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. XXIX.

That MARCLLINVS is hard to be corrected: For he scorneth and mocketh, yet will I not giue him ouer, and happily in this sort I will ouercome him. EPICVRVS Sen∣tence, studie not to please the people, that is to say many.

THou enquirest some newes of our friend Marcellinus, and wouldest know what he doth. He commeth very seldome vnto vs, for no other cause, then for that hee feareth to heare the truth. From which perill he is now free, for we are to speake to none, but such as will giue eare vnto vs. Therefore it is wont to bee doubted, whether Diogenes, or any other Cynicks, who haue vsed a promiscuous and indis∣creet libertie, to exhort all such as they meet withall, whether they ought to doe so or no. For to what intent should a man chide the deafe, or controule such as are mute either by nature or sicknesse? Why, sayest thou, should I spare my words, they cost me nothing? I know not whether I shall profit him whom I admonish. This I know, that I shall profit some one, if I admonish many. The hand must be scattered. It cannot be, but he shall effect once, that attempteth often. But I thinke not, my Lucilius, that this is to be done to a great man. The authoritie of the instructer is diminished, and hath almost no power in regard of those that might bee corrected by a meaner power. It is not alwayes needfull that a good Archer hit the wh••te, sometimes hee may misse. It is not an Art that casually commeth to the effect. Wisedome is an Art that must ayme at a certaine end. Let her therefore seeke out those that may bee profited by her, and retire her selfe from those of whom ••he despaireth, prouided alwayes that shee abandon them not too soone, but forcibly and desperately attempt all remedies, when as there is lesse hope. I haue not yet lost all my hope of our friend Marcellinus, as yet he may be saued, prouided he be suddenly assisted. It

is to be feared lest he should draw him, that should set hands to help him. The power of witte is mightie in him, but alreadie depraued, and tending to euill. Notwithstanding I will vndergoe this perill, and dare to shew him his infirmi∣ties. I know well that he will follow his old custom, he will summon & marshall out all those iests, which can prouoke laughter in the eye of lamentation, and will iest at himselfe first, then at vs, and alwaies preuent that in all things, which I am to speake. He will search into our schooles, and obiect to our Philosophers their many gifts, their wenches, and good cheere. Hee will shew mee one in a∣dulterie, another in a Tauerne, another in Court. He will represent vnto me that merry Greeke, the Philosopher Ariston, which was wont to dispute in his Litter, for he had chosen this time to publish his workes. Of whose sect a que∣stion being mooued, Scaurus said vndoubtedly he is no Peripatetiques. Of the same man, when a question was moued to Iulius Graecinus, a man of good recko∣ning, what he thought of him: I cannot (saith he) tell thee, for I know not for what he is proper, ••or he hath not ••ixed a firme soote in any degree of Philosophie; as if hee were to answere from a war-like Chariot. He will cast in my teeth the Monte∣ba••ckes, which might with more honestie contemne, then sell Philosophy; yet am I resolued to suffer his vpbraids•• Let him moue me to laughter, happily I will prouoke him to teares; or if he perseuere in his laughter, I will laugh with him, as in a compleat sicknesse, because he is fallen into so pleasant a manner of madnesse. But obserue this, this iollitie is not of long continuance. Thou shalt behold such as th••se for a while laugh very hartily, and in as little while raue most bitterly. I am resolued to set on him, and to shew him how farre better he were, when they should esteeme him f••rre lesse. If I cannot wholly cut off his vices, at the least-wise I will restraine them, they shall not cease but intermit; but happily they shall cease also, if they take a custome to intermit. Neither is this to be disliked, because in those that are gi••uously sicke, a good remission of the sicknesse is taken for health. Whilest thus I prepare my selfe for him, see that thou, who canst, and knowest whence thou art escaped, and in what state thou standest, and thereby presumest how farre thou oughtest to attaine, go∣u••rne thy manners, raise thy spirit, make head against those things that are to be doubted, and number not those that giue thee cause of feare. If a man should be afraid of a multitude of people gathered together in one place, by which e∣uery one of them, one after another, must haue his passage; wouldest thou not thinke him a foole? Though diuers men threaten thy life, yet diuers cannot attempt after the same manner. The ordinance of Nature is such, that one on∣ly may as soone ridde thee of thy life, as one gaue it thee: if thou haddest any shame in thee, thou haddest sent me backe the last quarter of my pension. But lest I behaue my selfe vntowardly, in paying the vsurie of another mans money, I will pay thee that I owe thee. I would neuer please the people. For those things I know, the people alloweth not, and that which the people alloweth, I know not. Whose is this, sayeth thou? As if thou knewest not whom I command. Is it Epicurus. But the very same will all of them declaime vnto thee, from euery house of the Pe∣ripatetiques, Academickes, Stoickes, Cynickes. For who pleaseth Vertue, that can please the common people: popular fauour is purchased by euill Artes; thou must needs make thy selfe like vnto them. They will not allow thee, except they know thee. But it is farre more expedient that thou take heed to that which thou thinkest thy selfe, then either to attend, or intend the opinion of o∣thers. The friendship that is borne to dishonest things, cannot be formed, but by dishonest reason. What then; shall this Philosophie, so much esteemed and

preferred aboue all arts, and other things haue the vpper hand, that is, that ra∣ther thou make account to please thy selfe, then to please the people; that thou esteemest the opinions of one iudgement according to their waight, and not ac∣cording to their number, that thou gouerne thy life without feare, eyther of gods, or of men: & as touching misfortunes, eyther that thou surmount them, or thou end them. But if I shall see thee in credite by common voyce, and fa∣uoured amiddest the multitude, if then when thou commest into the Theatre, the acclamations, the applauses, and all the equipage of Players and Mimicks make a bruite: if euen to the very women and little children, euery one speaketh well of thee throughout the towne, why should I not haue pittie on thee, kno∣wing what way conducteth thee to this fauour?