Harvard Classics, vol 32 | Page 9

without dismay or alteration, or without an ague? There
belongs more to it: Nature her selfe lends her hand, and gives us
courage. If it be a short and violent death, wee have no leisure to feare
it; if otherwise, I perceive that according as I engage my selfe in
sicknesse, I doe naturally fall into some disdaine and contempt of life. I
finde that I have more adoe to digest this resolution, that I shall die
when I am in health, than I have when I am troubled with a fever:
forsomuch as I have no more such fast hold on the commodities of life,
whereof I begin to lose the use and pleasure, and view death in the face
with a lesse undanted looke, which makes me hope, that the further I
goe from that, and the nearer I approach to this, so much more easily
doe I enter in composition for their exchange. Even as I have tried in
many other occurrences, which Caesar affirmed, that often some things
seeme greater, being farre from us, than if they bee neere at hand: I
have found that being in perfect health, I have much more beene
frighted with sicknesse, than when I have felt it. The jollitie wherein I
live, the pleasure and the strength make the other seeme so
disproportionable from that, that by imagination I amplifie these
commodities by one moitie, and apprehended them much more heavie
and burthensome, than I feele them when I have them upon my
shoulders. The same I hope will happen to me of death. Consider we by
the ordinary mutations, and daily declinations which we suffer, how
Nature deprives us of the sight of our losse and empairing; what hath
an aged man left him of his youths vigor, and of his forepast life?
Heu senibus vita portio quanta manet [Footnote: Com. Gal. 1. i. 16.]
Alas to men in yeares how small A part of life is left in all?
Caesar, to a tired and crazed [Footnote: diseased] Souldier of his guard,
who in the open street came to him, to beg leave he might cause
himselfe to be put to death; viewing his decrepit behaviour, answered
pleasantly: "Doest thou thinke to be alive then?" Were man all at once
to fall into it, I doe not thinke we should be able to beare such a change,
but being faire and gently led on by her hand, in a slow, and as it were

unperceived descent, by little and little, and step by step, she roules us
into that miserable state, and day by day seekes to acquaint us with it.
So that when youth failes in us, we feele, nay we perceive no shaking
or transchange at all in our selves: which in essence and veritie is a
harder death, than that of a languishing and irkesome life, or that of age.
Forsomuch as the leape from an ill being unto a not being, is not so
dangerous or steepie; as it is from a delightfull and flourishing being
unto a painfull and sorrowfull condition. A weake bending, and faint
stopping bodie hath lesse strength to beare and under goe a heavie
burden: So hath our soule. She must bee rouzed and raised against the
violence and force of this adversarie. For as it is impossible she should
take any rest whilest she feareth: whereof if she be assured (which is a
thing exceeding humane [Footnote: human] condition) she may boast
that it is impossible unquietnesse, torment, and feare, much lesse the
least displeasure should lodge in her.
Non vultus instantis tyranni Mente quatit solida, neque Auster, Dux
inquieti turbidus Adria, Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus. [Footnote:
Hor. I. iii. Od. iii.]
No urging tyrants threatning face, Where minde is found can it displace,
No troublous wind the rough seas Master, Nor Joves great hand, the
thunder-caster.
She is made Mistris of her passions and concupiscence, Lady of
indulgence, of shame, of povertie, and of all for tunes injuries. Let him
that can, attaine to this advantage: Herein consists the true and
soveraigne liberty, that affords us meanes wherewith to jeast and make
a scorne of force and injustice, and to deride imprisonment, gives
[Footnote: Gyves, shackles] or fetters.
--in manicis, et Compedibus, savo te sub custode tenebo. Ipse Deus
simui atque volam, me solvet: opinor Hoc sentit, moriar. Mors ultima
linea rerum est. [Footnote: Hor. I. i. Ep. xvi. 76.]
In gyves and fetters I will hamper thee, Under a Jayler that shall cruell
be: Yet, when I will, God me deliver shall, He thinkes, I shall die: death
is end of all.
Our religion hath had no surer humane foundation than the contempt of
life. Discourse of reason doth not only call and summon us unto it.