Ch. 15
Concerning those who obstinately persist in whatever they have determined.
Some, when they hear such discourses as these,
" That we ought to be steadfast; that the will is
by nature free and unconstrained; and that all else is
liable to restraint, compulsion, slavery, and tyranny,"
imagine that they must remain immutably fixed to
everything which they have determined. But it is
first necessary that the determination should be a
wise one. I agree that there should be sinews in the
body, but such as in a healthy, an athletic body; for
if you show me that you exhibit the [convulsed] sinews of a lunatic, and value yourself upon that, I will
say to you, Seek a physician, man; this is not muscular vigor, but is really enervation. Such is the
distemper of mind in those who hear these discourses
in a wrong manner; like an acquaintance of mine,
who, for no reason, had determined to starve himself
to death. I went the third day, and inquired what
was the matter. He answered, " I am determined."
Well; but what is your motive? For if your de-
termination be right, we will stay, and assist your
departure; but, if unreasonable, change it. "We
ought to keep our determinations." What do you
mean, sir? Not all of them; but such as are right.
Else, if you should fancy that it is night, if this be
your principle, do not change, but persist, and say,
"We ought to keep to our determinations." What
do you mean, sir? Not to all of them. Why do you
not begin by first laying the foundation, inquiring
whether your determination be a sound one or not,
and then build your firmness and constancy upon it.
For if you lay a rotten and crazy foundation, you
must not build; since the greater and more weighty
the superstructure, the sooner will it fall. Without
any reason, you are withdrawing from us, out of life,
a friend, a companion, a fellow-citizen both of the
greater and the lesser city; and while you are committing murder, and destroying an innocent person,
you say, "We must keep to our determinations."
Suppose, by any means, it should ever come into
your head to kill me; must you keep such a
determination?
With difficulty this person was, however, at last
convinced; but there are some at present whom
there is no convincing. So that now I think I understand, what before I did not, the meaning of that
common saying, that a fool will neither bend nor
break. May it never fall to my lot to have a wise,
that is. an untractable, fool for my friend. " It is all
to no purpose; I am determined." So are madmen
too; but the more strongly they are determined upon
absurdities, the more need have they of hellebore.
Why will you not act like a sick person, and apply
yourself to a physician? "Sir, I am sick. Give
me your assistance; consider what I am to do. It is
my part to follow your directions." So say in the
present case: " I know not what I ought to do; and
I am come to learn." " No; but talk to me about
other things; for upon this I am determined." What
other things? What is of greater consequence, than
to convince you that it is not sufficient to be determined, and to persist? This is the vigor of a madman; not of one in health. " I will die, if you compel me to this." Why so, man; what is the matter?
" I am determined." I have a lucky escape, that it
is not your determination to kill me. " I will not be
bribed [from my purpose]." Why so? " I am determined." Be assured, that with that very vigor
which you now employ to refuse the bribe, you may
hereafter have as unreasonable a propensity to take
it; and again to say, "I am determined." As, in a
distempered and rheumatic body, the humor tends
sometimes to one part, sometimes to another; thus it
is uncertain which way a sickly mind will incline.
But if to its inclination and bent a spasmodic vigor
be likewise added, the evil then becomes desperate
and incurable.