PYTHAGOREAN WRITINGS. 543 



Ariftotle, or that has repeated it from another. Cen- 

 forinus is the only writer that makes Pythagoras and 

 Archytas, like Ocellus, maintain the eternity of the 

 human race, and consequently, of the whole beautifully 

 ordered world. But againft this all antiquity teftifies 

 with one confent. It was the pipi&i that put the mape- 

 lefs matter, <W, into the belt poffible connection. 

 Cenforinus lived in an age when fo many writings had 

 been fo long interpolated, that almoft all criteria for 

 diftinguifhing the genuine from the falfe were loft. 

 Probably he had fome pretended writings of Pythagoras 

 #nd Archytas in his mind. 



On the certainty of the proportion, that Ariftotle 

 firft taught the eternity oftthe world, the author relies 

 too much to think with others of fupporting it by 

 doubtful arguments. As foon as the reverfe is fhewn 

 of him, thefe arguments fall away of themfelves. That 

 the word of Cenforinus is not of the utmoft validity he 

 very juftly remarks ; but herein perhaps a little too 

 much may be affirmed, that he is the only author who 

 afcribes to Pythagoras the hypothecs of the eternity of 

 the world, and the whole of antiquity is unanimoufly 

 againft him. Varro perfectly coincides with Cenfori- 

 nus * ? and Varro lived in a place where the interpo- 

 lated writings did not firft appear ; at a time when the 

 impofture of the Alexandrines had not yet gained 

 ground. Again, a little before Varro lived a certain 

 Alexander furnamed Polyhiftor -f~.. From this Alexan- 



* Varro de Re ruflic. voIL ii. 1, 



f Jonf. deXcript. hift, Phil. vol. ii. 16. 1, 



d®r, 



