Have you then, a Faculty too of making use of them? Do you, at all, know when, and how, and to whom, they will be of Service? Why then do you act at Hazard? Why are you careless, in Things of the greatest Importance? Why do you attempt a Matter unsuitable to you? Leave it to those who can perform it, and do it Honour. Do not you too bring a Scandal upon Philosophy, by your Means; nor be one of those, who cause the Thing itself to be calumniated. But, if Theorems delight you, sit quiet, and turn them every Way by yourself; but never call yourself a Philosopher; nor suffer another to call you so; but say, "He is mistaken: for my Desires are not different from what they were; nor my Pursuits directed to other Objects; nor my Assent otherwise given; nor have I at all made any Change in the Use of the Appearances, from my former Condition." Think and speak thus of yourself, if you would think as you ought: if not, act at all Hazards, and do as you do; for it becomes you.
CHAPTER XXII.
Of the Cynic Philosophy[1].
§. 1.When one of his Scholars, who seemed inclined to the Cynic Philosophy, asked him, what a Cynic must be, and what was the general Plan of that Sect? Let us examine it, says he, at our Leisure. But thus much I can tell you now,
that
- ↑ The Cynics owed their Original to Antisthenes, a Disciple of Socrates. They held Virtue to be the highest Good, and the End of Life; and treated Riches, Honours, and Power, with great Contempt. They were Enemies to Science, and polite Literature; and applied themselves wholly to the Study of Morality. There was, in many Respects, great Conformity between them and the Stoics: but the Stoics selected what seemed laudable, in their Principles, without imitating the Roughness
