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There are certain doctrines which he learnt at home and which

exercised a parental authority over him. Presently he finds that

imputations are cast upon them; a troublesome querist comes and

asks, 'What is the just and good?' or proves that virtue is vice

and vice virtue, and his mind becomes unsettled, and he ceases to

love, honour, and obey them as he has hitherto done. He is

seduced into the life of pleasure, and becomes a lawless person

and a rogue. The case of such speculators is very pitiable, and,

in order that our thirty years' old pupils may not require this

pity, let us take every possible care that young persons do not

study philosophy too early. For a young man is a sort of puppy

who only plays with an argument; and is reasoned into and out of

his opinions every day; he soon begins to believe nothing, and

brings himself and philosophy into discredit.