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Eutyphron we aw how Socrates attack’d the Supertition of the Athenians and the plurality of their Gods, by expoing the ridiculounes of the Fables with which their Divinity

was tuff'd, and by that means endeavouring to bring 'em to the knowledge of the true God. They were a People devoted to Idolatry, and always upon their guard againt Innovations; witnes the Acts of the Apotles, where we ee the Athenians, who were diturb’d at the preaching of St. Paul, cry’d out, He eemeth to be a etter forth of trange Gods. Now a People thus dipos'd, could not but be alarm’d by a Doctrine o oppoite to their Errors But that was not the firt pring of their hatred of Socrates. The Vertue and generous Liberty of that wifé Man procur’d him many écret Enemies, who, in order to get rid of a publick Cenor that always twitted them with their Vices, decry’d him underhand, as being an impious Fellow, that meddled with upected Sciences, and taught the way of promoting Injutice. Aritophenes was the mot erviceable Intrument in preading that Calumny. His Comedy of the Clouds had uch an abolute influence upon the People, that it mov'd them to receive the Accuation brought against this Philoopher more than twenty Years after, branding him for a profligate Wretch that introduc’d new Deities, The

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