Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/318

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138
Marcus Antoninus's

of the World and your own, are the very same; [1] And all these last Changes are made without the least Repining : And why then should the same Matter that lyes quiet in an Element, Grumble in a Man?

XIX. Providence does not grant Force, and Faculties at Random, but every thing is made for some end : The Sun as high as 'tis, has its business assign'd, and so have the Celestial Deities : [2] And where's the wonder of all this ? But pray what were you made for ? For your pleasure ? Common Sence won't bear so scandalous an Answer.

XX. Nature [3] pre-ordains the End of every thing, no less than its Beginning, and Coutinuance : As he that strikes a Ball, designs whither it should go, as well as which way : And what's the Ball the better all this while for mounting, or the worse for flying Lower, and coming to the Ground ? What does a Bubble get in the swelling, or lose in the breaking ? The same may be said of a Candle, which is every jot as happy out, as burning.

XXI. Turn your Carkass the wrong side outwards, and be proud if you can ; And to improve your thought , consider what a Beauty, Age, Diseases, and Death, will make of you , And to keep you low in your Computations upon

Fame,
  1. All Bodies are made of the same Matter.
  2. The Emperour means the Stars which the Heathen and some Christians too believ'd to be animated; And that a Spirit or Intelligence was seated in the Center and Governed the Motions of the Luminary
  3. Or Providence.