Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/20

Rh Genius, run through Logicks, Rhetorick, Poetry, Politicks, Oeconomicks, Ethicks, and Physicks, and perform'd Wonders upon almost all the parts of Learning and Philosophy; insomuch that as far as we can guess by what is extant, the World is more oblig'd to his Pen, than to all the Old Authors put together. 'Tis true, some give him this Character with an Exception of Preference for Plato his Master. But these Criticks seem to mistake the Drift of Plato's Writings : It being not so much the Design of this great Man to treat the Principles of Science, and leave us a Body of Learning, as to Combat the Sophists of his own Time : For this purpose he disputes under the Person of Socrates, and makes it his main business, to refute the Fallacies, to pull of the Mask, and expose the Trifling, of these pretenders in Philosophy. And working upon this View, he was oblig'd to take a compass in his Reasoning, to run out into seeming Digressions; and carry the Dispute to a vast length; And tho' the Connexion is true and Artificial, yet 'tis wrought In so fine, that the Reader has sometimes much ado to keep sight of the main Argument. 'Tis granted a Man is not apt to Tire upon the Journey; There's great variety of Invention; the Rh