Chapter V

But since the soothing of my reasons begins to sink into thee, I will
use those which are somewhat more forcible. Go to the*n, if the gifts of
fortune were not brittle and momentary, what is there in them which can
either ever be made your own, or, well weighed and considered, seemeth
not vile and of no accompt? Are riches precious in virtue either of
their own nature or of yours? What part of them can be so esteemed of?
The gold or the heaps of money? But these make a fairer show when they
are spent than when they are kept. For covetousness alway maketh men
odious, as liberality famous. And if a man cannot have that which is
given to another, then money is precious when, bestowed upon others, by
the use of liberality it is not possessed any longer. But if all the
money in the whole world were gathered into one man's custody, all other
men should be poor. The voice at the same time wholly filleth the ears
of many, but your riches cannot pass to many, except they be diminished,
which being done, they must needs make them poor whom they leave. O
scant and poor riches, which neither can be wholly possessed of many,
and come to none without the impoverishment of others! Doth the
glittering of jewels draw thy eyes after them? But if there be any great
matter in this show, not men but the jewels shine, which I exceedingly
marvel that men admire. For what is there wanting life and members that
may justly seem beautiful to a nature not only endued with life but also
with reason? Which, though by their maker's workmanship and their own
variety they have some part of basest beauty, yet it is so far inferior
to your excellency that it did in no sort deserve your admiration. Doth
the pleasant prospect of the fields delight you? Why not? For it is a
fair portion of a most fair work. So we are delighted with a calm sea,
so we admire the sky, the stars, the sun, and the moon. Do any of these
belong to thee? Darest thou boast of the beauty which any of them have?
Art thou thyself adorned with May flowers? Or doth thy fertility teem
with the fruits of summer? Why rejoicest thou vainly? Why embracest thou
outward goods as if they were thine own? Fortune will never make those
things thine which by the appointment of Nature belong not to thee. The
fruits of the earth are doubtless appointed for the sustenance of living
creatures. But if thou wilt only satisfy want, which sufficeth Nature,
there is no cause to require the superfluities of fortune. For Nature is
contented with little and with the smallest things, and, if, being
satisfied, thou wilt overlay it with more than needs, that which thou
addest will either become unpleasant or hurtful. But perhaps thou
thinkest it a fine thing to go decked in gay apparel, which, if they
make a fair show, I will admire either the goodness of the stuff or the
invention of the workman. Or doth the multitude of servants make thee
happy? Who, if they be vicious, they are a pernicious burden to thy
house, and exceedingly troublesome to their master; and if they be
honest, how shall other men's honesty be counted amongst thy treasures?
By all which is manifestly proved that none of these goods which thou
accountest thine, are thine indeed. And if there is nothing in these
worthy to be desired, why art thou either glad when thou hast them or
sorry when thou losest them? Or what is it to thee, if they be precious
by nature? For in this respect they would have pleased thee, though they
had belonged to others. For they are not precious because they are come
to be thine, but because they seemed precious thou wert desirous to have
them. Now, what desire you with such loud praise of fortune? Perhaps you
seek to drive away penury with plenty. But this falleth out quite
contrary, for you stand in need of many supplies, to protect all this
variety of precious ornaments. And it is true that they which have much,
need much; and contrariwise, that they need little which measure not
their wealth by the superfluity of ambition, but by the necessity of
nature. Have you no proper and inward good, that you seek your goods in
those things which are outward and separated from you? Is the condition
of things so changed that a living creature, deservedly accounted divine
for the gift of reason, seemeth to have no other excellency than the
possession of a little household stuff without life? All other creatures
are content with that they have of their own; and you, who in your mind
carry the likeness of God, are content to take the ornaments of your
excellent nature from the most base and vile things, neither understand
you what injury you do your Creator. He would have mankind to excel all
earthly things; you debase your dignity under every meanest creature.
For if it be manifest that the good of everything is more precious than
that whose good it is, since you judge the vilest things that can be to
be your goods, you deject yourselves under them in your own estimation,
which questionless cometh not undeservedly to pass; for this is the
condition of man's nature, that then only it surpasseth other things
when it knoweth itself, and it is worse than beasts when it is without
that knowledge. For in other living creatures the ignorance of
themselves is nature, but in men it is vice. And how far doth this error
of yours extend, who think that any can be adorned with the ornaments of
another? Which can in no wise be. For if any adjoined thing seem
precious, it is that which is praised, but that which is covered and
enwrapped in it remaineth, notwithstanding, with the foul baseness which
it hath of itself. Moreover, I deny that to be good which hurteth the
possessor. Am I deceived in this? I am sure thou wilt say no. But riches
have often hurt their possessors, since every lewdest companion, who are
consequently most desirous of that which is not their own, think
themselves most worthy to possess alone all the gold and jewels in the
world. Wherefore thou, who with much perturbation fearest now to be
assailed and slain, if thou hadst entered the path of this life like a
poor passenger, needest not be afraid, but mightest rejoice and sing
even in the sight of most ravenous thieves.[110] O excellent happiness
of mortal riches, which, when thou hast gotten, thou hast lost thy
safety!

[110] Cf. Juvenal, _Sat._ x. 19-22.