and Lust? But how can it be prov'd, that it should be able to cure it self; when it was the Soul that invented the Art of curing the Body? And whereas the disposition of Bodies and Nature doth work much towards the curing of Bodies; nor are Patients yet come under cure by certain consequence cur'd; Souls, on the contrary, which are willing to be restor'd to their Health, and fol∣low the Prescriptions of the Wise, do undoubtedly recover. In truth, there is a faculty of curing Souls, even Philosophy; whose succor is not, as in bodily Diseases, to be fetch'd from abroad; but we must, with our whole might, and by all means, labour that we may cure our selves. Although, as to Philosophy in its whole Latitude, how much it is to be desired and studied, hath been, I sup∣pose, sufficiently discoursed (c) in my Treatise on that Subject, call'd Hortensius; and since that time, we have scarcely ever ceas'd, both disputing and writing upon Points of highest Importance: In these Books too, are laid down those Disputes which we had among Friends that came to visit us at our House at Tusculum. But because in the two former, there hath been spoken as to Death and Pain; the third days Dispute shall make this third Volum; for as soon as we were come down into our Academy, I bid any one of them, that were in presence, propose a Subject to debate upon: Then the Matter proceeded thus.
(c) In my Treatise on that Subject, called Hortensius.] Tully writ a Book, wherein he answers the Objections against Philosophy, made by Hortensius; and therefore calls it by his Name; it is not now extant.