JOHN SHARPE DUKE STREET, PICCADILLY;

JAN. 1.1824.

A

TREATISE

OF

SELF-KNOWLEDGE.

PART SECOND.

SHOWING THE GREAT EXCELLENCY AND ADVANTAGES OF THIS KIND OF SCIENCE.

HAVING in the former part of the subject laid open some of the main branches of self-knowledge, or pointed out the principal things which a man ought to be acquainted with, relating to himself, I am now (reader) to lay before you the excellency and usefulness of this kind of knowledge (as an inducement to labour after it) by a detail of the several great advantages attending it; which shall be recounted in the following chapters.

CHAP. I.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE THE SPRING OF SELF-POSSESSION.

1. ONE great advantage of self-knowledge is, that it gives a man the truest and most constant self-possession.

A man that is endowed with this excellent

knowledge is calm and easy.

(1.) Under affronts and defamation; for he thinks thus: "I am sure I know myself better than any man can pretend to know me. This calumniator hath, indeed, at this time, missed his mark, and shot his arrows at random; and it is my comfort that my conscience acquits me of his angry imputation. However, there are worse crimes which he might more justly accuse me of; which, though hid from him, are known to myself. Let me set about reforming them; lest, if they come to his notice, he should attack me in a more defenceless part, find something to fasten his obloquy, and fix a lasting reproach upon my character1."

There is a great deal of truth and good sense in that common saying and doctrine of the Stoics, though they might carry it too far, That it is not things but thoughts that disturb and hurt us 2. Now as self-acquaintance teaches a man the right government of the thoughts (as is shown above, Part I. Chap. XIV.) it will help him to expel all

1 Εαν τις σοι απαγγείλη, οτι ο δεινα σε κακως λεγει, μη απολογε προς τα λεχθεντα· αλλ' αποκρινε, οτι ηγνοει γαρ τα αλλα προσοντα μοι κακα, επει εκ αν ταυτα μονα ελεγεν. Epict. Ench. cap. 48.-If you are told that another reviles you, do not go about to vindicate yourself, but reply thus: My other faults I find are hid from him, else I should have heard of them too.

2 Ταράσσει τες ανθρώπες, 8 τα πραγματα, αλλα τα περι TWV πрayμаTwv doyuara. Id. cap. 10.-It is not things, but men's opinions of things that disturb them.

Μεμνησο οτι ουκ ο λοιδορων η τυπτων υβρίζει, αλλα το δογμα τε περι τουτων ως υβριζοντων. Id. cap. 27.—Remember, it is not he that reviles or assaults you that injures you, but your thinking that they have injured you.—Σɛ yap

anxious, tormenting, and fruitless thoughts, and retain the most quieting and useful ones; and so keep all easy within. Let a man but try the experiment, and he will find, that a little resolution will make the greatest part of the difficulty vanish.

(2.) Self-knowledge will be a good ballast to the mind under any accidental hurry or disorder of the passions. It curbs their impetuosity; puts the reins into the hands of reason: quells the rising storm ere it make shipwreck of the conscience; and teaches a man to leave off contention before it be meddled with 3, it being much safer to keep the lion chained than to encounter it in its full strength and fury. And thus will a wise man, for his own peace, deal with the passions of others as well as his own.

Self-knowledge, as it acquaints a man with his weaknesses and worst qualities, will be his guard against them; and a happy counterbalance to the faults and excesses of his natural temper.

αλλος ου βλάψει,αν μη συ θελης· τοτε δε εση βαβλαμμενος, οταν υπολαβης βλάπτεσθαι. Id. pag. 37. No man can hurt you, unless you please to let him; then only are you hurt when you think yourself so.

Τα πραγματα ουκ απτεται της ψυχης, αλλ' εξω εσηκεν ατρεμουντα· αι δε οχλήσεις, εκ μόνης της ενδον υποληψήως. Marc. Anton. Med. lib. 4. sec. 3.-Things do not touch the mind, but stand quietly without; the vexation comes from within, from our suspicions only.-Again, Тa оaɣμата avта εδ' οπωςιεν ψυχης απτεται εδε εχει εισοδον προς ψυχην. εδε τρέψαι εδε κινησαι ψυχην δυναται τρεπει δε και κινει autη εavτηy μovŋ. Id. lib. 5. sec. 19.-Things themselves cannot affect the mind; for they have no entrance into it, to turn and move it: it is the mind alone that turns and moves itself.

3 Prov. xvii. 14.