They shall see the time likely to be so short that their honour and
authority by nature shall endure, beside the manifold chances by
which they may lose it sooner. And then, when they see that they
must needs leave it--the thing which they did much more set their
hearts upon than ever they had reasonable cause--what sorrow they
take for it, that shall I not need to tell you.
And thus it seemeth unto me, cousin, in good faith, that since in
the having of authority the profit is not great, and the
displeasures neither small nor few; and since of the losing there
are so many sundry chances and by no means a man can keep it long;
and since to part from it is such a painful grief: I can see no
very great cause for which, as a high worldly commodity, men should
greatly desire it.
XII
And thus far have we considered hitherto, in these outward goods
that are called the gifts of fortune, only the slender commodity
that worldly-minded men have by them. But now, if we consider
further what harm to the soul they take by them who desire them
only for the wretched wealth of this world, then shall we well
perceive how far more happy is he who well loseth them than he who
ill findeth them.
These things are such as are of their own nature indifferent--that
is, of themselves neither good nor bad--but are matter that may
serve to the one or the other according as men will use them.
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