Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/224

 44 The Second, is to consider, that the Scene is just shifting, and sliding off into Nothing; And that you your self have seen abundance of Great Alterations. In a Word, generally speaking, the World is all Revolution, and Conduct little better than Fancy.

IV. If the Faculty of Understanding lies in Common amongst us all, then Reason, the Effect of it, must be common too : That Reason I say which Governs Practice by Commands, and Prohibitions. From whence we may conclude,that Mankind are under one Common Regulation: And if under one Common Law, they must be Fellow Citizens, and belong to the same Body Politick. From whence 'twill follow, that the whole World is upon the Matter but one Common-Wealth: For certainly there is no other Society in which Mankind can be Incorporated. Now this common Fund of Understanding, Reason, and Law, is a Commodity of this same Country, or which way do Mortals light on't ? For as the four Distinctions in my Body belong to some General Head, and Species of Matter; For Instance; The Earthy Part in Me comes from the Division of Earth; The Watery belongs to another Element; The Airy Particles flow from a Third Spring, and those of Fire from one Rh