s we are not agitated by emotions which are contrary
to our nature, so long the power of the mind by which it endeavors to
understand things is not hindered, and therefore so long does it possess
the power of forming clear and distinct ideas, and of deducing them the
one from the other. So long, consequently, do we possess the power of
arranging and connecting the modifications of the body according to the
order of the intellect.

Through this power of properly arranging and connecting the
modifications of the body we can prevent ourselves from being easily
affected by evil emotions. For a greater power is required to restrain
emotions which are arranged and connected according to the order of the
intellect than is required to restrain those which are uncertain and
unsettled. The best thing, therefore, we can do, so long as we lack a
perfect knowledge of our emotions, is to conceive a right rule of life,
or sure maxims (_dogmata_) of life--to commit these latter to memory,
and constantly to apply them to the particular cases which frequently
meet us in life, so that our imagination may be widely affected by them,
and they may always be ready to hand. For example, amongst the maxims of
life we have placed this, that hatred is to be conquered by love or
generosity, and is not to be met with hatred in return. But in order
that we may always have this prescript of reason in readiness whenever
it will be of service, we must think over and often meditate upon the
common injuries inflicted by men, and consider how and in what way they
may best be repelled by generosity; for thus we shall connect the image
of injury with the imagination of this maxim, and it will be at hand
whenever an injury is offered to us. If we also continually have regard
to our own true profit, and the good which follows from mutual
friendship and common fellowship, and remember that the highest peace of
mind arises from a right rule of life, and also that man, like other
things, acts according to the necessity of Nature, then the injury or
the hatred which usually arises from that necessity will occupy but the
least part of the imagination, and will be easily overcome: or supposing
that the anger which generally arises from the greatest injuries is not
so easily overcome, it will nevertheless be overcome, although not
without fluctuation of mind, in a far shorter space of time than would
have been necessary if we had not possessed those maxims on which w