what in the whole scope of the creation can be thought of that can
raise a tumult in such a man, or give him the least molestation?
Certainly, he that threw out that brave defiance to Fortune in these
words, “I have prevented thee, O Fortune, and have shut up all thy
avenues to me,” did not speak it confiding in the strength of walls or
bars, or the security of keys; but it was an effect of his learning,
and the challenge was a dictate of his reason. And these heights of
resolution any men may attain to if they are willing; and we ought
not to distrust, or despair of arriving to the courage of saying
the same things. Therefore we should not only admire, but be kindled
with emulation, and think ourselves touched with the impulse of a
divine instinct, which piques us on to the trial of ourselves in
matters of less importance; that thereby we may find how our tempers
bear to be qualified for greater, and so may not incuriously decline
that inspection we ought to have over ourselves, or take refuge in
the saying, Perchance nothing will be more difficult than this. For
the luxurious thinker, who withdraws himself from severe reflections
and is conversant about no objects but what are easy and delectable,
emasculates his understanding and contracts a softness of spirit; but
he that makes grief, sickness, and banishment the subjects of his
meditation, who composeth his mind sedately, and poiseth himself with
reason to sustain the burthen, will find that those things are vain,
empty, and false which appear so grievous and terrible to the vulgar,
as his own reasonings will make out to him in every particular.