Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/23

 ''Anxiety. For let him live, or dye, the Deity he resigns to, will never suffer him to fall into a real Disadvantage ; so that 'tis impossible for him ever to be wretched, or uneasy, or to meet with any thing big enough to throw him out of his Satisfaction. These are the Generous Principles of the Stoicks, in which as they overshot the Peripatetick, and Old Academick Sect, so they must be said to approach nearer to the true Greatness of the Christian Religion''.

I confess I am not altogether of Tullys, and St. Augustins Mind, who will have it that these two Sects are agreed in the Thing, and differ only in the wording their Opinion. Such a perfect Accommodation is I think prov'd Impracticable by Tully himself in the Person of Cato : However, I am so far of this great Orator's Opinion that the Contest between the Stoicks and Peripateticks, was very Honourable: The Dignity, and Supremacy of Virtue was granted on both sides ; The only Dispute was whether 'twas sufficient to do a Man's Business alone ; and make him happy in spite of every Thing beside. But then to make no Difference between Zeno's Cloyster, and the Gardens of Epicurus ; to compare the Men of Liberty, with the great Champions for Virtue and Self-denial, and to bring Pleasure Rh