The workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both morrall and naturall Containing, 1. His bookes of benefites. 2. His epistles. 3. His booke of prouidence. 4. Three bookes of anger. 5. Two bookes of clemencie. 6. His booke of a blessed life. 7. His booke of the tranquilitie of the minde. 8. His booke of the constancie of a wiseman. 9. His booke of the shortnesse of life. 10. Two bookes of consolation to Martia. 11. Three bookes of consolation to Heluia. 12. His booke of consolation to Polibius. 13. His seuen bookes of naturall questions. Translated by Tho. Lodge, D. in Physicke.

EPIST. X.

That solitude is only good to those that are good, and haue profited in goodnesse, to others otherwise: for wicked and foolish men commit most sinne therein, being remoued from a reformer and left to themselues. By the way some precepts of vowes, and that we ought not to conceiue any thing, except that which we durst make knowne to eue∣rie man.

SO it is, I change not mine opinion, but counsaile thee to flie the great assemblies, yea the least; and not the least onely, but the frequentation of one alone. I finde not any man with whom I would haue thee to converse. Consider a little the iudgement that I haue of thee; I dare well trust thy selfe to thy selfe. Cra••es the Auditor of that Stilpon, of whom I made mention in my former Epistle, when he perceiued a young man walking apart by himselfe, asked him what he did there all alone? I speake, said the young man, vnto my selfe. Take heed, I pray thee, replyed Crates, that thou speake not with a wicked man. We are ac∣customed to obserue those that mourne and feare, when they retire themselues apart, for feare lest they abuse their solitude. There is no imprudent man that ought to be left alone: for then is the time that they complot and deuise their euill designes, and studie how to effect their euill intents, both to themselues and others: then dispose they their vnlawfull desires: at that time the minde discouereth and publisheth that which before time their feare or shame enfor∣ced them to conceale: then animate they their boldnesse, quicken they their lusts, and awaken their choler. To conclude, the onely good that solitude hath in it selfe, which is to commit nothing to any man, and to feare no reuealer, that is lost to a foole: for he discouereth and betrayeth himselfe. Consider thou that which I hope, or rather that which I promise my selfe of thee (for to hope is a word of vncertaine good) I finde not any man with whom I could better finde in my hart that thou shouldst be conuersant, then with thy selfe. When I called to remembrance the high and generous discourses that I haue heard thee vt∣ter, I did congratulate with my selfe, and said, These are not words onely, but these wordes haue their foundations; this man is not of the vulgar, he tendeth to safetie. Continue then my friend Lucilius, and speake alwayes after this man∣ner, liue continually thus, that one thing abase thee not, neyther master thy cou∣rage. Giue thankes vnto god for the auncient vowes thou hast made vnto him, and recommend vnto him all the new thou hast conceiued: aske at his hands a good mind, and first of all pray vnto him for the health of thy spirit, and next for that of thy bodie. Why shouldest thou not oftentimes make these vowes vn∣to him? boldly beseech god, since thou intendest to aske nothing of him that is

another mans. But to the end that according to my custome I may accompany this letter of mine with some present, receiue that which I haue found to day in Athenodorus: Then know that thou art disburdened of all euill desires, when thou hast attained so farre, that thou demand nothing at gods hands, but that which may be requi∣red of him openly. For how great at this day is the madnesse of men? They mumble betwixt their teeth some vileinous prayers, and are suddenly silent if any man yeeld an eare vnto them, supposing to hide that from men which they are not ashamed to discouer vnto God: iudge then if this precept should not be profitable; So liue with men as if God saw thee, so speake with God as if men should heare thee.