324 L. ANNJEUS SENECA TO LUCILIU3. NoV. p, 



think they could have perfevered if fuperior happinefs 

 had not endeared to them the paths of felf-denial and 



Virtue ? 



*' How delightful the rofe to liim who travels through 

 thorns, or the lovely meadow, the river, the foliage, 

 and the rock to him who wanders through a dreary 

 \vafte.j but how infinitely dreadful the thorn to the 

 Tofy votary of pleafure, and the dreary wafte to the en- 

 ervated favourite of Fortune ! 



" The nian,flierefore, Lucilius, who orders his life 

 according to the intention of his nature, by preferrintT 

 intelleftual to animal pleafure, affimilates himfelf to 

 the deity, and, guided by benevolence on the prin- 

 ciples of juftice, he contributes to the fame order and 

 happinefs in others. Formed by Nature to look con- 

 tinually forvy'ard to certain fliinnig points of attain- 

 ment, where he thinks he fhall have reft from his la- 

 bours, when he attains them he is acfluated by undimi- 

 niflied defife to fet forward and to afpire after greater, 

 and thus he proceeds continually, till his frame is ex- 

 haufted, and he moulders into duft. 



" Other creatures, when free from pain or uneafi- 

 nefs, and abounding in the pleafures of fenfe, are tran- 

 quil and fuisfied with their condition ; they aim not at 

 improvement. The fwallow builds her neft to-day as 

 fhe did in the days of Deucalion ; no change or pro- 

 grefs of improvement is to be obferyed in animated 

 natvn-e except in man, IMan, therefore, is to be con- 

 ildercd as the lord of the world, not on account of his 

 fuperior ikil! and addrcfs in fubduing creation to his 

 purpofes, but becaufe lie alone is able to contemplate 

 and difcover the nature of that world in which the gods 

 have placed him. «< Cr^do Dcum immortalcin fparf'Jfe 

 amnios in corpora htar.aua tit cffcnt^ qui terras tiiereiUur, 

 quique casIeftiuKi crdiaem coniemplanies ir.ntarentur cum 

 vit<e nicdo et conjlatitia.^' 



" Now, goodnefs or true virti^e confifting in being obe- 

 dient to the laws of cur intellectual nature, it is evident. 



