or disadvantages which come to a man by nature, whether in respect of his mind or his body, are taken into consideration, in this manner:—­whether he be strong or weak; whether he be tall or short; whether he be handsome or ugly; whether he be quick in his motions or slow; whether he be clever or stupid; whether he have a good memory, or whether he be forgetful; whether he be courteous, fond of doing kindnesses, modest, patient, or the contrary.  And altogether all these things which are considered to be qualities conferred by nature on men’s minds or bodies, must be taken into consideration when defining nature.  For those qualities which are acquired by industry relate to a man’s condition, concerning which we must speak hereafter.

XXV.  With reference to a man’s way of life it is proper to consider among what men, and in what manner, and according to whose direction he has been brought up; what teachers of the liberal sciences he has had; what admonitors to encourage him to a proper course of life; with what friends he is intimate; in what business, or employment, or gainful pursuit he is occupied; in what manner he manages his estate, and what are his domestic habits.  With reference to his fortune we inquire whether he is a slave or a free man; whether he is wealthy or poor; whether he is a private individual or a man in office; if he be in office, whether he has become so properly or improperly; whether he is prosperous, illustrious, or the contrary; what sort of children he has.  And if we are inquiring about one who is no longer alive, then we must consider also by what death he died.

But when we speak of a man’s habitual condition, we mean his constant and absolute completeness of mind or body, in some particular point—­as for instance, his perception of virtue, or of some art, or else some science or other.  And we include also some personal advantages not given to him by nature, but procured by study and industry.  By affection, we mean a sudden alteration of mind or body, arising from some particular cause, as joy, desire, fear, annoyance, illness, weakness and other things which are found under the same class.  But study is the assiduous and earnest application of the mind, applied to some particular object with great good-will, as to philosophy, poetry, geometry, or literature.  By counsel, we mean a carefully considered resolution to do or not to do something.  But actions, and accidents, and speeches will be considered with reference to three different times; what a man has done, what has happened to him, or what he has said; or what he is doing, or what is happening to him, or what he is saying; or what he is going to do, what is about to happen to him, or what speech he is about to deliver.  And all these things appear to be attributable to persons.