[33] The difficulty was raised by the clashing of a notion commonly
held, and a fact universally experienced. Most people conceive that
Happiness should be abiding, every one knows that fortune is
changeable. It is the notion which supports the definition, because we
have therein based Happiness on the most abiding cause.
[34] I have taken τούτον αὐτῶν to refer to ἐπιστημῶν, against Magirus
and the Paraphrase of Andronicus Rhodius. I would refer to Aristotle’s
account of θεωρία in the Tenth Book, chap. vii. where he expressly says
of the working of νοῦς or pure intelect, that it is “most continuous.”
[35] The term seems to be employed advisedly. The Choragus, of
course, dressed his actors _for their parts;_ not according to their
fancies or his own.
Hooker has (E. P. v. ixxvi. 5) a passage which seems to be an admirable
paraphrase on this.
“Again, that the measure of our outward prosperity be taken by
proportion with that which every man’s estate in this present life
requireth. External abilities are instruments of action. It contenteth
wise artificers to have their instruments proportionable to their work,
rather fit for use than huge and goodly to please the eye. Seeing then
the actions of a servant do not need that which may be necessary for
men of calling and place in the world, neither men of inferior
condition many things which greater personages can hardly want; surely
they are blessed in worldly respects who have wherewith to perform what
their station and place asketh, though they have no more.”
[36] Always bearing in mind that man “never continueth in one stay.”
[37] The meaning is this: personal fortunes, we have said, must be in
certain weight and number to affect our own happiness, this will be
true, of course, of those which are reflected on us from our friends:
and these are the only ones to which the dead are supposed to be
liable? add then the difference of sensibility which it is fair to
presume, and there is a very small residuum of joy or sorrow.
[38] This is meant for an exhaustive division of goods, which are
either so _in esse_ or _in posse_.
If _in esse_, they are either above praise, or subjects of praise.
Those _in posse_, here called faculties, are good only when rightly
used. Thus Rhetoric is a faculty which may be used to promote justice
or abused to support villainy. Money in like way.
[39] The doubt is, whether [Greek] or [Greek] is the subject of the
sentence. It is translated as above, not merely with reference to the
sense of this passage, but on a comparison with a similar one in Book
X. chap 8. [Greek].
[40] Eudoxus, a philosopher holding the doctrine afterwards adopted by
Epicurus respecting pleasure, but (as Aristotle testifies in the Tenth
Book) of irreproachable character.
[41] See the Rhetoric, Book I. chap ix.
[42] The unseen is at least as real as the seen.