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corrected by Reason. From the Senses arises Opinion, from Reafon Demonftration: on the former are huddl'd up the prejudices of the Vulgar, following the bare appearance of things; on the latter are founded the axioms of the Wife, who confider things as they are in themfelves. But this is not the twofold Philofophy that makes our fubject, nor what the author intended, but the In ARI- other reprefented by PHILOPONUS. This wriSTOT. lib. ter affures us, that PARMENIDES in his Exote1.Phyficor. rics (or books accommodated to the public tafte)

CULUS,

fays fire and water are the beginning or principle of all things, as if he had acknowledg'd the world to have been created: but that in his Efoterics (or books compil'd according to the truth) he says the Universe is one, infinite, and immutable. Here not only the diftinction of Exoterics and Efoterics is literally to be learnt, but an example of it likewife alledg'd; namely, a beginning of things Exoterically, but Efoterically the eternity and incorVideantur ruptibility of the Univerfe. The Egyptians, who HERO DO- were the wifeft of mortals, had a twofold doctrine: TUS,DIO- the one fecret, and in that very respect facred; DORUSSI- the other popular, and confequently vulgar. Who is there, that is ignorant of their facred Letters, PLUTAR Hieroglyphics, Forms, Symbols, Enigmas, and FaCHUS, JAM- bles? Farr and near was fpread the fame of the BICUS, Egyptian Philofophy, concealing things under the aliique bene appearance of Fables (fays PLUTARCH) and in De IsrDE Speeches that contain'd obfcure indications and arguet OSIRIDE, ments of the Truth: which they themselves exprefly Edit. Par. declare, by placing Sphynxes before most of their Temples; thus infinuating, that their doctrine concerning facred things, confifts in a fort of wisdom which is defignedly perplext, and lying bid under study'd veils. That we may give a fpecimen of fuch things as Id. Ibid. they conceal'd, the fane of MINERVA (fays PLU TARCH again) whom they think to be the fame

STRABO,

multi.

pag. 354.

with

with Isrs, has this Infcription at Sais: I AM ALL THAT WAS, IS, AND SHALL BE NOR HAS ANY MORTAL DISCOVER'D WHAT'S UNDER

.

MY HOOD. ISIS therfore, whom the vulgar believ'd to have been a Queen, and of whom they had a thoufand different fables; was the Nature of all things, according to the Philofo- Id. ibid. phers, who held the UNIVERSE to be the principal GOD, or the fupreme being, and confequently abftrufe or obfcure, none seeing beyond the furface of Nature. But this they onely difcover'd to the initiated. To that of Sais correfponds another Infcription ftill remaining at Capua; TO THEE, WHO ALONE ART ALL THINGS, O GODDESS ISIS. Tho I am farr from defigning to emty common places on this occafion, yet I cannot forbear inferting here part of a fpeech put into the mouth of Nature by APULEIUS. Mov'd by thy prayers, O Lu- Metamor. CIUS, behold NATURE, the parent of all lib.11. Edit. Delphin. things, ftanding before thee; the miftrifs of all the elements, the initial flock of ages, the higheft of the higher and queen of the lower powers, the uniform appearance of Gods and Goddeffes, who govern by my motions the luminous heighths of the sky, the falutary breezes of the fea, and the melancholy filence of the nether parts: whofe one onely Deity under numerous forms, various rites, and different names, is ador'd by the whole world. His prayer likewife to 7 ISIS, or rather to NATURE (as he himself explains it) may be read, with no lefs pleasure than inftruction, in the fame book. I cou'd bring many other proofs, that Isis in the mouth of the vulgar fignify'd a Queen, and Nature in that of the Philofophers. PYTHAGORAS, that I may haftily pafs over all others, travelling for knowlege to the Egyptians, fuffer'd himself to be circumcis'd; that, getting admittance into

F 4

the

pag 3628

lib. 1. Edit.

POTTER.

CLEM. 4- the Sanctuaries, he might from the Priefts and Lex. Strom the Prophets learn the genuin fenfe of the myftical doctrine which, as I faid before, they pag. 35+. difcover'd to none, except when intreated with the utmost importunity, and foften'd by complaifance and affiduity.

DIO G.

prooem.

15. cap. 9.

T

IV.

HIS double manner of teaching was alfo in use among other oriental nations, efpecially the Ethiopians and Babylonians, the antient and modern

Bramins, the Syrians, Perfians, and the reft, principally inftructed by ZOROASTER. The Claffic books, and late Travels to this purpofe, are in every body's hands, The Druids of the Gauls and Britons wou'd by no means deliver Laert. in their myfteries or fecret doctrines, to any except Sect. 6. 1. the initiated: that I may fay nothing of the Hetem Aм- trufcans, and other Occidental nations, no more MIAN. Mar- than of the present Chinese, Siamese, and Indians cellin. lib. properly fo call'd; the thing being fo notorious, as to be deny'd by no body. From these several peoples, let us procede to the Greec Philofophers. DIO G. Moft celebrated is the fecret difcipline of PYTHAPYTHAG. GORAS, after which original the ARISTOTELIAN Item JAM- Acroatics, or if you had rather Acroamatics, have BLIC. POR been copy'd. But of these latter añon. The difciples of PYTHAGORAS were either Hearers or Mathematicians, or Exoterical or Efoterical, whom we may render Exterior and Interior auditors, All things were declar'd to the Efoterical (but without witnelles) in a plain, perfpicuous, and copious

Laert. in

PHYR. CUm

multis aliis.

Sect. 1

copious fpeech: while every thing, on the contrary, was deliver'd to the Exoterical, in a perplext, obfcure, and enigmatical manner; nor was any thing told clearly, except popular and vulgar matters. The filence injoin'd to the latter, or the probation they were to undergo, lafted five years, or two years at the leaft; but that of the former, whom they alfo ftil'd and reputed perfect, was perpetual not towards each other (as has been rafhly believ'd by many) but onely towards all thofe, who were not of their fellowship; whence that moft common maxim among them, that all things ought not to be declar'd to all men. DIOGEN. They referv'd their own doctrines to themfelves, Laert.lib 8. as fo many holy secrets; or if any others happen'd to be prefent, they told their minds to each other by fymbols and enigmas or parables: whence it has unluckily happen'd, that fcarce any thing which was of use or moment among them, is come to the knowlege of the public; this being the true reason of the obfcurity, or rather the almoft intire lofs, of the Pythagorean Philosophy. Of this conduct I fhall give one example. LY- JAMBLIC. SIS the Pythagorean feverely chid his condisciple HIPPARCHUS, for having publifh'd fome points 17. no 75. of the Esoteric Philofophy; and for having communicated to men, who were neither initiated, nor CLEM. 4prepar'd by contemplation and the neceffary sci- lib. 5. pag. ences, their master's doctrine: whereupon he was 680. ORIexpell'd out of the fchool, and a monument GEN. contra erected for him, according to the custom of the CELS.lib.2. Pythagoreans, as if he had been actually dead.

*

V. NOR

in vita P yTHAG. cap.

lex. Strom.

Edit. Cant.

pag. 67. et

lib. 3. pag.

142.

Strom. lib. 1.pag.681.

cap. 5.

N

V.

OR was fuch filence and referve peculiar to the Pythagoreans. Let us therfore procede from the Samian to the Stagyrite. the Stagyrite. The Ariftotelians (fays CLEMENS Alexandrinus) affert, that of their writings fome indeed are Efoteric; while others are vulgar, and Exoteric. This is very home to the point, and the paffage is not a little confirm'd, if not much illuftrated, by AULUS GELNot. At- LIUS in the following words. Tis faid that of the tic. lib. 20. books and arts, which the Philofopher ARISTOTLE, king ALEXANDER's tutor, deliver'd to bis difciples, he had two forts. Some be nam'd Exoteric, others. Acroatic. Such were call'd Exoteric, as taught Rhetorical ftudies, the faculty of pleading or fubtil difputations, and the knowledge of political affairs: but these were fild Acroatic, that pertain'd to the contemplation of Nature, and to dialectical difquifitions. He admitted all his difciples without diftinction, and even fuch of the people as pleas'd, to his Exoteric leffons, which he read in the evenId. ibid. ing: but he spent the morning in the Lyceum upon explaining the Acroatic or Efoteric doctrine, to which (purfues GELLIUS) he did not indifferently. admit every body, but with caution and choice. To ALEXANDER, complaining that he publish'd and made common his Acroatic books, he Id. ibid. anfwer'd, know that they are neither publish'd, nor yet unpublish'd; feeing they'll be onely intelligible to thofe, who have been my hearers. ARISTOTLE's Pag. 1115. Exoterics are mention'd by PLUTARCH, against

COLOTES

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