A Life of Socrates by Dr. G. Wiggers [pp. 236-265]

Life of Socrates.
of little worth. The reason why he turned away from these
schools with disappointment, not to say disgust, was, as himself
informs us, that they promised much and performed little.
Socrates also derived great advantages from intercourse with
women of talent, whose society he courted. He was not
ashamed to learn from females, whatever might improve his
mind or heart.
At length quite wearied with speculations, theories, sophists
and philosophers, he gave himself no further concern with them,
but exchanged ac,,tovca or ovpavtu for mvop~cE. In other words,
he renounced speculative for practical philosophy. His mind
turned with disgust from theories, which could show no solid
basis of truth, to matters concerning which the truth might be
known. He willingly left to the philosophers the high sounding
name of divine or heavenly wisdom, which they arrogated for
their doctrines, and candidly claimed for his knowledge no
higher name than that of "human wisdom." When Cicero says
that " Socrates primus philosophiam devocavit e coelo et in
urbibus collocavit, et in domos introduxit, et coegit de vita et
moribus, rebusque bonis et malis quaerere," he gives us the
true character of all that Socrates taught, that is, it was practical, not fanciful, it sought truth, not a plausible appearance.
In making its way, its greatest opponents, perhaps, were the
sophists, who, in that day, filled very much the position which
Pascal justly represents the Jesuits as filling in his day. Not
truth, not right, but specious pretence and a semblance of virtue served their turn far better than rectitude of principle or
manly adherence to right. Socrates long and painfully noticed
the effects of the teaching and example of these men, and at
about thirty years of age, set himself to counteract their corrupt opinions and practices, and to teach the people virtue.
lHe was the only man of his age and country, who seems to have
regarded the celebrated inscription on the temple of Delphi,
"Know thyself." By knowing himself, he came to know other
people to an extent quite unusual in any age.
Socrates never delivered set orations or lectures, never formed
classes, but delivered his sentiments wherever he could find his
fellow-citizens, as in the market, in the porticos, in the gymnasia, or in the house of a friend. Dr. Johnson says, that Ed
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