Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/441

Rh Then the Men are in very bad Company. You’r right. Now when these People come back to the first Court and return to Luxury and Lewdness, they make an odd Report of the Adventure, and blame Philosophy, and not themselves for their Miscarriage; They tell you that all who went upon these Discoveries, are wretchedly harrass’d, and disappointed. And never enjoy any of the Satisfactions which are to be met with at home. What Advantages are these? Why, in a Word, debauching and regaling their Palates: For Gourmandizing, and the Liberties of a Brute are in their Esteem the Supream Satisfactions. They must take their Fancy, but under favour, who are those pleasant smiling Women that come from yonder place? They call them Opinions, says he, their Business is to introduce those to Instruction, who are upon the Road to the Virtues, and when they have conveyed them hither, they return to fetch more: And to encourage new Comers, they let them understand how happy those People are that took the Journey before them. Have these Women admittance to the Virtues? By no means, Opinion is never allow’d to appear in the Presence of Science, However, they deliver up their Charge to Learning or Instruction. And Rh