When they order us to love three, four, or fifty degrees of things above ourselves, they do like archers, who, to hit the white, take their aim a great deal higher than the butt; to make a crooked stick straight, we bend it the contrary way.

I believe that in the Temple of Pallas, as we see in all other religions, there were apparent mysteries to be exposed to the people; and others, more secret and high, that were only to be shown to such as were professed; ’tis likely that in these the true point of friendship that every one owes to himself is to be found; not a false friendship, that makes us embrace glory, knowledge, riches, and the like, with a principal and immoderate affection, as members of our being; nor an indiscreet and effeminate friendship, wherein it happens, as with ivy, that it decays and ruins the walls it embraces; but a sound and regular friendship, equally useful and pleasant.  He who knows the duties of this friendship and practises them is truly of the cabinet of the Muses, and has attained to the height of human wisdom and of our happiness, such an one, exactly knowing what he owes to himself, will on his part find that he ought to apply to himself the use of the world and of other men; and to do this, to contribute to public society the duties and offices appertaining to him.  He who does not in some sort live for others, does not live much for himself: 

     “Qui sibi amicus est, scito hunc amicum omnibus esse.”

     ["He who is his own friend, is a friend to everybody else.” 
     —­Seneca, Ep., 6.]

The principal charge we have is, to every one his own conduct; and ’tis for this only that we here are.  As he who should forget to live a virtuous and holy life, and should think he acquitted himself of his duty in instructing and training others up to it, would be a fool; even so he who abandons his own particular healthful and pleasant living to serve others therewith, takes, in my opinion, a wrong and unnatural course.

I would not that men should refuse, in the employments they take upon them, their attention, pains, eloquence, sweat, and blood if need be: 

                         “Non ipse pro caris amicis
                    Aut patria, timidus perire:” 

     ["Himself not afraid to die for beloved friends, or for his
     country.”—­Horace, Od., iv. 9, 51.]

but ’tis only borrowed, and accidentally; his mind being always in repose and in health; not without action, but without vexation, without passion.  To be simply acting costs him so little, that he acts even sleeping; but it must be set on going with discretion; for the body receives the offices imposed upon it just according to what they are; the mind often extends and makes them heavier at its own expense, giving them what measure it pleases.  Men perform like things with several sorts of endeavour, and different contention of will; the one does well enough without the other;