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. LXXIX.

That places are not to be changed, but that we ought to be more reposed in bodie, to the end the minde may be more pacified. That we are to fixe the same on a wholsome studie, and to auoyde those things which distract vs.

I Will not that thou change countries, or transport thy selfe from one place to another, first, because so often change is a token of an instable and vnsetled minde. Thou canst neuer make profite of thy retirement, vnlesse thou giue ouer trauell, and wandring from countrey to countrey. If thou wilt settle thy minde, limit thy bodie in some place; then will thy continued remedies profite thee much. Thou must not breake the repose or forgetfulnes of thy former life: suffer thine eyes to forget; suffer thine eares to accustome themselues to wholsome coun∣sailes. As oft-times as thou shalt walke in the streets, thou shalt ••inde in passing by, something that may renue thy affections. Euen as he that would despoile himselfe of loue, ought to flie the remembrance of that beautie, which he hath loued: so he also that will discharge himselfe of the affection of all things, of that desire wherewith he burned in times past, he must retire both his eyes and eares from that he hath forsaken. Affection reuolteth suddenly: on which side soe∣euer she turne her selfe, she shall finde a readie recompence of her employment. There is no euill without reward. Auarice promiseth vs money, lust manie and diuers pleasures, ambition the purple and applause, and thereby power and authoritie, and whatsoeuer authoritie may doe. Vices sollicite thee with re∣wards, but here must thou liue without taking any thing. Scarce can it be effe∣cted in a whole age, that those vices which haue had their increase by so long libertie, should be subdued & brought in subiection•• much lesse may it be done, if we diuide the time which is so short, into little parcels. Hardly can continuall watch and labour bring one onely thing to perfection. Truely, if thou wilt li∣sten to me meditate hereupon, exercise thy selfe to receiue death, and to seeke her out when any occasion shall counsaile thee thereunto. It skils not whether

she come to vs, or we to her, perswade thy selfe that the foolish mens prouerbe and vsuall speech is false; It is a faire thing to die a good death. Thou mayst beside this thinke thus with thy selfe: No man dieth but on his prefixed time: thou loosest none of thy time; for that which thou leauest behinde thee is another mans.