large/7215/moralia1_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/morals1_13_plutarch_64kb_58
large/7215/moralia1_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/morals1_13_plutarch_64kb
English
7215
19. But many are shocked at this saying of Menan  der, — No man can tell what will himself befall , — in the mean Avhile being monstrously ignorant what a noble expedient this is to disperse our sorrows, to contemplate upon and to be able to look Fortune steadily in the face ; and not to cherish delicate and eff"eminate apprehensions of things, like those bred up in the shade, under false and extravagant hopes which hdxe not strength to resist the first adversity. BUT MANY ARE SHOCKED AT THIS SAYING OF MENANDER NO MAN CAN TELL WHAT WILL HIMSELF BEFALL IN THE MEANS WHILE BEING MONSTROUSLY IGNORANT WHAT A NOBLE EXPEDIENT THIS IS TO DISPERSE OUR SORROWS TO CONTEMPLATE UPON AND TO BE ABLE TO LOOK FORTUNE STEADILY IN THE FACE AND NOT TO CHERISH DELICATE AND EFFEMINATE APPREHENSIONS OF THINGS LIKE THOSE BRED UP IN THE SHADE UNDER FALSE AND EXTRAVAGANT HOPES WHICH HAVE NOT STRENGTH TO RESIST THE FIRST ADVERSITY
e should not only admire, but be kindled with emulation, and think ourselves touched Avith the impulse of a divine instinct, which piques us on to the trial of ourselves in matters of less importance ; that thereby we may find how our tempers bear to be qualified for greater, and so may not incuriously decline that inspection we ought to have over ourselves, or take refuge in the saying. Perchance nothing will be more difficult than this. For the luxurious thinker, who withdraws himself from severe reflections and is conversant about no objects but Avhat are easy and de- lectable, emasculates his understanding and contracts a softness of spirit ; but he that makes grief, sickness, and banishment the subjects of his meditation, who composeth his mind sedately, and poiseth himself Avith reason to sus- tain the burthen, will find that those things are vain, empty, and false which appear so grievous and terrible to the vulgar, as his own reasonings will make out to him in every particular. YING THE SAME THINGS THEREFORE WE SHOULD NOT ONLY ADMIRE BUT BE KINDLED WITH EMULATION AND THINK OURSELVES TOUCHED WITH THE IMPULSE OF A DIVINE INSTINCT WHICH PIQUES US ON TO THE TRIAL OF OURSELVES IN MATTERS OF LESS IMPORTANCE THAT THEREBY WE MAY FIND HOW OUR TEMPERS BEAR TO BE QUALIFIED FOR GREATER AND SO MAY NOT INCURIOUSLY DECLINE THAT INSPECTION WE OUGHT TO HAVE OVER OURSELVES OR TAKE REFUGE IN THE SAME PERCHANCE NOTHING WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN THIS FOR THE LUXURIOUS THINKER WHO WITHDRAWS HIMSELF FROM SEVERE REFLECTIONS AND IS CONVERSANT ABOUT NO OBJECTS BUT WHAT ARE EASY AND DELECTABLE EMASCULATES HIS UNDERSTANDING AND CONTRACTS A SOFTNESS OF SPIRIT BUT HE THAT MAKES GRIEF SICKNESS AND BANISHMENT THE SUBJECTS OF HIS MEDITATION WHO COMPOSETH HIS MIND SEDATELY AND POISETH HIMSELF WITH REASON TO SUSTAIN THE BURDEN WILL FIND THAT THOSE THINGS ARE VAIN EMPTY AND FALSE WHICH APPEAR SO GRIEVOUS AND TERRIBLE TO THE VULGAR AS HIS OWN REASONINGS WILL MAKE OUT TO HIM IN EVERY PARTICULAR
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