Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/334

 154 LVII. The Sun is Diffus'd and bestows himself every where, but this seeming Expence never Exhausts him : The reason is, because he is stretched like a Thread, and not powr'd out like a Liquour. And thus his Beams have their name from Extension. As for the Properties and Philosophy of a Ray, you may observe them, if you please to let it into a dark Room through a narrow passage. Here you'l see it move in a right Line, till 'tis broken, and as it were divided in Reflexion ; by having its progress stop'd upon a solid Body : And here the Light makes a stand, without dropping, or Hiding off. Thus you should let your Sense shine out upon Conversation : There's no fear of Emptying your understanding : And when you meet with Opposition ne're Tilt, and Batter against it, nor yet drop your Talent in Despair. No: Let your Beams spread themselves, and play on, and Enlighten where they find a Capacity : And as for that Body that won't transmit the Light, it does but darken it self, by its Resistance.

LVIII. He that dreads Death, is either afraid that his Sences will be extinguish'd, or alter'd : Now if the Powers are lost, the Pain must be so too ; For if he has no Faculties, he'l have no Feeling. But Rh