DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.50017#0094
THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS
or with less circumstance, that a man, to be wise,
should not be a man ; and this perhaps might have been
easy enough to believe, but nothing so hard as the other.
The Epicureans were more intelligible in their notion,
and fortunate in their expressions, when they placed
a man’s happiness in the tranquillity of mind, and
indolence of body; for while we are composed of
both, I doubt both must have a share in the good or
ill we feel. As men of several languages say the same
things in very different words; so in several ages,
countries, constitutions of laws and religion, the same
thing seems to be meant by very different expressions :
what is called by the Stoics, apathy, or dispassion ; by
the Sceptics, indisturbance ; by the Molinists, quietism ;
by common men, peace of conscience; seems all to
mean but great tranquillity of mind, though it be made
to proceed from so diverse causes, as human wisdom,
innocence of life, or resignation to the will of God.
An old usurer had the same notion, when he said, Ab
man could have peace of conscience, that run out of his
estate ; not comprehending what else was meant by that
phrase, besides true quiet and content of mind ; which,
however expressed, is, I suppose, meant by all, to be
the best account that can be given of the happiness of
man, since no man can pretend to be happy without it.
or with less circumstance, that a man, to be wise,
should not be a man ; and this perhaps might have been
easy enough to believe, but nothing so hard as the other.
The Epicureans were more intelligible in their notion,
and fortunate in their expressions, when they placed
a man’s happiness in the tranquillity of mind, and
indolence of body; for while we are composed of
both, I doubt both must have a share in the good or
ill we feel. As men of several languages say the same
things in very different words; so in several ages,
countries, constitutions of laws and religion, the same
thing seems to be meant by very different expressions :
what is called by the Stoics, apathy, or dispassion ; by
the Sceptics, indisturbance ; by the Molinists, quietism ;
by common men, peace of conscience; seems all to
mean but great tranquillity of mind, though it be made
to proceed from so diverse causes, as human wisdom,
innocence of life, or resignation to the will of God.
An old usurer had the same notion, when he said, Ab
man could have peace of conscience, that run out of his
estate ; not comprehending what else was meant by that
phrase, besides true quiet and content of mind ; which,
however expressed, is, I suppose, meant by all, to be
the best account that can be given of the happiness of
man, since no man can pretend to be happy without it.