peace and war; in which Themis- these great men, and why should I tocles, Aristides, and Thucydides, not be allowed to express my sentiwho are here named as patterns of ments? I should say, that virtue, of virtue, excelled. The word age, whatever kind it be, has some elevirtue, in the largest sense, means ments in human nature; in which any power by which a person is na- there are not only powers that fit turally fitted for any particular exer- men for virtue, but certain biases tion or pursuit for which nature dis- and inclinations which, from the first poses him. "Virtue," Aristotle ob- use of reason, determine them to But serves, "is any power, which qualifies some particular kind of life. a person to perform any thing ably, since we have nothing from ourselves, or successfully to accomplish a de- we owe not only the faculties which sign." So we ascribe virtue to the we possess in common with other eye, the power by which we see, men, but our particular propensities, when it performs its office with that qualify us for particular pursuits quickness and correctness. So the to Gax paga, a divine destiny, as virtue of a horse consists in its fitness Socrates says; which, for the purpose for the course, for to carry its rider, of uniting men more closely in society, or to meet the enemy in the field. — has furnished them with various enIf this be the case in other matters, dowments. Men adorned with pecuso virtue, in man, is the habit by liar gifts, either without an instructor, which he becomes good and rightly or certainly without a tutor appropriate performs his duty.-Nicomach, L. 2. to each, attain to distinguishing exc. 5. On these grounds, I am con- cellencies, and perform great things, vinced that the Greek word agn, especially when assisted by art and is derived from the verb aw, to fit experience, On the other hand, they and suit; for human virtue is the who are naturally destitute of such quality that fits him to perform the talents, though they engage eminent duties for which he was designed by masters, make little or no proficiency; nature. The same remark, as we nor reach to any remarkable improvehave seen, applies to all other things. ment even by long labour and practice. This appears more clear, as, after- In this sense, virtue is not taught: and wards, the abilities of the cook, or of to this points all the reasoning of Sothe carpenter, are called virtues. crates. For as to the common offices The word agn, was originally an of life, which lie upon every one, adjective of the feminine gender, like there are none who are not furnished by God with the faculties and progaun, and the word si, disposition, pensities necessary for the discharge or duvaus, power, was understood; of them; when, from experience or or some term which expressed the masters of any sort, they begin to dispositions of mind that fit men for learn those offices. In this view, the duties of society. If more ex- virtue is taught. No man is naturally amples of this be wanted, I would so destitute of powers, but he may refer to the notes of Dionysius Lam- become a good man, a good father, binus on the preceding passage in and a good citizen. On this ground, Aristotle. They are, therefore, very we can make Plato and Socrates agree wide of the mark, who derive the with Plutarch: for this philosopher of word again from Agns, Mars, the name Charonea, wrote a treatise to shew of the god of war; as if it signified that virtue is taught. He is to be military virtue, and was thence trans- understood of that common vinu ferred to other subjects. which is necessary in every walk of life; whereas, Socrates speaks of these singular and eminent attainments, which are not within the reach ot every man. This bias of nature to particular virtues and to excellent deeds, was called nfïa, as Aristelle says; Nichom. L.iii. c. 7. that is, a vas tural, good disposition, born with me, to judge well and according to truth. The question discussed in the foregoing conversation, has been also treated by Plato, in his Menon and Protagoras, and by Maximus Tyrius; Dissert. xvii. and xxxii. M. Ant. Muretus, also, has collected together some opinions on it, on ch. i. b. ii. of Ethicor. Nichomach. If I may be permitted to offer any thing, after "This," he observes," is a most excellent and valuable gift, which cannot be received from others, nor learnt, but is what is born with us. To be so happily and well disposed from birth, is to bring into the world with us a pure and excelleut temperament." Those dispositions of mind, by which any are inclined and fitted, without a master, for any particular virtues, Aristotle calls" natural virtues. Cicero, Tuscul. Quæst. L. iii. c. 1. calls them" instinctive sparks of nature; seeds of the virtues innate in our minds, which, if a man attains to mature age, will lead, by nature, to a happy life." When Socrates speaks of men born good, or being so by the gift of nature; he applies the term good to any virtue, or faculty, on which the discourse turns, whether political or military; and the limits and province of which, especially as far as the manners are concerned, may be easily ascertained. Themistocles and Pericles were endowed with those virtues by which men, whose ambition aspired to the administration of government, might, in those times, attain glory. But it appears, from their lives, that neither of these men were so desirous of serving their country, as they were eager in the pursuit of power and honour. Aristides and Thucydides seem to have been, more worthy men. The word aya, good, as applied in this conversation, means skilful.This sense of the term is adopted in other languages; as a man, who excels in any art, is called a good artist, and in the preceding passages occurs the phrase, a good cook. That the virtues, without which human society could not subsist, can be learnt, is evident from daily experience. For nature excites, and the exaniples and admonitions of the best men exhort us to acquire them. Without the leading of nature, or rather of the Being who is the author of nature, we could never attain to them: but instructi. greatly assists nature, both in what relates to the common duties of life, or if we have in contemplation the exercise, improvement, and perfection of any particnlar virtue. There is an intimate union between nature and cultivation: part, Conveying, inward as they purely roll, Strength to the mind, and vigour to the heart. Francis. Though neither Socrates, nor his friend, could name the masters under which Thucydides and the three other eminent Grecians were formed, yet they had instructors; for all had been educated by parents, not, perhaps, indeed with greater care than others generally were; but they had been trained up under the same teachers as other Athenians, and had followed the same examples with them. But as the latter, being destitute of a favourable natural disposition, made little or no proficiency; the former, by their most happy native bias, reached to the greatest virtues which the times allowed. So, also, though no name of a disciple, moulded by an intimacy with them, was transmitted down, it is not credible that such excellent examples should not have influenced any one. Nay, in after times, there rose up, * Το δε φυα κρατιστον απαν Άνευ δε Θεό, σεσιγά- Fortes creant fortibus et bonis, Hor. Ode L. iv. Od 4. 29. We may wonder that Socrates should mention it as a proof of the good education which Themistocles among the Athenians, great men who does not bear the same meaning in could not have attained to the emi- both cases. Themistocles' fears for nence in virtue they did, if they had himself arose from that goodness, not been stimulated by the exainples which, like Aristides', consisted in of former ages. It is true, however, probity of character. He was willing that not one, who had the singular to instruct his son, or any other per advantage of being educated and form- son, in the arts of a great general, or ed by such examples, attained to the of political rule. These things wara virtue of his instructor. us how we receive, without exani When Socrates asks, whether it nation, the praises bestowed by the would be to the interest of those good ancients; for they not only judge of men, whom he names, to be sur-men and things according to the prinrounded with disciples like them- ciples of their own age, but they do selves? if, by good men, he meant not select, with all the care which those who excelled in moral goodness, they ought to have used, the charac it would have been to their advantage ters they applaud. We should bear to have had very many imitators. But this in mind, that we may not be missuch as were good, in a particular led by their encomiums. sense, as Thucydides and Pericles, might not desire imitators; because such would have been their rivals, and they could not have monopolized gave his son, that he had him taught the power and magistracies as they to sit a horse. What had this to do desired; and, therefore, could not with genuine fortitude? when it ineasily bear those who sood in the way dicated only a strength and dextery te of their advancement. Aristides, to of body, and might exist with the speak on the authority of Cornelius greatest baseness of mind. This was Nepos, contended with Themistocles rather the excellence of a performer for the government. In the case of of feats, than of one who was amthose two men, it appeared how much bitious to head an army. It should eloquence could overcome integrity; seem, from what Socrates says corfor, although Aristides so eminently cerning Cleophantus, that he did not refrained from every thing injurious, excel in the same points with his that he alone, in the memory of man, father; that Themistocles took care was surnamed the Just, yet he was to have him instructed by masters undermined by Themistocles and sent who taught the exercises of the body, into banishment, for ten years, by the but as to his mind, the formation of vote of the people. From the in- which he might have taken on him. stance of Themistocles, and from in- self, or committed to others, he neg numerable others, it is clear, that the lected it. This might not be owing term good is often applied to those to any jealousy; but, because an aniwho are not distinguished by true bitious man is occupied by other sal goodness or probity. Socrates, there- citudes, or because he wanted proper fore, improperly avails himself of the masters. So that virtue could have ambiguity of the word; for he could been taught, although Cleophantus, not but know that Aristides had been through the fault of his parent, had injured, and many other things had not learnt it. He might, perhaps, been done, by Themistocles, contrary be happily formed by nature for the to law and right. Such men as The exercises of the body, but not for the mistocles would prefer commanding virtues of the politician or the geneunprincipled men, who would be ral. subservient to them, to any intercourse with virtuous rivals who would restrain their ambition and keep it within bounds. When Socrates concludes that The mistocles would not be envious of another man's goodness, because he was not jealous of his own son's, the word goodness, as we have observed, Socrates speaks in disparaging terms of Lysimachus. But Plutarch, in bs life of Aristides, after saying that the people of Athens gave a fortune if 3000 drachmas to his daughters, adds, that, at the motion of Alcibiades, they decreed to Lysimachus, his son, 100 mine of silver and as many acres of land, planted with trees, and an the father. forms the mind. Nature, a man says, performs this for me. You are not aware that, in speaking thus, you use the term nature for God: for what is nature, but God himself?" come of four drachmas a day. This peculiar propriety to the judges of the vote seems to have been in honour of Hebrew nation, who, it is plain from the book of Judges, were formed, by As to the sons of Pericles, whom a divine influence, to be the benefacSocrates mentions, Xanthippus died tors of the Hebrew republic. To of the plague; and previously to his adopt the language of Seneca,-"The death there had been an implacable qualities suited to every age of life resentment existing between the fa- and the seeds of all arts are planted in ther and the young man. The ground us. God is the Master, who secretly of it was, that Pericles not only refused to repay a sum of money which the son had borrowed in his father's name, pretending it was by his order, but sued the person who demanded it. If the father's behaviour was too harsh and rigorous; the son did not discover a good disposition. The sons of Pericles were the disciples of Protagoras, who was a sophist rather than a philosopher. They had not a turn of mind necessary for the administration YE mortals, who traverse the of a state, or the direction of an army; gloomy paths of life, fainting at though they had, perhaps, talents for every step beneath a load of grief, other pursuits. Plato says, that Peri- bend your ears to my instructions, cies had, in those respects, neglected and I will shew you where pleasure the education of his sons: for though is to be found. Let each moment of he chose for them proper masters of your life be employed, but think not music and wrestling, &c. as to those by study to gain amusement or deother attainments, in which he himself excelled, he neither instructed them himself, nor committed them, for tuition, to any other person. The Thucydides, mentioned by Socrates, was not the historian, but a leader of a faction, of whom Marcellinus speaks in his life of the historian; whom he calls the son of MeJisias, not Milesias, as it is commonly written. Plutarch, in his life of Pericles, says, that he was a person of great credit, and one who for a long time bandied against Pericles in the government; and relates this anecdote of him: When Archidamus, the king of the Lacedæmoniaus, asked him whether he or Pericles were the better wrestler, he made this answer: " when I," saith he, have thrown him, and given him a fair fall, he, by standing out in the denial, saying that he had no fall, gets the better of me, and persuades people into a belief of what he says, whether they will or no, though they saw the quité contrary." Plutarch's Lives, vol. p.111. 2 imo. 1740. What Socrates observes, towards the close, of good men being raised up, when it is the will of Providence, to bless a nation, may be applied with SOLOMON in SEARCH of HAP PINESS. [Continued from Vol. x111. p. 358.] light; let health be your hope, and pleasure your object. Forsake the difficult and fatiguing paths where labour awaits you; shun that perpetual inquietude into which a state of doubt impels you, and follow the flowery ways which lead to joy and tranquillity. Abandon that which can instruct you, for that which can please you be prodigal of your gold, and obtain enjoyment: finally, let your reason be under the subjection of your senses. Thus I communed with myself; I have tried what opulence can effect when employed by pride. I wholly disregarded the affairs of the state; I yielded myself up to the influence of architects, and their plans; the weight of government was alleviated by the novelty of their designs. I have founded palaces, I have erected temples: they have glittered with the gold of Ophir, and the precious stones of the east. I have cultivated gardens; I have made the rose to bloom where the thistle only reared / its head; I have decked each barren spot with pleasing verdure; where sterility once reigned, now the pomegranate and the blushing grape offer their nectarious juices. In the en by the most perplexing thoughts:— by day, they followed me to the deepest shades; by night, in horrid dreams they vexed my soul. Ó my soul, adopt a different manner; to magnificence add the power of music: try if melody can assuage thy pains, and if harmonious sounds can give thee that pleasure of which thou art now bereft. Our poets and sages have often said that music can tame the most furious animal; that it can appease the ferocity of the ti ger and the voraciousness of the wolf. The lion, attentive to the power of song, fawns on his keeper; and the lynx forgets its aversion for manAre we, alas! more savage than the animals? and shall music not be able to calm the inquietude of our soul? My wishes were made known, and chosen choirs made my temples reecho with harmonious sounds. The lyre softened the clang of the tambourin; the shrillness of the trumpet joined in the modulations of the Dorian flute. In the morning I was roused from sleep by the most ani mated airs; they announced the birt of day, and celebrated its beauties: at night I was lulled to repose, bị soft and soothing airs my senses were plunged in rapture and delight.Vain were all my projects: music created melancholy; the most an mated airs ceased to make but a slight impression on my soul, and the grave: sounds inflicted a pain on my heart. virons of my palace I have collected all the animals which people the earth. I can see the lion shake his mane with anger, and tremble not at his wrath: I can hear the tiger and the leopard roar, and feel delighted with the sound; I can watch the galled hyena gnawing at his chain, and smile at his useless rage. I can feast my eyes with the variegated plumage of the Indian bird, and my ears can be enraptured with the dulcet notes of the nightingale. The trees, transplanted by mycare,are invigorated and assume a fresh existence. The shades of Asia cover the land of Juda. -Where impenetrable forests once spread their disheartening gloom, now fertile meadows yield their precious fruits. The mountains levelled by the labour of my slaves, no more confine my prospect. The rivers, diverted from their courses by the force of art, rise in fountains in the air, or form an artificial cascade. The marble, conveyed from the extremity of Africa, form the spacious dome and the superb colonnade on which the groves and the hanging gardens delight the eye. The mechanics obey the voice of their master; they gild the towers and paint the walls, and elevate my thrones on steps of jasper. The cedars which have been felled more than an age, are carved by the most skilful artists, and adorn the roofs of my apartments. An infinite number of young women are employed in embroidering the purple bed which is I commanded the youths of both destined to ornament the royal apart- sexes to appear before me, and, by ment. Tyre acknowledges that its dancing, to add to the power of music. magazines are exhausted, and that the Useless efforts: I despised their panmurex is to be found no longer in its tomines; for that which engages seas. The mountains of Paros and of heart ought to merit our esteem. It Lybia regret the marble which has appeared to me that nature acted too been extracted from them, and the low a part in submitting its motions forests of India complain that the race to the rules of art; and I discovered, of elephants is extinct. My plans with chagrin, that the hand of the were executed at an enormous ex- musician had too great a power over pense. I contemplated their com- the mind of the dancer. pletion, and was struck with admi- In the pleasures of the table I ration. Reflection at last arose, and sought for that satisfaction and deI condemned my too great precipi- light which appeared to shun metation; for the work being completed, In wine I hoped to drown everyr sig the pleasure had vanished. care; but after every feast, in which Melancholy penetrated into my the appetite was pampered, and the new abode, and ennui began to at- most luscious wines gratified the potack me. In vain I sought repose on late, a restless sleep and harassing beds of purple; I arose from them dreams succeeded: and when, at break unrefreshed. My mind was harassed of day, my reason returned, and dissi the |