Socrate^^ Schleierm acker ^ a7id Delbvneck, 587 if we put our shoulders to the wheel we shall be able to extricate ourselves from our scruples, and to pursue our journey with ease and cheerfulness. We have only one ob- servation to add before we quit this subject, on which we may appear to some to have dwelt too long. Mr Delbrueck's opening reflexions on the effect which the oracle produced upon Socrates are pleasing and interesting, but they appear to us to contain a mixture of truth and error. It may be readily conceived, and seems to be confirmed by several authentic accounts, that Socrates really considered himself as fulfilling a divine mission by his life and labours. But that this idea was first suggested to him by the Delphic oracle is, to say the least, extremely improbable ; though such an accidental occurrence (for who but a sincere Pagan can believe it to have been more) may have contributed to confirm the impression, and may have given it a definite form in his mind. But surely his character and pursuits had been already fixed, before Chae- rephon could have ventured to inquire, whether any man better deserved the title of wise. No additional dignity is imparted to his selfdevotion, by considering it as the effect of such a casual inspiration. It was the spontaneous, necessary, result of his moral and intellectual constitution, and needed not to be connected with the eternal order of Providence by a tie so frail as a perishable superstition. C-T. Vol. II. No. 6. ^F
