his
philosophy. By nature severe and morose, and constitutionally inclined
to reserve and melancholy, he early cherished this habit by submitting
to the austere ami rigid discipline of the Cynics. Those qualities
which he conceived to be meritorious in himself, and which he found to
conciliate the admiration of mankind, he naturally transferred to his
imaginary character of a wise or perfect man.

In order to form an accurate judgment concerning the doctrine of
the Stoics, besides a careful attention to the particulars already
enumerated, it will be necessary to guard with the utmost caution
against two errors, into which several writers have fallen. Great care
should be taken, in the first place, not to judge of the doctrine of the
Stoics from words and sentiments, detached from the general system, but
to consider them as they stand, related to the whole train of premises
and conclusions.... The second caution is, not to confound the genuine
doctrines of Zeno, and other ancient fathers of this sect, with the
glosses of the later Stoics.... Out of the many proofs of this change,
which might be adduced, we shall select one, which is the more worthy
of notice, as it has occasioned many disputes among the learned. The
doctrine we mean is that concerning fate. This doctrine, according to
Zeno and Chrysippus, implies an eternal and immutable series of causes
and effects, within which all events are included, and to which the
Deity himself is subject: whereas, the later Stoics, changing the term
fate into the Providence of God, discoursed with great plausibility
on this subject, but still in reality retained the ancient doctrine of
universal fate. From this example, a judgment may be formed concerning
the necessity of using some caution, in appealing to the writings of
Seneca, Antoninus, and Epictetus, as authorities, in determining what
were the original doctrines of the Stoic philosophers.

Concerning philosophy in general, the doctrine of the Stoics was,
that wisdom consists in the knowledge of things divine and human; that
philosophy is such an exercise of the mind as produces wisdom; that
in this exercise consists the nature of virtue; and consequently,
that virtue is a term of extensive meaning, comprehending the right
employment of the mind in reasoning, in the study of nature, and in
morals. The wisdom of the Stoics is either progressive, through several
stages; or perfect, when every weakness if subdued, and every e