THE　FOURTH　BOOK
  I。　That　inward　mistress　part　of　man　if　it　be　in　its　own　true　natural　temper；　is　towards　all　worldly　chances　and　events　ever　so　disposed　and　affected；　that　it　will　easily　turn　and　apply　itself　to　that　which　may　be；　and　is　within　its　own　power　to　compass；　when　that　cannot　be　which　at　first　it　intended。　For　it　never　doth　absolutely　addict　and　apply　itself　to　any　one　object；　but　whatsoever　it　is　that　it　doth　now　intend　and　prosecute；　it　doth　prosecute　it　with　exception　and　reservation；　so　that　whatsoever　it　is　that　falls　out　contrary　to　its　first　intentions；　even　that　afterwards　it　makes　its　proper　object。　　Even　as　the　fire　when　it　prevails　upon　those　things　that　are　in　his　way；　by　which　things　indeed　a　little　fire　would　have　been　quenched；　but　a　great　fire　doth　soon　turn　to　its　own　nature；　and　so　consume　whatsoever　comes　in　his　way：　　yea　by　those　very　things　it　is　made　greater　and　greater。　　II。　　Let　nothing　be　done　rashly；　and　at　random；　but　all　things　according　to　the　most　exact　and　perfect　rules　of　art。　　III。　　They　seek　for　themselves　private　retiring　places；　as　country　villages；　the　sea…shore；　mountains；　yea　thou　thyself　art　wont　to　long　much　after　such　places。　　But　all　this　thou　must　know　proceeds　from　simplicity　in　the　highest　degree。　At　what　time　soever　thou　wilt；　it　is　in　thy　power　to　retire　into　thyself；　and　to　be　at　rest；　and　free　from　all　businesses。　A　man　cannot　any　whither　retire　better　than　to　his　own　soul；　he　especially　who　is　beforehand　provided　of　such　things　within；　which　whensoever　he　doth　withdraw　himself　to　look　in；　may　presently　afford　unto　him　perfect　ease　and　tranquillity。　By　tranquillity　I　understand　a　decent　orderly　disposition　and　carriage；　free　from　all　confusion　and　tumultuousness。　Afford　then　thyself　this　retiring　continually；　and　thereby　refresh　and　renew　thyself。　　Let　these　precepts　be　brief　and　fundamental；　which　as　soon　as　thou　dost　call　them　to　mind；　may　suffice　thee　to　purge　thy　soul　throughly；　and　to　send　thee　away　well　pleased　with　those　things　whatsoever　they　be；　which　now　again　after　this　short　withdrawing　of　thy　soul　into　herself　thou　dost　return　unto。　For　what　is　it　that　thou　art　offended　at？　　Can　it　be　at　the　wickedness　of　men；　when　thou　dost　call　to　mind　this　conclusion；　that　all　reasonable　creatures　are　made　one　for　another？　and　that　it　is　part　of　justice　to　bear　with　them？　and　that　it　is　against　their　wills　that　they　offend？　and　how　many　already；　who　once　likewise　prosecuted　their　enmities；　suspected；　hated；　and　fiercely　contended；　are　now　long　ago　stretched　out；　and　reduced　unto　ashes？　　It　is　time　for　thee　to　make　an　end。　As　for　those　things　which　among　the　common　chances　of　the　world　happen　unto　thee　as　thy　particular　lot　and　portion；　canst　thou　be　displeased　with　any　of　them；　when　thou　dost　call　that　our　ordinary　dilemma　to　mind；　either　a　providence；　or　Democritus　his　atoms；　and　with　it；　whatsoever　we　brought　to　prove　that　the　whole　world　is　as　it　were　one　city？　　And　as　for　thy　body；　what　canst　thou　fear；　if　thou　dost　consider　that　thy　mind　and　understanding；　when　once　it　hath　recollected　itself；　and　knows　its　own　power；　hath　in　this　life　and　breath　（whether　it　run　smoothly　and　gently；　or　whether　harshly　and　rudely）；　no　interest　at　all；　but　is　altogether　indifferent：　　and　whatsoever　else　thou　hast　heard　and　assented　unto　concerning　either　pain　or　pleasure？　　But　the　care　of　thine　honour　and　reputation　will　perchance　distract　thee？　How　can　that　be；　if　thou　dost　look　back；　and　consider　both　how　quickly　all　things　that　are；　are　forgotten；　and　what　an　immense　chaos　of　eternity　was　before；　and　will　follow　after　all　things：　and　the　vanity　of　praise；　and　the　inconstancy　and　variableness　of　human　judgments　and　opinions；　and　the　narrowness　of　the　place；　wherein　it　is　limited　and　circumscribed？　　For　the　whole　earth　is　but　as　one　point；　and　of　it；　this　inhabited　part　of　it；　is　but　a　very　little　part；　and　of　this　part；　how　many　in　number；　and　what　manner　of　men　are　they；　that　will　commend　thee？　What　remains　then；　but　that　thou　often　put　in　practice　this　kind　of　retiring　of　thyself；　to　this　little　part　of　thyself；　and　above　all　things；　keep　thyself　from　distraction；　and　intend　not　anything　vehemently；　but　be　free　and　consider　all　things；　as　a　man　whose　proper　object　is　Virtue；　as　a　man　whose　true　nature　is　to　be　kind　and　sociable；　as　a　citizen；　as　a　mortal　creature。　Among　other　things；　which　to　consider；　and　look　into　thou　must　use　to　withdraw　thyself；　let　those　two　be　among　the　most　obvious　and　at　hand。　　One；　that　the　things　or　objects　themselves　reach　not　unto　the　soul；　but　stand　without　still　and　quiet；　and　that　it　is　from　the　opinion　only　which　is　within；　that　all　the　tumult　and　all　the　trouble　doth　proceed。　The　next；　that　all　these　things；　which　now　thou　seest；　shall　within　a　very　little　while　be　changed；　and　be　no　more：　and　ever　call　to　mind；　how　many　changes　and　alterations　in　the　world　thou　thyself　hast　already　been　an　eyewitness　of　in　thy　time。　This　world　is　mere　change；　and　this　life；　opinion。　　IV。　　If　to　understand　and　to　be　reasonable　be　common　unto　all　men；　then　is　that　reason；　for　which　we　are　termed　reasonable；　common　unto　all。　　If　reason　is　general；　then　is　that　reason　also；　which　prescribeth　what　is　to　be　done　and　what　not；　common　unto　all。　If　that；　then　law。　　If　law；　then　are　we　fellow…citizens。　If　so；　then　are　we　partners　in　some　one　commonweal。　If　so；　then　the　world　is　as　it　were　a　city。　　For　which　other　commonweal　is　it；　that　all　men　can　be　said　to　be　members　of？　From　this　common　city　it　is；　that　understanding；　reason；　and　law　is　derived　unto　us；　for　from　whence　else？　　For　as　that　which　in　me　is　earthly　I　have　from　some　common　earth；　and　that　which　is　moist　from　some　other　element　is　imparted；　as　my　breath　and　life　hath　its　proper　fountain；　and　that　likewise　which　is　dry　and　fiery　in　me：　（for　there　is　nothing　which　doth　not　proceed　from　something；　as　also　there　is　nothing　that　can　be　reduced　unto　mere　nothing：）　so　also　is　there　some　common　beginning　from　whence　my　understanding　bath　proceeded。
  V。　As　generation　is；　so　also　death；　a　secret　of　nature's　wisdom：　a　mixture　of　elements；　resolved　into　the　same　elements　again；　a　thing　surely　which　no　man　ought　to　be　ashamed　of：　in　a　series　of　other　fatal　events　and　consequences；　which　a　rational　creature　is　subject　unto；　not　improper　or　incongruous；　nor　contrary　to　the　natural　and　proper　constitution　of　man　himself。
  VI。　　Such　and　such　things；　from　such　and　such　causes；　must　of　necessity　proceed。　　He　that　would　not　have　such　things　to　happen；　is　as　he　that　would　have　the　fig…tree　grow　without　any　sap　or　moisture。　In　sum；　remember　this；　that　within　a　very　little　while；　both　thou　and　he　shall　both　be　dead；　and　after　a　little　while　more；　not　so　much　as　your　names　and　memories　shall　be　remaining。
  VII。　　Let　opinion　be　taken　away；　and　no　man　will　think　himself　wronged。　If　no　man　shall　think　himself　wronged；　then　is　there　no　more　any　such　thing　as　wrong。　　That　which　makes　not　man　himself　the　worse；　cannot　make　his　life　the　worse；　neither　can　it　hurt　him　either　inwardly　or　outwardly。　　It　was　expedient　in　nature　that　it　should　be　so；　and　therefore　necessary。　　VIII。　　Whatsoever　doth　happen　in　the　world；　doth　happen　justly；　and　so　if　thou　dost　well　take　heed；　thou　shalt　find　it。　I　say　not　only　in　right　order　by　a　series　of　inevitable　consequences；　but　according　to　justice　and　as　it　were　by　way　of　equal　distribution；　according　to　the　true　worth　of　everything。　　Continue　then　to　take　notice　of　it；　as　thou　hast　begun；　and　whatsoever　thou　dost；　do　it　not　without　this　proviso；　that　it　be　a　thing　of　that　nature　that　a　good　man　（as　the　word　good　is　properly　taken）　may　do　it。　This　observe　carefully　in　every　action。　　IX。　　Conceit　no　such　things；　as　he　that　wrongeth　thee　conceiveth；　or　would　have　thee　to　conceive；　but　look　into　the　matter　itself；　and　see　what　it　is　in　very　truth。　X。　These　two　rules；　thou　must　have　always　in　a　readiness。　First；　do　nothing　at　all；　but　what　reason　proceeding　from　that　regal　and　supreme　part；　shall　for　the　good　and　benefit　of　men；　suggest　unto　thee。　And　secondly；　if　any　man　that　is　present　shall　be　able　to　rectify　thee　or　to　turn　thee　from　some　erroneous　persuasion；　that　thou　be　always　ready　to　change　thy　mind；　and　this　change　to　proceed；　not　from　any　respect　of　any　pleasure　or　credit　thereon　depending；　but　always　from　some　probable　apparent　ground　of　justice；　or　of　some　public　good　thereby　to　be　furthered；　or　from　some　other　such　inducement。
  XI。　　Hast　thou　reason？　　I　have。　　Why　then　makest　thou　not　use　of　it？　For　if　thy　reason　do　her　part；　what　more　canst　thou　require？
  XII。　　As　a　part　hitherto　thou　hast　had　a　particular　subsistence：　and　now　shalt　thou　vanish　away　into　the　common　substance　of　Him；　who　first　begot　thee；　or　rather　thou　shalt　be　resumed　again　into　that　original　rational　substance；　out　of　which　all　others　have　issued；　and　are　propagated。　　Many　small　pieces　of　frankincense　are　set　upon　the　same　altar；　one　drops　first　and　is　consumed；　another　after；　and　it　comes　all　to　one。　　XIII。　　Within　ten　days；　if　so　happen；　thou　shalt　be　esteemed　a　god　of　them；　who　now　if　thou　shalt　return　to　the　dogmata　and　to　the　honouring　of　reason；　will　esteem　of　thee　no　better　than　of　a　mere　brute；　and　of　an　ape。