Chap. 2. PHILOSOPHICAL DISCOVERIES. 37

different combinations of the particles of matter, according tothe laws established. The conduct of Callijlhenes , whom herecommended to Alexander to accompany him in his Asiaticconquests, does great honour to Arijlotle : A prosecutionhowever, carried on by the Athenian priests, obliged him to -abandon their city, to avoid the fate of Socrates.

Arijlotle was for a long time called the prince of philoso-phers ; and possessed the most absolute authority in theschools, not in Europe only, but even in Africa , amongstMahometans as well as Christians. They had translations ofhis works in Persia and at Samarcand ; and no philosopherever acquired so universal or so high an esteem. His opinionwas allowed to stand on a level with reason itself ; nor wasthere any appeal from it admitted, the parties, in everydispute, being obliged to shew that their conclusions were noless conformable to Arijlotle s doctrine than to truth. This,however, did not put an end to disputes, but rather servedto multiply them ; for neither was it easter to ascertain hismeaning than to come at the truth, nor was his doctrine con-sistent with itself. It is not improper to have this slavish sub-jection os philosophers in remembrance ; because an highesteem for great men is apt to make us devoted to their opi-nions even in doubtful matters, and sometimes in such as areforeign to philosophy.

5. We have already mentioned the Epicurean system, andshall have occasion frequently to make remarks upon it after-wards. Whoever considers the extravagant doctrines of thissect, and os the other Dogmatists, of whatever denomination,Peripatetics or Stoics, may admire some of them for their mo-rality, and more for their eloquence, it having been their chiefbusiness to dispute for their schemes and declaim upon them ;

but