ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 817 



doctrines of the philosophers appear to be too distrustful, 

 and to take more care of mankind than the nature of the 

 thing requires. Thus they increase the fears of death by 

 the remedies they bring against it; for while they make the 

 life of man little more than a preparation and discipline for 

 death, it is impossible but the enemy must appear terrible, 

 when there is no end of the defence to be made against him. 

 The poet did better for a heathen, who placed the end of 

 life among the privileges of nature 



&quot;Qui spatium vitae extremum inter munera ponat 

 Naturge.&quot; 9 



Thus the philosophers, in all cases, endeavor to render the 

 mind too uniform and harmonical, without inuring it to 

 extreme and contrary motions; and the reason seems to be, 

 that they give themselves up to a private life, free from 

 disquiet and subjection to others; whereas men should 

 rather imitate the prudence of a lapidary, who, finding a 

 speck or a cloud in a diamond, that may be ground out 

 without too much waste, takes it away, or otherwise leaves 

 it untouched; and so the serenity of the mind is to be con 

 sulted without impairing its greatness. And thus much for 

 the doctrine of self-good. 



The good of communion, which regards society, usually 

 goes by the name of duty, a word that seems more properly 

 used of a mind well disposed toward others; while the term 

 virtue is used of a mind well formed and composed within 

 itself. Duty, indeed, seems at first to be of political con 

 sideration; but if thoroughly weighed, it truly relates to 

 the rule and government of one s self, not others. And as 

 in architecture it is one thing to fashion the pillars, rafters, 

 and other parts of the building, and prepare them for the 

 work, and another to fit and join them together, so the doc 

 trine of uniting mankind in society differs from that which 

 renders them conformable and well affected to the benefits 

 of society 



9 Juvenal, Sat. x. 360. 



