Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/295

 Rh the Injury : For if your Reason is untouch'd, and your Mind ne're the worse, there can be no Damages done.

XXIII. God, or the Spirit of Nature, works the Mass of Matter like Wax. Now for the purpose, 'tis a Horse ; soon after you'l have it melted down, and Run into the Figure of a Tree ; And from this Form 'tis possible it may remove into the Flesh and Bones of a Man ; or what you please. And 'tis but a little while that 'tis fixt in one Species. Now a Trunk feels no more pain by being knocked in peices, than when it was first put together.

XXIV. A sour gruff look is very unnatural, and to put it on often will make it settle; and destroy the Beauty, and Pleasantness of the Aspect to that degree, that 'tis never to be recovered. From whence you may conclude it a foolish custom.

XXV. 'Tis high time for those People to Dye, that have out-lived the Sence of their own Misdemeanours.

XXVI. That Being which governs Nature, will quickly change the present Face on't. One thing will be made out of another, by frequent Revolutions; And thus the World will be always coming new out of the Mint.

XXVII. When any one misbehaves himself towards you, immediately bethink Rh