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Article DETACHED THOUGHTS ONBOOKS. ← Page 3 of 3
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Detached Thoughts Onbooks.
ther the Stoics those of the Ep icureans ; but admitted them equally with their own—however they might entertain different sentiments concerning virtue and p leasure—which ma } - - be called rather a masterly distinction , than a material difference—the one accounting virtue the only pleasure ; the other laying it down as a positive truth , that no pleasure could exist without virtue . But the principal difference , which rendered them irreconcilable ,
was rather about the exercise , than the object of virtue—whether she should be active or passive—employed in public good , or enjoyed in listless ease : —this depends much upon temper and constitutionthe good man will always find too many reasons for being an idle man . They mig ht follow the particular doctrine and mode of disputation of one master in preference to all others—but they followed Truth , wherever they found her , without regarding from what class she
sprang . If she condescended to appear in her own veilless and majestic simplicity—no matter to who—they knew they could not be deceived . They ivere certain she came not to enlig hten one sect above another , but for the sake of all mankind . Not like the discordant squabble of modern schoolmen— Thomists
and Scotists , who have cut out work for everlasting jar . Still more unlike ( if more unlike can be ) the rancorous spirit of latter sectaries- —who despise all sense and interpretation , together with the interpreters , which is foreign to their own—laying it down , as the choicest article of their creed , that no good can spring up but in their own body .
As soon condemn me to the mob of the world , as to the mob of books ! Not but that libraries ai ' e useful to many good purposes—yet how few have learned the secret of making a good use of them ? The labours of the learned and ingenious of all ages should not be
lost-There is nothingfrom which humanity derives so much honour- — . The greatest monument of men , are letters—they are not only the foundation of all , but they outlive all other . Yet it were much to be wished , that reading was more confined , arid writing less frequent—which would be the case , provided every writer had some laudable end in view . For otherwiseit is but like wheeling rubbish to the mountain ' s
, foot , without adding to the heig ht , and enlarging the prospect—or carrying stones to the vast pile , which only adds to the bulk , but increases not the strength and magnificence of the building . . Books to judicious compilers , are useful—to particular arts and professions , absolutely necessary—to men of real science , they are tools : —but more are tools to them .
Where one improves , a thousand corrupt—where one is sage , a thousand are impertinent—where one nourishes Virtue , a thousand endeavour to make Vice amiable . Where , one gives me peace , a thousand would rob me of it— 'where one directs me right , thousands mislead me .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Detached Thoughts Onbooks.
ther the Stoics those of the Ep icureans ; but admitted them equally with their own—however they might entertain different sentiments concerning virtue and p leasure—which ma } - - be called rather a masterly distinction , than a material difference—the one accounting virtue the only pleasure ; the other laying it down as a positive truth , that no pleasure could exist without virtue . But the principal difference , which rendered them irreconcilable ,
was rather about the exercise , than the object of virtue—whether she should be active or passive—employed in public good , or enjoyed in listless ease : —this depends much upon temper and constitutionthe good man will always find too many reasons for being an idle man . They mig ht follow the particular doctrine and mode of disputation of one master in preference to all others—but they followed Truth , wherever they found her , without regarding from what class she
sprang . If she condescended to appear in her own veilless and majestic simplicity—no matter to who—they knew they could not be deceived . They ivere certain she came not to enlig hten one sect above another , but for the sake of all mankind . Not like the discordant squabble of modern schoolmen— Thomists
and Scotists , who have cut out work for everlasting jar . Still more unlike ( if more unlike can be ) the rancorous spirit of latter sectaries- —who despise all sense and interpretation , together with the interpreters , which is foreign to their own—laying it down , as the choicest article of their creed , that no good can spring up but in their own body .
As soon condemn me to the mob of the world , as to the mob of books ! Not but that libraries ai ' e useful to many good purposes—yet how few have learned the secret of making a good use of them ? The labours of the learned and ingenious of all ages should not be
lost-There is nothingfrom which humanity derives so much honour- — . The greatest monument of men , are letters—they are not only the foundation of all , but they outlive all other . Yet it were much to be wished , that reading was more confined , arid writing less frequent—which would be the case , provided every writer had some laudable end in view . For otherwiseit is but like wheeling rubbish to the mountain ' s
, foot , without adding to the heig ht , and enlarging the prospect—or carrying stones to the vast pile , which only adds to the bulk , but increases not the strength and magnificence of the building . . Books to judicious compilers , are useful—to particular arts and professions , absolutely necessary—to men of real science , they are tools : —but more are tools to them .
Where one improves , a thousand corrupt—where one is sage , a thousand are impertinent—where one nourishes Virtue , a thousand endeavour to make Vice amiable . Where , one gives me peace , a thousand would rob me of it— 'where one directs me right , thousands mislead me .