Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/365

 Rh Honour of this Stile and neither fly out of the compass of the Character, nor yet desire it from other Folks, you'l be quite another Man, and steer a quite different Course from what you do at present. And indeed 'tis high time to begin : For to desire to go on at this rate, to be polluted with Appetite, and Harrassed with Passion any longer, is a senceless and a scandalous wish. It resembles the meanest of those poor Wretches in the Amphitheater, who when they are half devoured, and have nothing but Wounds left them, beg notwithstanding to be respited till the Morrow ; tho' they know themselves only reserved for the same Teeth that tore them before. Act up then to these few Names of Credit, and work them into the Soul of you. And if you find your Virtue big enough for the Practice stand your Ground, and think your self Transported to the Fortunate Islands, But if you are overmatch'd, and begin to give way, and perceive your Station an Impediment, e'en knock off, and retire where you may manage better. And if this won't do, you may give Life the slip ; but then let there be nothing of Passion, or Hurry in the Manner : Walk gravely and handsomly into the other World ; And thus the last Action of your Life will be the only Rh