Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/19

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petition; And here by the way, Juvenal was much mistaken in saying that the Cynicks differ'd from the Stoicks in nothing but in wearing fewer Cloaths; [1] Whereas the Stoicks hated the Cynical Uncleanliness both in Habit and Behaviour, as highly Scandalous and Dishonourable to Humane Nature. [2] To return, neither do I think the Scepticism of the New Academy worth the bringing into the Lists: For what regard is to be had to those People that distrust their Sences, and destroy the Grounds of all Science? that Degrade a Man from the privilege of his Reason, make his Body and Soul Insignificant, and neither allow him Eyes, or Understanding to any purpose.

I shall therefore proceed to those Sages who have been more happy in their pursuits of Wisdom, who have Cultivated Philosophy better, been better Follow'd, and gained more Credit in the World. And here I shall begin with the Old Academicks and Peripateticks, who were Plato's Disciples: And since these two Sects are the same in their Tenents, and differ only in their Names, and the Places where they first set up; [3] I shall for Brevity sake joyn them both together. Under this Distinction Aristotle was the most Eminent Person; He was indeed a very extraordi-

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nary
  1. Juven, Sat. 13.
  2. Laert. Lib 7. Epictet. Dissert. Lib 4. cap. 11. Senec. Epist. 92.
  3. The first studied in the Academia, and the other in the Lycæum: Cicer Acad. Lib. 1.