Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/284

 104 Flesh. And we must take our turn too with the rest, and remove to the same place whither so many famous Orators, and Philosophers, Generals, Princes, and Heroes have shewn us the way. Those great Sages Heraclitus, Pythagoras, and Socrates; Those Celebrated Mathematicians Eudoxus, Hipparchus, and Archimedes, had no privilege, or protection against Fate. Not to mention a great many other extraordinary Genius's; Persons of Industry, Reach, and Spirit: They are all gone. Even those Buffoons, who like Menippus were always Flouting, and Fleering at Mankind, tho' they lived in Jest, they dyed in Earnest. Remember they are all in their Graves: And where's the harm of all this? Nay what are those the worse for't, that have not so much as left their own Names behind them? In a word. There's only one thing here worth the minding ; And that is, not to imitate the Degeneracy of Mortals: But to be True, Honest, and Good-natur'd, even amongst Knaves, and Sharpers.

XLVIII. When you have a mind to divert your Fancy, consider the good Qualities of your Acquaintance. As the enterprizing Vigour of this Man, the Modesty of another, the Liberality of a Third, and so on. For there's nothing Rh