The Emperor Marcus Antoninus: His Conversation with Himself/Preface
THE
PREFACE.
THE Emperours Life, and Gataker's Introductive Discourse being annex'd, there's no Necessity for a long Preface: For there the Reader will find an Account of the Author both as to Principles and Person; However, a Word or two of each may not be amiss.
1st. As to the Stoicks notwithstanding their Advantage of other Sects; They were not without their Mistakes. For Instance; They believ'd a Plurality of Gods, that the Soul was a part of the Deity, and that their Wise Man might dispose of himself, and make his Life as short as he pleas'd. These with some other less material Errors , I have marked in the Margin.
'Tis true, 'tis objected against the Stoicks that they allow'd no Degrees in ill Practise, but made all Faults equal; that they held Compassion an Infirmity, and would not suffer it in the Character of an improv'd Philosopher; that the Happiness of a Wise Man depended purely upon himself, and that there was no Necessity of addressing a Superiour Being.
To answer this Charge Monsieur D'acier observes, that Zeno's (the Founder of the Sect,) Opinion was Fair, and Defensible in these Points : That he was misunderstood by some of his Scholars, and unreasonably strain'd up to the Letter. But there's no need to insist any farther upon Justifying, for I dont remember our Author is at all concern'd in this Matter.
To proceed therefore to the Emperour with reference to his Book.
His Thoughts then are Noble, and Uncommon, and his Logick very true and exact. He generally flies his Game home, seldom leaves his Argument till he brings it to a Demonstration, and has pursued it to its first Principles. Seneca, has a different manner, and moves more by start and sally : He flashes a Hint in your Face and disappears ; And leaves you to carry on the Reasoning, and master the Subject, as well as you can. This looks like an Apparition of Philosophy, and is sometimes more Surprizing than Instructive. (But this Remark has no reference to the excellent English Abstract which is differently managed from the Original.) But as for the Emperor he charges thorough and thorough, and no Difficulty can stand before him. His Reason is no less irresistible than his Arms, and he loves to Conquer in his Closet, as well as in the Field. There's a peculiar Air of Greatness and Gravity in his Discourses: He seems to think up to his Station, and writes with that Magnificence of Notion; as if he believ'd himself oblig'd, to exceed other Authors as much in the Vigour of his Mind, as in the Lustre of his Fortune.
He appears to have thought to the bottom of his Argument, and to have had a Comprehensive View of the World, of the Interest and Relations of Society. Hence it is that his Morality is so particularly Serviceable and Convincing, that his Sentences are so Weighty, and his Reasoning so very just. By thus digging to the Foundation, He's in a Condition to assign every thing its true Grounds, and set every Duty upon its proper Basis. Farther, the great Probity of this Prince, his Fortitude, and the Nobleness of his Mind, gave Freedom and Spirit to his Thoughts, and made him exert for the Service of Principle and Truth. Besides he seems to have been born with a Prerogative of Nature, bless'd with a superiour Genius, and made up of richer Materials for Sense and Virtue, than other People. These Advantages together with an improv'd Education, rais'd him to that Pitch of Majesty, and Distinction, and made his Pen almost equal to his Scepter.
How does he despise the Pursuits of Fame, and the glittering Objects of Ambition? And that in no empty Rhodomontades, and Tumour of Expression: No, he pulls off the Paint, discovers the inward Coarseness, and brings such Evidence of the Insignificancy of these things, that he perfectly commands the Reader's Assent, and forces him into his own Opinion. Now an Emperours Argument against a Fondness for Pleasure, or Power, comes better Recommended than from a private Philosopher: For in this Case a Man speaks from Experiment, and disputes against the Privilege of his Condition: Here the usual Pretence of Envy, or Ignorance is out of Doors; And nothing but Dint of Reason could drive him upon so unacceptable a Conclusion.
The Generosity of his Principles are no less remarkable. He shews the Iniquity of a selfish Temper; that Ill Nature is a Contradiction to the Laws of Providence and the Interest of Mankind; A Punishment no less than a Fault, to those that have it. All the great Offices of Humanity, Justice, and Acquiescence are enforced with unusual Advantage: His Turns of Reason being often as surprizing for their Strength, as for their Novelty. In short; Abating for some of the Errors above-mention'd, he seems to have drawn up an Admirable Scheme of Natural Religion. And which is still more commendable, he practis'd his Maxims upon himself, and made his Life a Transcript of his Doctrin. He was so great a lover of Truth and clear Dealing, that he would rather have lost his Empire than strain'd a Principle. Indeed, Falshood and Legerdemain sink the Character of a Prince, and make him look like a Royal Jugler: Publick Character, and Common Good, as they call it, are no sufficient Defence in such Cases. Sixtus the Fifth, who must be allow'd a great Man, us'd to say, That 'twas short Thinking which made Conscience Impracticable, and Politicks fall foul upon Morals: That if Statesmen were well Qualified, and worked their Heads, there would be no Occasion for Latitude, and Insincerity. Reason without doubt, well manag'd, would fence against Inconvenience much better than Craft: In earnest, 'twould be a very hard Case, and a great Reflection upon Providence, if Men could not be happy without breaking their Faith, and blemishing their Honour. However, to say nothing more, some People are too Lazy to be Honest. But this Custom apart, there's no Necessity to make Reasons of State, incompatible with the Laws of justice; our Emperour is a noble Instance to the contrary. For never were the Functions of Peace and War better perform'd, the Subject more Easy, and the Empire more Flourishing than under this Prince: and yet 'twas none of his way to indulge his Politicks, and warp in the least from his Notions. 'Twas his constant Practise; as well as his Rule, If 'tis not Just never do it; If 'tis not Truth never speak it.
As to the Emperour's way of Writing, if any one Objects against his sometimes coming over again with the same Thing, he may please to consider that this Prince did not take Philosophy for meer Diversion, and Amusement: Instruction was his main Design; Upon this View 'twas not improper to repeat the stroak, to make the Impression go deeper. The Prejudices the Emperour disputes against are inveterate, and not to be remov'd without Difficulty: And if one Dose won't cure the Patient, why should not the Bill be made up again? If this Rule holds in Medicine, why not in Morality? Are not Peoples Understandings as valuable as their Health? And is not a Disease in the Passions much worse than one in the Constitution? And after all, when the Matter is closely examin'd, the Ground of the Objection will in a great measure vanish. For when the Emperour does come over with an old Thing, 'tis his Custom to improve upon't. He Repeats, but 'tis for Advantage to the Argument, and his latter Thoughts, are generally Supplemental to the former. He either extends the Notion, or reinforces the Proof, or gives a new Turn of Strength, and Beauty to the Expression. And thus the Reader is always a gainer by the bargain.
In Translating the Author I have made use of the quarto Edition publish'd in 1697. In which besides Gataker's Annotations, I had the Assistance of Monsieur Da'cier's Remarks, turn'd into Latin by Dr. Stanhope. As for his French Translation, I never saw it till sometime after my own was finished, and part of it printed off: However, one thing I shall observe, and which is the only use I have made of Monsieur Dacier's Translation: 'Tis his Remark upon Sect. VI. Book I. where citing Pollux, he tells us, that the Romans in imitation of the Greeks, us'd to fight Quails for Divination, as well as Diversion; and had a Fancy their own Fortunes might be Prognosticated by the Success of the Battle. This piece of Superstition I confess was more than I was aware of, and yet by the Context, the Emperour seems to have had it in his View,
One Word more of the Emperour's Stile, and I have done: Now his way of expressing himself is extraordinarily Brief: His Words are sometimes over-burthen'd with Thought, and have almost more Sense than they can carry. Indeed, 'twas part of his Character to write in this Concise manner; for neither the Emperour, nor the Stoick would allow of any length of Expression. Besides, he wrote chiefly for himself, which makes him still more sparing in his Language : He sometimes draws in little, writes his Meaning, as it were in Short-Hand, and does not beat out his Notions to their full Proportion. To which I may add, that sometimes the height of his Subject carries him almost out of Sight. For there is an obscurity in things, as well as in Language. For these Reasons 'tis no wonder if we find his Sense now and then a little perplex'd : And therefore where I was afraid the Reader might possibly be at a Loss, I have endeavour'd to direct him right by a Note in the Margin : I have likewise in some few Places ventur'd to throw in a Word or two, to make the Text more Intelligible. But when this Liberty was taken, I have been always careful to speak the Emperour's Mind, and keep close to the Meaning of the Original.