New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-05-14

bend our minds on the ignorance OF Plato, than
the knowledge Of other men. And so II is. The
passage Of centuries the services OF million COM
In-ntators the loag lise Of philosophical posterty,
who have shared the name and COPIED The features,
though they inherited but little OF the blood or ehe-
rial energy Of Plato, have had no power 10 waste
his reasoning by diffusion Sill the expression oil
MAD go vast, so lofty and 90 full, lies before us
as a mountain, which all eyes may see, towering TO
the heavens, but which only the bodies, and ireesi
foot may hope partly to climb. The loadstone has
communicated magnetic power 10 million bodies,
without any prerequisite diminution OF lis own
The father of lies, who teaches men IN their
lower moments base sneer al that part OF Their
life which tends to immortality, can as yet mad no
better term than PLAToSIc by which 10 assail the
noblest desire by wisdom to comprehend the uni
aud draw near 10 It's soul, by aspiration 10
purity human Love.
The action OF The mind Of Plato is such that 1t Is
impossible to read or repeat him with absolute ser
Witty. ~ impossible TO get at the outnost sense
sensc OF hs speech without some action OF ones
own Intelligence. Unless with him you learn
TO re-creae the world, unless with hun you pass
through the successive efforts Of It's anmatlpg pow
ers, you c,nnot speak OF him or even read nm
The attempt which Mephistopheles recommends to
the would be philosopher =" In all cases serve
yourself wirh nords," Is useless here You cannot
pnt word in place of the thing You cannot, as
men delight 10 do, catch up some superficial state
whereby to defraud yourself and others OF the
natural influence Of great truths, great life. These
Eauds of Incidence and vanity cannot be rractlsed
here The hand Of the intellectual sharper is pal
a. ,Ion b.. fh,sr gold In really
argues good, argues activity and hope for man
even 10 read Plato
Knowing this. we must hail with pleasure tie
appearance OF this book in aid of the student
Plato il gwen in the original Greek, but the volume
is manly filed with notes and dissertations made
BY The anhor He says:
THIS book "was chosen as forming. in our Juds-
ment, Que OF the best positions from whence 10
make excursions over large part OF the Plaonic
philosophy Our object has not been
merely to make classical textbook, but torccom-
mend Plato the student or reader by every means
through which attention could be drawn 10 our
favontr author believing that IN no other way
could VIC render better service 10 the cause OF
true philosophy and religion.
In pursuance Of this favorite plan OF recommend
Ing Plato and the Platonic philosophy, the method
followed IN the present work was adopted. The
text and critical notes form by much the smallest
part. and even these accompanying annotatlons
frequently exhibit as much of philosophical and
theological as OF a critical character
g The longer dissertations annexed, and which,
for the readers convenience, we have DIVIDED INTO
numbered sections with general and running titles
arr. devoted almost entirely 10 the elucidatIon OF
some tthe main points OF The Plaionlc philosophy
IN tn.ir conneXiou with other systems OF antiquity,
10 a comparison, wherever there was occasion Tor
,t.t. fha
drawn from the Grecian poets, together with con
tinual reference the Holy Scriptures, by way OF
resemblance, contrast, agreement, or conoeinna-
ton For these purposes, there have oecn inlro-
duced from almost all other Platonic dialogues,
very treOu nj and extended quotations OF the niosi
striking passages; being such as, besides having
natural cunneXion with the subject discussed, would
promote our main design, by producing IN the read
er Il desire TO have deeper knowledge OF Plato
than generally possessed by the greater part oil our
philosophical aud theological writers. To these
quotations, IN almost every case, tu!l ransIauons
have been gwen, sometimes literal, and sometimes
pAraphrasltc. The exceptions 10 tins course arc,
when the nature and substance OF the quotation
were sufficiently Indicated by the manner OF It's In
trndncnon The man references are 10 the Tm;eus
the R.pubhc, the Phedon, Gmsias The@ieius,
Parnrnldes. Phllebus, Pfotasoras, Symposion. Pc
lricus Crttvlus, Sophsta, and The other books ol
The | nws with occasional citations from most OF
the minor dialogues having any cia'"s " oe 'e
caried as genuine. -
The work has been the result OF a careful eX-
ANIMATION at the Platonic Writings: IN when we
have sought 10 interpret Plato mainly by hiAiseu,
and nv IN. aid on the one hand, OF his r'al,
ausiote ana on The other, ct ms enthusiastic ad-
mir.r Cicero OF modern critical and phllosoPhi-
cal brlos whether English or German, we make
iIule display, because, III tact, We have MADE OUT
ltile az no use OF them In regard 20 the teH', we
have followed that of Becker and Asst, who hardly
differ 81 all, either in words or puncluatlen-
Wherever there has been departure from them,
the reasons are assigned, manly ~ the shorter
notes The critical me ans within our power nave
been ver limited, and We therefore, IN ihis Gepaf'-
msnt ask indulgence tor any errors wn'ch may
have oren committed. For the phslosophicai opiR-
ious advanced no such plea is lnlerpoSed, by lhelf
own merit, and their accordance with the true IN
depreciation of the Fatonlc system, they stand or
fall
One design of the work is 10 serve as text
book for senior classes in college, not so much by
wsy of furnishing an exercises N the study OF The
Grrrk nSuage as for the higher object OF exhibit
ing, IN conuexion with the Platonc, The other SyS-
tens of Greek philosophy, and thsif bearing upon
IN. Christian theology. On the same grounds, II Is
supposed That II may De found useful 10 students
our theological seminaries, and form no unprofl,a-
bic addition 10 the libraries Of cicrgymen, besides
commencing itself generally 10 the attention OF our
scholars and literary men.
I'VE speak with confidence on this point. The
young who IL Al enthusiastic student OF fiaio
can never be q Sclollst III regard 10 education, Il
euack IN literature, de,nasosue in politics, or an
in6de III religion.
Our main object. then, IS 10 recommend This
noble philosopher 10 the present generation OF edu-
Gated yoasg men, especially 10 our 'heoiosIans =
Thu. nr.ssnt work BY no means PROCESSES 10 set
forth his system rs whole, but merely 10 psess Mt
some OF is attractive points, 10 allure other minds
among Us 10 more thorough eSamlnaten. The
msa doctrine OF ideas although alluded 10 IN aimos'
every dlssarta,oa, is no, discussed under Its own
ti,le, 6ecsu,e we had formed the design II permit;
ted to accomplish il and II the present WORK shoa!d
bs acceptable 10 the public OF treaunsN byl's IN
an exsmiaatoa OF another OF the most interesting
OF the Plaioaic dialogues"
For the manner in which this worthy task mas
been performed we have as cur guarantee the Alsh
reputation Of Mr. Lewis An examination OF
the WORK i, OF course, study demanding leisure.
fine aud devotion, Should such be gwen us for
il. we may take up the book again as ati''dns
a subject ii general, of permanent, AMI daily IT,
terrst. -
I.EE,shSS LEECHES! LEECRESt