Volume 1 — CONTENTS OF VOLUME FIRST. WITH THE TRANSLATORS’ NAMES.

A DISCOURSE TOUCHING THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

By Simon Ford, D.D.

Effect on children of impurity in the parents, 3; of intemperance in the parents, 4. Instruction and training necessary, 5. Training must assist nature, 5. Defective natural parts may be improved by instruction, 5, 6. Diligent effort may supply native deficiencies, 6. A virtuous character partly the effect of custom and habit, 7. Mothers should nurse their own children, 7, 8. Manners of children to be well-formed from the beginning, 8. Care to be taken of their associates, 9. Teachers of children to be carefully chosen, 9, 10. Moral character of teachers to be carefully regarded, 10, 11. Unhappy consequences of the ill-training of children, 11, 12. A good education preferable to the gifts of fortune, 12, 13. Learning better than bodily strength, 13. Children should be trained to think before they speak, 14, 15. A pompous style of speech to be avoided, 16. Tameness of speech to be avoided, 16. The principal study of youth should be philosophy, 17, 18. Bodily exercise not to be neglected, 19. Gymnastic and military exercises, 19. Corporal and disgraceful punishments not to be used, 20. Motives to be addressed to the understanding and conscience, 20. Severe tasks not to be imposed on children, 21. Relaxation to be allowed them, 21. Memory to be cultivated, 22. A courteous manner of speaking to be inculcated. 22. Self-control to be taught, 23, 24. Restraint of the tongue, 23, 24. Sotades punished for free speech, 25. Severity to children unwise, 26. Young men to be restrained from vicious company, 28, 29. Flatterers to be avoided, 29. Allowance should be made for youthful impetuosity, 30. Marriage a security for young men, 31. Fathers not to be severe and harsh, but examples to their children, 30, 31.

CONCERNING THE CURE OF ANGER.

By William Dillingham, D.D.

How may a tendency to anger be overcome? i. 34. Not by the interference of other persons, 35. The mind being then under the influence of stormy passion, 36. The aid of reason and judgment is more effectual, 37. Resist the beginning of anger, 37. When inclined to anger, try to be quiet and composed, 38, 39. Anger is unreasonable and foolish, 39. It disfigures the countenance, 40. Tends to one’s dishonor and discredit, 41. Produces absurd and insulting speeches, 42. Is disingenuous and unmanly, 42. Indicates a weak mind, 42. Discovers meanness of spirit, 43. Fortitude consists with a mild temper, 44. Anger can destroy, it cannot restore, 46. It often overreaches itself, 47. Excessive urgency often fails of success, 47. Forbearance towards servants urged, 48. Anger towards servants makes them worse, 48. Never punish in anger, 49. Allow anger to cool, 49. No harm arises from deferring anger, 49. Causes of anger examined; we think we incur contempt without it, 50; it arises from self-love, 52; and a spirit of fault-finding, 52. The absence of these makes a man gentle towards others, 53, 54. Nobody can dwell with an angry man, 54. Anger, the essence of all bad passions, 56. Good temper in us will disarm others, 55. Moderate expectations prevent anger, 56. Knowledge of human nature softens anger, 57. Make trial for a few days of abstinence from anger, 59.

OF BASHFULNESS.

By Thomas Hoy, Fellow of St. John’s College in Oxford.

Bashfulness defined, 60. Two extremes: too much or too little modesty; both to be avoided, 61. Bashfulness, an excess of modesty, 61, 62. It is injurious, 62; leaves a person at the mercy of others, 63; a bashful person is liable to imposition, 63; many are thus ruined, 64. Deny an unreasonable request, 65. The fear of giving offence—bashfulness—hinders the proper care of our health, and of our property, 67, 68; exposes to the very evils it seeks to avoid, 69. The people of Asia are slaves, because they cannot say, “No,” 69. Deny recommendation to those not known to be worthy, 71. Undertake no services to which you are not competent, 72. Cheerfully render good offices to those that deserve them, 72; but deny them to the unworthy, 73. We may not violate law and justice to please anybody, 74. Men who would dread to blunder in a matter of literature, often violate law, 74. Err not from the right, either from fear or flattery, 76. Remember what bashfulness has cost us, 77.

THAT VIRTUE MAY BE TAUGHT.

By Mr. Patrick, of the Charterhouse.

If men may be taught to sing, dance, and read; to be skilful husbandmen and good riders,—why not to order their lives aright? 78. The practice of virtue is immensely more important than graceful speech and manners, 79. If things of trifling moment may be taught, much more things of the deepest concern, 80.

THE ACCOUNT OF THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF THE LACEDAEMONIANS.

By Mr. John Pulleyn, of Trinity College in Cambridge.

Institutions of Lycurgus, 82. The citizens ate at one table, 82. Conversation at the table, 82. The food: black broth, 83; spare diet, 84. Learning, philosophy, mechanic trades, theatrical performances, utterly banished, 85. Scanty apparel, 86; hard beds, 86; social attachments, 86. A strict watch kept over the young, 87. Respect to the aged, 88. Control by the aged of other people’s children, 88, 89. Children allowed to steal, if the theft were carefully concealed, 89. The Spartan poetry and music, 90; martial music, 91. Tenacity of ancient customs, 92. Funerals, 92, 93; inscriptions, 93. Foreign travel prohibited, 98. A community of children, 93; and of goods and estates, 94. Their warlike expeditions, 94. Their religious worship, 95. The Helots, when drunk, exhibited before the children, 96. None but grave poetry allowed, 96. Meekness and forgiveness of injuries not tolerated, 97. A laconic style of speaking practised, 98. Whipping of boys annually before the altar of Diana, 98. Neglect of maritime affairs, 99. Gold and silver banished, 99. Final overthrow of the institutions of Lycurgus, 100.

CONCERNING MUSIC.

By John Philips, Gent.

Principles of Greek music: the tetrachord, heptachord, octachord; scale of fifteen notes, 102, 103, note. History of music, 104, et seq. The lyre, 105. Amphion, Linus, Anthes, Pierus, Philammon, Thamyras, &c., 105. Terpander, an inventor, 105, 106, 109, 112, 122. Olympus, 107, 109, 123; Hyagnis, 107; Clonas, 107. History of wind instruments, 108; the flute, ib. Three musical moods,—the Dorian, the Phrygian, the Lydian, 109. Makers of paeans, 110. The enharmonic species of music, 110. Its relations to the diatonic and chromatic, 111. Varieties of rhythm, 112. The harp an invention of Apollo, 113. His statue at Delos a proof of this, ib. Manly and grave music used by the ancients for its worth, 114. The moderns have introduced an inferior sort, 114. The Lydian mood, 114; the Dorian, 115. The chromatic more ancient than the enharmonic scale, 116; though many of the ancient musicians did not use it, 117. Plato’s remarks on harmony, 118. Music a mathematical science, 119. Harmony as related to the senses, 121. Why the Greeks were so careful to teach their children music, 121. The high purposes of music, 121, 122. Archilochus, his improvements, 122, 123. Improvements of Polymnestus, 107, 123. Improvements of Lasus, 123. Decline of the ancient music, 123-125. To learn music, philosophy is needful, 126. Music too much a thing of chance, 126. A sound judgment is necessary, 127. A perfect judgment of music not derived from a partial knowledge, 129. Degeneracy of modern music, 130. Benefits of a proper acquaintance with music, 132; facts in proof of this, 133.

OF THE TRANQUILLITY OF THE MIND.

By Matthew Morgan, A.M., of St. John’s College in Oxford.

Plutarch salutes his friend Paccius, 136. Worldly honor or wealth cannot procure quietness of mind, 137. We should fortify ourselves against trouble, ib. Tranquillity of mind not to be procured by neglect of public or private duty, ib. Idleness is to many an affliction, 138. Changes in life do not remove causes of disquiet, 140. The mind itself renders life pleasant or otherwise, 141. Make the best of our circumstances, 142. Wise men derive benefit even from affliction, 142. No trouble can arise, but good may come of it, 143. Be not soured with the perverseness of others, 144; nor fret at their failings, 145. A consideration of the good we enjoy may help us bear our afflictions, 146. Thus balancing one against the other, 147. Consider what the loss would be of our present enjoyments, 148. Cultivate a contented mind, 148, 149. The want of which creates suffering, 149. Look at those worse off than ourselves, 150. Every one has his particular trouble, 151; therefore give no place to envy, ib. Do not repine because some things are beyond your reach, 152. Let every man know what he can do and be contented with doing it, 154. Let alone what you are not capable of, 155. It is wise to call to mind past enjoyment, 156. Do not distress yourself by dwelling on past sorrows, nor give way to despondency of the future, 157, 158. Neither be too sanguine in your hopes, 159. Afflictions come as a matter of necessity, 161. Outward sufferings do not reach our nobler part, the mind, 162. Death not a real, ultimate evil, 163. The wise man may look down on things terrible to the vulgar, 164. Guilt produces remorse, 165. A clear conscience a rich possession, 165. Life should be full of joy, 166. That it is not to some is their own fault, 167.

OF SUPERSTITION, OR INDISCREET DEVOTION.

By William Baxter, Gent.

Ignorance respecting God may lead either to atheism or superstition, 168. Atheism and superstition compared, 168, et seq. Atheism tends to indifference, superstition to terror, 169. Superstition infuses into the mind a constant alarm and dread, 170. Superstition allows of no escape from fear, it permits no hope, 172. It perverts the moral sense, 173, 174. The atheist may be fretful and impatient; the superstitious man charges all his misfortunes and troubles to God, 175. Is full of unreasonable apprehensions, 176. Converts tolerable evils into fatal ones, 177. Misinterprets the course of nature, 177. Is afraid of things that will not hurt him, 177. Allows himself no enjoyment, 178. Entertains dishonorable thoughts of God, 180; and thus is morally wrong, 181. He secretly hates God, and would have no God, 181. Superstition affords an apology for atheism, 152. Superstition of the Gauls, Scythians, and Carthaginians; they offered human sacrifices, 182, 183. In avoiding superstition do not fall into atheism, 184.

THE APOPHTHEGMS OR REMARKABLE SAYINGS OF KINGS AND GREAT COMMANDERS, 185-250.

By E. Hinton, of Witney in Oxfordshire.

RULES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HEALTH.

By Matthew Poole, D.D., of Northampton.

Introduction, 251. The hands to be kept always warm, 252. Accustom yourself in health to the food proper in sickness, 253. Avoid all excess in eating and drinking, especially at feasts, 254. Be prepared to excuse yourself if invited to drink to excess, 255. Partake of agreeable food and drink, when needful; otherwise not, 256. Lean to the side of moderation and abstinence, rather than the gratification of appetite, 257. Intemperance is as destructive of pleasure as of health, 258. Sickness may be avoided by the use of a moderate diet, 259. A luxurious course of living adds to the force of other causes of disease, 260. Be especially careful of what you do, when threatened with illness, 261. When the body is out of order, things that are otherwise pleasant become disgusting, 262. Extreme carefulness in our diet should be avoided, 263. Disturbed sleep and distressing dreams show a diseased state of body, 264. Avoid things which have proved causes of disease to others, 264, 265. Reading or speaking aloud is to a scholar conducive to health, 266. Yet this must not be carried to excess, 267. The cold bath not to be used after exercise; use the warm bath, 268. Use solid food cautiously and sparingly; light food more freely, 268. Drink wine diluted with water, or water simply, 269, 270. After supper, there should be a considerable interval, to be occupied with gentle exercise either of body or mind, 271, 272. Sufferers from gluttony or excess should not attempt to relieve themselves by physic but by abstinence, 273. Do not fast when there is no need, 274. Idleness is not conducive to health, 275. After severe labor, allow the body to rest, even from pleasure, 276. A man should well study his own case, and know what he can bear, 277. The body and the mind must deal carefully with each other, 278, 279.

HOW A MAN MAY RECEIVE ADVANTAGE AND PROFIT FROM HIS ENEMIES.

By John Hartcliffe, Fellow of King’s College in Cambridge.

Ill-will always to be expected, 280. It is not enough that our enemies do us no harm, 281. We may not be able to change bad men into good men, 282. But it is possible to derive good even from bad men, 283. An enemy, in order to discover our failings, carefully watches all our movements and affairs, 283. Learn from this to be wary and circumspect, 284. Learn to be discreet and sober, and to give offence to nobody, 285. Live above reproach, 286, 287. When censured and accused, examine if there be just cause for it, 288. Be willing to hear the truth even from the lips of enemies, 289. If accused unjustly, avoid even the appearance of the supposed wrong, 290. Have you given any occasion for the false accusation? 291. Learn to keep the tongue in subjection, 292. Be magnanimous and kind to your enemy, 293. Indulge no malignant passion, 294. Envy not your enemy’s success, 297.

CONSOLATION TO APOLLONIUS.

By Matthew Morgan, A.M., of St. John’s College in Oxford.

The son of Apollonius had died, 299. Apathy and excessive grief are alike unnatural and improper, 300. Avoid both of these extremes, 300. Uninterrupted happiness is not to be expected, 302. Every thing is subject to change, 303. Evil is to be expected, 304, 305. Sorrow will not remove suffering, 306, 307, Others are in trouble besides ourselves, 308. Why should death be considered so great an evil? 308. Death is but the debt of nature, 309. Death is inevitable, and the termination of all human calamity, 310. Death is the brother of sleep, 311. Death divests us of the body, and thus frees us from great evil, 312. The gods have often sent death as a reward for distinguished piety; illustrated by the cases of Biton and Cleobis, of Agamedes and Trophonius, of Pindar and Euthynous, 313, 314. Even if death be the extinction of our being, it is no evil, and why, 315. Even untimely death may shield from evil, 317. Not long life, but virtuous is desirable, 317, 318. Sorrow for the dead may proceed from selfish considerations, 319. Does the mourner intend to cherish grief as long as he lives? 320. Excessive grief is unmanly, 321. An untimely death differs not much from that which is timely, 322. It may be desirable, 323, 324. Excessive grief is unreasonable, 325. The state of the dead is better than that of the living, 326. The evil in the world far exceeds the good, 327. Life is a loan, soon to be recalled, 327. Some people are querulous and can never be satisfied, 329. Death is fixed by fate, 331. Life is short, and should not be wasted in unavailing sorrow, 332. Derive comfort from the example of those who have borne the death of their sons bravely, 332, 333. Providence wisely disposes, 335. Your son died at the best time for him, 335. He is now numbered with the blest, 336. The conclusion; a touching appeal to Apollonius, 339.

CONCERNING THE VIRTUES OF WOMEN.

By Isaac Chauncy, of the College of Physicians, London.

It is right to praise virtuous women, 340. Virtue in man and woman is the same, 340; even as the poetic art in man and woman is the same, 341. There may be variety, yet unity, 341. Virtue of the Trojan women after landing in Italy, 342. Of the Phocian women in the war with the Thessalians, 343. Of the women of Chios, 344. Of the Argive women and their repulse of the Spartan army, 346. Of the Persian women, 347. Of the Celtic women, 347. Of the Melian women, 348. Of the Tyrrhene women, 349. Of the Lycian women, 351. Of the women of Salmantica in Spain, 352. Of the maidens of Miletus, bent on self-murder, and how this was prevented, 354. Of the maids of Cios, 354. Of the women of Phocis during the Sacred War, 355. Of the Roman Lucretia, Valeria, and Cloelia, 355-357. Of Micca and Megisto, and other women of Elis, during the tyranny of Aristotimus, 357-363. Of Pieria and other women of Myus, at Miletus, 363, 364. Of Polycrita in the war between Naxos and Miletus, 364-366. Of Lampsace, 366. Of Aretaphila, and how she delivered Cyrene from tyranny, 367-371. Of Camma the Galatian, 372. Of Stratonica of Galatia, 373. Of Chiomara of Galatia, 374. Of the women of Pergamus, 374. Of Timoclea at the taking of Thebes, 376. Of Eryxo of Cyrene, 378. Of Xenocrita of Cumae, 380. Of Pythes the Lydian and his wife, 382.

LACONIC APOPHTHEGMS; OR, REMARKABLE SAYINGS OF THE SPARTANS.

By Thomas Creech, A.M., of Wadham College in Oxford.

OF HEARING.

By Thomas Hoy, Fellow of St. John’s College in Oxford.

Introduction, addressed to Nicander, a young man, 441. Remarks on hearing in general, 442. Of the sense of hearing, as an inlet of thought and feeling, 442. A guard to be placed over it, 443. How to hear with benefit, 443. Faults to be avoided, 444. In hearing a discourse, hear with attention to the close, 445. Guard against envy and ill-nature, 445, 446. Hear with calmness and candor, 446. Endeavor to reap advantage from the speaker’s faults, 447. Yield not to undue admiration, 448. Examine the argument of the speaker apart from his expression, 449. Separate the substance of a discourse from its accessories, 450, 451. Interrupt not the speaker with trifling questions, 452. Propose no impertinent questions, 453. Wait till the proper time for asking, 453. Withhold not praise when it is due, 454. Yet bestow not inordinate praise, 455. Something worthy of praise may be found in every discourse, 456. The hearer owes a duty to the speaker no less than the speaker to the hearer, 457. Be not indiscriminate in your praises, 458. Bear admonition in a proper spirit, 459. If you find difficulties in the lecturer’s instructions, ask him to explain, 460, 461. Concluding exhortation, 462, 463.

OF LARGE ACQUAINTANCE: OR, AN ESSAY TO PROVE THE FOLLY OF SEEKING MANY FRIENDS.

By W. G.

True friendship a thing of rare occurrence, 464. In the early times, friends went in pairs, Orestes and Pylades, &c., 465. True friendship cannot embrace a multitude, 466. If we have numerous acquaintances, there should be one eminently a friend, 466. The requisites to a true friendship, 467. The difficulty of finding a true friend, 467. Be not hasty in getting friends, 468. Admit none to your confidence without long and thorough trial, 468. As true friendship cements two hearts into one, so a large acquaintance divides and distracts the heart, 469. We cannot discharge the obligations of friendship to a multitude, 470; therefore do not attempt it, 471. Joining one’s self intimately to another involves one in his calamities, 472. Real friendship always has its origin in likeness, even in brutes, 472. There must be a substantial oneness, 473. Therefore it is next to a miracle to find a constant and sure friend, 474.

CONCERNING THE FORTUNE OR VIRTUE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

By John Philips, Gent.

Did he receive his empire as the gift of Fortune? By no means, 475. It was acquired at the expense of many severe wounds, 476, 507; of many hardships and much daring, 477; as the issue of his training under Aristotle, 478. He was himself a great philosopher, 479. He was the great civilizer of Asia, 480. He realized the dreams of philosophers by making the world his country, 481. Uniting the Greeks and the barbarians, 482. Gaining the affection of the vanquished, 483. Aiming to establish universal brotherhood, 484. His philosophy as exhibited in his recorded sayings, 485-489. His generous conduct, 490. His patronage of learned men, 491. So different from other monarchs, 492. His magnanimity, 495. Such a man owes little to Fortune, 496. Contrasted with Sardanapalus, 497. His greatness as seen in the confusion which followed his death, 498. Fortune cannot make an Alexander, 499. His silly imitators attest his greatness, 501. His self-government, 502. The Persian empire was overthrown, not by Fortune, but by the superior genius and virtue of Alexander, 503. Alexander owed nothing to Fortune, 506. His wisdom, his prowess, his many wounds, his constancy and energy, procured his great success, 507-511. Compared with the ablest men of antiquity, he is superior to all, 512, 513. His daring courage, great dangers, and marvellous escape, while besieging a town of the Oxydracae, 513-516.

INDEX

PLUTARCH’S MORALS.

VOL. I.

PLUTARCH’S MORALS.