Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/406

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Marcus Antoninus's

Round as a Ball, and Spinning on your Axis. [1]

And concern your self to live no longer than your Life time, that is the present Moment; [2] If you do all this, you may Move on till Death stops you , with Credit and Satisfaction.

IV. I have often wonder'd how it comes to pass, that every Body should love themselves best, and yet value their Neighbours Opinion about themselves , more than their own. Therefore if any God, or Eminent Instructor in Philosophy , should stand at a Man's Elbow, and Order him to turn his inside outwards, and publish every Thought and Fancy, as fast as as they came into his Head, he'd think it a hard Chapter, and not submit so much as to a Days Discipline. Thus we stand more in awe of Fame, than Conscience , and regard other Peoples Judgments above our own!

V. How comes it about that since the God's have contriv'd all things so well, and so much to the benefit of Mankind , they should overlook this particular: And suffer Men of great Virtue and Merit, who by their Piety and Devotion were as it were the Domesticks of the Powers Above; and kept always a Correspondence with Heaven, that they should suffer suchMen

  1. Turning upon your Reason.
  2. See Book 2. 14.