American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-17
E1am thc phiIndelnhia Sal .rdev Courler.

THE SEVEN WISE MEN OF GREECE.
We often hear and read Of the "Seven Wise
Men, those boosted sages Of the Ancients.-
Who were theyl And tor what were they ce-
lebratedl They were philosophers Of Greece
much and descrvediy esteemed in the ages in
which they lived. Their names we're Thales,
Scion, Child, Pittacus, Bias, Cleobulus and Pc
riander.
Thales was descendant of Cadmus, and
born at Miletus, in Ionia. He travelled much
in quest Of knowledge, and studied under the
priests Of Memphis, in Egypt; where he became
learned in geometry, philosophy, and astrono-
my. lie taught the truths of the solstices and
exqunoxes, divided the year INTO 365 days, and
believed water to be the principle Of every
thing. He lived to be 90 years OF lagc, and
died 54s years before Christ.
Scion was born at Slamis, educated at Il
thens, and afterwards studied under the Egyp-
tan priests. lie was a celebrated lawgiver of
the Athenaus, and was the friend of Crosus,
King of Lydia. He is also noted for his reply
to Crosus, who asked him:
$40 you not think me the happest of mcn!"
Scion answered.
"No man can say he is happy, until nc draws
his last breath"
'!Soon died, aged so, SOS years b. G. His
famous maxim was-"Consider thy end"
Chic was philosopher of Sparta, whose
saying was-"know thysclt."
Pittacus was native of Mitylene, Greece,
and warrior as well as philosopher; for he
delivered his country from the tyranny of Me-
| lanchrus; having killed the cnemys general,
Phrynon, in single combat. He was lawgl-
yer, and many Of his maxms were inscribed on
the walls of the Temple Of Apollo at Delphos.
1t will interest the advocates OF temperance in
our day, to be informed that he enacted Il law,
by whitehall persons rcho committed crimes, ehite
intoaicated, ,vere punished ,cth double penalties
! He died $40 Is. c.. and his maxim was
"know the tlmesn'
Bias was native OF Prione, in Greece,
which he long saved from ruin by his wise
connsels He died in the arms of his grandson,
566 B. c., at good old age and left, as le-
! gacy, this maxim to the world:--"Love your
tiend, as if you expected him to be your cne-
N.Y.
Ceobulus lived at Lindos, Greece, wrote
many verses, and died 564 b. c., aged 10;
leaving this celebrated proverb, which was
key to all the philosophy that he taught
"There is nothing better than moderation"
Fernandez was tyrant of Corinth, disgraced
by atrocous crlmes--yet he had smooth
tongue, from which there constantly flowed mo-
rance with his practice. lie was hypocrte
yet patron of genius, learning and the fine
arts; and therefore it was, that his fiatterers
STYLED him one of the wise men of Greece. He
died, aged 80, $50 B. c.. One of his sayings
was:-''A man ought solennly to keep his
word, but not hesitate to break it, whenever it
clashed with his INTEREST," Have we not our
modern Perianders? Another Of his sayings
was:-"Not only crimes ought to be punished,
but also every wicked and corrupt thought"
So much for the wise men Of Greece How
ever excellent and moral some of their maXims
| yet they are all wanting in those noble and
divine characteristics that mark the benign doc
trines of Christian philosophers, If we except
an terpretation-perhaps too extended one
of the sayings of Scion; all their teachings
were essentially confined to the wisdom of this
world.
| And how will our modern wise men compare
with these pagan sages? Why, as intellectual
light, contrasted with the dim shadows of an
imperfect know ledge. Our times, and those of
our fathers, have been more practically useful,
and our moral axioms are derived from purer
sources. Let us glance at only few of the
bright names, that will be handed down through
all time, as associated with benefits and bless
ings to mankind, Among these, are Calico,
the great astr0nomer-Lord Bacon, whose in
ductive philosophy has proved never-failing
key to unlock the hidden secrets Of science, and
thus to emancipate men from the "vicious cir
Gle" Of the ancient modes Of inquiry--Slr Isaac
Newton, whose genius grasped the universe,
and unfolded the grandest mysteries of Crea-
tion-Locke, who has developed and analysed
the powers of the human understanding
iamin Franklin, who drew lightning from the
clouds, and was equally distinguished for his
maxims on the philosophy of life-La Place,
whose .Mecanique Celeste has been so ably trans
lated, and rendered so clear, by Nathaniel Bow
i ditch, of Observation-Disclosures Thomas Dick,
whose lucid volumes, showing the connexion Of