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and which being capable of divers fenfes, I leave to be decyphered by the learned reader. περὶ τὸν πάντων βασιλέα παντ' ἐςὶ, καὶ ἐκεινα ἕνεκα πάντα, καὶ ἐκεῖνο ἄιτιον ἁπάν]ων τῶν καλῶν, δέυτερον δὲ περὶ τὰ δέυτερα, καὶ τρίτον WE Ta Teita. Plato enjoins Dionyfius over and over, with great earneftness not to fuffer, what he communicates concerning the mystery of the divine Nature, to fall into illiterate or vulgar hands, giving it withal as a reason for this caution, that nothing would seem more ridiculous or abfurd to the common run of mankind. He adds, that in regard writings might mifcarry, the prudent way was to write nothing at all on thofe matters, but to teach and learn them by word of mouth for which reafon, faith he, I have never wrote any thing thereon; nor is there, nor fhall there ever be any thing of Plato's, extant on that subject. He farther adds, as for what hath been now faid, it belongs all to Socrates.

366. AND, indeed, what this philofopher in his Phædrus fpeaketh of the fuper-coeleftial region, and the divinity refident therein, is of a ftrain not to be relished or comprehended by vulgar minds; to wit, effence really existent, object of intellect alone, without colour, without figure, without any tangible quality. He might very juftly conceive that fuch a description must seem ridiculous to fenfual men.

367. As for the perfect intuition of divine things, that he fuppofeth to be the lot of pure fouls, beholding by a pure light, initiated, happy, free and unftained from thofe bodies, wherein we are now imprisoned like oyfters. But in this mortal ftate, we must be fatisfy'd to make the best of thofe glympfes (b) within our reach. It is Plato's remark in his Theatetus, that while we fit ftill we are never the wifer, but going into the river and moving up and down, is the way to discover its depths and fhallows.

(b) 335, 337

If

If we exercise and beftir our felves, we may even here discover fomething.

368. THE eye by long ufe comes to fee even in the darkest cavern: and there is no fubject fo obfcure, but we may discern fome glympfe of truth by long poring on it. Truth is the cry of all but the game of a few. Certainly where it is the chief paffion, it doth not give way to vulgar cares and views; nor is it contented with a little ardour in the early time of life, active, perhaps, to purfue, but not fo fit to weigh and revise. He that would make a real progrefs in knowledge, muft dedicate his age as well as youth, the later growth as well as firft fruits, at the altar of Truth.

Cujufvis eft errare, nullius nifi infipientis in errore perfeverare.

CIC.

FINI S

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