Theophrastus. 77 



what modified, were professed ; and, finally, the Lyceum, in 

 which were continued the labours of Aristotle. Among the 

 philosophers of the Lyceum, the most famous was Theophrastus. 

 He was born at Evesus, in the island of Lesbos, 370 years be- 

 fore Christ, and 22 before the death of Plato, whose pupil he 

 is supposed for some time to have been before entering the 

 school of Aristotle. His eloquence, from which he took the 

 name of Theophrastus, for he was at first called Tyrtamus, 

 gained him a number of disciples, and he had, at one time, more 

 than two hundred. It is said, that when Aristotle was about to 

 leave Euboea, his pupils insisted on his appointing one among 

 them, who should succeed him in the school. The philosopher, 

 without speaking openly, said enough to let them know the 

 man of his choice, for, having produced some wine from Rhodes, 

 and some from Lesbos, the first sort, he said, was stronger, btit 

 the other was sweeter, and appeared to him preferable ; making 

 thus an illusion to the two persons, between whom the choice 

 might appear doubtful, namely, to Theophrastus, who, as we 

 have already said, was born in the island of Lesbos, and to Me- 

 nedemus, who was born in that of Rhodes. 



Theophrastus, like his raastei*, was subject to some persecu- 

 tions. Attacked by Sophocles, he, along with other philoso- 

 phers, was driven into exile, about 306 years before Christ; 

 but he was soon recalled, and the person who had accused him, 

 was himself banished. Ptolemy Lagus endeavoured to attract 

 him to Alexandria, but he preferred remaining at Athens. 

 Eloquent, mild, beneficent, upright in his conduct, and neat in 

 his external appearance, he gained the good will and respect of 

 every body. He died at the age of 85 years, according to some, 

 and of more than 100, according to others. The whole body 

 of the people attended his funeral. His house, he bequeathed 

 to his friends, on the conditions that they should not sell it, 

 and that they should meet in it for the prosecution of the study 

 of letters and philosophy. This is the first legacy which was 

 left to the sciences by a private man. He left them also 

 his garden, in which he had reared a great many native and 

 foreign plants, such, at least, as would grow in the climate of 

 Greece ; for, as glass was not in use at that time, there were 

 no hot-houses. Thus the descriptions which Theophrastus has 



