** Our Anceftors, fays Cicero^ had no other View in their making of Laws, than the pnW lie Good; and if it h^ppen'd that upon Ex« perience thereof they were fund detrimental^ they immediately abrogated them. Laws were not made, becaufe they were Juft in themfelves; but on the fcore of the Utility the Public received from the obfervance of *em. So that it plainly appears, that the Legijlator ought to' confider a great many things, when he prefcribes Laws; They may be good on certain Occafions, and bad on others; not but at the fame time, it is of ill confequence to make fuddcn Changes; for the People being us'd to the Laws already, eftablifli'd, all Innovation is fufpe(9^dby 'emJ *Twas for this Reafon that T^eucus faid, That they who ofierVi to make new Laws, ought to propofe *em with a Rope about their Nedc, to this? end, that in cafe the Legipanve Aflembly.' found any Advantage in the Change, they might go off dear; but if, on the contrary, the Com^ monweaUb received any Prejudice thereby, every body might lay their Hand to the Rope, thic he might perifli immediately.
Max^ icA EpicaK.as'x Mardlsy Max. XXVI.
IF a Law is made tomedmes without any ]>iTieflt Utility, provided tiiat it after* wards proves Beneficial to the RepoUic, it fliall ftill be eftecniM Jnft; but more particQlarly by thofe who make a general eftir mate of Things, and who take no delight to cofiyfoand Matters by a frivoloos 0i&oifflf* Reflection, A State, in die making of Laws^ flioqld chiefly confiderdieir Vtiliij^: l£ywever, it may happen ibmecimes, diat chey may not anfwer AcIjigiM' fori Deiign alcogedicr, yet fbrall diftc, diey fliaU hcfmft, ^ they are BeneficiMl: For example The Prince ordains tfaac Com be tranfported into For rei|^ Coontriesi it may prove euhef Ufefnlor Prqodicial; diere is Utility in ii; if by that means Money is broaeht into the Kingdom | on the other fide it is pemiciouSyif a Famine iscans'd thereby: But that (hall not hinder • this Law, from being thought Juft, during the Utility thereof.
Max.
■ ' ». I Max. xxvn; I ■ • HE Who (by the Cbunfel 6f Prmkncc) ihall tindertake t6 feeK Support in thofe ThiAgs that are foreiga to us., Ihall find their AqquUition, eafie aijd adyanta^- ppus ^ |)ut he. fliaU not trifle away his Tig^ [a the fearcb of thdie chat are dm{)offibte4 nay^ he ihall ncgleCt agrtatmany of iCbofb that are ^ttainabl^y andabfototely rejedsti thofe Wfcbfe tH>ircffion is nt^t ttfecefiary.
RtFtECilTOK.
RtFtECilTOK.
Akhough this Pai&ge be corrupted in the Greek, and that all the Tranflators have found^ it intricate, neverthelefe the Senfe I give it feems probable enough; becaufe Epicurus hzs faid heretofore. That 'tis in vain a Man feeks for Safety in Things that are not ufeful to him, and which can never contribute any wife to his Tranquility j and that admitting he were ihelter'd from Fear, EnVy, and the Malice of Men, that would not be fufficient to make him Happy, if he be pot cur'dofhis groundlefs Fright, and has notfiippreft his Paflions.
Qur Philofifher means then, That he who govern^ himfetf according to the Rules of Prudence, may feek to ftrengthen himfelf againft the Power of Men, as being necefTary for him fo to do: Thus we fee Pericks the Athenian General, pof- (efs'd himfelf of the Goyernmenti that by the ^" ~ *^~ ' means ^»» means thereof he might be aUe to oppoCe his EoemieSy Cimot and Tbmeidides: But as he had leam'd the Precepts of Wifiiom under:(em and Xtm^Atciy he did not become the TTtant of hii Counrry, neizlitr ma he dated on the (core of nine Victories he bad obtained; and nocwithftaoding he had rais'd himfelf above the reft» he does not for that iwenre from the RoliS of Jnftice*? «r Eficurus iays afcem^anis^ That the lame ^rfdence mikes osfenfible thete ve ibme things aUbhitely unattainable, and therefore wt oogfit toliy afide all Thooghts about *em: There are a great imany others tbusit the Wfi Mm ought to demoe^ dKMi^ he might compafe the Xcqdfidoii of 'cm, tfi:{. Honours, Riches, Statues,.aiid.the liioe; but there are ibme again, that hegogluitntirdy to reje(3:, as being fuperfluons, and bnfie hinifiBlf only with thofe that are unavoidably nectary, which are only thofe that Nature ends for its Prefervation and the Happinefi of Life.
T MAX.
\ • • THofe who have been fortunate enotfgh to live with Men of the fame Temper and Opiniofly have found a Security in their Society: This reciprocal bifpofition of Humour and Mind, has prpv'd a fure Pledge of their Union, and has made the Sum of their Felicity. They have had fo ftriO: a Friend fhip for one-another, that they were ready, without any Reludancy, to lay their Lives down for each other, if either of 'em was fentenc'd to die.
Ref lection.
Ref lection.
This PalTage is altogether faulty in the Greeta^ nevehhelefi, I flatter my felf I have hit upon BficW rw's Thought in my Tranflation. This Philojofher having fhew*d, that the difference of Tempers and ConftitutionSy was the Cauie of the difference of the Minids, and that by Reafon Civil Society was composed of Men diffefrently incIinM, fomef being Prudent, others Rafh, fome Choleric and Furious; others again Peaceable and Timorous, and fome likewife Ambitious and Afpiring; and a great many other different Characters, which made it impoffible to exped: fo perfedl an Union amongft 'em, that nothing ihould be able to ruffle or difturb their mutual Qjiiet. It became neceflary that certain Laws ihould be agreed up* on, that might reftrain and curb the Violence and Ambiuon of the Haughty and Turbulent, and fecure to the Mild and Gentle, Safety and Tranquility. s Hcg He, cherefcM^ extok the Happineis of thofe who, dtber by Nature, or by the Precepts of Wifdom, have fouad themielves d]Q>05*d to an hmmoniom Symfntfy i and who have obfervM that certain Medium that could fix their Tenqpets^uid unite their Mincb» by which means liiej finfiS outthe Secret of living peaceably and Miecablj.
They have always been cautions of oflfendioi <me-another, have mllow'd the Rules pttfiarib*! h^ Prudence and Juftice ^ they have mewn an Indulgence for their Faults, have lovM on&-anocher with Sincerity, and have eAeqn*d it an He** toicAA to die for diofe of their Sociery.
The End of Epicukus's Morals.
A N ESSAY ON Epcuruis Morak Written by Monf. St. Ewemmt; And made Engliih by Mr. Johnfon.
/.
i6i ■Mi A N ESSAY In Vindication of P I GU R^u Si AND HIS Doc TRINE; By Monfieiir St. EVrcmoht.
• *". • ' I )UR Modern Philofophers ate very induftrious toleffen the Reputation of EpicurM^ they explode his Ddrine, not oiily as unworthy of a Philopher, but as daingerous to the State ^ imaaing that a Man muft nedefTarily be vicis as fbon as he becomes one of his Difci-Bs. They take all Occafions to brand hi^ pinions asop|)ofite to good Manners, and id his Name with Infamy and Reprroach; Jt fome among the Stoicki whp were his eateft Enemies have not iifed him thus iJgl^ly 5 their Praifes agree not with the jdcrn AfiJcrfions; they have attacked^ M h\xt i62 Monfieur St. Evremont's but not vilified hira, and the Writings they have left us, ftill fpeak in feveral Paflages, the great Veneration and Efteem they had for him.
From whence then proceeds this to migb- ' ty Difference^ and why are we no longer j of Opinion with the Philofophers of Old? ' The reafon is plain, we do not ad like them, we make no enquiry, we do not fift Matters, we only adhere to what is told us, without iriCrufting our felves in the true i Nature of Things: We efteem thofe belt j which have the greateft Number of Approvers, and do not follow Reafon, bat the Refemblance of it. We hug our Errours, ^ becaufe they are juftified by thofe of other Men, we had rather believe than pdge, and are fo unjuft that we defend againft Reafon the fpurious Opinions which have been handed down to us. Through this Infirmity hath Epicurus fallen under a general Averfion, and ignorant Men who know not his worth, have endeavoured to ftrikc him out of the Lift of Philofophers -, they have condemned him unknown, andbaniflied him unheard, they never enquired into the Merits of his Caufe, and feem to be afraid of his making his Defence, left they fnould become Converts to the Superiour Excellence of his Divine Precepts.
The firft and only reafonable pretence that Men had to flight his Doftrine was, the Lives ot fome Vicious Wretches, who abufing the Name of this Great Man, gave their Vices the Infcription of his Vertne; and * and thus fathering their Defefts upon tWt Principles of his Phiiofopy, leflTened the Reputation of his Seft. Multitudes flock'd to Places where they underftood that Pleafurewas commended, but the Misfortune was, they neither apprehended that Pleafure, nor undA-ftood the Praifes bellowed upon it; they retted fatisfied with the Name in general, not doubting, under the Authority of fo great a Man, to fcreen their Debaucheries and Palliate the Lewdnefs of their Lives \ fo that, inftead of Profiting in his School, and correfting their loofe Inclinations, by the Good Inftrudions and Vertuous Example of that Philofopher, they even loft that which could only be left them the (hame of Tripping, and proceeded fb far as to extol Aftions at which they blu(hed before, ^nd to Glory in thofe Vices which they had. formerly concealed. In fhort, following the bent of their own Vi^ cious Appetites, they publickly, without Shame indulged themfelves in the Pleafure they brought along with them, and not in that which their Great Mailer inculcated into them. However, the World judging by Appearances, and feeing Perfons who ftyled themfelves Philofophers thus extremely diflblute, that they made aPublick profedion of their Failings, and cited £/?/-curm to countenance their Impurity, Lazi** nefs. Gluttony and Drunkennefs,^ made no difficulty to pronounce this Piiilofophers Doftrine moft pernicious and fcandalous; and to compare his Difciples to the vileft M a Animal » I ■ ■ ^ 1 64 Monfteur St. EvremontV Animal in Nature; Eftcuri degregt Parcimh was a Sarcaftick Expreffion of a Poet, refleding upon the Followers of Eficvrmj and reprefenting them as Perfons wallowing like Swine in all manner of fenfbality, aiid more than beaftly Pleafures. The Zeal of our Philofophcrs Adverfari^ hath fo confounded his Opinion, with the Errors of his Difciples, that it is highly Criminal, with the generality of Mankind, to attempt his Vindication-, though the greateft of his Enemies fix no greater Crime upon him than what he hath in common, with the reft* of the Philofophers: Nay, even Chri^ ftianity it felf, fufFers under the like Misfortune, and is difgraced by the fcandalons IJves of bafe pretending Hypocritical Profeflbrs.
Thus unreafonably do ignorant Pretenders treat Epcvrm^ and fet his Morals in a very bad Light, but the Wifer and more judicious fort, who (feparating themfelves from that Multitude, which hath cvier been an Enemy to Wifemen \ and which, upoa a groundlefs Opinion, condemned the Divine Socrates^ though approved of by the Gods ) have taken a nearer and more pcrfeft View of our Philofophers Life and Dodrine, not giving Credit to cotnmon Fame, or taking things upon Truft, but fearching to the bottom, have upon the refult of their Inquiry, given large and honourable Teftimonies of his exalted Vertue and fablime Precepts. They have fully proval his Plcafure to be as fevere as the Stoicks Vertue^ that that Findicstioff of EV I CXJKVS. 165 that though his Tide be (oft and delicate, his Precepts are difficult; and that to bp debauched like EfkurM^ a Man muft be as ibber as Zcno.
And certainly it is very ridiculous and inconfiftent to fuppofe, that our Philofopher fliould poDp^gateLewdnefs, or inftruft his Dildples in the Praftice of Vice; if we confider that his Friends and chief Follow* ers were Rulers in the Grecian Cities; that his Reverence for the Gods, Love to his Country, Piety t^ his Parent*, Liberality to his Countrymien, and gentlehefs to his Slaves, were fo remarkably Eminent i that his Ccmntry, to reward fuch exemplary Virtue, ereficd Statues iix his Honour* His Modefty kept him from engaging in Affairs of State; and his Temperance was fo great, that his ordinary Diet was faothing but Bread and Waten However, This Great Man apprehending that the Title he beftowed upon his Doftrine, might be made ufe of to countenance the fenfual Inclinations of ibme, and others thereby induced to calumniate his Pleafure j as if he had forefeen the unjuft Cenfure of fucccding Ages, and the Vicious Lives of his pretended Followers, hath prevented the World with a fufficicnt Juftification of his Pleafure, and fully explained the fame to be fober and (evere. Ht banilhed from his Garden, where he Philofophi^'d with his Friends, all fuch as al)ufed the. Name of Pleafure, and confidered Vice as the foveraign Good of Man, and Tranquil- M 3 wty lity of Life. For Proof whereof, I will produce you one of his Letters written to Meneuus; wherein he fpeaks thus, Notwithfianding that we ajfert Pleafwre to he the end of Man-, we do not fnean vile and infor moHs Pleafure s fuch as proceeds from Tdfie and Gluttony: This is an unlikely Opinion ofPerftms that are Ignorant ofy or opfoje our Treceps\ they wrefi them to an ill fenfe^ and we fefara^ our [elves from their Company* Thus you fee, how careful he was to defend himfelf againit Ignorance and Mifconftruftion, which he forefew were the only two things capable to prejudice the World againft him. His Life, though Innocent, Sober and Difcreet, hath not, however, been free from Inveftives and Detraftion, which have been fufficiently anfwercd and refuted, by learned and judicious Writers, who have taken the Pains to write our Phi*. lofophers Life> in which they have not failed, with clearnefs of Judgment and found Reafbn, to vindicate his Reputation againft the trifling Cavils of weak and partial Enemies. But, as it is not my Defign to entertain you with a Detail of his Aftions, but to defend his Pleafure s I fhall refer you to Diogenes LaertiusGafendus^and others, for the relation of his Life-, and Philofophife with you awhile upon the Nature of that which hath fo many Enemies; and enquire whether it be fuch as will exclude thofe who defend and follow it out of the Rank of Good Jind Wife Men.
Eficurtu placeth the Felicity of Man in Pleafure, and eftcenieth that ^-ife happieft whici^ VindicAsion (?/ EPICURUS. 167 I which is atteaded with an indolence of Bo' dy, and tranquillity of Mind. And where-) in can aWiftman better place his Ha ppi-- nefs than in a Serene and undiflurb'd Mind/ All the Motions of our Soul center in Pleafiire, and thofe who condemn it mull confequently condemn Nature, and accufe her 3f Faults in ^11 her Works \ for this wife Mother hath mingled Delight with all our ^ftions, and by an admirable piece of Wiflorn hath fb ordered it, that as thofe Things vhich are moft neceflary^re the meaneft, io:hey are moft pleafing \ and certainly had he not found out this innocent Slight, th€ A^orld had periflied long ago, and Man vho is the nobleft part thereof, neglefting lis own Prefervation, bad left it a Prey to Vild Beafts. Who would trouble himfelf th eating, did not Pleafurc as well as neeflity invite him to it? Who would endure hat Sleep Ihould benura his Senfes, take rom him theufe of Reafon, and make him xchange Life with the image of Death 5, id not the fweetnefs of her Poppies allure ira, and make the remedy as charming as: is fhamefiil? So neceflary is Pleafure to s, that the Indigence of our Nature conributes to it.
Pleafure is fo interwoven in our Nature, hat fhe ftands not in need of an Advocate, nd fo prevalent are the Charms of her leauty, that when (he appears, all Oppoli-. ion fells before her •, and when abfent, fhe J the Objeft of our Defires. The Stoicks ainly endeavour to enflave the Body to the M 4 Tyranny / 1 68 Monfieur St. EvremontV ' Tyranny of the Soul. The Feripateticks wrangle much about what they do not un- ■ derftand, and are great Lovers of Vl^ealth; the Academicks are Proud, Ccfaceited and Vainglorious Pretenders to Univerfil Kn6wledgc and Wifdom, but it hEficwrus alone that hath found out that Soverai^n gbod, which is. the Complement of an happy Life, and thoje only that follow his Steps are Rich, Powerful and Wife, and at once enjoy whatever is defireable.
The true Felicity of Life, and the Government of our Paffions (from the pijforder of which none can abfolutely and at all times defend them'felves^ hath been the Subjeft upon which Philofophers have' chiefly employed their Studies,and is that part of IMoral Philofophy which hath Keen oftnelE enquired into ^ yet no one Point oiF the whole Body of Philofophy hath been treat«| of with greater Oftcntation, and to lefi la-» tisfaftion. Some have taken great Pains to defcribe the Paffions to us, and to dilJpover their Caufes and Effefts, but never idftraaed us how to regulate and govern them, j very careful they were to let us know our Difeafe, but unskillful or negligent in ap-. plying Remedies toCure the fame. Others of lefs Judgment but greater Zeal, have confounded them with Vices, and made no. difference between the Motions of the Sen-, fitive Appetite, and the Mifgovernment of the Will, fo that according to them., a Man cannot be paffionate' without bein| Criminal. Their Difcourfes which lhoul( •have liave been Inflxudions to Vertue, were on* ly fo many Inycftives againft Vice, and hurried hy a miftaken Zeal, they made the Diftemper greater than it was, and the Cure left Prafticabk: Others again* vainly puft lip with Pride, have pretended to ftifle Paflion, and to raiie Man to the Condition of Angels. They hare not feared to debafe their Gods that they might exalt their Wifeman, and have often times made him happier than their Jupiter. They have given him the upper Hand of Fortune and Deftiny, and make his Happinefs to depend entirely upon his own Free Will; Pain and Pleafure they reprefent as imaginary Diftradions, tli:it Paflions are the Sicknefs of the Souf, and that a Man mult renounce bis Liberty if he obey fuch infolent Mafters. Thus they have framed aWifeman only in idea, and whilft they h^ve endeavoured to make him equal or fiiperiour to the Gods, they have made him leB than Man. ' Thus did thefe vain Pretenders to Wifdom bufie themfelves in a blind and eager purfuit after Happinefs; but the more haft, they made in a wrong way, the more La-^ bor and Pains they took to be further from: their Journies end. And though Wifdom* and Happinefs was the fble aim and drift of ■ every one of them j yet they all took a different way to attain the defired End •, and notwithftanding, amongft fuch different O* pinions, one only could be in the rights each of them jgretended to be that only one which couW 5^ve accefs to Vertue, and|ws.
lyo Monfieur St. EvremontV its Followers into the right way, pafling by the reft as leading them aftray and befide the Mark. In this, however, they unanimoufly agreed to explode the DoSrine of Epicurus^ and to reprefent his Plcafure as Voluptnoufnefs, his Philofopy as Vanity, and his Precepts fuch as plunged Men into an manner of Diflblutenefs, but upon a due enquiry into the matter, we fhall evidently find that thefe their heavy Cenfures of Epicurus^ proceeded more from Pride and Ig-Biorance, than from Knowledge and found Judgment.
The Stoicks and all other Philofbphers agree with Epicurus in this; that the true Felicity of Lite is to be free from Perturbations, to underftand our Duty towards God and Man to enjoy the Prefent, without any anxious Dependance upon the future, not to amufe our felves either with Hopes or Fears, to curb and reftrain our unruly Appetites, to reft fatisfied with what we have, which is abundantly fufficient; For he that is content wants nothing. He that can look Death in the Face and bid it Welcome, open his Door to Poverty, and bridle his Appetites, he is the Man ("they all agree) whom Providence hath eftablilhed in the PofTeflion of confummate Happinels. The difference between them is this, the Stoicks and the other Philofophers deny the Faffions, and rank them among things which are not in rerum Natura h Epicurus on the other Hand aflerts them to be neceflary to the Soul, tliat they are Seeds of Vertue, and O^ifc and O^ifc Vindication of EPICURUS. 171 and that Joy muft perfea that Felicity which defire nath begun. Their Happinefi is purely Speculative, but that of Eficurus is praftical.
But as there is no Beauty without Ibnie Moles, no Chryftal without fome Specks j neither is Eficurus without his Imperfedions, which ( tho' it is not my Defign to juftific , are ) however, ealily pardonable if we confider the dark time he lived in, when there was Icarce any Religion but fbttifh Idolatry, more Gods than Nations, and no other Light by which to fteer his Courfe, than the dim Lamp of Nature. He feems rather to be honoured for copiing fo near to ' the Knowledge of the true Goo, than con* demned for coming no nearer •, rather to b* admired for having fuch agreeable Concept tions of Ibme of the Divine Attributes^ ^ than reproached for not comprehending them all, efpecially if we compare his Notions relating to the Gods, with thole of ^the Elder Grecian Philofophers and Poets, as well as the common and received Opinions of thofe Days. ^ Who can blame our Philofbpher, who ^ fway'd by the higheft Reafon, trac'd Nature in her Primitive Innocence, and not l^only taught but praftic'd Vcrtue to fuch a*; Excellence, as few in thele days, to oW I Shame be it fpoken, tho' we enjoy the glof rious Sunlhine of the Gofpel, can equal f ► The Bounds Nature hath prelcrib'd, arcf* thofe of Juftice and Equity v Avarice camc= ^not from Nature, Ihe hath concealed Gold m m 172 Manpeut St. Evuemont'j in the lowed: Bowels of the Earthy aad we have torn it from thence, Katare was not theCanfe of Ambition, which tormeatsusi flie brought us into the World, and with Equality fends us out of it i wc onJly;difier from one another in as much as wetormpt ter. We all equally enjoy Liberty, and the Sun \ Servitude was introduced by Violence, and the firft Kings were Tyrants. Is it Nature, think you^ which indtes to Luxury? The Poets, themfelves, who have foifted Defers into the very Heavens, to icreen their own Follies with CelelUal Examples^ and made Jufher Wicked that they might be fo themfelves, durit not own fuch a Thought. In their Defcription of the Golden Age, they tell you, that Acorm were then Mens Food, that Rivers quenched their Thirft, that they dwelt in Caves, that they had no Cloaths to defend them againft the Injuries of the Weather, and that they followed Nature in all their Anions. I readily grant, that there never was fuch a Conftitution of Human AfHiirs ^ and that Mankind was never reducM to fuch a Level with Brutes: The Poets have indeed carried the FiQiion too far, but their D^ \ fignwas to inftrud us \ that Excels proceed- 1 edi not from Nature; (he doth not Prompt| or Encourage us to it *, Experience plainly: teacheth, that the Neceffities of Natnrej may be plentifully fatisfied with Sender and I eafily provided Fare. Hear how the is- • comparable Mn CowUy^ our Englifh PmUn \ exprefles himfelf on tfie occafion..
mmm^tmmm j n mmm^tmmm j n When £picor»$ 19 the Wirld had taught j That JPkafun was the chiefefi Goadj i was f^hafs ftV Bight iif rightly, mderjhod) His Life he to Jbij Jhflrine hr^vght^ JnAin a Gardts^s Shade that Sovereign Pleafare L fought i Whoever a true Epicure iMvld be^ May thetefind cheap and vertwus Luxury* Vitellius'^ Table which did hold jts many Creatures as the Ark of old: That BJfcal Table^ to which ev^ry day jiU Qmntries did a conflant Tribute fay^ Could nothing mert delicious afford^ Than Nature s Liberalityy Helped with a little Art and hdufiry^ '. ABows the meaneft Gardners hoard* The wanton Tafte no Fijh or Fowl can choofe^ For winch the Grape or Melon Jhe would loofe^ Though all tV Inhabitants of Sea an Air Be lifted in the Gluttons BiU of Fare; Tet ftiU the Fruits of Earth we fee Placed the third Story high in aU her Luxury* awUys Garden to J. Evelyn^ Efq» la (hort, 'tis we that abufe the Gifts of Heaven, and the Advantages it confers up- ' onus, fince thofe things without which Nature cannot fabfift are very compendious^ and may be obtained with great Eafe, with- > out the violation of Juftice, Liberality or Tranquillity. How then doth Nature require that a Man Ihould abltain from thofe » things which are fubmitted to him, and o^ver which ihe hath made him Lord? No, Wc dMfaa*MMMMBAMMMM«i| 174 Monfteur St. EvremontV We ought rather to ufe them, provido! we ufe them according to Nature. W< mult fo ufe things as that we may be with out them, we mult be their Matters, ao^ not their Slaves j we muft not be impatieai for them, nor dejcfted at their Lofi, enjo] them peaceably as occalion offers, and not purfue them with dif^uiet and fatigue.
There is no Condition of Life out maj become a Wife Man, aiPhilofopher is nol to be blamed for dwelling in a Palace, but in not having the Power to be contented with a Cottage -, I (hall not be fcaddalized at feeing him in his Robes, if he have not the Ambition of a King. Let AnJHffm pofFefs the Riches of Cntfus^ what matter? He will throw them away when they ifl* commode him. Let PUto be at Diimyfivs the Tyrants Table, yet in the midft of tnat abundance of Delicacies, he will feed only on Olives; the poneflion of Goods is not to be condemned, but our Slavery and Subjeftion to them; it is not Poverty will make us Wife, it may take from us, indeed, rfic Opportunity of committing fome Faults; but there are others which it cannot reme. dy. The Cy nicks Rags contribute not the leaft to Tranquillity or Moderation: Ambition dwelt with Diogenes in his Tub, and there it was he had the Infblence to inlblt jilexander^ the haughtieft of all Mankind.
Undoubtedly, there is more diflSculty to follow Nature in Affluence than in Neceflity \ the Spurs which our Delights make ufe of to try our Moderation, are much more keen iriata keen than thofe which Adverfity employs for that purpofe ^ but the greater the Difficulty the more Glory in furmounting it, and the lofs of falfe Joys fecures to us a much better Pofleffioa of real ones. We are not fenCble of a Felicity which cofts us nothing, and for which we are indebted to chance, it muft be given us by WiOom and Prudence, if we would have a true Relifhof it, and Pain muft foraetime ufher us to pleafure: Suppofe a Man fhould enter the Lifts at the Olympick Games, with a Defign to try his Strength and Skill •, if no body encountred him, he might poflibly be crowned ^ but neverthelefs, that would not render him Viftorious. Skilful Pilots gain their Reputation from Storms and Tempefts. If Penelofe^s Chaftity had not been try'd, the envious World would have faid (he only wanted Corrupters. Wherefore, let us not fly the World, nor fly the Court i let us not fculk in Deferts, from whence Philofophy fetch'd the primitive Mankind; let us poflefs Riches, and refufe not the adminiftration of Publick Offices •, if we are Wife, we may enjoy thefe Things without any Danger to our Eafe and Tranquillity j we may fail happily amidft thefe Rocks, and view all with an unconcerned Eye. If we be ftript of them by our not looking back, we may teftify our Contempt, and that we were not wedded to them. It is Ihameful for a Wifeman to be weaker than thofe Defires, which as they are unnatural fb are they vain and unneceflary, only in Opinion.
^*" tm -'at 176 Monfieur Sl EVremontV Opinion. This is Efkurus^s Plealbre, this is what he calls living according tx> Nature, this is his DoArine, and thefe hl$ Sentiments* Confider then, whether this Opinion deferves to be ill treated, and fee wnedier we have Reafon to defpile it; whedier this Pleafure pimps to Debancbery and BarcdSy and whether any thing can be more Sober or Chaft. If yon ask Epicurus what it is to live pleafantly, he win anfwer you, Thu k confifts not in a Fondnefs for worUly CmeemSj but in refijting corrupt jiffi^ions and hcUmui^ ms^ contemning Honour^ g^^^i^g ^^ nuifierf $f Fortune \ and in a Word^ Pfjf^^^S ^^ ^jihtte Peace and TraneptiBity ofMind^ TO this Point are all his Precepts leveled, in this you meet with Pleafure) and in this, indeed, we ought to feek it, not in the fatisiadion of the Senies, nor in giving a I00& to out Appetites. This Pleafure is too pure to dc^ pend upon the Body> it depends on the iatelledual Part 5 Reafon is its Miftrefs, Resifon is its Rule, the Senies are only its Mi* nifters: Befides, Whatever Delights wc may hope for by indulging the Palate in Pleafures of the Sight, in Mufickor Pcr^ fumes •, if we do not receive them with a ferene Mind we are deceived, we fell under the delufion of a falle Joy, and take th^ Shadow of Pleafure for the real Snbftance* We will burn, if you pleafe, the moft coilly Perfumes, we will Clofet up our felvct with Venus-, we will Riot our felves upon Ne^ar and jimhojia^ and enjoy the utmott Pleafure 'mmim Fi^dicaitm cf EMCURVS. 177 Pleafiircthe Wets havcltnaginied:, ^5.t all will prove bitter if our Minds be difquieted and in fpight of tKefe Delights, forjrow will appear maAifeftly upon our Brows.
I will give you one Inftance to prove this Afiertion, and demonftrate to you how iiw capable that Man is of Pleafure, whoft Mind is dilcompoftd. You have read, no doubt, of that Feaft which TipU'mus made for AVrt?^'and may remember that great Debauch, theNoife whereot hath lafted to our Age •, it feems to have been the utmoft Efbrt of Prodigality, Art and Luxury, which licceeding. Ages have not been able to rivals niich lefs exceed. Agnffah Pond was the Place pitch'd upon for this extravagant Repafl:; it was made upon a {lately Bark, which being drawn by a great many others, feem'd infenfibly to move. All the Barnes were adorned with Gold, and inlay'd with Ivory \ the Rowers were fo many lovely Youths habited like Cupids. The Tafte knew no Fowl, which it was not furniihed with at that Entertainment; the Ocean provided it with Fifh, and the Proirinces of the Empire with divcrfity of Flefli* [n fliort, every thing was there in Plenty md Perfeftion. I omit thofe infamous Houfes erefted on the Banks, which were lock'd with Women of the beft Quality, md ftark naked. Courtesans. The Night tfelf contributed to the Pleafure of his Debauch •, its Shades were difllpated by an intnity of Lights, and its Silence a^reeibly lifturb'd by the harmonious Coaforc of f(^- N ver4 N ver4 178 Monfteur St. £vk£MOMT*s veral Kiads of Mnfick. Would you know what delight Nero took in all thefe thingiy and whether he departed latisfied ftom tUs Entertainment? Conlider only, that he carried with him thither, the Memory of his Crimes, and the ftin^ of a bad Gonlcience, and you will readily condode, that he had no Veal Satisfadion thronghoat the whole Entertainment \ that he there felt the penitential Whip, add that though he appeared outwardly gay and brisk^ yet he was inwardly tormented with Horror and DeFpair. If he had any Joy, it was that of the Menades \ he was obliged to his Drunkennefs for that little Pleafure he enjoyed, andhisHappinefs encreafed with the Diminution of his Reafon. I conclude his whole Retinue under the fame Circumftaoces \ for, I conceive, neither Seneca^ nor Tbrafe* as Patusy nor Boreas Soranus^ were of die, number of the Guefts; they lived according to Nature, amidfl: the corruption of a moK 1 profligate apd degenerate Age, and were. confequently improper Company for fuch a. Crew of Debauchees •, doubt left luchonly were prefcnt, as endeared themfclves to his Converlation by a Congruity of Manners, fuch as fpurr'd him on in his Crimes, and j pimp'd to his Lufts \ before fuch, he had | no Opportunity to blufh, where an eager | defire to excel each other in Vice^ had ftifled all manner of Shame. Certainly, fuch ' vile Wretches were far from being Happy j there was no finding a found Man in the whoje Company, Pleafure could get no admittance ^ ' ■■ ' -• " ■ 'l ^ ' ■■ ' -• " ■ 'l mittance into thofe Breads which Lewdnefs had Ib^ntirely poflefled. They were entirely govefn'd by tnofe Paflions which deftroy the Tranquillity of the Mind; and by confequence^ were not in a Condition to relifli that Pleafure we fo much approve. Had our Philolbpher been prefent at this Debauch,he would have declared the Truth before Nerdj and in the Face of the whole World, he would not have feared Death,which he held indifferent, but would have boldly exprefled his Mind after the following Manner. * Unhappy Prince! How wretchedly are you deceived in believing Pleafure is to be found in thefe ExcefTes! it is as far diftant from them as you are from Lifes trui. eft Happinefs. You drag your Mifery along with you, in all Places, wherefb* ever you go •, and do what you will, you cannot hide your felf one Moment from your Confcience. Cover your Table with Meats yet more delicious than thofe it now abounds with, add the richeft Wines oi Greece and ttaly^ or the whole World; Nay, heap up all that Luxury and Luft can think on or invent, yet you will find nothing in all thefe things to afford you Satisfaftion, for tho' your Body be fatiated, your Mind will ftill be in fearch after • Pleafure. Thefe are not the Things which render Life happy, it is prudence alone which direds you to the foveraiga Good i it is Ihe only, which will teach you to regulate your Defires according to Nature ^ and in this Rule it is that you will meet with what you cannot find in N 2 * your /