Page:The religion of Plutarch, a pagan creed of apostolic times; an essay (IA religionofplutar00oakeiala).pdf/14

 slightingly of Gréard's interesting study, has himself contributed one or two "Lectures" to some general observations on this sphere of Plutarch's activity, while the Rev. J. P. Mahaffy has given two chapters to the subject in his "Greek World under Roman Sway." Chap. xiii., which is headed "Plutarch and His Times—Public Life," is devoted partly to Apuleius, and partly to Plutarch himself, and exhibits, in continuous form, a number of that author's best-known and most frequently quoted statements and opinions on the subjects of Politics and Religion, some ten pages being set apart for the presentation and criticism of his views on the latter topic. Chap. xiv. is entitled "Plutarch and His Times—Private Life," and intersperses with comments a number of extracts from the evidence furnished by Plutarch on various matters appertaining to the social and domestic life of his epoch, giving the gist of passages selected from the "Table Talk," from various essays on Education, and from several tracts on Minor Morals and other themes of general interest.

Although Professor Mahaffy's prolonged and extensive researches into every available sphere of Greek life and thought occasionally enable him to help out his author's descriptions by aptly chosen illustrations from other sources, yet, in dealing with a writer at once so voluminous and so full of interest as Plutarch, the