is made with the precifion of a philofopher, and every defcription is drawn with the accuracy of a fpectator. The Plague of Athens is fo fully reprefented, and its fymptoms fo well defcribed, that we seem to behold its fatal ravages. In the account of the expedition to Sicily, we feem to accompany the Athenian army to the harbour, and to fet fail with the exulting fleet. His, words are felect, and pregnant with meaning, his manner of thinking is dignified, and his obfervations are fagacious and profound. As a proof of his impartiality, he no where expreffes refentment or indignation against the party of Cleon, at whofe instigation he was banished from Athens. His ftyle is fometimes obfcure, particularly in the fpeeches, yet through the obfcurity a certain brightnefs appears, which like the flashes of lightning in a dark night, breaks forth and dazzles his readers.

SOCRATES, the wifeft and beft of heathen Philofophers, had in his youth the advantages of educa tion from Anaxagoras, who was verfed in the pureft doctrines of the Ionian School, and from Prodicus the moft excellent of the Sophifts As a foldier he fignalifed. his valour at the fiege of Potidea, and in the courfe of his military career, refcued both Alcibiades and Xenophon his friends and difciples from death. In defiance of the

For thefe accounts of Socrates, Plato, Xenophon, and Ariftotle, the author is much indebted to Enfield's Abridgment of Brucker's Philofophy.

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treachery

treachery and the violence of factions, he maintained with undaunted spirit the rights of his fellow Citizens against the oppreffion of the thirty tyrants who governed Athens. As he profeffed to be infpired by his guardian fpirit whom he calls his demon, he came forth as the public inftructor of his Countrymen, Obferving how much the minds of young men were perverted, and their principles depraved by the mercenary Sophifts who taught falfe eloquence and fpecious logic, he determined to reform this pernicious mode of education. His correct and exemplary conduct prepared the way for the admiffion of his precepts. He was temperate in his diet, plain in his drefs, placid in his behaviour, and kept his paffions, which were naturally strong, under the ftricteft controul of reafon, Thus qualified as a genuine Philofopher he confi dered Athens as his fchool, and frequented the public walks, and places of exercife to inftruct all with whom he happened to converfe. His felect Pupils confifted of young men of the most refpectable families; but indigent as he was, no folicitations could induce him to receive any reward for his inftructions. He deduced the leffons of morality from the principles of natural religion, and wishing to raise the minds of his pupils above the popular fuperftition of his country he led them to the knowledge of the great Creator of the Univerfe, taught the doctrine of his over-ruling Providence, difplayed the proofs of his univerfal goodness, and maintained the probability of a future ftate of rewards and punishments. While the Sophifts encouraged

encouraged the pride of the understanding, he inculcated humility, as the only folid bafis of wifdom. Convinced of the narrow limits of the intellectual powers, and the fcanty portion of human knowledge, he declared that "all he knew was that he knew nothing." His favourite method of inftruction confifted in afking a feries of queftions, in order to lead the perfon with whom he converfed to the conclufion which he had in view. Thus might his pupil deduce the truths of which his acute and inquifitive mafter wifhed to convince him from his own conceffions. This is called the Socratic argument. His converfation was fometimes ironical, fometimes ferious; but never acrimonious, or malevolent. He valued knowledge only by its application to the duties of life, and it was a beautiful obfervation of Cicero, that Socrates was the firft who called down Philofophy from heaven to dwell upon earth, introduced her into the public affemblies, and private retirements of men, that the might perform her nobleft office of inftructing them in virtue. A man fo excellent was likely to excite envy, as well as to infpire veneration. Expofed firft upon the Athenian ftage, as an object of ridicule by Ariftophanes in his Comedy of the Clouds, and afterwards accufed by Anytus and Melitus, the one an envious Poet, the other a venal Rhetorician; as a corrupter of the morals of young men, and an eneiny to the established religion, he was brought to a public trial. He made his defence with the boldness and the dignity of confcious innocence, and maintained,

tained, that fo far from being a proper object of punishment, his endeavours to teach his countrymen the principles of virtue, had deferved a higher reward than was affigned to thofe who conquered in the Olympic games. A finall majority of his judges unconvinced by his arguments, condemned him to die by the poison of hemlock. The clofing fcenes of his life were confiftent with his former conduct. He nobly rejected the offer made by his Pupil Crito to procure his efcape from prifon, and continued to inftruct his pupils, during the interval of time which paffed between his fentence and its execution, upon the most important fubjects. Contemplating his approaching death rather as a fubject of joy than of lamentation, and looking forward to the happy ftate in which he should converse with the greatest heroes of antiquity, and with those who like himfelf had undefervedly fuffered by the decifion of unjuft judges, he pro nounced an animated difcourfe on a future ftate, and the immortality of the foul. He received the fatal cup from the hand of the executioner without change of countenance, and drank the poifon with perfect compofure.

Such was the end of the virtuous Socrates, whofe ftory, faid Cicero, I can never perufe without tears He died aged 70, B. C. 396. The envy and jealoufy which had caufed his death, did not long remain unpunished. The news of this event excited general indignation throughout Greece. The Athenians quickly became fenfible of their irreparable lofs, and influ enced

VOL. I.

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enced by their characteristic caprice, turned their vengeance upon the accufers, punished Melitus with death, and Anytus to escape the fame fate, went into exile. For a time they fufpended all public bufinefs, put on mourning, and erected, in one of the moft frequented parts of Athens, a ftatue to the memory of Socrates. He left no writings, his doctrines and conduct may be best collected from the works of Plato and Xenophon; differing in their habits of thinking and modes of life, they agree in bearing the moft honourable teftimony to the wifdom, the pure manners, the active benevolence, and the ufeful precepts of their illustrious Mafter'.

PLATO, a defcendant of the Legislator Solon, re} linquished the purfuits of Poetry to attend the lectures of Socrates. He enlarged his obfervations by travelling, was inftructed in the doctrines of Pythagoras upon the coafts of Magna Græcia by Philolaus, Archytas, and Eurytus, and extended his excurfions to the banks of the Nile, there to dearn Aftronomy from Theodorus, and Metaphyfics from the Priefts of Egypt. On his return to Athens he established the Academy, and in that delightful retirement adorned with Temples and Statues, fhaded with lofty planes, and watered by the ftream of Iliffus, he gave lectures, and numbered among his fcholars Dion the Syracufan Prince, Hyperides, Demofthenes, and Ifocrates.

See the fine conclufion of Xenophon's Memorabilia, lib. 4. Sect. XI. and of the Phædou of Plato, Sec. 67. blous

All