Seneca's Morals: By Way of Abstract. To which is Added, a Discourse, Under the Title of An After-thought, Volume 2J. Cundee, 1803 |
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Popular passages
Page 33 - People would be luxurious perchance, but that they are poor; and others lazy, if they were not persistently kept at work. The Simplicity of a Country Life keeps many Men in Ignorance of the Frauds and Impieties of Courts, and Camps : But, no Nation, or Condition of Men is exempt from the Impressions of Anger, and it is equally dangerous, as well in War, as in Peace. We find that Elephants will be made familiar; Bulls will suffer Children to ride upon their Backs, and play with their Horns; Bears...
Page 60 - ... mischief, and not to obey their masters themselves when they are hotheaded. If the thing were duly considered, we should need no other cure than the bare consideration of it. We are not angry at madmen, children, and fools, because they do not know what they do; and why should not imprudence have an equal privilege in other cases? If a horse kick, or a dog bite, shall a man kick or bite again? The one, it is true, is wholly void of reason, but it is also an equivalent darkness of mind that possesses...
Page 38 - ... and returns the dart upon the head of him that casts it. To take a farther view now of the miserable consequences, and sanguinary effects of this hideous distemper, from hence come slaughters and poisons, wars and desolations, the razing and burning of cities, the unpeopling of nations, and the turning of populous countries into deserts, public massacres and regicides, princes led in triumph, some murdered in their bed-chambers, others stabbed in the senate, or cut off, in the security of their...
Page 28 - The end of all correction is either the amendment of wicked men, or to prevent the influence of ill example: for men are punished with a respect to the future ; not to expiate offences committed, but for fear of worse to come.
Page 19 - Besides that, the greatest Punishment of an Injury, is the Conscience of having done it ; and no Man suffers more than he that is turned over to the Pain of Repentance.
Page 69 - We are all members of one body, and it is as natural to help one another as for the hands to help the feet, or the eyes the hands. Without the love and care of the parts, the whole can never be preserved, and we must spare one another, because we...
Page 32 - There are no greater slaves certainly, than those that serve anger, for they imCholer is unhealthful. prove their misfortunes by an impatience more insupportable than the calamity that causes it. Nor does it rise by degrees, as other passions,, but flashes like gunpowder, blowing up all in a moment. Neither does it only press to the mark, but overbears every thing in the way to it. Other vices drive us, but this hurries us headlong; other passions stand firm themselves, though perhaps we cannot resist...
Page 15 - ... honesty, or good manners; no place either for the exercise of reason, or for the offices of life. If I were to describe it, I would draw a tiger bathed in blood, sharp set, and ready to take a leap at his prey; or dress it up as the poets represent the furies, with whips, snakes and flames: it should be sour, livid, full of scars, and wallowing in gore, raging up and down, destroying, grinning, bellowing and pursuing, sick of all other things, and most of all of itself.
Page 13 - Tell me, gentlemen," says Philip, " What is there that I can do to oblige the Athenians ?" Democharas, one of the ambassadors told him, that they would take it for a great obligation, if he would be pleased to hang himself.
Page 108 - ... but if the one be corrupted, the other is likewise unsound. Do we not see when a man's mind is heavy, how he creeps and draws his legs after him? A finical temper is read in the very gestures and clothes; if a man be choleric and violent, it is also discovered in his motions. An angry man speaks short and quick; the speech of an effeminate man is loose and melting A quaint and solicitous way of speaking is the sign of a weak mind: but a great man speaks with ease and freedom; and with more assurance;...