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fighting…cocks； by puns and repartees； and battles of logic； 〃how one thing
cannot be predicated of another；〃 or 〃how the wise man is not only to
overcome every misfortune； but not even to feel it；〃 and other such mighty
questions； which in those days hid that deep unbelief in any truth
whatsoever which was spreading fast over the minds of men。 Such
word…splitters were Stilpo and Diodorus； the slayer and the slain。 They
were of the Megaran school； and were named Dialectics； and also； with
more truth； Eristics； or quarrellers。 Their clique had professed to follow
Zeno and Socrates in declaring the instability of sensible presumptions and
conclusions； in preaching an absolute and eternal Being。 But there was
this deep gulf between them and Socrates； that while Socrates professed to
be seeking for the Absolute and Eternal； for that which is； they were
content with affirming that it exists。 With him； as with the older sages；
philosophy was a search for truth。 With them it was a scheme of
doctrines to be defended。 And the dialectic on which they prided
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themselves so much； differed from his accordingly。 He used it
inductively； to seek out； under the notions and conceptions of the mind；
certain absolute truths and laws of which they were only the embodiment。
Words and thought were to him a field for careful and reverent induction；
as the phenomena of nature are to us the disciples of Bacon。 But with
these hapless Megarans； who thought that they had found that for which
Socrates professed only to seek dimly and afar off； and had got it safe in a
dogma； preserved as it were in spirits； and put by in a museum； the great
use of dialectic was to confute opponents。 Delight in their own subtlety
grew on them； the worship not of objective truth； but of the forms of the
intellect whereby it may be demonstrated； till they became the veriest
word…splitters； rivals of the old sophists whom their master had attacked；
and justified too often Aristophanes' calumny； which confounded Socrates
with his opponents； as a man whose aim was to make the worse appear the
better reason。
We have here； in both parties； all the marks of an age of exhaustion； of
scepticism； of despair about finding any real truth。 No wonder that they
were superseded by the Pyrrhonists； who doubted all things； and by the
Academy； which prided itself on setting up each thing to knock it down
again； and so by prudent and well…bred and tolerant qualifying of every
assertion； neither affirming too much； nor denying too much； keep their
minds in a wholesomeor unwholesomestate of equilibrium； as stagnant
pools are kept； that everything may have free toleration to rot undisturbed。
These hapless caricaturists of the dialectic of Plato； and the logic of
Aristotle； careless of any vital principles or real results； ready enough to
use fallacies each for their own party； and openly proud of their success in
doing so； were assisted by worthy compeers of an outwardly opposite tone
of thought； the Cyrenaics； Theodorus and Hegesias。 With their clique； as
with their master Aristippus； the senses were the only avenues to
knowledge； man was the measure of all things； and 〃happiness our being's
end and aim。〃 Theodorus was surnamed the Atheist； and； it seems； not
without good reason； for he taught that there was no absolute or eternal
difference between good and evil； nothing really disgraceful in crimes； no
divine ground for laws； which according to him had been invented by men
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to prevent fools from making themselves disagreeable； on which theory；
laws must be confessed to have been in all ages somewhat of a failure。
He seems to have been； like his master； an impudent light…hearted fellow；
who took life easily enough； laughed at patriotism； and all other high…
flown notions； boasted that the world was his country； and was no doubt
excellent after…dinner company for the great king。 Hegesias； his fellow
Cyrenaic； was a man of a darker and more melancholic temperament； and
while Theodorus contented himself with preaching a comfortable
selfishness； and obtaining pleasure； made it rather his study to avoid pain。
Doubtless both their theories were popular enough at Alexandria； as they
were in France during the analogous period； the Siecle Louis Quinze。
The 〃Contrat Social；〃 and the rest of their doctrines； moral and
metaphysical； will always have their admirers on earth； as long as that
variety of the human species exists for whose especial behoof Theodorus
held that laws were made； and the whole form of thought met with great
approbation in after years at Rome； where Epicurus carried it to its highest
perfection。 After that； under the pressure of a train of rather severe
lessons； which Gibbon has detailed in his 〃Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire；〃 little or nothing was heard of it； save sotto voce； perhaps； at the
Papal courts of the sixteenth century。 To revive it publicly； or at least as
much of it as could be borne by a world now for seventeen centuries
Christian； was the glory of the eighteenth century。 The moral scheme of
Theodorus has now nearly vanished among us； at least as a confessed
creed； and； in spite of the authority of Mr。 Locke's great and good name；
his metaphysical scheme is showing signs of a like approaching
disappearance。 Let us hope that it may be a speedy one； for if the senses
be the only avenues to knowledge； if man be the measure of all things； and
if law have not； as Hooker says； her fount and home in the very bosom of
God himself； then was Homer's Zeus right in declaring man to be 〃the
most wretched of all the beasts of the field。〃
And yet one cannot help looking with a sort of awe （I dare not call it
respect） at that melancholic faithless Hegesias。 Doubtless he； like his
compeers； and indeed all Alex