Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/27

  Noise, but there's nothing in them. And farther, they are so frank as to confess, that a Man ought not to balk himself in any Lewdness, Crime or Scandal, that has either Profit or Pleasure in't : Not to balk himself, I say, upon the Score of any Moral Deformity of the Action; For to say an Action is evil in it self, is a Jest : 'Tis true, one should be cautious when there's likely to be Damage, or Danger in the Case. But as for any Apprehensions about the Displeasure, and Vengeance of Heaven, that's all Superstition and stuff, with these Gentlemen ; Conscience is a Cypher in their Philosophy ; their Reason to forbear doing Mischief is only to save their Carkass; 'tis not the Law, but the Gallows which frights them ; and besides, they are afraid a Provocation may be return'd by private Revenge ; for let them be never so cunning, there's no Ensuring of Falshood, and foul play.

Let us proceed, and examine the Strictness and Sobriety of their Philosophy ; Alass ! They suffer, if you will take their Word for't, under a wrong Imputation : They are represented to breed their Disciples to Niceness, and Luxury, whereas the Case is quite otherwise ; For their Lectures declare strongly for Regularity and Temperance, and are full of Gravity, and Discipline. Is Rh