DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.50017#0090
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
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