Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/411

 Rh XVIII. Look always nicely into whatever makes an Impression upon your Mind; Distinguish it into Matter and Form, find out the purpose and design for which it was contriv'd, and the period of Time too, beyond which 'tis unlikely to continue.

XIX. Consider, for 'tis high time, that you have something more Divine in you than the Mechanism of Passion, than the Wires and Tackling of a Poppet. What then is my Soul made of? Is it Fear, or Jealousie? or Lust? Or any thing of this Coarse Nature ? Certainly no.

XX. Take Care never to do any thing without Thought, and Design, nor for any other End neither but what may be serviceable to the Interest of Socitey.

XXI. Consider that in a little time you'l neither have Place, nor Being, that your Contemporaries will have the same Fate, and the present Scene of Nature be shut up: For all things change of Course, and Wither, and drop in pieces, that new ones may be made out of them.

XXII. Thoughts are in a great Measure Masters of Things, and which is more, 'tis in your own Power to think as you please: Therefore don't suffer Opinion, to cheat you any longer. Disingage from the Tyranny of Fancy ; and then as if Rh