SOCRATES.

HEN we hear of men who have attained great eminence in wisdom and virtue, we naturally wish to know by what means they became superior to those around them. Our curiosity has not, however, been gratified with many particulars respecting the early life of

Socrates. His father, Sophroniscus, was a statuary, and he was himself brought up in the practice of the same art, in which there is reason to believe that he made great proficiency; since his statues of the Habited Graces were judged worthy of a place on the wall of the citadel of Athens, behind the statue of Minerva. In the age and city which produced such a master of that art as Phidias, one cannot suppose that the work of Socrates would have obtained this honour, if he had been a bungler in his profession. He probably continued to exercise this art till he was nearly thirty years of age, when Crito, a noble Athenian, observing his disposition to study, and admiring his ingenuous temper and powerful understanding, thought that such a man might be more usefully employed than in making statues, and placed him with his children, as their preceptor. In this situation he had an opportunity of attending the lectures of the most celebrated philosophers of that time.

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This was the usual method of instruction in the age Socrates: books were then so scarce, that few could study in retirement. Knowledge was therefore communicated in discourse; and the public walks, the porticoes, and places appropriated to bodily exercises, were resorted to for the improvement of the mind.

While Socrates listened to these discussions, his thoughts took another direction; and as he had hitherto admired pro

portion and order in the different parts of the statues which he was employed in carving, he now began to feel the beauty of regularity in the characters and manners of men. This easy transition of taste from natural to moral beauty, is admirably described by one of the poets:

"The attentive mind,

By this harmonious action on her powers,
Becomes herself harmonious; wont so oft
In outward things to meditate the charm
Of sacred order, soon she seeks at home
To find a kindred order, to exert

Within herself this elegance of love,

This fair inspired delight; her tempered powers
Refine at length, and every passion wears

A chaster, milder, more attractive mien."

The philosophers whose lectures Socrates attended, were chiefly occupied in discussing difficult and curious questions, which it was either impossible or useless to answer. The formation of the world, and the laws which govern the motions of the heavenly bodies, also engaged their attention. In these speculations Socrates made an uncommon progress; but he soon perceived that the happiness of men was but little promoted by these studies. He therefore resolved to call Philosophy down from heaven, where she had been vainly striving to account for the motions of the planets, and the revolution of the seasons, that she might assist in the regulation of that little world which the Deity has put into our power.

He now applied himself in earnest to the study of the heart of man, and endeavoured to find the most effectual means of governing his passions, and directing his reason. He lived for some time as a private citizen, in humble life, distinguished only for his wisdom and virtue, and for the exactness of his obedience to the laws of his country. At length, when he was about thirty-six years old, he was called into a more active scene.

Potidea, a town situated on the isthmus which joins the little peninsula of Pallene to the continent of Thrace, or Macedonia, (for historians do not agree respecting the bounda

ries of those countries,) revolted from the Athenians, to whom they had for some time been tributary. The cause of this revolt was the unjust use of power on the part of the Athenians. Potidæa, though at that time dependent on Athens, was a Corinthian colony; and the Athenians, fearing it might shake off their yoke, and regain the protection of Corinth, commanded the inhabitants to demolish their fortifications on the side next to Pallene; to place hostages in their hands, as securities for their obedience; and to dismiss the Corinthian magistrates who had hitherto governed their city. To these humiliating conditions the Potidæans refused to accede. They declared war against the Athenians, and many neighbouring towns followed their example. Injustice having thus made a beginning, ambition and revenge hastened to complete the work. Alas! could the Athenians have foreseen the miseries and humiliations which were soon to fall upon themselves, how differently would they have acted! Corinth sent an army to the relief of the Potideans. Athens also sent troops to compel them to obedience. And now Socrates, who thought it his duty to support the measures of his country, though he had as yet taken no share in the government, exchanged his contemplative life of a philosopher, for the bustle and activity of a camp. Ever anxious to exert his powers to the utmost in the public service, he endured, beyond any of his companions in arms, the privations and fatigues of war. Hunger, thirst, and cold, were enemies with which he had long accustomed himself to contend, and therefore the severity of the climate affected him less than any body. The Thracian winters were then extremely severe; and when but few of the soldiers would venture to go out of their tents on account of the cold, and those who did, wrapped themselves in warm furs, Socrates accompanied them in his common clothing, and walked barefoot on the ice, with more alacrity than those who were so warmly clad. This astonished the soldiers, who considered his hardiness as a reproach to themselves.

Our philosopher not only surprised the soldiers by his

hardiness, but delighted them by his wit and gaiety, whi made him the life of every company: for, during this expedtion, they had times of feasting as well as of privation; and, whether the business of the day was enjoyment or suffering, Socrates equally distinguished himself, though he was careful not to exceed the bounds of temperance. When the Athenians invested Potidæa, many skirmishes took place between them and the Corinthians. In one of these, a noble Athenian youth, named Alcibiades, was severely wounded. Socrates, seeing him lie in this sad condition on the ground, stepped before him, defended him courageously, prevented the enemy from taking possession of his arms, and at length

brought him off safely in sight of the whole army. The prize of valour was considered as justly due to Socrates for this brave action, but he modestly declined it. To him the pleasure of doing his duty appears to have been reward sufficient; and we are told, that the honourable testimony which he bore to the courage of young Alcibiades, had such weight with the judges, that they bestowed upon him the crown and suit of armour which had been intended for Socrates.

The check which their Corinthian allies had received in this action, did not change the resolution of the inhabitants of Potidea. They persisted in refusing to obey the unjust commands of the Athenians, and the city was, therefore, closely besieged, both by sea and land. The Corinthians, not liking to give up a place colonized by themselves, appealed to the Lacedæmonians, who, notwithstanding the wise remonstrances of their king Archidamus, consented to engage in the war. As they had not, however, made the necessary preparations, they sent ambassadors to Athens, by way of gaining time. These deputies, among other offensive demands, were instructed to desire that the siege of Potidea should be raised. The Athenians, confident in their strength, (for great part of Greece was already subject to their influence,) were more inclined to defend their aggressions, than to accede to the terms proposed. The ambassadors returned to Sparta, and the Peloponnesian war began soon afterwards, which ended in the complete humiliation of Athens.

DEATH OF SOCRATES.

OCRATES' disciple, Xenophon, begins his Memorials of his revered master, with⚫ declaring his wonder how the Athenians

could have been persuaded to condemn to death a man of such uncommonly clear innocence and exalted worth. Elian, though his authority will bear no comparison with Xenophon's, has, I think, nevertheless given the solution.