proach philosophy, if it makes men such persons? Far from it; I would
not choose to do so, even if I were going to become a wise man. I indeed
would rather that a young man, who is making his first movements towards
philosophy, should come to me with his hair carefully trimmed than with
it dirty and rough, for there is seen in him a certain notion
(appearance) of beauty and a desire of (attempt at) that which is
becoming; and where he supposes it to be, there also he strives that it
shall be. It is only necessary to show him (what it is), and to say:
Young man, you seek beauty, and you do well; you must know then that it
(is produced) grows in that part of you where you have the rational
faculty; seek it there where you have the movements towards and
movements from things, where you have the desires towards and the
aversion from things; for this is what you have in yourself of a
superior kind; but the poor body is naturally only earth; why do you
labor about it to no purpose? if you shall learn nothing else, you will
learn from time that the body is nothing. But if a man comes to me
daubed with filth, dirty, with a moustache down to his knees, what can I
say to him, by what kind of resemblance can I lead him on? For about
what has he busied himself which resembles beauty, that I may be able to
change him and say, Beauty is not in this, but in that? Would you have
me to tell him, that beauty consists not in being daubed with muck, but
that it lies in the rational part? Has he any desire of beauty? has he
any form of it in his mind? Go and talk to a hog, and tell him not to
roll in the mud.

* * * * *

ON ATTENTION.--When you have remitted your attention for a short time,
do not imagine this, that you will recover it when you choose; but let
this thought be present to you, that in consequence of the fault
committed today your affairs must be in a worse condition for all that
follows. For first, and what causes most trouble, a habit of not
attending is formed in you; then a habit of deferring your attention.
And continually from time to time you drive away by deferring it the
happiness of life, proper behavior, the being and living conformably to
nature. If then the procrastination of attention is profitable, the
complete omission of attention is more profitable; but if it is not
profitable, why do you not maintain your attention constant? Today I
choose to play. Well then, ought you not to