266 PHYSICAL SCIENCE BK. vi 



cannot assimilate, or by a slight injury to one's toe. 

 Man's life is a paltry affair, but a mighty affair is 

 the contempt of life. He who can despise life may 

 look unmoved upon the tossing of the sea, even 

 though all the winds have roused it, even though 

 by some upheaval of the world the tide has turned 



4 the whole Ocean bodily upon the land. Unmoved 

 he will behold the fierce forbidding aspect of the 

 thundering heavens, yes, though heaven itself be 

 crushed and unite its fires for the destruction 

 of mankind and of itself first of all. Unmoved 

 he will behold earth's framework rent and earth's 

 foundations yawning beneath. Though the realms 

 of the nether world be uncovered, he will stand 

 over the abyss still dauntless, and into the pit into 

 which he is doomed to fall he will perhaps leap. 

 What is it to me how great the powers by which 

 I perish ? To perish is itself no great matter. 



5 Wherefore, if we desire to be happy, to be 

 harassed by no fear either of men, or gods, or 

 circumstance, to despise fortune with her super- 

 fluous promises and her contemptible threats, if 

 we desire to live the peaceful life, and to vie with 

 the very gods in happiness, then we must carry 

 our life in our right hand. Whether snares or 

 diseases attack it, the swords of foes or the crash 

 of falling tenements, or the downfall of earth itself, 

 or the violence of widespread fire enveloping city 

 and field in common disaster, let who will take it. 



6 What more do I owe life than to encourage 

 it on its journey, and to despatch it with good 

 wishes ? Go resolutely, go prosperously ! There 

 must be no hesitation in rendering back life. It 

 is merely a question of time, not of fact. What 

 you are doing must be done some day. Beseech 



