Justus Lipsius

“ He ascended not to the cause; but as in one and the same Man, we justly punish in his old age, that offence, which he committed in his youth: So doth God the elder crimes of Empires and Kingdomes, because in respect of their outward communion, they are to him but one conjoyned thing. These intervalls of time do not divide us with him who comprehends all eternity in the vastness of his Mind. Should those martial Wolves, heretofore rase so many Cities, and break so many Scepters with impunity? Should they broach so much blood by the slaughters of others; and themselves never bleed for't? ”

“ After I had spoken many things with equal Freedom and Truth, concerning the troubles of Belgia: I told him at last, that howsoever I had pretended another; yet this was the very Reason of my departure. For who, O Langius said I, is there to be found of so flinty and hard a heart; as longer to endure these evils? We are toss'd as you see, for so many Years together in the stormes of a Civil War: and are whirl'd up and down in a Tempestuous Sea with the different Winds of Trouble and Sedition. Doth my temper incline me to ease and quiet? ”

“ The Alexandrian kings saw to it that there were students to make use of their library, for they built near it a Museum, so called because it was, so to speak, a temple of the Muses, in which it was possible to follow the Muses, to cultivate the humanities, free from all cares, even from the labour of providing food and lodging, since the students in it were supported from the public funds. How admirable an institution! ”

“ These things you may fear but not prevent: Fly, but not be able to evade. Arme your self therefore against them, and catch up this fatal weapon, which will not only pierce, but kill; not only diminish, but destroy all your Griefs. As if you slightly touch a Nettle it stings; but if hard, it hath no such power: So doth the asperity of your Grief encrease upon you if you ply it with gentle remedies, but gives back in the use of those which are more forcible and severe. Now there is nothing more forcible than necessity: whose first onset doth rout and conquer these feeble troops. ”

“ Formerly a library gave a home an air of culture; one is now put in, like a bathroom, simply as a necessary part of the equipment of a house." A sad state of affairs, I admit. And yet it is to be wished that our own rich men had the same taste in luxuries; for a collection of books can always be of use and value to some one, even if not to the owner. ”

“ Do you see those languishing and retir'd Bodies, whom the Sun seldom looks upon, the wind never assails, and the more piercing air never lights upon; the Minds of those soft and ever happy Men, are such as the least gust of an angry Fortune will overturn and dissolve. Afflictions then do strengthen us, and as trees fasten their roots the deeper by how much the more they are shaken with the Winds; so good Men become the more fixed in vertue, when attempted by the storms of adversity. Afflictions do also prove and try us ”

“ Suppose that some god should promise you, that during this war, your fields should be untouch'd; your house and mony safe, and your self set on some mountains top, folded in one of Homers clouds: would you grieve still? I will not say it of you, but there are a sort of men, that would even rejoice, and greedily feed their eyes with the confused slaughter of dying men. What do you deny this, or seem to wonder at it? I tell you there is a kind of inbred malice in the disposition of mankind; which as the old Poet speakes
Joyes at another mans calamities. ”

“ Osymandyas of Egypt was of all kings the first, as far as history shows, to have a library of any note. Along with other famous deeds he established, says Diodorus, a library of sacred literature, and placed over the entrance the inscription: "Here is Medicine for the Mind." Though he was one of the earliest of the Egyptian kings, I do not doubt that his example was thereafter faithfully followed, even if the library he is said to have founded never in fact existed; for in Egypt there have always been libraries, especially in temples, under the care of priests. ”

“ And in those for the most part are those divine pieces compos'd, which are the wonder of Mankind, and which no Age, or successions of time shall ever abolish. To this green Lycæum do we stand indebted for so many Lectures upon Nature: To this shady Academy we owe those discourses about manners, and from the apartments of these Gardens are those abundant springs of Wisdom diffus'd, which we drink of, and which with their fertill inundations have enrich'd the World. ”

“ We all wish to become familiar with the features and the general appearance of great men, with those material bodies in which dwelt their celestial spirits, and, lifting our eyes from their books, here they are before us! ”

“ Ruine Judea and the Jews: Take, and raze the whole City; but for what end? As you indeed intend it; for the glory and enlargement of the Empire, but you mistake your selves, you are only the Lictours and Executioners of the divine vengeance upon an impious Nation. Go ye who possibly have martyr'd the Christians at Rome, and revenge the Death of Christ in Iudæa. All ages are full of such examples, how God by the sinful desires of some Men hath accomplished his own good pleasure; and by the injustice of others, hath executed his own just and righteous Judgments. ”

“ That such as he should labour to encourage and inspire men to good deeds and high endeavour—this I think a thing most helpful to us all. And how few do give themselves generously to this task! All thoughts seem now to turn to low and sordid things. Scorning the ancient and holy truths, how eagerly to-day do men search out doctrines whose only charm is that they seem new! ”

“ Langius replyes; Young Man; Look then upon these things not as above, but beneath you; and labour to establish Constancy in your Mind, by reflecting upon the inconstant and unsteady levity of all things. Inconstant (I say) as to our sense and apprehension of them: but if we respect God and his Providence, than all things succeed in an admirable and immoveable order. For now laying swords aside, I come to my Ensignes, and shall assault that Grief of yours, not with Arrowes, but more formidable inventions. I shall inforce against it the Ramme of Fate, an Ensigne of that strength and firmness ”

“ But the associate of Reason is Constancy; to the putting on of which I do very seriously exhort you. To what purpose is it to have recourse unto things vain and external? This is that only Helena which can present you with that true and rich Nepenthe, in which you may drown the memory of all your Cares and Griefs; which if once you have tasted and taken down; proof against every chance, in the same equal tenour, and not wavering after the manner of a ballance; you may challenge to your self that great and God-like property of Immoveable. ”

“ I know also your posterity will have the same complaint. Nature has riveted this into the Disposition of Man; to look fixedly upon his Evils; and to shut his Eyes upon his mercies. As Flyes and other Insects, do not rest long upon smooth and polished places, but stick to those that are rough and soiled: So this querulous Mind of ours, lightly overpasses our better fortunes: But will not be withdrawn from its contemplations of that which is worse. It handles and pryes into its evils, and for the most part shews it self witty, in the aggravating comments that it maks upon them. ”

“ Wisdom is not acquir'd by wishes, but endeavours. The discourse of Constancy renew'd. The desire of knowledge, a happy presage in a Young Man. This admonition so inflam'd me, that not able to dissemble it; My Father said I, with my Mind I follow you already; but when shall I with my Actions also? When shall that day appear, which releasing me from these cares, shall place me in the path of true wisdom; that thereby I may attain to true Constancy? Langius as one reproving me. Do you then (said he) choose rather to wish, than to act? It is to no purpose at all ”

“ That you move is from God; from your self, and in your self, that you move to Evil. Finally, that I may at last finish my discourse about this Liberty; Fate is as it were the Leader of the Dance, in this Masque of the world: But so, that we also have our parts to act, of alwayes willing or nilling; but not further of effecting. For it is only a will that is left unto Man whereby he may be desirous to oppugne and resist God: But he hath not a power whereby he is able. ”

“ If you change your affection; you change your Country. A wise Man wheresoever he is, is but a sojourner; a Fool is ever banished. But I daily expect Death from the Tyrant: As if you did not do the same from Nature. ”

“ For how is it possible that the losses of my Country should not touch and deeply affect me for my Country-mens and Companions sakes, who are toss'd in the Ocean of these Calamities, or perish by a different and unhappy Destiny. Langius interrupting me; but this Lipsius said he is not properly Grief, but Pitty; which yet it self is to be despis'd, by a wise and constant Person. For nothing is more suitable to such a one than firmness and strength of Mind, which cannot be, in case not only his own, but also anothers Calamity shall overturn and discompose him. ”

“ The Second Objection answered, that all have deserved punishment; in regard all have offended: That Men cannot judge who is more or less culpable. 'Tis God only that clearly discerns betwixt crimes, and therefore most justly punishes. Buut (say you) there are some people punished that are guiltless, and have no way deserved it: For this is your Second complaint or rather Calumny. Unadvised Youngman! Are there then any punished who have not deserved it? Where I beseech you are those innocent Nations to be found? ”

“ It is the whole World, wheresoever there are men sprung from that celestial seed. Socrates of old reply'd excellently to one that ask'd him of what Country he was: of the World said he. For a great and lofty mind includes not it self within the narrow limits of opinion: but in its apprehension and thought embraces this whole universe as its own. We have seen and derided the folly of such; whose keepers have tyed them in a nooz of straw only; or some slender thread: and yet they have stood as if they were shackl'd in fetters of iron: such a kind of madnesse is this of ours ”

“ Thus those great bodies the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea have their bounds; thus every Age hath its appointed number, and thus both Men, Cities, and Kingdomes have their stated accounts. Will they exceed these? It is necessary that some storme and tempest of Calamities do check and retard them: For otherwise they would endanger and bring damage to, this beautiful frame of the World. But those things especially would exceed these bounds very often, that are under the command of Encrease and Multiply. Look upon Men, who can deny that by nature we are born faster, than we naturally dye? ”

“ Think the same of all those great and proud Tyrants: In whose Minds if they lay open to us saith Tacitus, we might behold gashes and wounds: For as Bodies are torn with stripes; so are the Souls of Men miserably dilacerated with blood, lust, and other impious contrivances. They laugh I confess sometimes, but it is no true laughter: They rejoyce, but their joyes are not genuine and kindly ”

“ First, that a true estimation of the crimes of others, neither can nor ought to be attempted by Man: For how shall he do it; that not so much as observes them? And which way shall he put an exact difference, betwixt those things which he hath not so much as seen? For you will easily grant it me that it is the Mind that sins; by the Body and senses indeed as its instruments, but yet so as that the main business and weight of the crime, doth in the mean time depend upon it self. This is so exactly true; that if it appear any one hath unwillingly sinned; he is clear of the sin. ”