THE SECOND BOOK 335 



the mistress/ and yet no doubt many things are left to 

 the discretion of the handmaid to discern of the mistress' 

 will ; so ought Moral Philosophy to give a constant 

 attention to the doctrines of Divinity, and yet so as it 

 may yield of herself (within due limits) many sound and 

 profitable directions. 



This part therefore, because of the excellency thereof, I 

 cannot but find exceeding strange that it is not reduced to 

 written inquiry ; the rather because it consisteth of much 

 matter wherein both speech and action is often conversant, 

 and such wherein the common talk of men (which is rare, 

 but yet cometh sometimes to pass) is wiser than their 

 books. It is reasonable therefore that we propound it in 

 the more particularity, both for the worthiness, and be- 

 cause we may acquit ourselves for reporting it deficient ; 

 which seemeth almost incredible, and is otherwise con- 

 ceived and presupposed by those themselves that have 

 written. We will therefore enumerate some heads or 

 points thereof, that it may appear the better what it is, and 

 whether it be extant. 



First therefore, in this, as in all things which are practical, 

 we ought to cast up our account, what is in our power and 

 what not ; for the one may be dealt with by way of altera- 

 tion, but the other by way of application only. The 

 husbandman cannot command neither the nature of the 

 earth nor the seasons of the weather; no more can the 

 physician the constitution of the patient nor the variety of 

 accidents. So in the culture and cure of the mind of man, 

 two things are without our command; points of nature, 

 and points of fortune ; for to the basis of the one, and the 

 conditions of the other, our work is limited and tied. In 

 these things therefore it is left unto us to proceed by 

 application : 



Vincenda est omnis fortuna ferendo : 

 and so likewise, 



Vincenda est omnis natura ferendo. 

 But when that we speak of suffering, we do not speak of a 



