THE most antient of those systems which make virtue consist in prudence, and of which any considerable remains have come down to us is that of Epicurus, who is said however, to have borrowed all the leading principles of his philosophy from some of ••hose who had gone before him, particularly from Aristippus; tho' it is very probable, notwithstanding this allegation of his enemies, ••hat at least his manner of applying those principles was altogether his own.
According to Epicurus * 1.1 bodily pleasure and ••ain were the sole ultimate objects of natu|••al desire and aversion. That they were al|ways the natural objects of those passions, he ••hought, required no proof. Pleasure, might ••ndeed, appear sometimes to be avoided; ••ot, however, because it was pleasure, but ••ecause, by the enjoyment of it, we should ••ither forfeit some greater pleasure, or expose
