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A sufficient reason for his resorting to the Academy, may be found in the celebrity of Plato, whose school at that time was the most famous in the world, and long continued to be the centre of attraction for all the learning and genius of Greece. The master was not slow to discover and appreciate the extraordinary talents of his pupil. He admired his acuteness of apprehension, and often applauded his unwearied application to study. In compliment to his superior abilities, he called him the "soul of his school;" and when he happened to be absent, he used to complain that his lectures were addressed to a "deaf audience." His industry in perusing and copying manuscripts, was unexampled and almost incredible. From this circumstance he was called, by way of eminence, the "student," and his house was styled the "house of the great reader." As he advanced in years, his penetration was as remarkable in canvassing opinions, as his diligence had been unrivalled in collecting them. His capacious mind, we are told, embraced the whole circle of science; and notwithstanding his pertinacity in rejecting every principle or tenet which he could not on reflection approve, his singular merits failed not to secure the love and admiration of his venerable instructor, with whom he continued to reside for twenty years, until their friendship was dissolved by the death of the latter. Such was his eagerness in the acquisition of knowledge, that he devoted to it the best part of his life,—alike careless of the honours and emoluments of a court,

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which the rank and connexion of his family might have procured him in Macedon; and indifferent to the high distinction which his splendid abilities might easily have attained, by establishing a separate school, and founding a new sect in philosophy. It has been alleged, indeed, that various circumstances occurred to interrupt the harmonious intimacy between him and his master. Some have affirmed that he offended the gravity of Plato by his foppery in dress, and his excessive fondness for ostentatious ornament. His mantle was gaudy; he wore sandals of rich materials, and rings of great value on his fingers; his head and chin were closely cropped, contrary to the rule or the fashion of the Academy, which required the hair and beard of its disciples to be worn of their natural length.

These may appear trivial causes of virtuous indignation; but when we reflect, that, in ancient times, the shagginess of the human countenance was not only an indispensable requisite, but the legal standard for ascertaining the depth of wisdom and 1 rning, such a contempt for scholastic usages must have subjected the offender to the reproach and resentment of his contemporaries. This imputed love of finery, however, was only assumed, perhaps, to conceal the defects of his figure, as his stature was short, and his limbs disproportionably slender. Certain it is, that his anxiety to adorn his person abated nothing of his assiduity in the embellishment of his mind. His attention to dress (probably much exag

gerated by his enemies) was in him merely an accessory which neither altered his character, nor weakened that ardent desire for knowledge, which, even in the vigour of manhood, and amidst the gaieties of Athens, continued to be the master passion of his soul. There are other reasons of discord stated by Laertius, who says, that Plato disliked the scornful derision of his looks, and could not endure his impertinent contradiction of his prelections; on which account his friendship was withdrawn, and transferred to more submissive pupils. The repudiated favourite, he adds, opened a school in the Lycæum, in opposition to his master; at which the indignant sage severely remarked, that his ungrateful disciple resembled "the young foals that kicked their dams when they had sucked their fill;" and, from this circumstance, Aristotle was usually called the Colt. These charges, however, are generally admitted to have been malicious aspersions cast upon his memory, and invented after his death. Their origin is ascribed to Aristoxenus, who took this method of revenge, because Aristotle refused to make him successor in his school, having given the preference to Theophrastus. That he contradicted Plato, and perplexed him with ingenious sophistries, is highly probable, considering the boldness with which he determines questions beyond the reach of human intellect; but, as Ammonius observes, this is nothing wonderful, since Plato frequently contradicts himself. As for the assertion, that he was guilty of

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