Literary and Philosophical Essays Part 2

[Footnote: Hor. I. i. Ep. xvi. 76.]

In gyves and fetters I will hamper thee, Under a Jayler that shall cruell be: Yet, when I will, G.o.d me deliver shall, He thinkes, I shall die: death is end of all.

Our religion hath had no surer humane foundation than the contempt of life. Discourse of reason doth not only call and summon us unto it. For why should we feare to lose a thing, which being lost, cannot be moaned? but also, since we are threatened by so many kinds of death, there is no more inconvenience to feare them all, than to endure one: what matter is it when it commeth, since it is unavoidable? Socrates answered one that told him, "The thirty tyrants have condemned thee to death." "And Nature them," said he.

What fondnesse is it to carke and care so much, at that instant and pa.s.sage from all exemption of paine and care? As our birth brought us the birth of all things, so shall our death the end of all things. Therefore is it as great follie to weepe, we shall not live a hundred yeeres hence, as to waile we lived not a hundred yeeres agoe. "Death is the beginning of another life." So wept we, and so much did it cost us to enter into this life; and so did we spoile us of our ancient vaile in entring into it. Nothing can be grievous that is but once. Is it reason so long to fear a thing of so short time? Long life or short life is made all one by death. For long or short is not in things that are no more. Aristotle saith, there are certaine little beasts alongst the river Hyspanis, that live but one day; she which dies at 8 o'clocke in the morning, dies in her youth, and she that dies at 5 in the afternoon, dies in her decrepitude, who of us doth not laugh, when we shall see this short moment of continuance to be had in consideration of good or ill fortune? The most and the least is ours, if we compare it with eternitie, or equall it to the lasting of mountains, rivers, stars, and trees, or any other living creature, is not lesse ridiculous. But nature compels us to it. Depart (saith she) out of this world, even as you came into it. The same way you came from death to life, returne without pa.s.sion or amazement, from life to death: your death is but a peece of the worlds order, and but a parcell of the worlds life.

--inter se mortales mutua vivunt, Et quasi cursores vitae lampada tradunt.

[Footnote: Lucret. ii. 74. 77.]

Mortall men live by mutuall entercourse: And yeeld their life-torch, as men in a course.

Shal I not change this goodly contexture of things for you? It is the condition of your creation: death is a part of yourselves: you flie from yourselves. The being you enjoy is equally shared betweene life and death. The first day of your birth doth as wel addresse you to die, as to live.

Prima quae vitam dedit, hora, carpsit.

[Footnote: Sen. Her. Sw. ckor. Iii.]

The first houre, that to men Gave life, strait, cropt it then.

Nascentes morimur, finisque ab origine pendet: [Footnote: Manil. At. l. iv]

As we are borne we die; the end Doth of th' originall depend.

All the time you live, you steale it from death: it is at her charge. The continuall worke of your life, is to contrive death: you are in death, during the time you continue in life: for, you are after death, when you are no longer living. Or if you had rather have it so, you are dead after life: but during life, you are still dying: and death doth more rudely touch the dying than the dead, and more lively and essentially. If you have profited by life, you have also beene fed thereby, depart then satisfied.

Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis?

[Footnote: Lucret. 1. iii. 982.]

Why like a full-fed guest, Depart you not to rest?

If you have not knowne how to make use of it: if it were unprofitable to you, what need you care to have lost it to what end would you enjoy it longer?

--cur amplius addere quaeris Rursum quod pereat male, et ingratum occidat omne?

[Footnote: Lucret. 1. iii. 989.]

Why seeke you more to gaine, what must againe All perish ill, and pa.s.se with griefe or paine?

Life in itselfe is neither good nor evill: it is the place of good or evill, according as you prepare it for them. And if you have lived one day, you have seene all: one day is equal to all other daies. There is no other light, there is no other night. This Sunne, this Moone, these Starres, and this disposition, is the very same which your forefathers enjoyed, and which shall also entertaine your posteritie.

Non alium videre patres, aliumve nepotes Aspicient.

[Footnote: Manil. i. 523.]

No other saw our Sires of old, No other shall their sonnes behold.

And if the worst happen, the distribution and varietie of all the acts of my comedie, is performed in one yeare. If you have observed the course of my foure seasons; they containe the infancie, the youth, the viriltie, and the old age of the world. He hath plaied his part: he knowes no other wilinesse belonging to it, but to begin againe, it will ever be the same, and no other.

Versamur ibidem, atque insumus usque, [Footnote: Lucret. 1. iii. 123.]

We still in one place turne about, Still there we are, now in, now out.

Atque in se sua per vestigia volvitur annus.

[Footnote: Virg. Georg. 1. ii. 403.]

The yeare into it selfe is cast By those same steps, that it hath past.

I am not purposed to devise you other new sports.

Nam tibi praterea quod machiner, inveniamque Quod placeat nihil est; eadem suni omnia semper.

[Footnote: Lucret. 1. ii. 978.]

Else nothing, that I can devise or frame, Can please thee, for all things are still the same.

Make roome for others, as others have done for you. Equalitie is the chiefe ground-worke of equitie, who can complaine to be comprehended where all are contained? So may you live long enough, you shall never diminish anything from the time you have to die: it is bootlesse; so long shall you continue in that state which you feare, as if you had died, being in your swathing-clothes, and when you were sucking.

--licet, quot vis, vivendo vincere secla.

Mors sterna tamen, nihilominus ilia manebit.

[Footnote: Ib. 1126.]

Though yeares you live, as many as you will, Death is eternall, death remaineth still.

And I will so please you, that you shall have no discontent.

In vera nescis nullum fore morte alium te, Qui possit vivus tibi te lugere peremptum, Stansque jacentem.

[Footnote: Idt. 1. Iii. 9.]

Thou know'st not there shall be not other thou, When thou art dead indeed, that can tell how Alive to waile thee dying, Standing to waile thee lying.

Nor shall you wish for life, which you so much desire

Nec sibi enim quisquam tum se vitamque requirit, [Footnote: ib. 963.]

Nec desiderium nostri nos afficit ullum.

[Footnote: Ib. 966.]

For then none for himselfe or life requires: Nor are we of our selves affected with desires.

Death is lesse to be feared than nothing, if there were anything lesse than nothing.

--multo mortem minus ad nos esse putandum, Si minus esse potest quam quod nihil esse videmus.

[Footnote: Ib. 970.]

Death is much less to us, we ought esteeme, If lesse may be, than what doth nothing seeme.

Nor alive, nor dead, it doth concern you nothing. Alive because you are: Dead, because you are no more. Moreover, no man dies before his houre. The time you leave behinde was no more yours than that which was before your birth, and concerneth you no more.

Respice enim quam nil ad nos anteacta vetustas Temporis aeterni fuerit.

[Footnote: Ib. 1016.]

For marke, how all antiquitie foregone Of all time ere we were, to us was none.

Wheresoever your life ended, there is it all. The profit of life consists not in the s.p.a.ce, but rather in the use. Some man hath lived long, that hath a short life, Follow it whilst you have time.