26. R. Thou mayest note that it is not for naught that our reasoning has taken so wide a round. For we were inquiring what is Truth, which not even now, in this very forest of thoughts and things, beguiling our steps into an infinity of paths, have we, as I see, been able to track out to the end. But what are we to do? Shall we desist from our undertaking, and wait in hope that some book or other may fall into our hands, which may satisfy this question? For many, I think, have written before our age, whom we have not read: and now, to give no guess at what we do not know, we see plainly that there is much writing upon this theme, both in verse and prose; and that by men whose writings cannot be unknown to us, and whose genius we know to be such, that we cannot despair of finding in their works what we require: especially when here before our eyes is he in whom we have recognized that eloquence for which we mourned as dead, to have revived in vigorous life. Will he suffer us, after having in his writings taught us the true manner of living, to remain ignorant of the true nature of living? A. I indeed do not think so, and hope much from thence but one matter of grief I have, that we have not opportunity of opening to him our zealous affection either towards him or towards Wisdom. For assuredly he would pity our thirst and would overflow much more quickly than now. For he is secure, because he has now won a full conviction of the immortality of the soul, and perhaps knows not that there are any, who have only too well experienced the misery of this ignorance, and whom it is cruel not to aid, especially when they entreat it. But that other knows indeed from old familiarity our ardor of longing; but he is so far removed, and we are so circumstanced, that we have scarcely the opportunity of so much as sending a letter to him. Whom I believe to have lately in Transalpine retirement composed a spell, under whose ban the fear of death is compelled to flee, and the cold stupor of the soul, indurate with lasting ice, is expelled. But in the meantime, while these helps are leisurely making their way hither, a benefit which it is not in our power to command, is it not most unworthy that our leisure should be wasting, and our very mind hang wholly dependent on the uncertain decision of another’s will?

26. R. Vides quam non frustra tantos circuitus egerit nostra ratiocinatio. Quaerebamus enim quid sit veritas, quod ne nunc quidem in hac quadam silva rerum, omnibus pene callibus oberratis, video nos investigare potuisse. Sed quid facimus? An incoepta omittimus, et exspectamus ecquid nobis librorum alienorum in manus incidat, quod huic quaestioni satisfaciat? Nam et multos ante nostram aetatem scriptos esse arbitror, quos non legimus: et nunc, ut nihil quod nescimus opinemur, manifestum habemus, et carmine de hac re scribi, et soluta oratione; et ab iis viris quorum nec scripta latere nos possunt, et eorum ingenia talia novimus, ut nos in eorum litteris quod volumus, inventuros desperare non possimus: praesertim cum hic ante oculos nostros sit ille, in quo ipsam eloquentiam quam mortuam dolebamus, perfectam revixisse cognovimus . Illene nos sinet, cum scriptis suis vivendi modum docuerit, vivendi ignorare naturam? A. Non arbitror equidem et multum inde spero, sed unum doleo quod vel erga se, vel erga sapientiam studium nostrum non ei ut volumus, valemus aperire. Nam profecto ille misereretur sitim nostram, et exundaret multo citius quam nunc Securus enim est, quod sibi jam totum de animae immortalitate persuasit, nec scit aliquos esse fortasse, qui hujus ignorationis miseriam satis cognoverunt, et quibus praesertim rogantibus non subvenire crudele sit. Ille autem alius novit quidem pro familiaritate ardorem nostrum; sed ita longe abest, et ita nunc constituti sumus, ut vix ad eum vel epistolae mittendae facultas sit . Quem credo jam otio Transalpino perfecisse carmen quo mortis metus excantatus effugiat, et antiqua glacie duratus animae stupor frigusque pellatur. Sed interim dum ista proveniunt, quae in nostra potestate non sunt, nonne turpissimum est perire 0898 otium nostrum, et totum ipsum animum ex incerto arbitrio pendere deligatum?