fense, and fuch original thoughts,* such virtuous principles, fuch benevolence and love of mankind, and fuch a religious regard to the common rights of his fellow-creatures; that a fyftem of morality might be extracted from them, only furpaffed by that of the gospel; and a fyftem of politics not furpaffed even by the refinements of modern patriotifm.

These maxims are not the reveries of a private reclufe; but the reflexions of a statesman, a foldier, and a fovereign prince, engaged in the tumultuous

* By original thoughts, however, in a highly polished state of society, little more can be meant than the setting in a new light

"What oft was thought, but ne'er fo well

express'd."

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fcenes

fcenes of life; and most of them fuggefted by actual fituations.

I do not confider fuch unconnected precepts, however, as forming a volume that any one will read through at a fitting; but as a " book to lie in a parlour window," (as Montaigne fays) from which a man may pick up fome useful hints while he is waiting for his dinner.

A lady in private life, equally dif tinguished by her piety and her ingenuity, affured me, many years fince, that she had received more advantage, in her youth, from the morals of Epictetus, (whom Marcus Aurelius often imitates, and sometimes excels) than from any book fhe ever read-except her bible.

Thefe reflections on his own conduct, indeed, inculcate, with great force, our duty to GOD, our neighbour, and ourselves; which comprehends the chief duties of a Christian. And it is evident, that the philofophical Earl of Shaftesbury was greatly indebted to our author, and other writers of the porch and of the old academy, for his refined system of morality and fublime theism. For, though the character of an humble Christian might be thought beneath the dignity of a British peer, the pride of a stoic would prevent him from acting beneath the dignity of human nature.

Yet after all that can be faid in favour of our author's writings, and those

of any unenlightened pagan moralist, there are such strange defects and inconfiftencies to be found in their opinions and precepts, as fufficiently shew the neceflity of some authoritative republication of the law of nature; (fuch as Socrates wished for) and fuch as the greateft fceptic (one would think) must acknowledge to have been made by the author of our religion.

Perhaps then the combating vice with the weapons of philofophy, instead of those of the Gofpel, at this time of day, may be thought as trifling and childish, as our gentlemen archers reviving the use of the bow, fince the invention of guns; yet I should hope, it would be more than mere amusement,

for

for those who deem the precepts of the Gospel impracticable, to obferve how far a heathen fage, by the mere efforts of reafon, could proceed in fubduing his paffions, and in the practice of the most rigid virtue. At all events, they may be attended with an advantage to a Chriftian, fimilar to that of an Englishman's travelling into fome defpotic country; to make him return with greater fatisfaction to his own.

But the younger Cafaubon, who published both an edition and translation of this work about the middle of the last century, fays, "It is not only the most excellent, but the moft obfcure, of all the remains of antiquity."

Yet