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.
Omnes eodem cogimur, omnium Versatur urna, serius, ocius Sors exitura, et nos in aeternum Exilium impositura cymbae, [Footnote:  Hor.  I. iii.  Od. iii. 25.]

     All to one place are driv’n, of all
     Shak’t is the lot-pot, where-hence shall
     Sooner or later drawne lots fall,
     And to deaths boat for aye enthrall.

And by consequence, if she makes us affeard, it is a continual subject of torment, and which can no way be eased.  There is no starting-hole will hide us from her, she will finde us wheresoever we are, we may as in a suspected countrie start and turne here and there:  quae quasi saxum Tantalo semper impendet.[Footnote:  Cic.  De Fin.  I. i.] “Which evermore hangs like the stone over the head of Tantalus:”  Our lawes doe often condemne and send malefactors to be executed in the same place where the crime was committed:  to which whilest they are going, leade them along the fairest houses, or entertaine them with the best cheere you can,

non Siculae dapes Dulcem elaborabunt saporem:  Non avium, citharaeque cantus Somnum reducent. [Footnote:  Hor.  I. iii.  Od. i, 12.]

     Not all King Denys daintie fare,
     Can pleasing taste for them prepare: 
     No song of birds, no musikes sound
     Can lullabie to sleepe profound.

Doe you thinke they can take any pleasure in it? or be any thing delighted? and that the finall intent of their voiage being still before their eies, hath not altered and altogether distracted their taste from all these commodities and allurements?

     Audit iter, numeratque dies, spatioque viarum
     Metitur vitam, torquetur peste futura.
     [Footnote:  Claud, in Ruff. 1. ii. 137]

     He heares his journey, counts his daies, so measures he
     His life by his waies length, vext with the ill shall be.

The end of our cariere is death, it is the necessarie object of our aime:  if it affright us, how is it possible we should step one foot further without an ague?  The remedie of the vulgar sort is, not to think on it.  But from what brutall stupiditie may so grosse a blindnesse come upon him? he must be made to bridle his Asse by the taile,

     Qiti capite ipse suo instituit vestigia retro.
     [Footnote:  Lucret. 1. iv. 474]

     Who doth a course contrarie runne
     With his head to his course begunne.

It is no marvell if he be so often taken tripping; some doe no sooner heare the name of death spoken of, but they are afraid, yea the most part will crosse themselves, as if they heard the Devill named.  And because mention is made of it in mens wils and testaments, I warrant you there is none will set his hand to them, til the physitian hath given his last doome, and utterly forsaken him.  And God knowes, being then betweene such paine and feare, with what sound judgment they endure him.  For so much as

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Literary and Philosophical Essays: French, German and Italian from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.