Page:The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.pdf/107

faith and good principle to maintain. If on pretence of serving our fellows we part with honour and honesty, where is the gain?

Is any one placed before thee at the feast, saluted or advised with in preferance, rejoice that this good hath befallen him; but if it be not a good, do not solace thyself with having escaped it. An' thou wilt not take the pains which others do, to obtain such things, thou needst not expect an equal sbarc. Wouldst place thyself on a level with those whose occupation it is to praise the great and besiege their doors? Art at once covetous and un- just if thou wouldst procure for nothing that which is set up at a price. A lettuce costs a penny; some one buys and bears it away. Thou hast the money, if not the lettuce hast not paid, so neither hast thou received; what wouldst thou more? Art uninvited to the feast; 'tis well, thou hast not paid the price. Now flattery, adulation, is the price; give it and be invited, or refuse and stay away. Wouldst secure a return without the cost; greed and folly all! But hast thou nothing in place of the feast; is it nothing not to have to praise whom thou art unwilling to praise—nothing to forego the insolence of the ante-chamber?

The intention of nature is to be learned from things respecting which there is no difference of opinion. A neighbour's child breaks a wine-cup; well, what of that—is it not an equal trifle in thine own case? 'Tis the same, as regards greater matters. Such a one's wife and child are dead; this, we say, is the lot of man. Thy turn comes next, and lo, thou dost exclaim—unhappy me! Let us only bear in mind what we feel when we hear these things of another.

As a mark is not set up to be missed, so evil is not the intent of nature in the world. Wouldst not suffer thy body to be ill-treated, yet art not ashamed to permit thy