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. XXXVIII.

That precepts are oftentimes more profitable to wisedome then disputes. That they doe steale vpon the minde, and doe fructisie and spend themselues after the manner of seede.

NOt without cause requirest thou, that we frequent this commerce of Epistles betwixt thee and me. The discourse profiteth much, that by little and little stealeth into the minde. The disputes which a man is addressed to vent in the cares of the attentiue multitude, haue brute enough and lesse priuacie. Philosophie is

good counsell. No man giueth counsell with clamour, yet must we sometimes (as I should say) vse these declamations, when he that doubteth had need to be enforced. But where this is not to be effected, to inkindle a will in man to learne; but that in good earnest hee learneth, it is good to vse these more submissiue speeches. They enter more sweetly; but they continue, for there neede not many, but such as are effectuall. We ought to spread them as seede, which al∣though it be little, dilateth his forces, when it falleth into a good soile; and of so little as it is, it extendeth it selfe into great and meruailous great encreases. The like doth speech, it hath no extent, if thou looke into it, it encreaseth in the worke. They are few things which are spoken, but if the minde entertaine them well, they fructificand encrease in themselues. The same I tell thee is the condition of precepts, as of seeds, they effect much, although they be short•• but as I haue said; let a minde well disposed and setled, draw them to it selfe. Her selfe will profit very much at her time, and shall restore more then it hath re∣ceiued.