Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/35

 But under favour, the submitting to some Instances of Hardship is no sufficient Proof of Fortitude. If this Pretence would do, Lovers, and Madmen would be the bravest People in the World: For won't the first drudge and mortify strangely to gain their Point? And as for the latter, they'l charge up to the Cannons Mouth, and no Consideration of danger can stop their Frensy. At this rate a hardy Malefactor might challenge the Virtue of a Philosopher. Those Libertines likewise may come in for a share of this Character, who murther themselves, because they han't patience to out-live their Pocket, nor bear up against the Consequences of their Folly. And yet Epicurus himself gives the Cause against these People. To go on; By this reasoning, those wretches may be said to be brave, who out of an over-fondness of Life are contented to put an incurable Carkass upon the Rack, and submit to extremity of Torture; tho' all they get by it, is rather to prolong their Misery, than their Being. And thus that scandalous Carpet-Knight Mæcenas, would pass for a Man of Fortitude; for if those Verses of his cited by Seneca, were spoken in earnest, nothing can be more mean: Rh