STUDY IX. 2^9 



Irrational. They placed the firft in the head, and the other 

 round the heart. They contended for it's immortaHty ; and 

 taught, that at the death of the man, his foul returned to the 

 Soul of the Univerfe. They approved of divination by dreams 

 and augury, and condemned that which is performed by means 

 of facrifices. They had fuch a ftrong fenfe of humanity, that 

 they abftained from fhedding the blood even of animals, and 

 from eating their flefh. 



Nature rewarded their virtues, and the gentlenefs of their 

 manners, by innumerable difcoveries, and beftowed on them the 

 glory of having as followers, Socratesy PlcUoy Anhytas of Ta- 

 rentum, who invented the fcrew, Xenophon, Epaminondas^ who 

 was educated by Lyjis the Pythagorean, and the good King 

 Ntima, who taught the Tufcan priefts to conjure down the thun- 

 der : in a word, flie conferred on them all the luftre that Philo- 

 fophy. Literature, the Military Art, or Royalty itfelf, can com- 

 municate to the moft favoured of mortals. 



Pythagoras has been calumniated, as having given encourag(r» 

 ment to certain unmeaning fuperftitions ; among others, abfti- 

 nence from the ufe of beans, &c. But, as truth is frequently 

 under the neceflity of prefenting herfelf to men under a veil, the 

 great Philofopher, under this allegory, conveyed to his difciples 

 an advice to abftain from public employments, becaufe it was 

 then the cuftom to make ufe of beans, in voting at the eleétioa 

 of Magiftrates. 



A very celebrated Writer, of modern times, who feems to 

 look with an evil eye on every man of illuftrious reputation, has 

 prefumed to attack the character oï Xenophon^ in whom were 

 united almoft all the eminent qualities which can dignify hu- 

 man nature ; piety, purity of manners, military fkill and va- 

 bur, and eloquence. His ftyle is fo fweetly flowing, that the 

 Greeks beftowed on hin? the appellation of the Athenian Bee. 



s a This 



