Seneca

There is not anything in this world, perhaps,
that is more talked of, and less understood, than the
business of a happy life. It is every man's wish and
design; and yet not one of a thousand that knows
wherein that happiness consists. We live, however,
in a blind and eager pursuit of it; and the more
haste we make in a wrong way, the further we are from
our j ourney's end.

The true felicity of life is to be free from

perturbations; to understand our duties toward God

and man; to enjoy the present without any anxious

dependence upon the future. Not to amuse ourselves

with either hopes or fears, but to rest satisfied

with what we have, which is abundantly sufficient;

for he that is so wants nothing. The great blessings

of mankind are within us, and within our reach; but

we shut our eyes and, like people in the dark, we

fall foul upon the very thing we search for without

finding it.

The joy of a wise man stands firm without

interruption. In all places, at all times and in all

conditions, his thoughts are cheerful and quiet. As

it never came in to him from without, so it will

never leave him; but it is born within him, and

inseparable from him. It is a solicitous life that

is egged on with the hope of anything, though never

so open and easy, nay, though a man should never

suffer any sort of disappointment. I do not speak

this either as a bar to the fair enjoyment of lawful

pleasures, or to the gentle flatteries of reasonable

expectations; but, on the contrary, I would have men

to be always in good humor, provided that it arises

from their own souls, and be cherished in their own

breasts. Other delights are trivial; they may smooth

the brow, but they do not fill and affect the heart.

One may be a good physician, a good grammarian,

without being a good man; so that all things from

without are only accessories: for the seat of it is a

pure and holy mind. It consists of a congruity of

actions which we can never expect so long as we are

distracted by our passions.

Nay, so powerful is virtue, and so gracious is

Providence, that every man has a light set up within

him for a guide; which we do all of us see and

acknowledge, though we do not pursue it. This is it

that makes the prisoner upon the torture happier than

the executioner, and sickness better than health, if

we bear it without yielding or repining: this is it

that overcomes ill fortune, and moderates good; for

it marches betwixt the one and the other with an

equal contempt of both. It turns like fire all

things into itself; our actions and our friendships

are tinctured with it, and whatever it touches

becomes amiable.

If a man does not live up to his own rules, it

is something yet to have virtuous meditations and

good purposes, even without acting. It is generous,

the very adventure of being good, and the bare

proposal of an eminent course of life, though beyond

the force of human frailty to accomplish. There is

something of honor yet in the miscarriage; nay, in

the naked contemplation of it. I would receive my

own death with as little trouble as I would hear of

another man's; I would bear the same mind whether I

be rich or poor, whether I get or lose in the world.

What I have, I will not either sordidly spare, or

prodigally squander away, and I will reckon upon

benefits well-placed as the fairest part of my

possession: not valuing them by number or weight, but

by profit and esteem of the receiver; accounting

myself never the poorer for that which I give to a

worthy person.

What I do shall be done for conscience, not

ostentation. I will eat and drink, not to gratify my

palate, or only to fill and empty, but to satisfy

nature. I will be cheerful to my friends, mild and

placable to my enemies. I will prevent an honest

request if I can foresee it, and I will grant it

without asking.

When a man comes once to stand in need of

fortune, his life is anxious, suspicious, timorous,

dependent upon every moment, and in fear of all

accidents. How can that man resign himself to God,

or bear his lot, whatever it be, without murmuring,

and cheerfully submit to Providence, that shrinks at

every motion of pleasure or pain? It is virtue alone

that raises us above griefs, hopes, fears, and

chances, and makes us not only patient, but willing,

as knowing that whatever we suffer is according to

the decree of Heaven.

Wealth, honor, and favor may come upon a man by

chance; nay, they may even be cast upon him without

so much as looking after them; and certainly it is

worth the while to purchase that good which brings

all others along with it.

Whenamancomesoncetostandinneedof

fortune,hislifeisanxious,suspicious,timorous,

dependentuponeverymoment,andinfearofall

accidents.HowcanthatmanresignhimselftoGod,

orbearhislot,whateveritbe,withoutmurmuring,

andcheerfullysubmittoProvidence,thatshrinksat

everymotionofpleasureorpain?Itisvirtuealone

thatraisesusabovegriefs,hopes,fears,and

chances,andmakesusnotonlypatient,butwilling,

asknowingthatwhateverwesufferisaccordingto

thedecreeofHeaven.

Honors, monuments, and all the works of vanity

and ambition,are demolished and destroyed by time;

but the reputation of wisdom is vener able to poster-ity;and those that were envied or neglected in their

lives are adored in their memories,and exempted from

the veryl aws of created nature,which has set bounds

to all other things.The very shadow of glory

carries aman of honor up on all dangers,to the

contempt offireandsword;and it were a shame if

right reason should not inspire as generous resolu-tions into a man of virtue.

It is philosophy that gives us aveneration for

God,acharity for our neighbor,that teaches us our

duty to Heaven,and exhortsus to an agreement with

one another.It unmasks things that are terrible to

us ,assuages our lusts,refutes our errors,restrains

our luxury,reproves our avarice,and works strangely

upon tender natures.

We take a great deal of pains totrace Ulysses

in his wanderings; but were it not time as well spent

to look to ourselves that we may not wander at all?

Are not we our selves tossed with tempestuous passions,

and assaulted by terrible monsters on the one hand,

and tempted by sirens on the other?

When 1 go to sleep, who knows whetherever1

shall wake again;and when I wake, whether I shall

ever sleep again? When I go abroad, whether ever 1

shall come home again; and when I return,whether

ever go abroad again?It is notatseaonlythat

lifeanddeatharewithinafewinchesoneofanother;

buttheyareasneareverywhereelsetoo,onlywedo

nottakesomuchnoticeofit.Whathavewetodo

withfrivolousandcaptiousquestions,andimpertin-entniceties?Letusratherstudyhowtodeliver

ourselvesfromsadness,fear,andtheburdenofall

oursecretlusts:letuspassoverallourmost

solemnlevities,andmakehastetoagoodlife,which

isathingthatpressesus.

Weareallslavestofortune:someonlyinloose

andgoldenchains,othersinstraitones,andcoarser:

nay,andtheythatbindusareslavestoothemselves,

sometohonor,otherstowealth;sometooffices,and

otherstocontempt;sometotheirsuperiors,others

tothemselves.Nay,lifeitselfisaservitude:let

usmakethebestofitthen,andwithourphilosophy

mendourfortunes.

Thebodyisbuttheclogandprisonerofthe

mind,tossedupanddown,andpersecutedwithpunish-ments,violences,anddiseases;buttheminditself

i ssacre dan deternal,an dexemptfromthedangerof

allactualimpression.

Hethatwouldperfectlyknowhimself,lethim

setasidehismoney,hisfortune,hisdignity,and

examinehimselfnaked,withoutbeingputtolearn

fromotherstheknowledgeofhimself

Itmustbethechangeofmind,notofthe

climate,thatwiLlremovetheheavinessoftheheart;

ourvoicesgoalongwithus ,andwecarryinour-selvesthecausesofourdisquiets.Thereisagreat

weightliesuponus ,andthebareshockingofit

makesitthemoreuneasy.Changingofcountries,in

thiscase,isnottravelling,butwandering

Wemustkeeponourcourse,ifwewouldgainour

journey'send.Hethatcannotlivehappilyanywhere,

willlivehappilynowhere.

Wedivideourlivesbetwixtadislikeofthe

presentandadesireofthefuture.Buthethat

livesasheshouldordershimselfsoasneitherto

fearnortowishfortomorrow:ifitcome,itis

welcome;butifnot,thereisnothinglost.Forthat

whichiscomeisbutthesameoveragainwithwhatis

past.

Therearesomethingswewouldbethoughtto

desire,whichwearesofarfromdesiringthatwe

dreadthem.WedonotdealcandidlyevenwithGod

himself.Weshouldsaytoourselvesinthesecases,

"ThisIhavedrawnuponmyself.Icouldneverbe

quietuntilIhadgottenthiswoman,thisplace,this

estate,thishonor,andnowseewhatiscomeofit."

Placemeamongprincesoramongbeggars,theone

shallnotmakemeproud,northeotherashamed.I

cantakeassoundasleepinabarnasinapalace,

andabundleofhaymakesmeasgoodalodgingasa

bedofdown.Shouldeverydaysucceedtomywish,it

shouldnottransportme;norwouldIthinkmyself

miserableifIshouldnothaveonequiethourinmy

life.Iwillnottransportmyselfwithpainor

pleasure.Butyetforallthat,IcouldwishthatI

hadaneasiergametoplay,andthatIwouldput

rathertomoderatemyjoysthanmysorrows.IfI

wereanimperialprince,Ihadrathertakethanbe

taken;andyetIwouldbearthesamemindunderthe

chariotofmyconquerorthatIhadinmyown.

Neverpronounceanymanhappythatdependsupon

fortuneforhishappiness;fornothingcanbemore

preposterousthantoplacethegoodofareasonable

creatureinunreasonablethings.

Whereforeletussetbeforeoureyesthewhole

conditionofhumannature,andconsideraswellwhat

mayhappenaswhatcommonlydoes.Thewaytomake

futurecalamitieseasytousinthesufferance,isto

makethemfamiliartousinthecontemplation.How

manycitiesinAsia,Achaia,Assyria,Macedonia,have

beenswallowedupbyearthquakes?Nay,wholecoun-triesarelost,andlargeprovinceslaidunderwater.

Buttimebringsallthingstoanend;forallthe

worksofmortalsaremortal?allpossessionsand

.theirpossessorsareuncertainandperishable;and

/whatwonderisittolos

Theythatdeliverthemselvesuptoluxuryare

stilleithertormentedwithtoolittle,oroppressed

withtoomuch;andequallymiserable.

Hethatlivesaccordingtoreasonshallneverbe

poor;andhethatgovernshislifebyopinionshall

neverberich.Ifnothingwillserveamanbutrich

clothesandfurniture,statuesandplate,anumerous

trainofservants,andtheraritiesofallnations,

itisnotfortune'sfault,buthisown,thatheis

notsatisfied.Forhisdesiresareinsatiable,and

thisisnotathirstbutadisease

Itisthemindthatmakesusrichandhappy,in

whatconditionwhatsoeverweare;andmoneysignifies

nomoretoitthanitdoestothegods.

Ofallfelicities,themostcharmingisthatof

afirmandgentlefriendship.Itsweetensallour

cares,dispelsoursorrows,andcounselsusinall

extremities.Nay,iftherewerenoothercomfortin

itthanthebareexerciseofsogenerousavirtue,

evenforthatsinglereasonamanwouldnotbe

withoutit.Besidesthat,itisasovereignantidote

againstallcalamities,evenagainstthefearof

deathitself.

Thefutureisuncertain;andIhadratherbegof

myselfnottodesireanything,thanoffortuneto

bestowit.

Now,iftheoutwardappearanceofangerbeso
foulandhideous,howdeformedmustthatmiserable
mindbethatisharrassedwithit.Foritleavesno
placeeitherforcounselorfriendship,honestyor
goodmanners;noplaceeitherfortheexerciseof
reason,orfortheofficesoflife.IfIwereto
describeit,Iwoulddrawatigerbathedinblood,
sharpset,andreadytotakealeapathisprey.Or,
dressitupasthepoetsrepresentthefuries,with
whips,snakes,andflames.

Agoodandwisemanisnott obeanenemyof
wickedmen,butareproverofthem.Andheist o
loo kuponallthedrunkards,th elustful,th ethank-less,covetous,andambitiousthathemeetswith,not
otherwisethanasaphysicianlooksuponhispatients.

Howproneandeagerareweinourhatred,and
howbackwardinourlove!Wereitnotmuchbetter
nowtobemakingoffriendships,pacifyingofenemies,
doingofgoodofficesbothprivateandpublic,than
tobestillmeditatingofmischief,anddesigninghow
towoundonemaninhisfame,anotherinhisfortune,
athirdinhisperson?Theonebeingsoinnocent,
andsafe,andtheothersodifficult,impious,and
hazardous.

owmiserable,aswellasshort,istheirlife,
thatcompasswithgreatlaborwhattheypossesswith
greater;

Wesetourheartsupontransitorythings,asifthey
themselveswereeverlasting;orwe ,ontheother
side,topossessthemforever.Whydowenotrather
advanceourthoughtstothingsthatareeternal,and
contemplatetheheavenlyoriginalofallbeings?Why
dowenot,bythedivinityofreason,triumphover
theweaknessoffleshandblood?

How miserable, as well as short, is their life,
that compass with great labor what they possess with
greater; and hold with anxiety what they acquire with
trouble!

Wild beasts, when

they see their dangers, fly from them: and when they

have escaped them they are quiet: but wretched man is

equally tormented, both with things past and to come;

for the memory brings back the anxiety of our past

fears, and our foresight anticipates the future;

whereas the present makes no man miserable. If we

fear all things that are possible, we live without

any bounds to our miseries.