Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/288

 108 II. Opinions, whether right or wrong, can never be pull'd out of your head, unless the Grounds, and Reasons of them are first remov'd. 'Tis your Interest therefore to awaken your Memory, and refresh those Notions which are Serviceable, and well examin'd. For the purpose: you may say to your self, 'tis in my power to form a right Judgment upon the present Emergency; And why then should I be disturb'd at it? For nothing that does not enter my Mind, and get within me, can hurt me. Hold to this, and you are safe. Come, I'le tell you a way how you may live your Time over again: Do but recollect, and review what you have seen already, and the work is done.

III. Gazing after Triumphs, and Cavalcades; the Diversions of the Stage-Farms well stock'd with Flocks and Herds; contests for Victory in the Field; These are the little Pleasures, and concerns of Mortals. Would you have a farther Illustration, and see an Image of them elsewhere? Fancy then that you saw two or three Whelps quarrelling about a Bone; Fishes scrambling for a Bait, Pismires in a peck of troubles about the Carriage of a Grain of Wheat; Mice frighted out of their Wits, and scouring cross the Room; Poppets danced upon a Wire, &c. And Rh