66 History of Philosophy. 



matical demonstration. He first states the nature of an hypothesis, 

 giving- an example. He then assumes in the present case, that " If 

 -'irtue is a science, it can be taught.' It remains for him to prove, 

 that ^.i r tue is or is not a science ; which done, he falls back on his 

 original proposition and deduces its truth or falsehood from his hy- 

 pothetical rea.^^ The steps of the proof are too long to be given 

 here, but as the i.rde of arguing intended to be pursued is previously 

 stated, there can be nu r l ou bt as to the method employed. 



We know of no better Cample of the method of induction em- 

 ployed by Socrates, than his conversation with Euthydemus on the 

 gratitude due from man to the Bivinity.* It must be observed that 

 Socrates speaks of Gods ; but no or can suppose for a moment that 

 the sound judgment and enlightened understanding of the great 

 Athenian can have been burthened with \he incubus of heathen poly- 

 theism. We therefore shall make him speax as no doubt he thought, 

 of the divine providence as a single essence ol benevolence emanat- 

 ing from the unity of the Godhead. The dialogu* w ith Euthydemus 

 is briefly as follows. 



" Have you ever thought of the care with which God l ias provided 

 for the wants of man ? Do you know, that we require iV e light of 

 day which has been given us 1" 



" Yes, for else we should be as the blind." 



" And the night has been given as a season of rest, a favour eh, 

 titled to our gratitude. The sun too by day, and the stars by night, 

 afford us the means of dividing the hours, and the moon furnishes us 

 with a measure of time by her periodic revolution. It is God, who 

 has given us the earth adapted to bring forth fruits in due season, 

 not only for our necessities but our luxury, and water too in 

 abundance to fertilize the soil, to sweeten our food, and quench our 

 thirst, and fire to defend us from cold, to lighten our darkness, and 

 to assist in the prosecution of the mechanical arts, and the air too, 

 the breath of life, which, by its motion, enables us to cross the seas. 

 To man he has given senses adapted for his perception and enjoy- 

 ment of the other blessings that have been granted him, and reason 

 that he may judge of his happiness, and memory that he may 

 recollect what he has enjoyed, and speech that he may converse 

 with his fellows, receiving and communicating knowledge and pro- 

 fiting by the experience of others. To be convinced of the existence 

 of a benevolent providence it is not requisite to see the divine form ; 

 for we see not the thunder, yet we are satisfied of its reality from 

 the effects it produces, and we have sensible proof by our percep- 

 tions of the wind, yet we behold it not. The mind too in this respect 

 shares the attributes of the Deity; for we are conscious of its posses- 

 sion by the power it exerts, though we have no physical demonstra- 

 tion of its presence.'* 



We will illustrate the third method by a short example, that we 

 may not trespass too long on the patience of our readers. The 

 Athenian sage thus examines the nature of wisdom. f 



* Xenophon's Memorabilia, Book iv., Chapter 3. 

 t Memorabilia, Book iv. Chapter 6. 



