it. Annihilation is more profitable than a fruitlesse being. In this family of Nature, every one hath his task none may be idle. The best and the noblest are the most laborious. Nothing hath compure: he that would Sin never prevailes

merce with heaven, but what is

be pure, must needs be active. against us, but in the absence of Virtue, and Virtue is never absent, but when wee are idle. To preserve the peace of conscience, wee must not feare sufferings.— Two Excellent Discourses: (1) Temperance and Patience," (2) "Life and Death," written in Latin by Johan: Euseb: Nierembergius. Englished by Henry Vaughan, Silurist. 1654.

JAMES SHIRLEY. 1594-1666.

but I hope

You have no enmity to the liberal arts :

Learning is an addition beyond

Nobility of birth; honour of blood,
Without the ornament of knowledge,

Is but a glorious ignorance.

I never knew

More sweet and happy hours than I employ'd

Upon my books.

The Lady of Pleasure, Act ii. Scene 1.

SIR WILLIAM WALLER.

1597-1668.

Here is the best solitary company in the world, and in this particular chiefly excelling any other, that in my study I am sure to converse with none but wise

men; but abroad it is impossible for me to avoid the society of fools. What an advantage have I, by this good fellowship, that, besides the help which I receive from hence, in reference to my life after this life, I can enjoy the life of so many ages before I lived !—that I can be acquainted with the passages of three or four thousand years ago, as if they were the weekly occurrences! Here, without travelling so far as Endor, I can call up the ablest spirits of those times, the learnedest philosophers, the wisest counsellers, the greatest generals, and make them serviceable to me. I can make bold with the best jewels they have in their treasury, with the same freedom that the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians, and, without suspicion of felony, make use of them as mine own. I can here, without trespassing, go into their vineyards and not only eat my fill of their grapes for my pleasure, but put up as much as I will in my vessel, and store it up for my profit and advantage. I would therefore do in reading as merchants used to do in their trading; who, in a coasting way, put in at several ports and take in what commodities they afford, but settle their factories in those places only which are of special note; I would, by-the-bye, allow myself a traffic with sundry authors, as I happen to light upon them, for my recreation; and I would make the best advantage that I could of them but I would fix my study upon those only that are of most importance to fit me for action, which is the true end of all learning. Lord, teach me so to study other men's works as not to neglect mine own; and so to study Thy word, which is Thy work, be " a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto

that it

may

my path "-my candle to work by.

Take me off from know; from the

the curiosity of knowing only to vanity of knowing only to be known; and from the folly of pretending to know more than I do know : and let it be my wisdom to study to know Thee, who art life eternal. Write Thy law in my heart, and I shall be the best book here.-Divine Meditations: Meditation upon the Contentment I have in my Books and Study.

ANTONY TUCKNEY.

1599-1670.

What you say of your little reading and more meditating; I impute to your great modestie, in lessening your own due: or if, as I have cause, I must beleeve you; as I cannot but much approve your course of Meditation; so give mee leave to intreat you, to give diligence to Reading. I have thought, that BERNARD was in the right; when hee said, lectio, sine meditatione, arida est; meditatio, sine lectione, erronea. In our meditations, wee may unawares slip into an errour; which, because our own, of our own selves, we are hardlie restrained from; from which another's hand may easilie helpe mee up. And if, for that and other ends, I would gladlie conferre with the living; the same motive may persuade mee to converse with others, that are dead; in their writings: and the rather, because they use to bee more digested; than others' extemporarie discourses; especiallie, if, as you do, we make choice of those, that are most pious and learned. I look-at it, as a kind of Communion of Saints; in which I may expect a greater blessing: but

so, as not resting on their authoritie. And shoulde not their writings bee better than my thoughts, yett with mee I find itt thus; that by reading I have more hints, and better rise, for more and better notions; than otherwise of myself I shou'd have reached unto: hereby I shall bee better acquainted with the true historie, stating, and phrasing, of any point of controversie; which otherwise I shall too often stumbleatt.-Third Letter from Dr. Antony Tuckney to Dr. Benjamin Whichcote.-" The Reconciliation of Sinners unto God." 1651.

FRANCESCO DI RIOJA.

1600-1659.

A little peaceful home

Bounds all my wants and wishes; add to this
My book and friend, and this is happiness.

PETER DU MOULIN.

1600-1684.

Let our dwelling be lightsome, if possible; in a free air, and near a garden. Gardening is an innocent delight. With these, if one may have a sufficient revenue, an honest employment, little business, sortable companys, and especially the conversation of good books with whom a man may converse as little and as much as he pleaseth; he needs little more, as for the exteriour to enjoy all the content that this world can afford. . . . He that both learned to know the world and himself, will soon be capable of this counsel— "To retire within one's self." . . . Persons that have some goodness in their soul, have a closet where they may retire at any time, and yet keep in society.

That closet is their own in-side. That in-side to which the wise man must retire, is his judgment and conscience. Thence to impose silence to business and hush all the noise below,-that with a calm and undisturbed mind, he may consider the nature of the persons and things which he converseth with, what interests he hath in them, and how far they are applicable to God's service, and to the benefit of himself and others. There is no possession sooner lost, than that of one's self. The smallest things rob us of it. Tecum habitat. Dwell at home. Keep possession of your soul. steal you away from yourself. nor pleasure worth so much, from home to get it,

Suffer not anything to There is neither profit that the soul should go

One is always a loser

at that game which robs his soul of serenity. Nothing is so great, that for it we should set our mind out of frame. A wise man should not suffer his soul to stir out of her place, and run into disorder. . . . Keep company with a few well-chosen persons, lending ourselves freely to them, but giving ourselves to none but God, nor suffering friendship to grow to slavery. With all sorts of men we must deal ingenuously, yet reservedly, saying what we think, but thinking more than we say, lest we give power to others to take hold of the rudder of our mind. .. Let them not be admitted by too much familiarity to know the secret avenues of our souls. For in all souls there are some places weaker than the rest.—A Treatise of Peace and Contentment of Mind: Book VI. To Retire within one's self: To avoid Idleness: Of the care of the Body, and other little Contentments of Life. 1678.