Mors omnibus communis.

We must all die, we should, therefore, frequently meditate on this our common destiny, which is equally incident to the young and the old, the strong and the weak; no age, no state of health affording security against the stroke of death. Whence is it then, that we treat this common guest as a stranger, and appear to be surprised when he has taken from us any near relative or friend? In this town we have a regular yearly account of the number of deaths that occur within a certain distance; this, besides the purpose of recording the diseases which occasion the greatest destruction, for which it seems to have been originally formed, should have the further use of familiarizing us with death, and as it appears that that from 18 to 20,000 persons die yearly within the compass of a few miles, it ought not to seem extraordinary that ourselves, or any of our families should be of the number; it should rather be expected. A friend, condoling with Anaxagoras, on the death of his son, and expressing a more than ordinary concern on the occasion, was told by that philosopher, «Sciebam mortalem me genuisse filium», «that he had never thought his son to be immortal». And Xenophantes receiving similar intelligence, hearing that his son died fighting bravely for his country, said, «I did not make it my request to the Gods that my son might be immortal, or that he should be long lived, for it is not manifest whether this was convenient for him or no; but that he might have integrity in his principles and be a lover of his country, and now I have my desire!».

«The time of being here we style amiss,
We call it life, but truly labour 'tis».
(Plutarch, Consolation to Apollonius)

These men, therefore, it may be presumed, had well considered the subject. From the aversion that many persons have of speaking thinking of death, it would seem as if they thought that by such meditation they should accelerate its approach; but it would probably have the contrary effect, for as a large portion of the diseases and deaths of such as live to an adult age are occasioned by intemperance, a serious contemplation of that circumstance might wean them from their irregularities, and so prolong their lives; or if it did not produce that effect, it might enable them to meet death with firmness as a guest that was daily expected :

«Fleres si scires unum tua tempora mensem,
Rides, cum non sit forsitan una dies».

You would weep if you knew you had only one month to live, yet you pass your time in gaiety and folly, though perhaps you may not live a single day. It is not meant by what is here said, that we should not have a proper relish for life, or that we should be indifferent about its extinction ;

«For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey,
This pleasing anxious being e'er resigned,
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
Nor cast one longing lingering wish behind?"

But as we know we must die, we should be at all times ready to meet our fate when the hour approaches.