All our senses should be trained to be strong. They can naturally endure much, as long as our mind doesn't weaken them. The mind ought to be examined daily. Sextius had a habit — when the day was over and he went to bed, he would question his mind: "What bad habit did you cure today? What vice did you stop? How are you better?" Anger will fade and become gentler if it knows that every day it must appear before the judgment seat. What could be more wonderful than this way of reviewing the whole day? How sweet is the sleep that follows this self-examination! How calm, how deep, and how peaceful it is when our mind has received either praise or criticism, and when our secret judge and critic has made his report about our character.
All our senses should be educated into strength: they are naturally able to endure much, provided that the spirit forbears to spoil them. The spirit ought to be brought up for examination daily. It was the custom of Sextius when the day was over, and he had betaken himself to rest, to inquire of his spirit: “What bad habit of yours have you cured to-day? what vice have you checked? in what respect are you better?” Anger will cease, and become more gentle, if it knows that every day it will have to appear before the judgment seat. What can be more admirable than this fashion of discussing the whole of the day’s events? how sweet is the sleep which follows this self-examination? how calm, how sound, and careless is it when our spirit has either received praise or reprimand, and when our secret inquisitor and censor has made his report about our morals?