4 Maxims
Maxims.I.ENdeavour to imitate the Wise, and never discourage thy self, how Laborious soever it may be: If thou canst arrive at thine end, the Pleasure you will Enjoy will Recompence all thy Pains. II.When thou Labourest for others, do it with the same Zeal as if it were for thy self. | |
III.Virtue which is not supported with Gravity, gains no repute amongst Men. IV.Always remember thou art a Man, that human Nature is Frail, and that thou mayst easily fall, and thou shalt never fall. But, if happening to forget what thou art, thou chancest to fall, be not discourag'd; remember that thou mayst rise again; that 'tis in thy Power to break the Bands which joyn thee to thine Offence, and to subdue the Obstacles which hinder thee from walking in the Paths of Virtue. V.Take heed that thy Promises be Just, for having once promis'd, it is not lawful to Retract; we ought always to keep our Promise. | |
IV.When thou dost Homage to any one, see that thy Submissions be proportioned to the Homage thou owest him: There is Stupidity and Pride in doing too little; but in over acting it there is Abjection and Hypocrisie. VII.Eat not for the Pleasure thou mayst find therein. Eat to Increase thy Strength; Eat to preserve the Life which thou hast receiv'd from Heaven. VIII.Labour to purifie thy Thoughts: If thy Thoughts are not ill, neither will thy Actions be so. IX.The Wise-Man has an Infinity of Pleasures; for Virtue has its Delights in the midst of the Severities that attend it. X.He that in his Studies wholly applies himself to Labour and Exercise, and | |
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neglects Meditation, loses his time: And he that only applies himself to Meditation, and neglects Labour and Exercise, does only wander and lose himself. The first can never know any thing exactly, his Lights will be always intermixt with Doubts and Obscurities; and the last will only pursue Shadows; his Knowledge will never be certain, it will never be solid. Labour, but slight not Meditation: Meditate, but slight not Labour. XI.A Prince ought to punish Vice, for fear lest he seem to maintain it: But yet he ought to keep his People in their Duty, rather by the Effects of Clemency, than by Menaces and Punishments. XII.Never slacken Fidelity to thy Prince; conceal nothing from him which it is his Interest to know; and think nothink difficult, when it tends to Obey him. | |
XIII.When we cannot apply any Remedy to an Evil, 'tis in vain to seek it. If by thy Advices and Remonstrances, thou couldst undo, what is already done, thy Silence would be Criminal; but there is nothing colder than Advice, by which it is impossible to profit. XIV.Poverty and Human Miseries are Evils in themselves, but the Wicked only resent them. 'Tis a Burden under which they groan, and which makes them at last to sink; they even distaste the best Fortune. 'Tis the Wise-Man only who is always pleas'd: Virtue renders his Spirit quiet: Nothing troubles him, nothing disquiets him, because he practises not Virtue for a Reward. The practise of Virtue is the sole Recompence he expects. XV.It is only the Good Man, who can make a right choice; who can, either | |
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love or hate with Reason, or as need requires. XVI.He that applies himself to Virtue, and strongly addicts himself thereto, never commits any thing unbecoming a Man, nor contrary to Right Reason. XVII.Riches and Honours are Good; The desire of possessing them is Natural to all Men: But if these Good Things agree not with Virtue, the Wise Man ought to contemn, and generously to renounce them. On the contrary, Poverty and Ignominy are Evils; Man Naturally avoids them: If these Evils attack the Wise Man, it is lawful for him to rid himself from them, but it is not lawful to do it by a Crime. XVIII.I never as yet saw a Man that was happy in his Virtue, or afflicted with his Defects and Weaknesses; but I am not surpriz'd, because I would have him that delights in Virtue, to find so | |
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many Charms therein, that for it he should contemn the Pleasures of the World: And on the contrary, that he who hates Vice, should find it so hideous, that he should use all ways to keep himself from falling therein. XIX.It is not credible that he who uses his utmost Endeavours to acquire Virtue, should not obtain it at last, although he should labour but one single Day. I never yet saw the Man that wanted strength for this purpose. XX.He that in the Morning hath heard the Voice of Virtue, may die at Night. This Man will not repent of living, and Death will not be any pain unto him. XXI.He that seeks Pride in his Habits, and loves not Frugality, is not disposed for the Study of Wisdom; thou oughtest not even to hold Correspondence with him. | |
XXII.Afflict not thy self for that thou art not promoted to Grandure and Publick Dignities; Rather grieve for that thou art not, perhaps, adorn'd with those Virtues that might render thee worthy of being advanc'd. XXIII.The Good Man employs himself only with his Virtue, the Wicked only with his Riches. The first continually thinks upon the Good and Interest of the State; but the last has other Cares, he only thinks on what concerns himself. XXIV.Do unto another as thou wouldst be dealt with thy self: Thou only needest this Law alone; 'tis the Foundation and Principle of all the rest. XXV.The Wise Man has no sooner cast his Eyes upon a good Man, but he endeavours to imitate his Virtues: But the same Wise Man has no sooner fixt his | |
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Sight upon a Man given up to his Vices, but mistrusting himself, interrogates himself in a trembling manner, if he be not like that Man. XXVI.A Child is oblig'd to serve and obey his Father. Parents have their Failures: A Child is oblig'd to acquaint them therewith, but he ought to do it with Moderation and Prudence: And if whatever Precautions he takes, he always meets with opposition, he ought to rest a while, but never desist. Counsels given to Parents do frequently draw Punishments and Severities upon the Child; but on this account he ought to suffer, not to murmur. XXVII.The Wise Man never hastens, neither in his Studies, nor in his Words; he is sometimes as it were Mute; but when it concerns him to act, and practise Virtue, he, as I may say, precipitates all. | |
XXVIII.The truly Wise Man Speaks little, he is little Eloquent. I see not, that Eloquence can be of very great use to him. XXIX.A long Experience is requir'd to know the Heart of Man. I imagin'd, when I was young, that all Men were Sincere; that they always Practis'd what they said; in a word, that their Mouth always agreed with their Heart: But now that I behold Things with another Eye, I am convinc'd that I was mistaken. At present I hear what Men say, but I never rely thereon, I will examine whether their Words are agreeable to their Actions. XXX.In the Kingdom of Ci there was formerly a Praefect that slew his King. Another Praefect of the same Kingdom, beholding with horrour the Crime of this Parricide, quitted his Dignity, for sook his Wealth, and retir'd into another | |
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Kingdom. This Wise Minister was not so happy as to find at first what he sought after; in this new Kingdom he only found wicked Ministers, little devoted to their Masters Interest. This, saith he, shall not be the place of mine abode, I will elsewhere seek a Retreat. But always meeting with Men like to that Perfidious Minister, who by his Crime had forc'd him to abandon his Country, Dignity, and all his Estate, he went through the whole Earth. If thou demandest my Thoughts concerning such a Man, I cannot refuse telling you, that he deserves great Praises, and that he had a very remarkable Virtue. This is the Judgment that every Rational Man ought to make thereof. But as we are not the Searchers of Hearts, and as it is properly in the Heart, that true Virtue resides, I know not whether his Virtue was a true Virtue; we ought not always to Judge of Men by their outward Actions. | |
XXXI.I know a Man, who passes for Sincere in the Peoples Mind, who was asked for something that he had not. Thou imaginest, perhaps, that he ingeniously Confest, That it was not in his Power to grant what was ask'd of him. He ought to do it, if his Sincerity had answer'd the report it had amongst the People: But behold how he took it. He went directly to a Neighbours House; he borrow'd of him what was requested of himself, and afterwards gave it him. I cannot convince my self that this Man can be Sincere. XXXII.Refuse not what is given thee by thy Prince, what Riches soever thou possest. Give thy Superfluities to the Poor. XXXIII.The defects of Parents ought not to be imputed to their Children. Because that a Father shall, by his Crimes, | |
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render himself unworthy of being promoted to Honour, the Son ought not to be excluded, if he renders not himself unworthy. Because that a Son shall be of an obscure Birth, his Birth ought not to be his Crime, he ought to be called to great Employments, as well as the Sons of the Nobles, if he has the Qualifications necessary. Our Fathers heretofore Sacrific'd Victims only of a certain Colour, and pitch'd upon these Colours according to the Will of those that sat upon the Throne. Under the Reign of one of our Emperors, the Red Colour was in Vogue. Think you, that the Deities, to which our Fathers Sacrific'd under this Emperors Reign, would reject a Red Bull, because it came from a Cow of another Colour. XXXIV.Prefer Poverty and Banishment to the most Eminent Offices of State, when it is a wicked Man that offers them, and would constrain thee to accept them. | |
XXXV.The Way that leads to Virtue is long, but it is thy Duty to finish this long Race. Alledge not for thy excuse, that thou hast not strength enough; that Difficulties discourage thee, and that thou shalt be at last forc'd to stop in the midst of the Course. Thou knowest nothing, begin to run: 'Tis a sign thou hast not as yet begun, thou shouldst not use this Language. XXXVI.'Tis not enough to know Virtue, it is necessary to love it; but it is not sufficient to love it, it is necessary to possess it. XXXVII.He that persecutes a Good Man, makes War against Heaven: Heaven created Virtue, and protects it; he that persecutes it, persecutes Heaven. | |
XXXVIII.A Magistrate ought to honour his Father and Mother; he ought never to faulter in this just Duty; his Example ought to instruct the People. He ought not to contemn old Persons, nor Persons of Merit: The People may imitate him. XXXIX.A Child ought to be under a continual apprehension of doing something that may displease his Father; this Fear ought always to possess him. In a word, he ought to act, in whatever he undertakes, with so much precaution, that he may never offend him, or afflict him. XL.Greatness of Spirit, Power and Perseverance, ought to be the Portion of the Wise. The Burden wherewith he is loaded is weighty, his Course is long. | |
XLI.The Wise Man never acts without Counsel. He sometimes consults, in the most important affairs, even the least intelligent Persons, Men that have the least Spirit, and the least Experience. When Counsels are good, we ought not to consider from whence they come. XLII.Eschew Vanity and Pride. Although thou hadst all the Prudence and Ability of the Ancients, if thou hast not Humility, thou hast nothing, thou art even the Man of the World that deserves to be contemned. XLIII.Learn what thou know'st already, as if thou hadst never learn'd it: Things are never so well known but that we may forget them. | |
XLIV.Do nothing that is unhandsom, although thou shouldst have Art enough to make thine Action approved: Thou mayst easily deceive the Eyes of Men, but thou canst never deceive Heaven, its Eyes are too penetrative and clear. XLV.Never contract Friendship with a Man that is not better than thy self. XLVI.The Wise Man blushes at his Faults, but is not ashamed to amend them. XLVII.He that lives without Envy and Covetousness may aspire at every thing. XLVIII.Wouldst thou learn to die well? Learn first to live well. XLIX.A Minister of State never ought to serve his Prince in his Extravagancies and Injustice. He ought rather to renounce | |
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his Office, than to tarnish it by base and criminal Actions. L. Innocence ceases to be a Virtue, most of the Great Ones are fallen therefrom. But if thou demandest what must be done to recover this Virtue. I answer, That it is necessary to conquer thy self. If all Mortals could, in one Day, gain over themselves this happy Victory, the whole Universe would, from this very Day, re-assume a new Form; we should all be perfect, we should all be innocent. 'Tis true, the Victory is difficult, but it is not impossible; for in short, to conquer thy self, is only to do what is agreeable to Reason. Turn away thine Eyes, stop thine Ears, put a Bridle upon thy Tongue, and rather remain in an Eternal Inaction, than to imploy thine Eyes in beholding Sights where Reason is stifled; than to give Attention thereunto, or to Discourse thereon. Behold how thou mayst overcome! The Victory depends on thy self alone. | |
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his Office, than to tarnish it by base and criminal Actions. L.Innocence ceases to be a Virtue, most of the Great Ones are fallen therefrom. But if thou demandest what must be done to recover this Virtue. I answer, That it is necessary to conquer thy self. If all Mortals could, in one Day, gain over themselves this happy Victory, the whole Universe would, from this very Day, re-assume a new Form; we should all be perfect, we should all be innocent. 'Tis true, the Victory is difficult, but it is not impossible; for in short, to conquer thy self, is only to do what is agreeable to Reason. Turn away thine Eyes, stop thine Ears, put a Bridle upon thy Tongue, and rather remain in an Eternal Inaction, than to imploy thine Eyes in beholding Sights where Reason is stifled; than to give Attention thereunto, or to Discourse thereon. Behold how thou mayst overcome! The Victory depends on thy self alone. | |
LI.Desire not the Death of thine Enemy, thou wouldst desire it in Vain; his Life is in the Hands of Heaven. LII.It is easie to obey the Wise, he commands nothing impossible; but it is hard to divert him therefrom: That which often times Rejoyces others, makes him to Sigh, and forces Torrents of Tears from his Eyes. LIII.Acknowledge thy Benefits by the return of other Benefits, but never Revenge Injuries. LIV.In what part of the World soever thou art forc't to spend thy Life, correspond with the Wisest, associate with the best Men. LV.To Sin and not to Repent, is properly to Sin. | |
LVI.'Tis good to Fast some times, to give thy Mind to Meditation, and to the Study of Virtue. The Wise Man is taken up with other Cares, than with the continual Cares of his Nourishment. The best cultivated Earth frustrates the hopes of the Labourer, when the Seasons are Irregular: All the Rules of Husbandry could not secure him from Death, in the time of a hard Famine; but Virtue is never fruitless. LVII.The Wise Man must learn to know the Heart of Man, to the end that taking every one according to his own Inclination, he may not labour in Vain, when he shall discourse to him of Virtue. All Men ought not to be instructed after the same way. There are divers Paths that lead to Virtue, the Wise Man ought not to ignore them. LVIII.Combat Night and Day against thy Vices; and if by thy Cares and Vigilance, | |
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thou gainst the Victory over thy self, couragiously attack the Vices of others, but attack them not before this be done: There is nothing more Ridiculous than to complain of others defects, when we have the very same. LIX.The good Man Sins sometimes, weakness is Natural to him: But he ought to watch so diligently over himself, that he never fall twice into the same Crime. LX.We have three Friends that are Useful to us, a Sincere Friend, a Faithful Friend, a Friend that Hears every Thing, that Examines what is told him, and that Speaks little: But we have three also whose Friendship is pernicious, a Hypocrite, a Flatterer, and a great Talker. LXI.He that applies himself to Virtue, has three Enemies to conflict, which he must subdue, Incontinence when he | |
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is as yet in the vigour of his Age, and the Blood boils in his Veins; Contests and Disputes when he is arriv'd at a mature Age, and Covetousness when he is old. LXII.There are three Things that the Wise Man ought to Reverence, the Laws of Heaven, Great Men, and the Words of Good Men. LXIII.We may have an Aversion for an Enemy, without desiring Revenge. The Motions of Nature are not always Criminal. LXIV.Distrust a Flatterer, a Man affected in his Discourses, and who every where boasts of his Eloquence. This is not the Character of true Virtue. LXV.Silence is absolutely necessary to the Wise Man. Great Discourses, elaborate Discourses, pieces of Eloquence, ought to be a Language unknown to | |
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him, his Actions ought to be his Language. As for me, I would never Speak more. Heaven Speaks, but what Language does, it use, to preach to Men, that there is a Sovereign Principle from whence all things depend; a Soveraign Principle which makes them to Act and Move. Its Motion is its Language, it reduces the Seasons to their Time, it agitates Nature, it makes it produce: This Silence is Eloquent. LXVI.The Wise Man ought to hate several sorts of Men. He ought to hate those that divulge the defects of others, and take delight in discoursing therein. He ought to hate those that being adorn'd only with very mean Qualities, and who being moreover of a low Birth, do revile and temerariously murmur against those that are promoted to Dignities of State. He ought to hate a Valiant Man, when his Valour is not accompanied with Civility, nor Prudence. He ought to hate those sorts of Men that are puff'd up with | |
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Self-Love; who being always Conceited of their own Merit, and Idolaters of their own Opinions, do assault all, deride all, and never consult Reason. He ought to hate those who having very small Illuminations, do presume to censure what others do. He ought to hate proud Men. In a word, he ought to hate those who make it a Custom to spie out others Defects to publish them. LXVII.It is very difficult to associate with the Populace. These sort of Men grow familiar and insolent when we have too much Correspondence with them: And because they imagine they are slighted, when never so little neglected, we draw their Aversion upon us. LXVIII.He that is arriv'd at the Fortieth Year of his Age, and who has, hitherto, been a Slave to some Criminal Habit, is not in a condition to subdue it. I hold his Malady incurable, he will persevere in his Crime until Death. | |
LXIX.Afflict not thy self at the Death of a Brother. Death and Life are in the Power of Heaven, to which the Wise Man is bound to submit. Moreover, all the Men of the Earth are thy Brethren; why then shouldst thou weep for one, at a time when so many others remain alive? LXX.The Natural Light is only a perpetual Conformity of our Soul with the Laws of Heaven. Men can never lose this Light. It is true, that the Heart of Man being inconstant and wavering, it is sometimes covered over with so many Clouds, that it seems wholly extinguish'd. The Wise Man experiences it himself; for he may fall into small Errors, and commit light Offences: Yet the Wise Man cannot be Virtuous, whilst he is in this state, it would be a Contradiction to say it. | |
LXXI.It is very difficult, when Poor, not to hate Poverty: But it is possible to be Rich without being Proud. LXXII.The Men of the first Ages applied themselves to Learning and Knowledge, only for themselves, that is to say, to become Virtuous: This was all the praise they expected from their Labours and Lucubrations. But Men at present do only seek praise, they study only out of Vanity, and to pass for Learned in the esteem of Men. LXXIII.The Wise Man seeks the cause of his Defects in himself: But the Fool avoiding himself, seeks it in all others besides himself. LXXIV.The Wise Man ought to have a severe Gravity, but it ought not to be fierce and untractable. He ought to love Society, but to avoid great Assemblies. | |
LXXV.The Love or Hatred of People, ought not to be the Rule of thy Love or Hatred; Examine whether they have Reason. LXXVI.Contract Friendship with a Man whose Heart is upright and sincere; with a Man that loves to learn, and who can teach thee something, in his turn. Other Men are unworthy of thy Friendship. LXXVII.He that has Faults, and strives not to amend them, ought at least to do his endeavour to conceal them. The Wise Man's Defects are like the Eclipses of the Sun, they come to every ones Knowledge. The Wise Man ought upon this account to endeavour to cover himself with a Cloud. I say the same thing of Princes. LXXVIII.Readily abandon thy Country when Virtue is there depress'd, and Vice encourag'd. | |
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But if thou designest not to renounce the Maxims of the Age, in thy retreat and exile, remain in thy miserable Country; for what Reason shouldst thou leave it? LXXIX.When thy Countries Safety is concern'd, stand not to consult, but expose thy self. LXXX.Heaven shortens not the Life of Man, 'tis Man that does it by his own Crimes. Thou mayst avoid the Calamities that come from Heaven, but thou canst never escape those which thou drawest upon thy self by thy Crimes. FINIS. |