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much &quot;It is, therefore, necessary,&quot; says he, &quot;to speak 

 of virtue, what it is, and whence it proceeds; for it were 

 in a manner useless to know virtue, and yet be ignorant of 

 the ways to acquire her.&quot; 1 Concerning virtue, therefore, 

 we must ascertain both what kind it is and by what means 

 it may be acquired; for we desire a knowledge of the thing 

 itself and the manner of procuring its pleasures. 2 And 

 though he has more than once repeated the same thing, 

 yet himself does not pursue it. And so Cicero gives it as a 

 high commendation to the younger Cato, that he embraced 

 philosophy, not for the sake of disputing, as most do, but 

 of living philosophically. 3 And though at present few have 

 any great regard to the cultivation and discipline of the 

 mind and a regular course of life, as Seneca phrases it 

 &quot;De partibus vitse quisque deliberat, de summa nemo&quot; 

 whence this part may appear superfluous, yet we cannot be 

 persuaded to leave it untouched, but rather conclude with 

 the aphorism of Hippocrates, that those who labor under a 

 violent disease, yet seem insensible of their pain, are dis 

 ordered in their mind. And men in this case want not only 

 a method of cure, but a particular remedy, to bring them to 

 their senses. If any one shall object, that the cure of the 

 mind is the office of divinity, we allow it; yet nothing 

 excludes moral philosophy from the train of theology, 

 whereto it is as a prudent and faithful handmaid, attend 

 ing and administering to all its wants. But though, as the 

 Psalmist observes, &quot;the eyes of the maid are perpetually 

 waiting on the hands of the mistress,&quot; 5 yet doubtless many 

 things must be left to the care and judgment of the servant. 

 So ethics ought to be entirely subservient to theology, and 

 obedient to the precepts thereof, though it may still contain 

 many wholesome and useful instructions within its own 

 limits. And therefore, when we consider the excellence 

 of this part of morality, we cannot but greatly wonder it 



1 Eth. Mag. ad init. 2 Mag. Moral, i. 3 Juv. Murasn. xxx. 62. 



4 Epist. Ixxi. 1. * Psal. cxxii. 3. 



