L.A. Seneca the philosopher, his booke of consolation to Marcia. Translated into an English poem

Cap. 19

But to returne to consolations now, First let us see what's to be done, then how: We commonly with sorrow much are mov'd Upon the losse of those we dearely lov'd, And yet we find that we can easily beare The absence of our friends, which commeth neere? To death it selfe, because we are thereby Deprived of their help and company: Opinion then our sorrow doth beget, And we our selves a rate upon it set, This remedy we have, let's but conceive That they as absent only tooke their leave, And since we all must follow, tis no more But to suppose that they are gone before. Yet this perchance our griefe doth much augment That children are for our protection sent, But shall I tell, what strange to thee may seeme, That childlesse folkes are now in most esteeme, And fruitfullnesse that usually hath fav'd Old age from ruine, is so much deprav'd, That many their owne children strive to hate, And seeke the meanes to become desolate. But as for thee, thy dammage not so much As thy affection makes thy sorrow such, For he unworthy comfort is to have That parteth with a child as with a slave,

Or that doth thinke of any thing beside, The very person of his Sonne that dy'd. Why doth thy passion then remaine so strong, Because hee's dead, or that he liv'd not long? If that the reason be, because hee's dead, Then sure thou shouldst have ever sorrowed; For thou didst ever know he was to dye: * 1.1 And therefore thinke what he hath gain'd thereby, Since his enthralled bondage now doth cease, And he abideth in eternall peace, Where no vaine feare of poverty affrights him, Nor vainer hope of getting wealth delights him, And where no provocations of lust Do him into unlawfull pleasures thrust: Who neither envies any others good, Or any way by envy is with-stood, Whose eares heare no revilings, and whose eyes Behold no manner of calamities: Who doth no more depend upon events That hourely alter from their first intents, But hath obtain'd a place of that defence, That fraud nor force can ever drive him thence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Three or foure lines omitted, repug∣nant to the rest, impugning the immortality of the soule.