Sublime

Spinoza’s metaphysic is the best example of what may be called “logical monism”—the doctrine, namely, that the world as a whole is a single substance, none of whose parts are logically capable of existing alone. The ultimate basis for this view is the belief that every proposition has a single subject and a single predicate, which leads us to the

le sage ne se croit indigne d'aucun des dons du hasard ; non qu'il aime les richesses, mais il les préfère : ce n'est pas dans son âme, c'est dans sa maison qu'il les loge ; il n'en répudie pas la possession, mais il les domine : il n'est point fâché qu'une plus ample matière soit fournie à sa vertu.

Do what is necessary according to your natural, social logic. For this brings not only the tranquility that comes from doing well, but also that which comes from doing less. Most of what we do is unnecessary...take away the unnecessary parts, and you have more time for leisure and less anxiety.

Alcuni cercano di ritirarsi fra i campi, al mare, sui monti, e tu pure desideri ardentemente questi luoghi, d’abitudine; ma tutto ciò è degno d’un uomo volgare e ignorante, ché tu puoi, quando tu lo voglia, ritirarti in te medesimo4. Infatti, l’uomo non si può ritirare in alcun posto nel quale sia tranquillità maggiore o calma piú assoluta che non

To achieve satisfaction in everything, Desire it in nothing. To possess everything, Desire to have nothing. To be everything, Desire to be nothing. To know everything, Desire to know nothing.17