Harvard Classics, vol 32 | Page 3

act of his comedie, and without doubt the hardest. In all the rest
there may be some maske: either these sophisticall discourses of
Philosophie are not in us but by countenance, or accidents that never
touch us to the quick, give us alwaies leasure to keep our countenance
setled. But when that last part of death, and of our selves comes to be
acted, then no dissembling will availe, then is it high time to speake
plaine English, and put off all vizards: then whatsoever the pot
containeth must be shewne, be it good or bad, foule or cleane, wine or
water.
Nam vera voces tum demum pectore ab imo Ejiciuntur, et eripitur
persona, manet res. [Footnote: LUCEET. 1. iii. 57.]
For then are sent true speeches from the heart, We are ourselves, we
leave to play a part.
Loe heere, why at this last cast, all our lives other actions must be tride
and touched. It is the master-day, the day that judgeth all others: it is
the day, saith an auncient Writer, that must judge of all my forepassed
yeares. To death doe I referre the essay [Footnote: Assay, exact
weighing.] of my studies fruit. There shall wee see whether my
discourse proceed from my heart, or from my mouth. I have scene
divers, by their death, either in good or evill, give reputation to all their
forepassed life. Scipio, father-in-law to Pompey, in well dying, repaired
the ill opinion which untill that houre men had ever held of him.
Epaminondas being demanded which of the three he esteemed most,
either Chabrias, or Iphicrates, or himselfe: "It is necessary," said he,
"that we be scene to die, before your question may well be resolved."
[Footnote: Answered.] Verily, we should steale much from him, if he
should be weighed without the honour and greatnesse of his end. God
hath willed it, as he pleased: but in my time three of the most execrable
persons that ever I knew in all abomination of life, and the most
infamous, have beene seen to die very orderly and quietly, and in every
circumstance composed even unto perfection. There are some brave
and fortunate deaths. I have seene her cut the twine of some man's life,
with a progresse of wonderful advancement, and with so worthie an
end, even in the flowre of his growth and spring of his youth, that in

mine opinion, his ambitious and haughtie couragious signes, thought
nothing so high as might interrupt them who without going to the place
where he pretended, arived there more gloriously and worthily than
either his desire or hope aimed at, and by his fall fore-went the power
and name, whither by his course he aspired. When I judge of other
men's lives, I ever respect how they have behaved themselves in their
end; and my chiefest study is, I may well demeane my selfe at my last
gaspe, that is to say, quietly and constantly.

THAT TO PHILOSOPHISE IS TO LEARNE HOW TO DIE
Cicero saith, that to Philosophise is no other thing than for a man to
prepare himselfe to death: which is the reason that studie and
contemplation doth in some sort withdraw our soule from us, and
severally employ it from the body, which is a kind of apprentisage and
resemblance of death; or else it is, that all the wisdome and discourse of
the world, doth in the end resolve upon this point, to teach us not to
feare to die. Truly either reason mockes us, or it only aimeth at our
contentment, and in fine, bends all her travell to make us live well, and
as the holy Scripture saith, "at our ease." All the opinions of the world
conclude, that pleasure is our end, howbeit they take divers meanes
unto and for it, else would men reject them at their first comming. For,
who would give eare unto him, that for it's end would establish our
paine and disturbance? The dissentions of philosophicall sects in this
case are verbal: Transcurramus solertissimas Hugos [Footnote: Travails,
labours.] "Let us run over such over-fine fooleries and subtill trifles."
There is more wilfulnesse and wrangling among them, than pertains to
a sacred profession. But what person a man undertakes to act, he doth
ever therewithal! personate his owne. Allthough they say, that in vertue
it selfe, the last scope of our aime is voluptuousnes. It pleaseth me to
importune their eares still with this word, which so much offends their
hearing. And if it imply any chief pleasure or exceeding contentments,
it is rather due to the assistance of vertue, than to any other supply,
voluptuousnes being more strong, sinnowie, sturdie, and manly, is but
more seriously voluptuous. And we should give it the name of pleasure,
more favorable, sweeter,