But you will fay, that "Socrates went into the Pyraum, to pray to the godeffe ; "and he advifed others to do fo. Nay, "that the life of Socrates was as it were one continued prayer. Pythagoras alfo prayed, and Plato, and every one befides, that was willing to pay homage to the " gods."

But do you think that the prayer of a philofopher is defiring those things which he hath not? I look upon it as nothing else but a converfation and difcourfe with the gods, concerning what he already poffeffes, and as a testimony of his virtue. Or, do you fuppofe that Socrates prayed for riches, or that he might be advanced to the government of Athens? By no means. No, he prayed to the gods for virtue of mind, peace, and tranquillity of life, blameleffe manners, a death full of the hopes of immortality; but, with their permiffion, took them from himself; admirable gifts, and fuch as the gods bestow. * But, fhould any one afk for a profperous voyage by land, or plentiful crop at fea; a plough of a weaver; or a cloak of a carpenter; he would go away unanswered, empty, and disappointed.

-

All

"O Jupiter, Minerva, and Apollo ! "watchful inspectors of the manners of men ; CC You

See the tenth remark. mark.

* See the eleventh re

Y See the twelfth remark,

you ought to have none but philofophers for

your difciples, fuch as can receive your in"ftruction into their great fouls; and, in "their lives, yield a beautiful and plenteous "harvest!"

But this fort of agriculture is very rare, and doeth not yield its produce, but with difficulty, and late in life; and then it shows itfelf, after different manners, in different perfons. But, in human life, there is need of this rare and small spark; as, in a dark night, there is occafion for a small light. For that, which is excellent in human nature, lies in a narrow compaffe; and yet, by this small matter, the whole is preferved. But, if you take philofophy from human life, you take away that, which animates, infpites, and preferves it; that, which alone can direct you how to pray; juft as, if you take away the foul from the body, you deftroy the body; or the fun from the day, you destroy the day.

The end of the dissertation,

TRACT.

REMARKS

On the foregoing

DISSERTATION

OF

MAXIMUS TYRIUS.

I.

B

UT, tho' Priam interceded for his own native country, and daily facrificed oxen and Sheep to Jupiter, he would not answer his prayers. On the other hand, to Agamemnon, who invaded another's dominions, &c.]

This is an antient and very common objection against a particular providence, viz. that the juft and pious are often miserable; "while the impious, or unjuft, florish in profperity."

Whereas this objection will intirely vanish, if this life be a state of trial, in which the faculties

H