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. LXXXIIII.

Writing and reading are to be changed. Things read are to be turned into one nourish∣ing substance, and are to be made ours. Lastly, there is an exhortation to wisedome. Good and profitable admonitions.

I Iudge these iourneyes which shake off slouthfulnesse from me, to profite my studies and health. Thou seest why they helpe mine health: sith the loue of learning maketh me slowe and neg∣ligent of my bodie, I am exercised by others helpe. I will shewe thee why they profite my studies. I haue not departed from rea∣ding. But it is necessarie, as I suppose, first, that I may not be content with my selfe alone; then, that when I shall know things sought forth by other men, and then that I may iudge of things alreadie found out, and that I may thinke of those that be to be found out. Reading nourisheth the wit; and it being wea∣ried with studie, notwithstanding not without studie refresheth it. Neyther onely ought we to write, or onely to reade; the one of the things will make sad, and will consume the strength; I speake of writing: the other will dissolue and dissipate it. Interchangeablie this is to be exchanged with that, and the one is to be moderated with the other; so that whatsoeuer is gathered together by reading, the pen may reduce into a bodie. We ought, as they say, to imi∣tate Bees, which wander vp and downe, and picke fit flowers to make honie: then whatsoeuer they haue brought they dispose and place through their combes, and as our Virgil saith;

Moist honey to make thicke they much doe striue, Spreading the same with sweet dew through their Hiue.

Concerning them it is not apparent enough, whether they draw a moist sub∣stance from the flowers, which is presently honie; or whether that they change those things which they haue gathered with a certaine mixture and propriety of their breath, into this taste. For it pleaseth some, that not the knowledge of making honie, but of gathering it is vnto them. They say that amongst the In∣dians honie is found vpon the leaues of Reedes, which eyther the dew of that skie or the pleasant and more fat moisture of the very Reede may beget. Vp∣pon our hearbes also the same force, but lesse manifest and notable is found, which a creature born for this end may follow after, and gather together. Som think that those things which they haue picked from the tender of that which is greene & flourishing, are not without a certain leauen, as I may so cal it, wher∣by diuers things doe knit together into one. But that I be not lead a way to any other thing, then to that which is in hand, we also ought to imitate Bees, and to separate what things soeuer we haue heaped together from diuers reading; for distinct things are the better kept. Then vsing the abilitie and care of our wit, to mingle diuers liquors into one taste: that although it shall appeare whence it is taken, yet that it may appeare to be some other thing•• then that whence it was taken: which thing we see nature doth in our bodie, without any helpe of vs. Nourishment which we haue taken, so long as it abideth in quality, and swim∣meth solid in the stomacke is a burthen; but when it is changed from that which it was, then at length it passeth into strength and into bloud. The same

let vs doe in these things wherewith wits a••e nourished: that whatsoeuer wee haue gotten, we suffer not to be whole, nor to be other mens. Let vs concoct them, otherwise they will go into the memory, not into the wit. Let vs faithful∣ly agree vnto them, and make them ours, that one certaine may be made of ma∣ny things: as one number is made of seuerall ones, when one computation com∣prehendeth lesser and disagreeing summes. This let our minde do: all things whereby it is holpen, let it hide: only let it shew that which it hath done. Al∣though in thee the likenesse of some one shall appeare, whom admiration hath more deeply fastned in thee: I would that thou shouldest be like to him, not as an Image, but as a sonne. An Image is a thing that is dead. What therefore? is it not vnderstood whose speech thou do••st imitate? whose reasoning? whose sentences? I thinke at length it can not be vnderstood indeede, if they bee of a great man, for not in all things, which he hath drawne as examples from euery one, hath hee so imprinted his shape, that they may agree into that one thing alone. Seest thou not of the voyces of how many, a Quire doth consist? Not∣withstanding one sound is made of them all. Some one voyce is acute, some base, som in a mean. Womens voices are ioined with mens, recorders and flutes are added vnto them: there the voyces of euery one in seuerall li•• ••id, of all ap∣peare. I speake of the Quire which the olde louers of musicke did know of. In our feasts there are more Singers, then once were of spectators vpon the Thea∣ters. When the rowe of those that sing hath filled all wayes, and the Stage is compassed with Trumpeters, and all kinde of Pipes and Organs sound from a gallerie aboue, a consonance is made of discords. Such would I haue our minde to be, that there be many arts therein, many precepts, examples of many ages, but conspiring in one. How saist thou, may this be done? By continuall taking of heed; if we shall doe nothing but by the perswasion of reason: this if thou wilt heare, it will say vnto thee; Leaue these things euen alreadie now, where∣vnto men doe runne; leaue riches eyther the danger or burden of those that possesse them; leaue the pleasures of the bodie and of the minde, they molli∣fie and make weake; leaue suing for offices, it is a swelling, vaine, and windie thing, it hath no bound: as well carefull is it, not to see any body before it selfe, as not not to see it selfe after another man: it laboureth with enuie, and indeede with two sorts thereof. But thou seest how wretched he is, who is enuied at, if he himselfe enuie also. Beholdest thou those houses of mightie men, those tu∣multuous doores with the brawling of them that doe salute? Much reproach is there that thou maiest enter in, more when thou hast entred in. Passe by these staires of the rich, and entries hanged with heapes of auncient spoyles. Not on∣ly in a craggie, but also in a ••lipperie place shalt thou here stand. Hither rather vnto wisedom direct thy course, and seeke to attaine the most quiet, and there∣withall the most ample things. What things soeuer seeme to excell in humane affaires, although they be small, and stand aboue in comparison of the basest things, are notwithstanding by difficult and ••ard wayes gone vnto. Vnto the height of dignitie there is a broken way. But if thou wilt climbe vnto this top, whereunto fortune submitteth it selfe, thou shalt beholde indeed all things vn∣der thee, which are accounted exceeding high; but notwithstanding thou shalt come vnto highest things by that which is plaine.