Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/214

 34 Design, should never be checked. But if you are for trying Tricks, and compounding the Matter, If Popularity and Power, if Wealth and Pleasure once strike your Fancy, you'r gone: These new Favourites will Govern your Motions; and Ride you at Discretion. Let your Choice therefore run all one way, and be bold, and resolute for that which is Best. Now Use and Significancy, is the proper Test of this Quality : So that the Question will be whether a Thing is serviceable to your Rational Capacity; If so, close with the Offer; But if 'tis no more than a sensual Advantage, hold your Hand; And that you may Distinguish rightly, keep your Judgment Unbyass'd, and don't let it stick in the outside of Matters.

VII. Don't be fond of any Thing, or think that for your Interest, which makes you break your Word, quit your Modesty, be of a Dissembling, Suspicious, or Outragious Humour; which puts you upon Hating any Person, and enclines you to any Practice, which wont bear the Light, and look the World in the Face. For he that values the Virtue of his Mind, and the Dignity of his Reason, before all other Things, is easy, and well fortified, and has nothing for a Tragedy to work on; He laments under no Misfortune, and wants Rh