15. Let us now imagine two wise men, the first of whom possesses
everything that heart can wish for, while the other is in a contrary
position. Shall they be said to be equally happy? Yes, if they be
equally wise. Even if the one possessed physical beauty, and all
the other advantages that do not relate either to wisdom, virtue,
contemplation of the good, or perfect life; what would be the use of
all that since he who possesses all these advantages is not considered
as really being happier than he who lacks them? Such wealth would
not even help a flute-player to accomplish his object! We, however,
consider the happy man only from the standpoint of the weakness of our
mind, considering as serious and frightful what the really happy man
considers indifferent. For the man could not be wise, nor consequently
happy, so long as he has not succeeded in getting rid of all these
vain ideas, so long as he has not entirely transformed himself, so
long as he does not within himself contain the confidence that he is
sheltered from all evil. Only then will he live without being troubled
by any fear. The only thing that should affect him, would be the fear
that he is not an expert in wisdom, that he is only partly wise. As to
unforeseen fears that might get the better of him before he had had
the time to reflect, during a moment of abstraction of attention, the
wise man will hasten to turn them away, treating that which within
himself becomes agitated as a child that has lost its way through
pain. He will tranquilize it either by reason, or even by a threat,
though uttered without passion. Thus the mere sight of a worthy person
suffices to calm a child. Besides, the wise man will not hold aloof
either from friendship nor gratitude. He will treat his own people as
he treats himself; giving to his friends as much as to his own person;
and he will give himself up to friendship, without ceasing to exercise
intelligence therein.