Page:Ferrier Works vol 2 1888 LECTURES IN GREEK PHILOSOPHY.pdf/441

386 "And to the truth of this, testimony is borne by what takes place in communities; because the lawgivers make the individual members good men by habituation: and this is the intention, certainly, of every lawgiver, and all who do it not well fail of their intent; and herein consists the difference between a good government and a bad one.

"Again, from the same given circumstances, and by the same means used, all excellence is both produced and destroyed, for by harp-playing both the good and the bad harpers are formed; and similarly of builders and all the rest, for by building well, men will become good builders, by building badly, bad ones; in fact, if this had not been so there would have been no need of instructors, but all men would have been at once good or bad in their several arts without them.

"So, too, is it with the virtues; for by acting in the various relations in which we are thrown with our fellow-men, we come to be, some just, some unjust; and by acting in dangerous positions, and being habituated to feel confidence or fear, we become, some brave, others cowards.

"Similarly also it is with respect to occasions of desire and anger, for some men become perfected in self-control, others become incontinent and passionate, the former by acting in certain circumstances in one way, and the latter by acting in similar circumstances in a different way. In one word, habits () are formed out of corresponding acts (),