The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-11


Plato now set of for Athens, with the resolution me-
yer egain 10 leave Il. lie was received there With
Uncommon marks OF distinction but though strong
" urged 10 take Il share IN the government he rcf,is
cd IT, thinking j. impossible 10 do any good in u,
amid the general deprivation Of manners which then
prevailed. Bnt nothing is stronger proof Of the
high estimation in which he was held in Greece,
tlian what happened 40 him at the Olympic games
lie was received as God descended from Heaven
and all The different nations Of Greece though ever
eager 10 gaze upon spectacles, and though the mag
nfcencc of the Olympic games had drawn them to-
geher from every quarter left the Chariotaces and
the combats of the Athleta to pay their undivided
attention to Plato, and TO express the pleasure which
they felt on seeing whom they had heard utter
20 many wonderful things.
Plato Was never married; his life was strictly tcm
peraie, and he never tansgressed the laws OF CONT
nencc. He had large number of scholars among
whom were Aris totle and Demosthenes.
Two women, likewise, have been recorded among
the number Of his disciples, both Of whom used TO
dress like men, as more suited 10 the dignity OF phil
osophy. Throughout his whole life he was greatly
esteemed for the purity of his morals, the elegance oil
his manners the spendor Of his eloquence, and the
subimiiy and grandeur Of his philosophy
lie died on his birthday, in the first year OF the
hundred and eighth olympiad, a, the ago Of eighty
one years
Long anterior TO the time OF Plato, Anaxaforas Of
Clozomene the famous instructor Of Perices and So
crates, had female followers, among whom was the
celebrated Aspnsia, who was not only disciple but
teacher in Athens OF rhetoric md politics Her
glowing elnqnence her talents, her youth, her extra
ordinay beauty, won upon all hearts and the Aihe.
mans, who ill then had thought woman capable Of
nothing bur Tho superintendence of The loom and
eiofeh0use, who considered a wfe merely os n
household drudge, md could not suppose that ration
al intercourse and friendship with female were pos
sble suddenly saw themselves Obliged to bow before
female intellect and learned the eoqnence which was
to eapiiy1e the multitude, and the arts by which
they were TO WELD the power al the State from f.
male lips
The most distinguished characters in Athens al.
tended her lectures; Perieles then in the height Of
his power and Socrates inst entering upon life
alike sought her instruction. Aspaala has been sg
mhli2ed with being conrtAzan, n charge not com
palble with a life so devoted 10 learning a. 10 have
made her an able teacher Of The aforementioned
sciences at very early age. When We recolleci,
too, that The severely virtuous Perres made her his
wife, that their only son was born sometime after
marriage, and That Socrates, in affertimes carried
the wives and daughters Of his friends TO profit BY
her conversation and instruction, we may well be.
evc that the reproaches pentifnlly cast upon her
were but The calunnies of a faction invented
for q particular purpose.
But LEI us return to Plato. We have given brief
sketch OF his life, let ns snccny state some If his
opinions and doctrines.
lie asserted that there were three first principles
God Matter and Idea God he conceived 10 be The
universal inteigonce-lI as the subsimtum or
first requisite in generation and committeeman
L{e1 ha N hn
dent in The Divine Mind. Plato taught that the
world was created by Supreme Being, but not in
the sense in which receive or recognize creation.
For he supposed that the Almighty only impaired
laws and order Of arrangemont--not that he brought
forth all things from nothing. None Of the ancient
philosophers ever enletlned any sublime notions OF
the Deity orCreation That from nothiRg-7oalinq
can be produced was received as an axiom, which il
would be madness to disputeand therefore they only
escrIbed the skin of builder who operated on ecr
nal existing materials, to the Architect of the Uni
verse. In his "Epitomies" he acknowledges three
kinds OF sods-superior inferior and Intermediate
Plato also taught the doctrine Of the Metcmposycho
sis, or the transnlgration OF souls, which he Dor
rowed from Pyihagoras--and incorporated into his
own system. He believed in the Immortality of The
soul, although his arguments on this point did moi
satisfy Cicero
In the work before us entitled 'PhedonY we have 4
full exposition Of the doctrines, the philosophy and
religion Of Plato, and the work is rendered more in
'erestng by graphic and touching dccription OF the
trial, sayings, conduct, last moments and death of
Socrates. The opinions OF ancient, intermediate
md modern philosophers and diyines arc added on
The Immortality OF the soul--and VIC can truth |
July say, that the volume embraces an epitomc of
heather and classic philosophy. To the general rea.
der, who has no time 10 wade through pondcrous
oes the work viii prove valuable although ii is not
o Plato that we would go for evidence of the eternity
II our spiritual being for assuredly the world by |
wisdom knew not God ii belonged to the SAVIOUR
md REDEEMEn, ITO bring life and Immortality TO
light by the gospel
We cordially commend the book to the reading
and 10 those rho mink. twill have ten
lency to enlarge the understanding, adorn the mind
with some pr ecous gems Of ancient thought, and
confirm the cheering faith In Gcd, Humanity and
The "PnEDos" is published by Mr. William
Gowans, New York and may be seen we presume
At I've do not know where, for the Bookse OF |
our city have moi yet been guilty of the courtegy Of
fayoring orr table with books ior review
-------s
Cor. FARRAR OF LA.--I notice that the Hon. p I
ftaAA 49,