On this page
- Departments (2)
-
Text (7)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
PLUTA.RCH*
-
CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM.*
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
" . Crito , " the " Phsedo , " and the "Apology " ; and that here there ¦ grew up , ' under the influence of Eukleides , a peculiar system of philosophical opinions . From Megara , Plato went to Gyrene , the Greek colony in Africa , to the society of Theodoriis the mathematician , of whom he makes mention , in the Dialogue entitled " Thesetetus . Thence he went to Italy , and conversed with the Pythagoreans , the influence of whose lore we see in the " Timaeus , " and in other dialogues . Thence he is said to have gone to Egypt , M to the prophets ' ¦ * . :- —a strange expression , probably implying his intercourse with mystical teachers who claimed supernatural knowledge . And after these travels , he returned to Athens , and taught in the Academia , a pleasure ground near the city , where he had a villa ; the gardens of which were the scene , of his teaching , that is , of his conversations with his admirers , and , perhaps , of his readings of the Dialogues .
There seems to be no truth in the statement of Themistius , who wrote 700 or 800 years after the event , that the Athenians repented of having put Socrates to death , and punished his accusers . Miletus , he says , was fined , Anytus fled , and the people of Heradea in Pontus stoned him to death ; and that his tomb was to be seen in the suburb of that city , not far from the sea . Of all this Plato and Xenophon appear to know nothing . In the " Meno . " Plato makes Socrates express pity for Anytus , as not knowing the value of a good education ; and in accordance with this , Xenophon tells us that the son of Anytus , not having been initiated in any good pursuit , took to evil courses , and that the father was in evil repute on this ground . If a visitation such as that reported by Themistius had fallen upon him , it could hardly , concludes Dr . Whewell , have passed unnoticed in tha works of Plato and Xenophon . :
In his . academic teaching , " a . main object with Plato was a continuation of the war which Socrates had carried pn against the false seeming of wisdom , and against the false pretenders to wisdom . He might go on to do in writing what his master had done in oral discourse;—expose the want of . a real substance of science in men of note , and exhibit to ridicule , their pretensions , their shallowness , their conceit and self-complacencyi" Such was the noble revenge taken by Plato for the murder _ of his master . It only remains to be stated that both taug \ ht philosophy gratuitously . They held that it was a kind of prostitution of . the mind ; inasmuch as it was a giving for hire that which a . rightminded person can only give through affection and esteem . But , Dr . Whewell says , this lofty notion , is contrary to -the practice of all times and places . ^ Ve desire to suggest , however , one exception . To cbnimunicate truth without money and without price , is one inark of a Divine mission .
Untitled Article
BIOGRAPHERS and moralists find a ready audience ; for life and manners are at all times interesting . Frequently , however , they do that service for others which they need themselves . Here in a pleasant volume , handsomely printed , we have what Plutarch had to tell of Themistocles , Pericles , Alcibiades , Lysander , Pelopidas , Timoleon , Demosthenes , and Alexander ; but what have we of himself ? Records of him , indeed , are few and brief . ^ That he studied philosophy under Ammoniusj at Delphi , in the reign of Nero , that some of his family held high civic offices in their native city , and that he more thanonce visited Italy and Rome isprobable ; and likewise in the latter delivered lectures in his vernacular on philosophywhile Dbmitian was imperator , the substance of which
, is supposed to be embodied in his moral writings . During his residence in Italy , ho states , himself , that ho had been prevented from acquiring a knowledge of the Latin language through having had so many commissions to execute , and so many people coming" to him to receive his instructions in philosophy ; but at a late period of hia life he began to read latin authors , and otherwise indulged his taste , as ho appears to have lived in honour and comfort in his native city , enjoying the dignity and emoluments of a priesthood , and holding various magisterial offices . We are also told that ho had four sons and a daughter , but the time and circumstances of his death have not been registered .
Well ! wo must bo content \ yitl » , this , and seek his own life m those " Parallel Lives , " where he lias forth-shadowed hia own in six-and-forty , individualities . Many of Ins works have been , unfortunately , lost ; among thorn , 'fifteen other biographies , thoy say ; but wo have also a life of Jiomor , and four lives , not includod in tho Parallels , besides his " Momliu , " which so delightfully blond anecdotes with ethics . It is a pity that his historical accuracy was not equal to his moral aim . Moreover , in those days , wo have , as Mr . Olough remarks , learnt the value of cotomporairy statements , h
and prefer , accordingly , Thucydido ' s account of Pericles , as ving in his ago , Tho want of ohronology in Plutarch ' s work is scarcely a defect , as ho writes simply to illustrate character , and to compare , on certain points , tho Greek with tho Roman . 7 . That tho negloct into which Plutarch has fallen of late yoai'H is undesirable wo aro willing to acknowledge , und read y to add that Mr . dough ' s selections from his writings urq judiciously made . Mr , Olough hus plncod tho selected lives in a chronological boHoh jfrorh Themistocloa to Alexander and Demosthenes , Tho . translations aro tnkon from tho American edition , Jutoly published ,, in Boston , by Little and Brown ; which was formed on tho basis oi
the second English translation made by various hands , but witl important and numerous corrections . The editor observes thai Plutarch is truer to antiquity from his point of view hot being political . " If , ' he adds , " it were merely as an ancient writei giving the ancient Greek and Roman aspect of Greek and Roman history , lie might well claim the attention of those who cannot conveniently read the whole series of . original - authorities . It is wonderful how different these are from any modern account of them They have been treated as materials , and worked up into something entirely new .
The great Mosaic figures have been taken to pieces , and the bits carefully preserved , put together again upon another design . Tim may be saying too much . But , certainly , there is a great tradition of ancient history , which Plutarch very fairly represents , which we are in some danger of forgetting , and which it is essential to possess before proceeding to the commentary which explains , and the criticism which checks it . Criticism has , indeed , effected wonders ; bui no knowledge of ancient history is sound which knows more of tht annotations than of the text , and which does not rest upon an acquaintance with the ancients as pourtrayed by themselves . "
Without hesitatation , we can indorse these representations , and appreciate the high merits of this issue . We trust that the editor will be sufficiently encouraged to venture upon a second volume . The present is hot only distinctly printed upon good paper , but is lavishly illustrated . There are more than forty elegantly executed wdbdeuts , which really embellish as well as illustrate the work . It is exceedingly well fitted for a gif t-book to youth , and one more welcome could scarcely be given to a son . or nephew who held out promise of future excellence . Plutarch will teach him how to go through life heroically , if not happily ; how to deserve if not to command success .
Untitled Article
MOS T of us remember that when Mr . Bob Sawyer had but a small practice he induced an . extension of it by the simple , but excellent expedient of doing- up bottles of physic , and ordering his boy to leave them at the wrong doors ; by this means making his name more fully known , and , at the same time , leading those whom he desired as patients to believe that if the boy were forgetful the master ' s practice was extensive . As the usual vehicles of advertising are disdained by all practitioners who are not quacks , there remains only three other methods of winking oneself known ; the first is suitable to a suburban neighbourhood , and consists « i employing-a footman or page—a maidservant is too nervous for the operation—to call " the doctor" out of church in the middle of an
impressive sermon , whispering at the same time the word " consultation " most audibly j the second is expensive , but it is said to be serviceable , and is nothing less than setting up a brougham , and being driven like Jehu " furiously" along the various squares ; the ' . third is to publish a book of one ' s own or anyone else ' s writing , ( a translation from the French is often preferred ) treating of any particular form of disease which may be found in the thousands which grace hosology . Any of the more common forms will , of course , suit the practitioner in one way best , but he may choose one totally new , if such there be ; give it a long name , and awake , and find himself famous . Almost will tell of dozens of books
any first-rate j > hysician or surgeon one which have been produced in this way . It stands to reason—so much has the medical education of tho laity been neglected—that when Dr . Hammer , or Mr . Parker Pepps , M . R . C . S . have distributed a thousand books which may lie , if treating of a decent disease , on a thousand drawing-room tables , that in due time they may count upon a good per ccntage of patients . Readers of medical books abound in England . Almost every reasonable man , if not un medecm malqie lui , is , according to the adage , a physician by the time he is forty ; if not we need not consult Ray ' s proverbs to say what ho is ; henco books upon this branch of science , with a talunff title , command a large public . If not absolutely scientific ,
and . it would be hyperthetical to demand a masterly treatise every time , Mr . Churchill advertises a new volume , tho best next thingis to bo harmless . That is a merit in itsolf , and Dr . Mnrcefs book , which now lies before us , possesses tho merit in no small degree . But beyond this wo can say littlo . Sometimes , whore tho mind oi tho author is open and manly , a reader can discover tho aim of tho volume on the title page , but Mr . Marcot is secretive , and it is not till wo roach page 147 , almost tho last , a table of cases , occupying the remaining twenty-five pages , that wo find from Mr , ^ tarcot , that ho " has endeavoured to bring prominently to ionn mauiwu uuiwit wjr Avuni
light tJio most irequcni ; u « . j » -n « «» w drinking , and it will bo a source of satisfaction to mo should any of the foregoing observations strong-then tho hands of those philanthropists who have devoted their timoand exertions to tho repression of excesses in alcoholic stimulants . " Tho first tiling naturally to bo considered in what in " oxeonsr Mr . Marcet ' H table dooa not assist us , nor do tho two books the titles of which ho eitos and tho contents of which ho avails himself j Maonish ' s well-known " Anatomy of Drunkenness * , " and Kooaeh h " Po Tabus des boisnons Spiritousos . " The synoptical tawo oontuiiiM a lodu'or account of some very terrible pains and penalties with wiucii the alcoholic oxeeodev is sure to bo debited with , b 1 oop 1 oh «» uhh , giddiness , headache , Hying specks before the eyes ( muncc « voliuatoB , noiaes in the curs ( tinnitus aurium ) , hulluomutions u » dvant o coordinations of tho voluntary motions , and » morbid conditiuu oi tho
Untitled Article
* Qrtek Iltitory from Thtmiatavlea to Ato . cander , in n «« rlO 8 of Mvoa from Plutcu-ph . KovJuoil un « Jl ' wrruii ({ Qa Uy A . II .
Untitled Article
? OHOhrmto AWollo fntoxU-aUon or AloohoUc MUM * /« ^^ V . u ! , th « Mrtioua uyatomt with n - »///»<>*>( <>» ^* f {^ ' y , a . X'Mt . ti ,. & , v ., « fco . C'liin-clilll , Now WurH » tftou- » tro « l , law . » >»• " *•
Untitled Article
Sept . 15 , 1860 ] The Saturday Analyst and Leader . 801
Pluta.Rch*
PLUTA . RCH *
Chronic Alcoholism.*
CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM . *
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 15, 1860, page 801, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2365/page/9/
-