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❧ The Epistolare Preface of Fran∣cis Petrarch, a most famous Poet and Oratour, written vnto Azo, con∣cerning the Phisicke and remedies of both Fortunes, aswell aduerse, as prosperous.
WHEN I thinke vpon the affayres, and for∣tunes of men, their vncertaine and sudden chaunces and changes, truely I finde no∣thyng almost more fraile, nothing more vn∣quiet, then the lyfe of man. For I perceiue howe nature hath prouided well for all other liuing creatures, by a woonderful kind of re∣medie, to wit, a certaine ignorance of them selues: but in vs only she hath conuerted our memorie, vnderstanding, prouidence, and moreouer the diuine giftes of our minde, vnto our owne toyle and destruction. For being alwayes subiect not onely vnto vayne and superfluous, but also hurtfull and pestiferous cares, we are both greeued with the present time, and also vexed with the time past, and that is to come: so that we seeme to feare nothyng so muche, as not to seeme at all tymes to be in miserie. Our studie is so great, whereby we heape together causes of miseries, and nouryshmentes of sorowes, whereby we make our lyfe, whiche yf it were wel gouerned, were the most happie & pleasaunt thyng that we possesse, a wretched and wofull toyle, whose entraunce is blindnesse, going forwarde toyle, ende sorowe, and the whole course errour: Whiche he shall fynde to be so, whosoeuer with diligent eye consydereth the whole race of his owne lyfe. What day doo we passe ouer in rest and quietnesse? or rather doo we not finde more painefull and troublesome then other? What mornyng haue we euer passed so merie and pleasaunt, that hath not been surprised with sorowe and heauinesse before night? Of whiche euyll, although a great cause doo rest in the thinges them selues, neuerthelesse vnlesse our selfeloue deceyue vs, a greater cause, or to confesse the trueth, the whole cause consisteth