PREFACE. xxvli 



There is only one thing farther I would fay in favour of this Phi- 

 lofophy, that it was a moft religious Philofophy, and unmixed with 

 any frivolous fuperftitions ; though there be fome of their obfervances, 

 particularly that with refpe£t to Berns, which we cannot account 

 for. 



I pafs over the Ionic and Eleatic Schools of Philofophy in Greece^ 

 becaufe in them that fublime Philofophy which enquires concerning 

 God and the firft Principles of things was unknown, nor, indeed, had 

 they anything deferving the name of Philofophy, unlefs perhaps fome 

 Logic and Dialedic, in the Eleatic School; and I come down to Plato. 



The Reader will, no doubt, be furprifed that I pafs over 

 Socrates, who is commonly fuppofed to Hand at the head of all the 

 Philofophers of Greece after his time. But though Socrates was a 

 man of great virtue, and of excellent underftanding, he was rather, 

 in my opinion, a lover of Philofophy, than a philofopher ; for he 

 was a great inquirer and fearcher after knowledge, and had a par- 

 ticular talent for fettiag other men lipon inquiry likewife. But his 

 inquiries were entirely confined to Morals, or what was good and 

 ill in human life * ; for that Univerfal Philofophy, which treats of 

 Nature, and the firft Principles of all things, he not only did not 

 ftudy, but defpifed, as Xenophon in his Memorabilia informs us f, 

 from whom only we learn the genuine Philofophy of Socrates. And, 

 according to his account, it appears that Socrates valued no know- 

 ledge that was not pradlical ; whereas thofe whom I call truly 

 Philofophers, fuch as the Pythagoreans, Plato, and Ariftotle, placed 

 the higheft human felicity in theory and fpeculation upon the higheil 



e 2 fubjeds, 



* 'Ott/ tcj i!/ jWr^/apcfo-i, xaxou ^.yySlo) re TirjxTxij ' ■ ■ is a liac of Homer which 

 }ic had frequently in his mouth. 



t Mem. \\\ initio. 



