PREFACE. XV 



ever was in Europe, and, in my opinion, the moft extraordinary 

 man that ever lived ; fuch a man, indeed, as I could not have 

 believed ever exifted if we had not accounts of him fo well 

 vouched, that I cannot doubt of the truth of them ; for befides his 

 Life, written by Diogenes Laertius, we have his hiftory from two 

 philofophers of later times. Porphyry the mafter, and Jamblichus 

 the fcholar, who appear to have compiled very diligently w^hat they 

 relate of him from antient books that are now loft ; particularly a Life 

 of Pythagoras, written by Ariftoxenes the mufician and philofopher, 

 and fcholar of Ariftotle ; and another Life of him, written by Di- 

 cxarchus, likewife a fcholar of Ariftotle, and a moft diligent en- 

 quirer into matters of antiquity. Thefe Authors, and fundry others 

 who had written of Pythagoras^ are quoted by Porphyry and Jam^ 

 blichus. 



From thefe accounts, fo vouched, it appears that he w^as not only 

 a moft extraordinary man, but fomething above humanity ; nor do 

 I wonder that the Roman Senate, when they w^ere direded by the 

 Oracle to ered a ftatue to the wifeft of the Greeks, fet up that of 

 Pythagoras*, though Pliny, who tells the ftory, feems to think it 

 extraordinary that they did ' not rather do that honour to Socrates : 

 Befides his being a great philofopher, the greateft that ever was 

 in the weftern part of the world, and inferior to none except 

 his mafters the Egyptian Priefts, he had fomething in his perfon 

 and appearance, auguft, and even divine, fuch as attraded the admi- 

 ration of all that beheld him f. And the fad certainly is, that he 

 was more generally admired and followed than, I believe, any man 



ever 



* Pliny, Lib. xxxiv. Cap. 6. 



t Jamblichus (k Vita Pythgone^ Cap. ix. k x. Edit. Keyjferi, 



