Though the gods are immortal, and have had their patience tried through so many ages, yet they not only bear with a wicked world, but even provide liberally for it.  And are you tired with evil men already, though you are one of those unhappy mortals yourself?

BOOK VIII

Every man has three relations to acquit himself in:  his body is one, God is another, and his neighbours are the third.  Have you seen a hand or a foot cut off and removed from the body?  Just such a thing is the man who is discontented with destiny or cuts himself off by selfishness from the interest of mankind.  But here is the fortunate aspect of the case—­it lies in his power to set the limb on again.  Consider the peculiar bounty of God to man in this privilege:  He has set him above the necessity of breaking off from Nature and Providence at all; but supposing this misfortune to have occurred, it is in man’s power to rejoin the body, and grow together again, and recover the advantage of being the same member that he was at first.

Do not take your whole life into your head at a time, nor burden yourself with the weight of the future, nor form an image of all probable misfortunes.  Neither what is past nor what is to come need afflict you, for you have only to deal with the present; and this is strangely lessened if you take it singly and by itself.  Chide your fancy, therefore, if it offers to grow faint under so slender a trial.

Throw me into what climate or state you please, for all that I will keep my soul content.  Is any misadventure big enough to ruffle my peace, or to make my mind mean, craving and servile?  What is there that can justify such disorders?

Be not heavy in business, nor disturbed in conversation, nor rambling in thought.  Do not burden yourself with too much employment.  Do men curse you?  This cannot prevent you from keeping a wise, temperate, and upright mind.  If a man standing by a lovely spring should rail at it, the water is none the worse for his foul language; and if he throw in dirt it will quickly disappear, and the fountain will be as wholesome as ever.  How are you to keep your springs always running, and never stagnate into a pool?  You must persevere in the virtues of freedom, sincerity, moderation, and good nature.

BOOK IX

Do not drudge like a galley-slave, nor do business in a laborious manner, as if you wish to be pitied or wondered at.

As virtue and vice consist in action, and not in the impressions of the senses, so it is not what they feel, but what they do, which makes mankind either happy or miserable.

This man prays that he may gain such a woman; but do you rather pray that you may have no such inclination.  Another invokes the gods to set him free from some troublesome circumstance; but let it be your petition that your mind may not be set upon such a wish.  A third is devout in order to prevent the loss of his son; but I would have you pray rather against the fear of losing him.  Let this be the rule for your devotions, and watch the event.