io THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS 



world is hard to know ; for we find frequent mention 

 of ancient philosophers in this kind, among the most 

 ancient now extant with us. The first who found out 

 the vanity of it seems to have been Solomon, of which 

 discovery he has left such admirable strains in Eccle- 

 siastes. The next was Socrates, who made it the 

 business of his life to explode it, and introduce that 

 which we call moral in its place, to busy human 

 minds to better purpose. And indeed, whoever reads 

 with thought what these two, and Marcus Antoninus, 

 have said upon the vanity of all that mortal man can 

 ever attain to know of nature, in its originals or 

 operations, may save himself a great deal of pains, 

 and justly conclude, that the knowledge of such 

 things is not our game ; and (like the pursuit of a stag 

 by a little spaniel) may serve to amuse and to weary 

 us, but will never be hunted down. Yet I think those 

 three I have named, may justly pass for the wisest 

 triumvirate that are left us upon the records of story 

 or of time. 



After Socrates, who left nothing in writing, many 

 sects of philosophers began to spread in Greece, who 

 entered boldly upon both parts of natural and moral 

 philosophy. The first with the greatest disagreement, 

 and the most eager contention that could be upon the 



