Pagina 634 de 1391

He is a sanitary reformer; he maintains that civilized states

have a right to the soil of waste countries; he is inclined to

the opinion which places happiness in virtuous pleasures, but

herein, as he thinks, not disagreeing from those other

philosophers who define virtue to be a life according to nature.

He extends the idea of happiness so as to include the happiness

of others; and he argues ingeniously, 'All men agree that we

ought to make others happy; but if others, how much more

ourselves!' And still he thinks that there may be a more

excellent way, but to this no man's reason can attain unless

heaven should inspire him with a higher truth. His ceremonies

before marriage; his humane proposal that war should be carried

on by assassinating the leaders of the enemy, may be compared to

some of the paradoxes of Plato.