Page:Ferrier Works vol 2 1888 LECTURES IN GREEK PHILOSOPHY.pdf/14



volumes contain the latest and some of the earliest philosophical writings of James Frederick Ferrier. For the last four or five years of his life he was in the habit of lecturing at St Andrews upon the early Greek Philosophy; his lectures were carefully written down before delivery, in many cases re-written, and throughout diligently revised. The repeated shocks of illness which, for some years before his death, gradually undermined his physical powers, probably rendered his treatment of the subject less perfect than it might otherwise have been, both as to extent in general and elaboration in detail. Nevertheless it is believed that these lectures, fragmentary as they are, contain enough of what is original and valuable to justify their publication. They will assuredly not make his memory less dear to all who knew and loved him living; they may possibly help to make it dear to all who love philosophy.