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. XXXIII.

He denieth that sentences or short lessons should be gathered from t••e Stoicks: first, be∣cause all things are replenished and ••ull of such things; againe, because it is vnseemely to speake alwayes by authoritie. Let vs make them ours, and preferre them in our life.

THou desirest in these Epistles also, as in the former, that I set down certaine sentences of our Masters. They were not much occupied about the flowers of discourse: all their maner of speech was sub∣s••antiall and manly: know thou that inequalitie is there, where those things that are eminent are notable. No man admireth one tree, when as all the wood is growne to the same height. With these and such like sentences, all Poems and Histories are stuffed. I will not therefore haue thee think that they are of Epicurus: they are vulgar, and especially mine owne. But in that are they most noted, because they seldome occurre, because vnexpe∣cted, because it is a wonder that any thing should be constantly spoken by a man that professeth delicacie: for so doe diuers men iudge; but in my opinion ••picurus is valiant, although e••••eminately dressed. Fortitude and industrie, and a minde addressed to warre, as well lodgeth in a Persian as a high-girt Roman. Thou must not therefore exact at my handes choyce and well digested stuffe, that is continuall amongst our Masters, which amongst others is selected. Wee vent not therefore these eye-pleasing and odoriferous wares, neyther deceiue we our Merchant, like to finde nothing wh••n he entreth, besides those which are hanged vp in the front for a show. We permit them to take their patterne from whence they please. Thinkest thou that I will take out of the whole Map the particular sentences of any? To whom shall I assigne them, to Zeno, or Cleanthes, or Chrysippus, or Panaetius, or Possidonius? We are not vnder a King; ••uery one maintayneth himselfe in his owne libertie: with them whatsoeuer ••ermarchus saith, whatsoeuer Metrodorus, it is referred to one. All whatsoeuer any man hath spoken in that companie•• is spoken by authoritie, and directions of one alone. We cannot, I tell thee, although we attempt that out of so great abundance of equall things, bring forth any thing:

It is a poore mans part to count his ••locke.

Wheresoeuer thou fixes•• thine eye, thou shalt meete with that which might be eminent, vnlesse it were read amongst others of equall worthinesse: for which cause lay apart this hope, which flattereth thee with the possibilitie, that thou mayest summarily conceiue the choysest things, which the greatest spirits haue conceited. They are intirely to be looked ouer, & wholy to be discussed. When a man doth any thing he intendeth the same, and by the proiect of his spirit the worke is compiled, of which a man can dis••member nothing without the ruine of the whole. I denie thee not but that thou mayest consider euery mem∣ber one after another, prouided it be in a man that hath them. The woman is not faire whose legge or arme is praised, but shee whose full representation is cause that a man admireth not her parts; yet if thou exact the same, I will not deale so niggardly with thee as I make shew for, but with a full hand. There is a huge companie of them that li•• scattered here and there: they are to be ta∣ken, but not gathered; for they fall not, but flow perpetually, and are tyed toge∣ther amongst themselues: neyther doubt I but that they will profite those who are as yet rude, and yeeld but a superficiall attention. For those things that are circumscribed and moulded after the manner of a verse, are more easily re∣membred. Therefore giue we children certaine sentences to commit to memo∣rie, and those which the Grecians call Chries, because a childish wit can compre∣hend them, being as yet vncapable of a more certaine and solid science. A complete man hath no honour to gather nose-gayes, to stay himselfe and build on certaine vsuall or few wordes, and to trust vnto his memorie, hee ought to trust himselfe. Let him speake these but not retaine them: for it is a base thing for an olde man, or such a one as is stept in yeares to be wise in nothing but his note-booke. This said Zeno, what sayest thou? This Cleanthes, but what thou? How long art thou directed by others? both command and say what shall be committed to memorie, and produce somewhat of thine owne. I thinke there∣fore that these neuer-authors, but alwayes interpreters, lying hid vnder the sha∣dow of other men, haue no generous nature in them, which neuer dared to publish that which they had learned in long space of time, but haue exercised their memorie on other mens labours. It is one thing to remember, another thing to know: to remember is to keepe a thing in memorie which is commit∣ted; but contrariwise, to know is to make euery thing his owne, neyther to hang on examples, and so oftentimes to looke backe to his Master. This saith Zeno, that Cleanthes: make some difference betwixt thee and thy booke; how long wilt thou be a learner? At last employ thy selfe to teach others: what profiteth it me to heare that I may reade? The liuing voyce, saith hee, doth much; not that which is recommended by another mans wordes, and serueth but in stead of a Register. Adde hereunto now, that they who are neuer their owne Masters, first in that thing doe follow their ancestors, wherein no man hath not reuoked from the former. Againe, they follow them in that, which is yet in question: and it will neuer be found, if we shall be content with those thing•• that are found. Moreouer, he that followeth another man hath found nothing, and which is worse, he seeketh nothing. What then? Shall I not follow the steps of mine ancestors? Truely I will keepe the olde wayes: but if I finde out one more short, I will take it and maintaine it. They that before vs haue managed these things, were not our Lords, but our guides. Truth is open vnto all men: she is not as yet borne away all; there is much of her left for posteritie to finde out.