Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/280

 100 Gods happy, and gives satisfaction to the Soul of the Universe.

XLI. If you suppose any thing which lies out of your command, to be Good, or Evil; your missing the one, or falling into the other, will unavoidably make you a Malecontent against the Gods, and put you upon hating those People whom you either know or suspect to be instrumental in your Misfortune. To be plain; our mistake in this supposition and pursuing Objects above our reach; often makes us very unreasonable and unjust. But if we confine the Notion of Good and Evil to Things in our Power, then all the Motives to Complaint, and ill-nature will drop off ; then we shall neither Remonstrate against Heaven, nor quarrel with any Mortal living.

XLII. All People concur in some measure to the purposes of Providence, tho' all are not sensible of it. And thus as I remember, Heraclitus observes, that those who are asleep, may be said to help the World forward, In short, the grand Design is carried on by different Hands, and different Hearts too. For even he that complains, makes head against his Fate, and strives to pull the Administration in pieces, even such a testy Mortal as this, is useful in his way : Consider then how Rh