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.

CHAP. XVII.

LEt those Philosophers therefore be now derided who dispute thus of the nature of mirrors,* 1.1 enquiring whence it commeth that our face sheweth thus, and turneth towards vs what pretended the nature of things, that after shee had giuen vs true bodies, shee would likewise that a man should see these images? To what end was is to prepare this matter that was fit to entertaine formes? It was not to the end we should pluck our beards by a looking glasse, or to polish a mans face, na∣ture hath not allowed dissolution any thing to exercise her folly in: but first of all, Because our eyes are to feeble to behold the sunne at hand, to the end that they might comprehend the forme of the same, shee discouereth it in a more du••ler light. For although we may behold him both at his rising & his setting, yet should we not know his true forme in his resplendent brightnesse, if his face were not shewed vs more easily to be obserued in some pure & polished thing. Secondly, we should not see the eclipses, neither might we know what it is if we did not more easily vpon the earth perceiue the images both of Sun and Moon. Thirdly, mirrors haue beene inuented to the end that a man might know him∣selfe. Of this inuention haue followed diuers benefits, first the knowledge of our selues, afterwards the resolution of some occurrents. The faire ought to learne herein how to auoide infamie: the foule, to redeeme by their vertuous behauiour, the imperfection of their countenance: The yong, to remember themselues that being in their flowring yeares, that it is time for them to learne, and attempts actions of value: The old, to ••••ake off all misse-beseeming actions

that are vnfitting for their white haires, and to meditate on death. For this cause nature ministred vs the meanes to see our selues. A cleare fountaine, and euery bright stone reflecteth our mindes.

Late did I see my selfe from of the shore, When seas were calm'd and tempest stir'd no more.

What were these fellowes, thinkest thou, that combed themselues by this glasse? That age was more simple, the men contented themselues with that which next came to hand, as yet the benefits of Nature were not wrested vnto vice, neither was her inuention imployed and rauished to satisfie dissolution and excesse. At the first, as casualtie offered the oportunitie, so men discoue∣red their faces: but afterwards, when as self-loue had insinuated it selfe amongst mortall men, and made euery man beleeue that he was faire and well pleasing, they oftentimes despised those things, wherein at the first they saw and beheld themselues. But when the world became euill, and began to puzzle themselue•• in the earth, the vse of Iron was first found out, which had not brought with it any incommoditie,* 1.2 had men contented themselues therewith. But other mis∣chiefes began to burgen out of the earth, which by their lustre began to ap∣peare, and please those which otherwise thought not thereupon, so that the one conceiued a delight in beholding a goblet, another an instrument made of brasse, and fit ••or seruice, and not to be beheld. Anon after some part of the earth was ordained to this seruice, although in other respects: siluer shined not as yet, but some other matter more brittle and of lesse value. At that time also when as these old fathers liued temperately, yet cleanly enough, if they had washed away the sweate and dust, which they had gathered by their daily tra∣uell in the fleeting streame; it was enough for them to stroake downe their haire, and to combe their long beards, and in this time euery one serued him∣selfe, and assisted others. That haire which in times past was vsually wont to be scattered by mens hands, was dressed and handled by women, but they that had a faire haire, contented themselues with the naturall growth thereof, as we s••e Horses and Lions doe. But afterwards, when as dissolution had gotten the better hand of the world, men made mirrors of gold and siluer as great as the bodie, and afterwards garnished them with precious stones, in so much as one of them cost a woman more siluer, then in times past would haue sufficed to endow the daughters of great Captains, that were married vpon the common purse. Thinkest thou that those daughters had a mirror enchased with gold, whereas they were enforcd to borrow siluer to marrie them? O happie pouer∣tie, the cause of so worthie a renowne. Had they been rich•• the Senat had not allotted them their dowrie. But whosoeuer he was that had the Senate for his father in law, vnderstood that he had receiued a dower, which it was not law∣full to restore. At this day the summe of money that was furnished by the Se∣nate for the daughters of Scipio, was not sufficient to buy a glasse for the daugh∣ters of enfranchised slaues. For dissolution inuited by little and little by her riches, is animat••d to much immodestie: and vices are growne to their full maturitie. In briefe, by such deuices all things haue beene so confused, that that which we call a womans cabinet, is an equipage of men, nay I will say lesse, euen souldiers baggage. But now the mirror which was onely admitted for ornament sake, is made a necessarie instrument to whatsoeuer vice.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the vse of mirrors vpon the occasion of the former com∣parison.
• * 1.2

  Whence dissolu∣tion grew.