The five days debate at Cicero's house in Tusculum between master and sophister.

SECT. XXX. The Motives of Consolation, too often prove in∣effectual, proceeds not from any defect in them, but our own indisposition.

BUT of this Point elsewhere; it serves our pre∣sent turn that we do not impute our Misery to the loss of our Friends, least we be thought to love them more than they would have us, if they be sensible, to be sure, more than we do our selves; for as to what they say, that very many find no ease upon Suggestions of Comfort; and that the Comforters themselves confess they are miserable, when the tide of Fortune turns against them; both Arguments are answerable; for those are not na∣tural Defaults, but personal Failures. Now a man may dilate very copiously in an Harangue against Folly; for both those who are not eas'd, invite others to be miserable; and they who de∣port themselves under troubles, otherwise than they have advis'd others to do under theirs, are not more culpable than almost the generality, who being Covetous, reprove the Covetous; and be∣ing vain-glorious themselves, those that are de∣sirous of vain-glory. For it is the property of Folly, to look upon other mens Failings, and to forget their own. But clearly this is the greatest expe∣riment, since it is plain, that Mourning is remov'd by long continuance; that this Power is not in the

length of time, but in long consideration; for if the Suffering be the same, and man the same; how can there be any change in the Grief, if there be no change neither in the Object, nor the Subject of it. Therefore a long consideration that there is no Evil in the misfortune cureth the Grief, not the bare length of time. (m) Here they come in with their Moderations, which if they be Natural, what need is there of Verbal Consolation? Nature it self will prefix bounds; but if they subsist in conceit only, let that whole conceit be remov'd. I suppose sufficient hath been said, that Discontent is an opinion of a present Evil; in which opinion is contain'd, that we ought to admit Discontent. To this Definition, is by Zeno well added, that this opinion of present Evil must be fresh; but he in∣terprets this term in such sort, that he doth not only mean that to be fresh, which fell out lately; but as long as there is in that conceited Evil, any force or vigor, and is still green, so long it may be term'd fresh. As that Artemisia, the Consort of Mausolus King of Caria, who built the noble Se∣pulcher at Halicarnassus; as long as she liv'd, liv'd in Mourning, and consum'd with grief, languish'd to death. She had that opinion daily fresh, which is then not to be call'd fresh, when it is wither'd with Age.

(m) Here they come in with their Moderations.] The Peri∣pateticks, he means, who do not suppress, but order the Passions.