New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-30


law horse singing him from time 70 t, nr,l h. gets
bir, IL 10 brisk tror Neither ,,s no ph,sopher in
his appearance. Ii he cou stand before yoa ., night
a. he walked in the strr s Of Ahens you 1ald think
that the grave had disroreed some be orei loafsr.
His eyes rrotr scd from his mead rs ii he were hail
sutfccoted I1is nose wa. short fat, and snub-beng
more mi on that account ne said il could re-
ceve the various perfumes from all parts OF the uni
verse [Lauehterl His mouth was large, and his
nps thick. His neck, too was short aud .hick and
in co.pulcnce, we shouli call him n modern Al
dermsn He often prscrsed dancing at home
in hope Of somewhat reducing his flesh. There Is no
irrevs renee in thus speaking of hs appearance,
inssrnuch he made it frequent source OF merrnent
with his friends. In spirit he was Brahman; IN
looks A Satan In winter md il GUNNER his custom
was 70 90 barefcoted. Thus went wandering about
the streets Of Athens the son Of Sophroniscus Bat IN
spite of BE corpulence, Socrates was perfect s'niee
He had thighs of brass and muscles OF oak when
about 40 years Of sge he drafted for the array and
was sent to serve in company in THrace AND THIS
cold climate where the hardest soldiers went clad in
furs. with sandals upon their feet Socrates walked
barefooted upon the snow and the ice; and ne once
astonshed his fellow-solders by standing in the open
air for "a hours
This leads us to speak Of Socrates as a mystic. lie
was not philosopher but seer He boosted always,
from early youth of Divine commission and relied on
spiritual help To the end ofhis life he believed in SUI
perra,ursl influences and in visions He had sort of
spiritual rspping in his bosom. Sometimes he was led
70 utter the prophecies of this inward monitor And
yet unlike other mystcs, he was terrible losician
He had prophets in tracing out the specous theo-
ries Of his opponents He could track principle in
his vision through all its wndings like hound the
Of its He nfvis
elements of judgment with perfect He always
converted coolly with men upon the highest themes
linked question to question, till at last he drew out
his fundamental faith, showed the poor that he
had not any fundamental faith and urged upon him the
necessity OF his seeking In every rank of society
he enlisted the people in discussion And yet he did
not make any high professions Of his learning. He
went into the streets of Athens inquirer Of truth
Instend of preaching any system Of his philosophy
he pretended he did not know anything-that he was
all earnest seeker after knowledge. Il create moth
ing" said he, IL am learner, and the humbest of ALL"
And yet, most persons who fell in his way, found
his ignorance great deal more tough 10 deal with than
the wisest mems knowledge, "Piety alone, said he,
fits the soul for the communication of Divine secrets
and none reach them except those who consult and
obey the Deity" Socrates probably knew almost all
of the fourteen thousand male dwellers in Athens At
priest OF the dominant religion there. And next we
see him arguing with the lawyers, merchants, or
lalorors. Perhaps we may best realize his relations
to Athens if fancy him returned to the earth, and
behold him walking the streets Of New York, and
taking up here his mission of reformation.
Behold him walking down Wast in the morning,
end arguing there with the bankers ard brokers upon
the transent and paltry worth of stocks in Morris ca
nails and Erie Raroads, ard cndeavoring 10 impress
upon their minds the truth OF destiny for man some
what higher than this And then he catches lawyer
by the button and tells him that there viii be call for
subtle eoquence at the last assize At halfpast one
he suunters into the Exchange and il found al
dressing group on the the nature of The Beautiful
At two, look for him at Denoncos arguing the fool
hness of this habit of eating-hat it is gratif
cation Of want, and that the part of wisdom is to
keep as far as possible from the want (Applause.l
At four, YOU shall find him in close communion and
conversation at some prominent residence Flth.av
After entering into all their various pleasures and
amuement he will not fail to wind up with good
advice upon the true fe-which is of temperance
sobriety and simplicity, &c, &C. Imagine him in all
these various phases, and you shall then know what
Socrates to Athens and how he would be welcomed
amoDgus
But the setting in which he is placed by historians
GreciOn Soplis,s These were a sort of orators, or
rhctoricans. The youth of Athens were wont to ex-
press al their influence and learning in talk. 1t
their custom TO speak, as they we're of age,
in the public assemblies. Most of the sophsts
were of a very attractive appearance. They were
rlfo we'll educated, being thoroughly acquainted
with all the great poets of their age, as
well the historians and philosophers and they made
boast of being able to deliver polished Grafton adj
dress upon any given subject without the least prepa
ration When of these Sophis,s visited Athens,
all classes Of citizens focked to hear him and often
among the rest seen Socrates. And yet, notwith
standing he took pleasurcn litennsto their eoquence
his for them was that Of the weaze Tor the
rat. 7ley taught for gnn Socrates would never take
the least pay for bis teachings. He said he thought It
as great prostitution to sell 1isdOm as Oce To his
fellow citizens, Socrates Ike gsdfy; but to these
sophists he was the vampire itself
After few more remarks upon this head the lectur-
er passed to notice Socrates in his domestic rela
tons remarking that he was great admirer of human
beauty. He had a noble estimate of Woman; aud
were be now among US, and an extemporaneous speak
his voice would undoubtedly be heard In the coun
ellis Of the Womnn's Rights Conventions at Worcester
IL have long held the opinion" said Socrates that
the female are inferior to US in nothing except
bodily strength" Applause There is no disputing
that xantppe, the wife Of Socrates was Tartar She
of,en made practice OF mopping' her husband;
she used TO knock over the table when he expected
friend to supper; and she tore OF his cloak in
fit Of anger, when walking the streets But the sage
was never ruf'ed. The visitations OF water" he
used to ssy ARE but the forerunners of the thunder
ihst generally follow my good wifes tor que" ZAP.
rlsuse All these domestic pers he turned 70 mo.
rel benefit
Af,er few remarks on the close friendship existing
between Socrates and his ayore pupil Plato, Mr. King
closed his address by giving graphic description Of
the closing days Of his life He spoke Of his accusation
by Meius during the sway OF the thirty ,ynns his er.
rssnment before the hundred judges his serene bear
ing during the trial his calminderence at his sentence
OF death, and the strong fortitude with which he
pressed to bis lips the cup Of hemlock which soon nut