ted so much gravity and
wisdom, should condescend to such trifling occupations. But it must be
considered, that, at this time, a fondness for subtle disputations so
generally prevailed in Greece, that excellence in the arts of reasoning
and sophistry was a sure path to fame. The Stoics, with whom vanity
was unquestionably a ruling passion, were ambitious for this kind of
reputation. Hence it was that they engaged with so much vehemence
in verbal contests, and that they largely contributed towards the
confusion, instead of the improvement, of science, by substituting vague
and ill-defined terms in the room of accurate conceptions. The moral
part of the Stoical philosophy, in like manner, partook of the defects
of its origin. It may be as justly objected against the Stoics as the
Cynics, that they assumed an artificial severity of manners, and a tone
of virtue above the condition of a man. Their doctrine of moral wisdom
was an ostentatious display of words, in which little regard was paid
to nature and reason. It professed to raise human nature to a degree of
perfection before unknown; but its real effect was, merely to amuse
the ear, and captivate the fancy, with fictions which can never
be realized.... The extravagancies and absurdities of the Stoical
philosophy may also be in some measure ascribed to the vehement contests
which subsisted between Zeno and the Academics on the one hand, and
between him and Epicurus on the other. For, not only did these disputes
give rise to many of the dogmas of Stoicism, but led Zeno and his
followers, in the warmth of controversy, to drive their arguments to the
utmost extremity, and to express themselves with much greater confidence
than they would probably otherwise have done. This is, perhaps, the
true reason why so many extravagant notions are ascribed to the Stoics,
particularly upon the subject of morals. Whilst Epicurus taught his
followers to seek happiness in tranquillity, Zeno imagined his wise man,
not only free from all sense of pleasure, but void of all passions and
emotions, and capable of being happy in the midst of torture. That he
might avoid the position taken by the Epicureans, he had recourse to
a moral institution, which bore indeed the lofty front of wisdom, but
which was elevated far above the condition and powers of human nature.
The natural disposition of Zeno, and his manner of life, had, moreover,
no inconsiderable influence in fixing the peculiar character of