A discourse of constancy in two books chiefly containing consolations against publick evils written in Latin by Justus Lipsius, and translated into English by Nathaniel Wanley ...

CHAP. VII.

VVhat it is and how manifold, that oppo∣ses Constancy: they are external good and evil things. Those evils are twofold, Publick and Private; those which are Publick seem the most grie∣vous and dangerous.

WHen Langius had spoken these things vvith a Voice and Air more earnest than he used: a spark of this desirable fire did seise on me also. And my Father said I (for I call you truly not feignedly so) lead me where∣soever you please, and instruct, cor∣rect and direct me. You have a pa∣tient prepared for any method of O∣peration vvhether you shall determine to make use of the Caustick, or shall proceed to Amputation. Both these reply'd Langius, in as much as in some places the stubble of idle Opinions

is to be set on fire, and elsewhere the shrubs of Passions are to be grubb'd up by the very Roots. But shall vve continue our vvalk; or whether is it not better and most convenient for us to sit? To sit reply'd I, for I begin to be hot, and that upon divers accounts: So assoon as Langius had caus'd Chairs to be brought into the same Court, and that vve vvere both sate; turning himself towards me, he again thus began.

Hitherto Lipsius I have been laying the Foundations vvhereupon I might safely erect my discourse: Now if you vvill I shall draw a little nearer to you, enquire out the causes of your Grief, and as they say, lay my Finger upon they very sore. There are two things that lay Battery to this fort of Con∣stancy vvithin us. False Goods and false Ills. Both vvhich I thus define. THINGS NOT WITHIN BUT ABOUT US and WHICH PRO∣PERLY DO NEITHER DAM∣AGE

NOR ADVANTAGE THIS OUR INWARD MAN THAT IS OUR SOUL. And therefore I vvill not call them Good or Evil; as if they were so absolutely and sim∣ply: But only from Opinion and the common mistake of the Vulgar. A∣mongst the First they Ranke Riches, Honours, Power, Health, Long-life. Amongst the Last Poverty, Infamy, vvant of Power, Diseases and Deaths; and in a vvord vvhatsoever is acciden∣tal and external. From these two stocks those four chief Affections grow up in us vvhich compass and perplex the vvhole life of Man. Desire and Joy, Fear and Grief. The two former of these respect some imagined good; and thence are bred: the two last respect supposed evils. Each of them do equally hurt and molest the Mind: and unless care be taken to dethrone it; though not after one and the same manner. For vvhereas the repose and Constancy of the Mind is placed in

a kind of even and equall ballance; they force it from this poise, the one by hoisting, and the other by depres∣sing it. But these false goods together vvith the Elation of the Mind by them, I shall purposely pass over (as not concerning your Disease) and hasten to those I call false evils; The Brigade of vvhich is also twofold: Publick and Private. The Publick I thus define; SUCH AS THE SENSE OF WHICH, DOTH AT ONE AND THE SAME TIME EXTEND TO MANY. The Private; SUCH AS REACH BUT TO SINGLE PERSONS. Amongst the former I reckon Warrs, Pestilence, Famine, Tyranny, Slaught∣er, and such other things as spread abroad; and do respect the commu∣nity: Amongst the latter I put Grief, Poverty, Disgrace, Death; and what ever is enclos'd within private vvalls, and is the concernment of some par∣ticular person. It is not upon any

frivolous account that I thus distin∣guish. Forasmuch, as indeed that Man mourns otherwise and in a different Fashion vvho laments the Calamity of his Country, the Exile and De∣struction of many; than he vvho only sighs for his own misfortunes. Add to this, that from each of these do arise different Distempers, and if I mistake not, the more grie∣vous and durable from the former. For most of us are concern'd in Pub∣lick Calamities; vvhether it is that they rush upon us vvith an impetuous vehemence: Or as it vvere in a form'd Battalia do overwhelm the Opposer, or rather that they flatter us vvith a kind of Ambition, that keeps us ig∣norant and insensible, that through them a sickness is bred in our Minds. For vvhoever he is that bows under a private Grief, he must of necessity acknowledge his vice and vveakness; although he amend it not, for vvhat excuse hath he? But he vvho falls

under this other; so farr is he many times from the acknowledgement of his fall and fault, that he often makes it his boast, and esteems it a praise∣worthy thing. For it is styl'd Piety and Commiseration, and there vvants but little; that this publick Feaver is not consecrated not only amongst the Virtues; but the very Deities them∣selves. The Poets and Oratours do everyvvhere extoll and inculcate the servent Love of our Country: Nor do I my self desire altogether to erase it, but to temper and moderate it; this is all that I contend for. For assuredly it is a very vice, a Disease, the very fall of the Mind, and the casting of it down from its seat. But vvithall on the other side, it is a very grievous Disease, inasmuch as there∣in there is not a single Grief only, but your own and anothers confound∣ed, and that other is also double, respecting the Men, or the Country.

That you may the better apprehend

what I have more obscurely deliver'd take this instance. You see your Belgia is at this time press'd vvith more than a single Calamity; the Flames of this Civil vvar doth enwrap it on every side: You see on all hands that Fields are vvasted and spoiled, Towns are burnt and o∣verturned; men are taken and slain; Ma∣trons are defiled; Virgins ravished, and vvhatsoever inhumanities use to accom∣pany vvarr. Is not here matter of Grief to you? Grief indeed; but a various and divided one (if you consider it vvell; in∣asmuch as at one and the same time, you lament your self, and your Countrymen, and your Country besides. In your self your losses, in your Countrymen their various Fortune and Death, in your Country, the change and overthrow of its State. Here you have cause to cry out; O miserable man that I am! there

So many of my Countrymen must stand, The shock of Plagues brought by a hostile hand!

and lastly elsewhere: My Father! My Country! So that he vvho is not af∣fected vvith these things: he on whom the vvedge and vveight of so many invading Evils can vvork nothing, must certainly be either a very tem∣perate and vvise person, or exceeding∣ly hard hearted.