Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/334

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Marcus Antoninus's

LVII. The Sun is Diffus'd and bestows himself every where , but this seeming Expence never Exhausts him : The reason is, because he is stretched like a Thread, and not powr'd out like a Liquour. And thus his Beams have their name from Extension. [1] As for the Properties and Philosophy of a Ray, you may observe them, if you please to let it into a dark Room through a narrow passage. Here you'l see it move in a right Line, till 'tis broken, and as it were divided in Reflexion ; by having its progress stop'd upon a solid Body : And here the Light makes a stand , without dropping, or Hiding off. Thus you should let your Sense shine out upon Conversation : There's no fear of Emptying your understanding : And when you meet with Opposition ne're Tilt, and Batter against it, nor yet drop your Talent in Despair. No: Let your Beams spread themselves, and play on, and Enlighten where they find a Capacity : And as for that Body that won't transmit the Light, it does but darken it self , by its Resistance.

LVIII. He that dreads Death, is either afraid that his Sences will be extinguish'd, or alter'd : Now if the Powers are lost, the Pain must be so too ; For if he has no Faculties, he'l have no Feeling. But

if
  1. ἀϰτῖνες from Ἐϰείνειος as the Emperour will have it.