Mans Looking-Glass, Title page – Dedication
Heraclitus, OR Mans Looking-glass AND SVRVEY OF LIFE.
Written in French by Peter du Moulin, and Translated into English, By Sir H. L' Estr.
LONDON, Printed for Henry Seile, over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, 1652.
To the Reader.
IT is now above 40 years since I translaed this piece out of French, and laid it by in loose papers, intending to have published and exposed the same to common Test; but soon after I understood that I was prevented by anothers labour that stept into the Press before me: nevertheless, because the other is now antiquated and forgotten; and that upon my review, I may happily have phrased the Authors meaning more aptly to the modern mode & acceptation of the English tongue, for
Non verbum verbo curabit redaere fidus
Interpres—
A just translatour must not strive to follow the Author word for word, but to speak his sense to the most life of the others Language; and because the moment of this subject cannot be too often inculcated (as the Great Doctor of the Gentiles saies, It grieves me not to write the same things, for you it is sure) and that this book is no other than a perfect Map of Man, and Anatomie of all ages; A Nosce teipsim, which is the highest Pitch, and hardest Lesson of all humane Learning; An Vniversall Dyall, which (though made in France) yet serves (without any Astronomicall reduction) for all Meridians, and shews how the minutes of mans life pass away from the first rising to the last setting thereof, and even from Solomon upon his golden Throne, to Iob scraping himself with Potsheards upon the ash-heap; for Statutum est omnibus mori, what man is he that shall not see death? (as David said it, and saw it) and after that comes Iudgment to Heaven or Hell for ever. For these reasons I have awakened these lines out of their Lethargie, and caused them to speak after so long silence to a people that never more needed good Counsell, and is ripe for the sharpest severity and sickle of Gods Iudgment. Let us therefore continually watch, that neither the World, the Flesh, or the Devill plunder us of the richest Jewel of our Souls (which cost the greateest price that ever was) but study dayly, how and why we came hither, what we do here, whither we go, and in this minute, moment, mite, and mote of time (while it is called to day) to work out our salvation (before the evill day coms when, of al the cumber and cares of Honour, profit, and the dunghillaComparatively. delights of this World) we shall say I have no pleasure in them, and shall fall under the fearfull and finall doom of eternall Sequestration both of Body and Soul. Now to quicken the appetite of Meditation herein, let us to all our thoughts, words, and actions, set this for Centinell, Vidit, Venit, Deus. God Sees and Comes.
H. L'Estr.
To the illustrious Princesse Madamoiselle Anne de Rohan.
Madam,
THis Book that fights against Vanity is justly yours, because you have overcome it; we sight against it in words, you overcome it in actions; actions so much better than words, as health is better than Physick, and Victory than the Battell. Your name alone in the front of my Book shal give me my lesson, for if I will paint out Vices with my pen, your life is a pattern of opposite Vertues: Nay to speak truly, you teach me what to write, for when I would picture out vices, I set before me the contrary of that which I behold and admire in you, To have often the word of God in your hand, but more often in your mouth; To be dayly praying; To be adorned with modesty without art; To open the hand to the afflicted, and shut the ear against vices; To be freely religious without scruple (which makes Christian wisdom affected austerity) are vertues which the greatness of your family makes more remarkable, and the corruption of this age more admirable; an age wherein vices are manners, wherein prophane vanity and vilany become Nature, and turn into complexion; amidst all this darkness you shine as a Candle in the night. I know well your modesty likes not this discourse, but the publique utility requires it, that all may know what esteem we make of vertue, and that vices which come up of themselves, and grow without watering, may find argument from you either to amend or condemne them; this is also an honour to us, that the sacred seed which we sow falls upon so good a ground, and proves so fruitfull, and that there are examples among us, shewing the difference btwixt true Godliness, and that superstitious devotion which thinks to amuse God with gestures, and binds it self strictly to certain numbers of reiterated words, and reduceth Religion to the singers end.
Having now Madam so many just causes to present this book unto you, yet I durst never undertake it, had not you commanded it. I am not stuffed with ornaments according to the distastfull humour of this age; I cannot ruffle it out in swelling termes, and fullblown bubbles of words, which are for none but brave spirits; I cannot talk of Barricadoes of vices, or Scaladoes of vertues, nor call Iesus Christ the Daulphin of heaven;As Father Cotton in his printed Meditations. I do not compose prayers upon a Fan or a Nosegay; I am content to speak French, and aym at nothing but to be understood, and in deciphring vices to plant in mens minds the contempt of the World, and the love of God; in low tearms I discourse of high matters, and paint out light with a coale; a fault which partly may be imputed to mine own dullness, partly to my tossed and troubled condition; It is not easy to study among gunshot, nor to mount the spirits high, when a thousand things interpose and pluck them down again and stop their flight: But the same your goodness which moved you to perswade me to write, will perswade you to bear with my imperfections, considering also that at the first it was not my purpose this writing should come abroad, and therefore I bestowed less care to dress it: Now that it is come forth by your command, you shall receive it from the hand of him who prayes to God for the greatness and prosperity of your thrice Noble Family (which God hath honoured with his sacred Covenant) and from him whose chief ambition is ever to obey you, and while he lives to be
Your most Humble, and Dutifull Servant, P. d. M.