Literary and Philosophical Essays: French, German and Italian eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 544 pages of information about Literary and Philosophical Essays.

Literary and Philosophical Essays: French, German and Italian eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 544 pages of information about Literary and Philosophical Essays.
induced the same to plunge and lose it selfe in his, which likewise having seized all his will, brought it to lose and plunge it selfe in mine, with a mutuall greedinesse, and with a semblable concurrance.  I may truly say, lose, reserving nothing unto us, that might properly be called our owne, nor that was either his or mine.  When Lelius in the presence of the Romane Consuls, who after the condemnation of Tiberius Gracchus, pursued all those that had beene of his acquaintance, came to enquire of Caius Blosius (who was one of his chiefest friends) what he would have done for him, and that he answered, “All things.”  “What, all things?” replied he.  “And what if he had willed thee to burne our Temples?” Blosius answered, “He would never have commanded such a thing.”  “But what if he had done it?” replied Lelius.  The other answered, “I would have obeyed him.”  If hee were so perfect a friend to Gracchus as Histories report, he needed not offend the Consuls with this last and bold confession, and should not have departed from the assurance hee had of Gracchus his minde.  But yet those who accuse this answer as seditious, understand not well this mysterie:  and doe not presuppose in what termes he stood, and that he held Gracchus his will in his sleeve, both by power and knowledge.  They were rather friends than Citizens, rather friends than enemies of their countrey, or friends of ambition and trouble.  Having absolutely committed themselves one to another, they perfectly held the reines of one anothers inclination:  and let this yoke be guided by vertue and conduct of reason (because without them it is altogether impossible to combine and proportion the same).  The answer of Blosius was such as it should be.  If their affections miscarried, according to my meaning, they were neither friends one to other, nor friends to themselves.  As for the rest, this answer sounds no more than mine would doe, to him that would in such sort enquire of me; if your will should command you to kill your daughter, would you doe it? and that I should consent unto it:  for, that beareth no witnesse of consent to doe it:  because I am not in doubt of my will, and as little of such a friends will.  It is not in the power of the worlds discourse to remove me from the certaintie I have of his intentions and judgments of mine:  no one of its actions might be presented unto me, under what shape soever, but I would presently finde the spring and motion of it.  Our mindes have jumped [Footnote:  Agreed.] so unitedly together, they have with so fervent an affection considered of each other, and with like affection so discovered and sounded, even to the very bottome of each others heart and entrails, that I did not only know his, as well as mine owne, but I would (verily) rather have trusted him concerning any matter of mine, than my selfe.  Let no man compare any of the other common friendships to this.  I have as much knowledge of them as another, yea of the perfectest of their
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Literary and Philosophical Essays: French, German and Italian from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.