il and composed in his demeanor, high-minded and courteous in
his actions. Let reason be encouraged by the senses to seek for the
truth, and draw its first principles from thence: indeed it has no
other base of operations or place from which to start in pursuit of
truth: it must fall back upon itself. Even the all-embracing universe
and God who is its guide extends Himself forth into outward things,
and yet altogether returns from all sides back to Himself. Let our
mind do the same thing: when, following its bodily senses, it has by
means of them sent itself forth into the things of the outward world,
let it remain still their master and its own. By this means we shall
obtain a strength and an ability which are united and allied together;
we shall derive from it that reason which never halts between two
opinions, nor is dull in forming its perceptions, beliefs, or
convictions. Such a mind, when it has ranged itself in order, made its
various parts agree together, and, if I may so express myself,
harmonized them, has attained to the highest good: for it has nothing
evil or hazardous remaining, nothing to shake it or make it stumble:
it will do everything under the guidance of its own will, and nothing
unexpected will befall it, but whatever may be done by it will turn
out well, and that, too, readily and easily, without the doer having
recourse to any underhand devices: for slow and hesitating purpose.
You may, then, boldly declare that the highest good is singleness of
mind: for where agreement and unity are, there must the virtues be: it
is the vices that are at war with one another....

It is the act of the generous spirit to proportion its efforts not to
its own strength, but to that of human nature, to entertain lofty
aims, and to conceive plans which are too vast to be carried into
execution even by those who are endowed with gigantic intellects, who
appoint for themselves the following rules: "I will look upon death or
upon a comedy with the same expression of countenance: I will submit
to labors, however great they may be, supporting the strength of my
body by that of my mind: I will despise riches when I have them as
much as when I have them not; if they be elsewhere I will not be more
gloomy, if they sparkle around me I will not be more lively than I
should otherwise be: whether Fortune comes or goes I will take no
notice of her: I will view all lands as tho they belonged to me, and
my own as tho they belonged