n thy fortune.
Thou hast enough: he that is wet in a bath, can be no more wet if he be
flung into Tiber, or into the ocean itself: and if thou hadst all the
world, or a solid mass of gold as big as the world, thou canst not have
more than enough; enjoy thyself at length, and that which thou hast; the
mind is all; be content, thou art not poor, but rich, and so much the
richer as [3779]Censorinus well writ to Cerellius, _quanto pauciora optas,
non quo plura possides_, in wishing less, not having more. I say then, _Non
adjice opes, sed minue cupiditates_ ('tis [3780]Epicurus' advice), add no
more wealth, but diminish thy desires; and as [3781]Chrysostom well seconds
him, _Si vis ditari, contemne divitias_; that's true plenty, not to have,
but not to want riches, _non habere, sed non indigere, vera abundantia_:
'tis more glory to contemn, than to possess; _et nihil agere, est deorum_,
"and to want nothing is divine." How many deaf, dumb, halt, lame, blind,
miserable persons could I reckon up that are poor, and withal distressed,
in imprisonment, banishment, galley slaves, condemned to the mines,
quarries, to gyves, in dungeons, perpetual thraldom, than all which thou
art richer, thou art more happy, to whom thou art able to give an alms, a
lord, in respect, a petty prince: [3782]be contented then I say, repine and
mutter no more, "for thou art not poor indeed but in opinion."

Yea, but this is very good counsel, and rightly applied to such as have it,
and will not use it, that have a competency, that are able to work and get
their living by the sweat of their brows, by their trade, that have
something yet; he that hath birds, may catch birds; but what shall we do
that are slaves by nature, impotent, and unable to help ourselves, mere
beggars, that languish and pine away, that have no means at all, no hope of
means, no trust of delivery, or of better success? as those old Britons
complained to their lords and masters the Romans oppressed by the Picts.
_mare ad barbaros, barbari ad mare_, the barbarians drove them to the sea,
the sea drove them back to the barbarians: our present misery compels us to
cry out and howl, to make our moan to rich men: they turn us back with a
scornful answer to our misfortune again, and will take no pity of us; they
commonly overlook their poor friends in adversity; if they chance to meet
them, they voluntarily forget and will take no notice of them; they will
not, they cannot help us. Instead of