1 I AM one of those who are entirely exempt
from this passion, neither loving nor esteeming it, although the world has undertaken and likes to grace it by its particular favour, adorning therewith wisdom, virtue and conscience. Silly and mean guise![1] The Italians have more suitably baptized it by the name of "malignity," and as it is a quality always hurtful, idle and foolish, besides being cowardly, mean and baneful, it is expressly forbidden to the Sages by the Stoics.
We are never with ourselves. We are
always somewhere beyond. Fear, Desire and Hope push us on toward the future and take from us, in the meantime, the sense and the consideration of what is; troubling us with the thought of what shall be, even when we shall be no more. One great principle is often repeated in Plato: "Do thine own work and know thyself." He who does as he ought, sees that the first
lesson is to know himself and what is suit-
- ↑ Florio, 1613, p. 3.
