Page:Plutarch - Moralia, translator Holland, 1911.djvu/186

164 dread the naughtiness of those that have to do with us. For to be exceeding much moved and beyond all measure affectionate at some time to such and such affairs; to covet (I say) and pursue the same over-hotly, and otherwise than is meet and beseeming; or contrariwise, to loath, despise, and abhor the same, must needs breed discontentments, suspicions, and offences in those persons by whom we seem either to have been prevented and disappointed of some things, or to have run and fallen too soon upon other: But he that is used to carry himself cheerfully and with moderation in his affairs (fall out as they will), and can frame to their events, he will soon learn to negotiate and converse with any man in all dexterity and gentle behaviour.

Well, then, let us set in hand again to discourse of those matters which we have intermitted for a while: for like as in a fever all things that we taste seem at the first bitter and unsavoury; but when we see others take without any shew and signification of dislike the same which we spit out, then we blame no more either meats or drinks, but lay the fault upon our disease; even so, when we perceive that other men have entered upon and gone through the same affairs with great alacrity, and without any pain at all, whereof we complained and made much ado; let us for shame cease to find fault and be offended so much at the things. And therefore if at any time there shall befall unto us some adverse and crooked accident against our wills, it will be very good for the working of our contentment in mind, not to pass over but to regard such things as at other times have happened to our minds and as we could wish them; but to confer them together, and by a good medley of them both to darken and dor the worst with laying the better to. But now, whereas we are wont when our eyes be dazzled and offended with beholding that which is too bright and glittering, to refresh and comfort our sight again with looking upon pleasant colours of flowers and green grass; herein contrariwise we direct our minds and cogitations upon heavy and dolorous objects, and violently force our thoughts to be amused upon the remembrance of calamities and adverse fortunes, plucking them perforce as it were from the consideration of better. And here, in this place, methinks I may very fitly apply that sentence to our present purpose, which was said to a busy and curious person:

Ah, spiteful mind and most envious heart, Why others' faults dost thou so quickly spy With eagle's sight, but in thine own thou art Stark blind or else dost wink with owlet's eye?