PYTHAGOREAN WRITINGS. 525 



of all the antient accounts, are the only ©nes that 

 argumentatively deliver the phyfics of the Samian fage 

 in almoft its whole extent ; they are almoft the only 

 ones, that, after taking off the veil of myftery, drefs 

 the pythagorean maxims in the ordinary language of 

 mankind ; in fhort, they are both by perfons who 

 drew their opinions from the mouth of the undifguifed 

 Pythagoras himfelf. 



The inquiry then whether thefe two writings be 

 genuine or fpurious, is of indifpenfable neceffity to the 

 hiftory of the pythagorean philofophy, and of the ut- 

 moft importance to the hiftory of the whole antient 

 philofophy. Only by this means is the real antiquity 

 of many principles, hitherto regarded as platonic, 

 ariftotelic, and ftoic, to be ascertained. As I have for 

 fome time employed myfelf in making refearches into 

 the doctrines of the famian philofopher, I have fallen 

 on various arguments, in my opinion not yet fufficiently 

 unfolded, in favour of the authenticity of thefe two 

 writings. Not that I, however, prefume to affix the 

 feal of certainty to them till I fhall have learnt the 

 judgement of the public on the weight of the evidence. 

 This I am the more follicitous about, as that muft deter- 

 mine the method in which I am. to proceed in the farther 

 execution of my delign ; it being one of my molt ardent 

 wi flies to lay the hiftory of this philofophy before 

 the public, cleared as far as poffible from all uncer- 

 tainty. 



All avowed conjectures out of the queftion, I know 

 of two arguments in favour of the work of Timseus on 

 the anima mundi, which gain greatly in importance 

 and weight by their mutual corroboration, The firft is 

 3 drawn 



