inkest
thou, which would think themselves almost in Heaven if they had but the
least part of the remains of thy fortune? This very place, which thou
callest banishment, is to the inhabitants thereof their native land. So
true it is that nothing is miserable but what is thought so, and
contrariwise, every estate is happy if he that bears it be content. Who
is so happy that if he yieldeth to discontent, desireth not to change
his estate? How much bitterness is mingled with the sweetness of man's
felicity, which, though it seemeth so pleasant while it is enjoyed, yet
can it not be retained from going away when it will. And by this it
appeareth how miserable is the blessedness of mortal things, which
neither endureth alway with the contented, nor wholly delighteth the
pensive.

Wherefore, O mortal men, why seek you for your felicity abroad, which is
placed within yourselves? Error and ignorance do confound you. I will
briefly show thee the centre of thy chiefest happiness. Is there
anything more precious to thee than thyself? I am sure thou wilt say,
nothing. Wherefore, if thou enjoyest thyself, thou shalt possess that
which neither thou wilt ever wish to lose nor fortune can take away. And
that thou mayst acknowledge that blessedness cannot consist in these
casual things, gather it thus. If blessedness be the chiefest good of
nature endued with reason, and that is not the chiefest good which may
by any means be taken away, because that which cannot be taken away is
better, it is manifest that the instability of fortune cannot aspire to
the obtaining of blessedness. Moreover, he that now enjoyeth this
brittle felicity, either knoweth it to be mutable or no. If not, what
estate can be blessed by ignorant blindness? And if he knoweth it, he
must needs fear lest he lose that which he doubteth not may be lost,
wherefore continual fear permitteth him not to be happy. Or though he
should lose it, doth he think that a thing of no moment? But so it were
a very small good which he would be content to lose. And because thou
art one whom I know to be fully persuaded and convinced by innumerable
demonstrations that the souls of men are in no wise mortal, and since it
is clear that casual felicity is ended by the body's death, there is no
doubt, if this can cause blessedness, but that all mankind falleth into
misery by death. But if we know many who have sought to reap