Three discourses of happiness, virtue, and liberty collected from the works of the learn'd Gassendi, by Monsieur Bernier ; translated out of French.

Of Mercy.

SEneca tells us, that after Clemency we ought to inquire what Mercy is, because this Virtue seems to be near a kin, and much resembles Cle∣mency; nay, is sometimes taken for Clemency it self: For tho' Mercy seems to be nothing else but a certain grief or concern that we have for ano∣thers Calamity; yet it resembles Clemency, be∣cause the Misery of him who is fallen, even forces it from us. Therefore sometimes it seems to be Clemency it self; and that in the Judgment of the sacred Writers, who highly recommended it, as also among the Philosophers; as Cicero, who making his Address to Caesar, tells him, Of all the Virtues that attend you, the most esteemed of Men, and the most admirable, is Mercy; for nothing makes us so like the Gods, as to give Life to Men: Your Fortune hath nothing greater than to be able, and your Soul and Dis∣position, nothing better than to be willing to preserve many. And tho' Seneca saith, That Mercy is the weakness of a mean Spirit, that 'tis common to the most wicked; and that we see none but old Women, and ge∣nerally the Female Sex who are moved, and pity the Tears of the greatest Villains, who if not strongly guard∣ed, would break their Prisons; Yet he confesseth, That many extol this Virtue, and name an honest Man a merciful Man. But he understands the matter as the Stoicks do, who pretend, That a wise Man is never moved with Compassion, nor Pardons any.

But tho' the Stoicks will have the Mind of a wise Man not subject to Displeasure, and consequently ought not to be moved with the Calamities of o∣thers; nevertheless, the Peripateticks and all o∣thers, maintan, That he may be moved moderate∣ly,

that so he may thereby be excited to succour and assist such as are in Misery. I confess it is no ad∣vantage to a Man in Misery, that others should be moved or afflicted for his Calamity, for that is only so far serviceable as to incline us to assist him, and therefore we are not to be blamed for keeping our selves from an affliction which is hurtful and brings no profit; however yet it tends to excite and fur∣ther our assistance. Moreover, 'tis also Hu∣man and Natural to be afflicted with those that suf∣fer; nay 'tis to be suspected that our assistance will be but slender and backward, if it be not encou∣raged by an inward Motion: For that Reason we are not altogether to condemn this inward Inclina∣tion, because we may have it in such a manner, as it may not be a torment to us, but rather the natu∣ral effect of a free and generous Propensity to acts of Humanity and Charity.