Moral Letters to Lucilius Section 8

Sed non multum ad tranquillitatem locus confert; animus est, qui sibi commendet omnia. Vidi ego in villa hilari et amoena maestos, vidi in media solitudine occupatis similes. Quare non est quod existimes ideo parum bene conpositum esse te, quod in Campania non es. Quare autem non es? Huc usque cogitationes tuas mitte.

Mais est-ce bien tel ou tel lieu qui contribue beaucoup à la tranquillité ? L’âme seule donne à toutes choses le prix qu’elles ont pour elle. J’ai vu de délicieuses campagnes habitées par des cœurs chagrins : j’ai vu en pleine solitude le même trouble que chez les gens les plus affairés. Garde-toi donc de penser que

si ton âme n'est point entièrement calme, c'est que tu n'es pas en Campanie.

The place where one lives, however, can contribute little towards tranquillity; it is the mind which must make everything agreeable to itself. I have seen men despondent in a gay and lovely villa, and I have seen them to all appearance full of business in the midst of a solitude. For this reason you should not refuse to believe that your life is well-placed merely because you are not now in Campania. But why are you not there? Just let your thoughts travel, even to this place.