Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/343

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Meditations, &c.
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Concert. Thus where Things are more Noble, and Nature rises, Sympathy rises too, and Operates at a distance. But here lies the Misery on't : Mankind are strangly unfortunate with the privilege of their Reason ! They are the only Beings which break through the Force of Instinct, and would make the Alliances of Nature signifie nothing. But tho' they run from their Kind , they are catched again in some measure. For you shall sooner see a piece of Earth refuse to lye by its own Element, than find any Man so perfectly unsociable , as not to Correspond with some body or other.

X. Every thing afords some product; God, and Men, and the World all of them bear Fruit in their proper Seasons; 'Tis true, Use has restrain'd this signification to Vines, and Trees ; But this Custom apart, Reason may properly enough be said to Bear, when 'tis serviceable both at Home, and to the Publick : especially if we consider that the Fruit of the Understanding keeps close to its Kind, and resembles the Stock more fully than that which grows in the Garden.

XI. Give an injurious Person good Advice, and Reform him if you can. If not, remember that your Clemency, and Temper was given you for this Tryal; That the

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God's