over, they attend with a prothis is a sign of a proficient in virtue. found silence and religious fear. So 18 This I affirm, such a one as it is with beginners in the pursuit can prove and try himself by himself, of Wisdom: you may perceive a and be fully satisfied in the verdict of his conscience, as of an unexceptionable witness and spectator of what is right and good, shows plainly that his reason looks inward and is well rooted within him, and that the man (as Democritus said) is accustomed to take satisfaction from himself.

throng, noise, and pother about the doors, by reason that several press thither eagerly, rudely, and violently for reputation more than learning; but when you are once in, and manifestly see the great light, as if some royal shrine were opened unto you, you are presently possessed with a quite different notion of things; are struck with silence and admiration, and begin, with humility and a reverent composure, to comply with and follow the divine oracle.

19 To borrow a simile from husbandmen and those that are concerned in the business of the fields, they are always best pleased to see those ears of corn which decline, and by reason of their fulness bend down- 21 That which Menedemus said ward to the earth, but look upon in another case is very apposite to those as empty, deceitful, and insig- this sort of men. Those that went

to the school of Athens were first of through the conduct of reason, beall wise, next lovers of wisdom, then come so gentle and tractable, my orators, and at last, in course of mind prompts me to say with Hotime, plain common men; for the mer, "O wonder! how much genlonger they applied themselves to tler is he grown!" study and to the pursuit of Wisdom, so much the more all vanity, pride, and pedantry abated in them, and the nearer they came to plain, downright, honest men.

2 Nor hath this gentleness produced in thee any laziness or irresolution; but, like cultivation in the earth, it has caused an evenness and a profundity very effectual unto fruitful action, instead of thy former ve

22 If any one be employed to make a dry wall or an ordinary hemency and over-eagerness. Therehedge, it matters not much if he fore it is evident that thy former makes use of ordinary wood or proneness to anger hath not been common stone, any old gravestones, withered in thee, either without or the like; so wicked persons, who effort, or by any decay of vigor which confusedly mix and blend all their age might have effected; but that designs and actions in one heap, care it hath been cured by making use of not what materials they put to- some mollifying precepts. gether.

3 Now I do not think that reason 23 But the proficients in virtue, cures, like hellebore, by purging out who have already laid the golden itself together with the disease it solid foundation of a virtuous life, cures, but by keeping possession of as of a sacred and royal building, the soul, and so governing and take especial care of the whole guarding its judgments. For the work; examine and model every power of reason, is not like drugs but part of it according to the rule of like wholesome food; and, with the reason; believing that it was well assistance of a good natural disposisaid by Polycletus, that the hardest tion, it produceth a healthful constiwork remained for them to do whose tution in all with whom it hath benails must touch the clay;-that is, come familiar. to lay the top stone is the great business and masterpiece of the work.

24 The last stroke gives beauty and perfection to the whole piece.

SELECTION III.

4 For whereas other passions, even when they are in their ruff and acme, do in some sort yield and admit reason into the soul, which comes to help it from without; anger does not, as Melanthius says, " Displace the mind, and then act dismal things;" but it absolutely turns the mind out-of-doors, and bolts the door against it; and, like those who burn JT truly, when I behold how their houses and themselves within that vehement and fiery dispo- them, it makes all things within full sition which you had to anger is now, of confusion, smoke, and noise, so

Fragmentary selections from Plutarch's discourse on Anger; its nature, evil results, and proper control.

BUT

that the soul can neither see nor hear anger. So for a mere word, the any thing that might relieve it. lightest of things (as Plato says),

5 Wherefore sooner will an empty they undergo the heaviest of punship in a storm at sea admit of a pilot ishments, being ever after accounted from without, than a man tossed enemies, evil speakers, and of a mawith anger and rage listen to the ad- lignant disposition. vice of another, unless he have his own reason first prepared to entertain it.

9 As therefore one said of Philip, when he razed the city of Olynthus: "But he is not able to build such 6 As therefore it is an easy matter another city;" so may it be said to to stop the fire that is kindled only anger: Thou canst overthrow, and in hare's wool, candle-wick, or a little destroy, and cut down; but to rechaff; but if it have once taken hold store, to save, to spare, and to bear of matter that hath solidity and with, is the work of gentleness and thickness, it soon inflames and con- moderation, of a Camillus, a Metelsumes, as Eschylus says, "With lus, an Aristides, and a Socrates. youthful vigor the carpenter's lofty 10 To strike the sting into one work;" so he that observes anger and to bite is the part of serpents while it is in its beginning, and sees and horse-flies. it by degrees smoking and taking II And truly, while I well confire from some speech or chaff-like sider revenge, I find that the way scurrility, need take no great pains which anger takes for it proves for to extinguish it, but oftentimes can the most part ineffectual, being put an end to it only by silence or neglect.

spent in biting the lips, gnashing the teeth, vain assaults, and railings 7 For as he that adds no fuel to full of silly threats; and then it acts the fire hath already as good as put like children in a race, who, for want it out, so he that doth not feed anger of governing themselves, tumble at the first, nor blow the fire in him- down ridiculously before they come self, hath prevented and destroyed to the goal toward which they are hastening.

it.

8 When the sea is tossed and 12 Some, indeed, of the barbarians troubled with winds, and casts up poison their swords; but true valor moss and sea-weed, they say it is has no need of choler, as being purged. But those impure, bitter, dipped in reason; but anger and and vain words which anger throws fury are weak and easily broken. up when the soul has become a kind 13 Neither ought any, even in of whirlpool, defile the speakers, in their playing and jesting, to give the first place, and fill them with way to their anger, for it turns gooddishonor; and they also indicate will into hatred; nor when they are that they have always had such disputing, for it turns a desire of things in them, and still are full knowing truth into a love of contenof them, only now they are dis- tion; nor when they sit in judg covered to have them by their ment, for it adds violence to author