s neither gone to Styx nor Acheron, _sed
gloriosus et senii expers heros_, he lives for ever in the Elysian fields.
He now enjoys that happiness which your great kings so earnestly seek, and
wears that garland for which ye contend. If our present weakness is such,
we cannot moderate our passions in this behalf, we must divert them by all
means, by doing something else, thinking of another subject. The Italians
most part sleep away care and grief, if it unseasonably seize upon them,
Danes, Dutchmen, Polanders and Bohemians drink it down, our countrymen go
to plays: do something or other, let it not transpose thee, or by [3928]
"premeditation make such accidents familiar," as Ulysses that wept for his
dog, but not for his wife, _quod paratus esset animo obfirmato_, (Plut. _de
anim. tranq._) "accustom thyself, and harden beforehand by seeing other
men's calamities, and applying them to thy present estate;" _Praevisum est
levius quod fuit ante malum_. I will conclude with [3929]Epictetus, "If
thou lovest a pot, remember 'tis but a, pot thou lovest, and thou wilt not
be troubled when 'tis broken: if thou lovest a son or wife, remember they
were mortal, and thou wilt not be so impatient." And for false fears and
all other fortuitous inconveniences, mischances, calamities, to resist and
prepare ourselves, not to faint is best: [3930]_Stultum est timere quod
vitari non potest_, 'tis a folly to fear that which cannot be avoided, or
to be discouraged at all.

[3931] "Nam quisquis trepidus pavet vel optat,
Abjecit clypeum, locoque motus
Nectit qua valeat trahi catenam."

"For he that so faints or fears, and yields to his passion, flings away his
own weapons, makes a cord to bind himself, and pulls a beam upon his own
head."

MEMB. VI.
_Against Envy, Livor, Emulation, Hatred, Ambition, Self-love, and all other
Affections_.

Against those other [3932]passions and affections, there is no better
remedy than as mariners when they go to sea, provide all things necessary
to resist a tempest: to furnish ourselves with philosophical and Divine
precepts, other men's examples, [3933]_Periculum ex aliis facere, sibi quod
ex usu siet_: To balance our hearts with love, charity, meekness, patience,
and counterpoise those irregular motions of envy, livor, spleen, hatred,
with their opposite virtues, as we bend a crooked staff another way, to
oppose [3934]"sufferance to labour, patience to reproach," bounty to
covetousness,