Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/14

 Rh than under this Prince: and yet 'twas none of his way to indulge his Politicks, ''and warp in the least from his Notions. 'Twas his constant Practise; as well as his Rule,'' If 'tis not Just never do it; If 'tis not Truth never speak it.

As to the Emperour's way of Writing, if any one Objects against his sometimes coming over again with the same Thing, he may please to consider that this Prince did not take Philosophy ''for meer Diversion, and Amusement: Instruction was his main Design; Upon this View 'twas not improper to repeat the stroak, to make the Impression go deeper. The Prejudices the Emperour disputes against are inveterate, and not to be remov'd without Difficulty: And if one Dose won't cure the Patient, why should not the Bill be made up again? If this Rule holds in Medicine, why not in Morality? Are not Peoples Understandings as valuable as their Health? And is not a Disease in the Passions much worse than one in the Constitution? And after all, when the Matter is closely examin'd, the Ground of the Objection will in a great measure vanish. For when the Emperour does come over with an old Thing, 'tis his Custom to improve upon't. He Repeats, but 'tis for Advantage to the Argument, and his latter Thoughts, are generally Supplemental to the former. He either extends the '' Rh