XI. When thou art hard to he stirred up and awaked out of
thy sleep, admonish thyself and call to mind, that, to perform
actions tending to the common good is that which thine own
proper constitution, and that which the nature of man do require.
]3ut to sleep, is common to unreasonable creatures also.
And what more proper and natural, yea what more kind and pleasing,
than that which is according to nature?

XII. As every fancy and imagination presents itself unto thee, consider
(if it be possible) the true nature, and the proper qualities of it,
and reason with thyself about it.

XIII. At thy first encounter with any one, say presently to thyself:
This man, what are his opinions concerning that which is good or evil?
as concerning pain, pleasure, and the causes of both; concerning honour,
and dishonour, concerning life and death? thus and thus. Now if it be
no wonder that a man should have such and such opinions, how can it be
a wonder that he should do such and such things ? I will remember then,
that he cannot but do as he doth, holding those opinions that he doth.
Remember, that as it is a shame for any man to wonder that a fig tree
should bear figs, so also to wonder that the world should bear anything,
whatsoever it is which in the ordinary course of nature it may bear.
To a physician also and to a pilot it is a shame either for the one
to wonder, that such and such a one should have an ague; or for the other,
that the winds should prove Contrary.

XIV. Remember, that to change thy mind upon occasion, and to
follow him that is able to rectify thee, is equally ingenuous,
as to find out at the first, what is right and just, without help.