ARISTOTLE. 113 



principal motives which induced Philip to entrust him with the edu- Aristotle 

 cation of Alexander. 1 The expressions which Cicero uses in describing pve 

 . Aristotle's treatment of the subject imply rather lectures, combined with 

 rhetorical practice and historical illustration, than a formal treatise, 2 

 And this is 'an important point, inasmuch as it proves that Aris- 

 totle assumed the functions of an instructor during this his first resi- 

 dence at Athens. However, such part of his subject as embraced the 

 early history of the art, and might be regarded in the light of an intro- 

 duction to the rest, would very likely appear by itself ; and this is 

 exactly the character of the work so highly praised by Cicero, but un- 

 fortunately lost, to which we have before alluded (p. 105.) It was 

 purely historical and critical, and contained none of his own views. 

 These were systematically developed in another work, 3 perhaps the 

 one which we possess, which was certainly not written at this early 

 period. 4 Apparently, in this lost work the system of Isocrates was 

 attacked and severely handled. The assailed party does not seem to 

 have come forward in person to defend himself; but a scholar of his, 

 Cephisodorus, in a polemical treatise of considerable length, did not Cephisodorus 

 confine himself to the defence of his master's doctrines, but indulged 

 in the most virulent attacks upon the moral as well as intellectual 

 character of his rival. 5 Upon this work, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, His book 

 perhaps sympathising with a brother rhetorician, passes a high enco- 

 mium. 6 But from the little which we know of it, there is but scanty 

 room for believing that its author carried conviction to the minds of 

 many readers not predisposed to agree with him. One of the grounds 

 on which he holds his adversary up to contempt is the having made a 

 collection of proverbs, an employment, in the opinion of Cephisodorus, 

 utterly unworthy of one professing to be a philosopher. Such as have 

 not, like Cephisodorus, an enemy to overthrow, by fair means or foul, 

 will be inclined to smile at such a charge, even if indeed they do not 

 view it in something like the contrary light. " Apophthegms," says 

 Bacon, " are not only for delight and ornament, but for real businesses 

 and civil usages ;" for they are, as he said, " secures aut mucrones ver- 

 borum, which, by their sharp edge, cut and penetrate the knots of 

 matters and business ; and occasions run round in a ring, and what 

 was once profitable may again be practised, and again be effectual, 



1 De Orat. iii. 35. 



2 " Itaque ornavit et illustravit doctrinam illam omnem, rerumque cognitionem 

 cum orationis exercitatione conjunxit .... Hunc Alexandro filio doctorem 

 accivit, a quo eodem ille et agendi acciperet prsecepta et eloquendi." Cicero, loc. 

 cit. 



3 "Cujus [Aristotelis] et illumkgi librum, in quo exposuit dicendi artes omnium 

 superiorum, et illos, in quibus ipse sua qusedam de eidem arte dixit." De Orator. 

 ii. 38. 



4 See Clinton, Fasti Hellenici, a. 334. 



5 Aristocles ap. Euseb. loc. cit.; Athenseus, p. 60. 



6 De Isocrate Judicium, sec. 18. He calls it vdva 0ctufta<r<r>iv. But Dionysius 

 utterly fails where he attempts literary criticism. Witness the absurd principles 

 on which he proceeds in his comparison of Herodotus and Thucydides. 



[G. E. p.] i 



