against any farther Proceeding. So that it became a fort of Sign to him and nothing elfe; and how Men will reconcile this to the Methods of Humane Reafon and Prudence, I cannot well imagine. For this exhorts Men to go on, as well as defift from any Enterprize. But Socrates thought favourably of any Action or Enterprize when he heard not this Voice, but upon hearing it immediately defifted; he having always in himfelf or others found it dangerous and unfuccefful to oppofe or neglect it. So that very likely according to this Account, the Voice had nothing articulate in it, convey'd to him no certain Senfe or Inftruction, but was only a meer Sign or Warning to him of Evil, to forbear any Action that he or others were purposing or purfuing. And if this were fo, it could not be Human Reason. What this Voice was, perhaps he himself could not tell; and therefore no Wonder he was fo backward to answer precifely to others Questions about it. The thing it felf he affirm'd, and that it was of notable use to him, and others that would believe and regard it. But farther, the things imputed to this Dæmon, fuch as the Difcovery of Things future, could by no means agree to Human Reafon. We grant Socrates a wife Man, far furpaffing all the Athenians in Prudence, capable of conjecturing at, and difcerning Events beyond the common Rate of Men. But the Cafes, in which Socrates heard his Voice, and fignify'd it to his Friends, and exhorted them to defift, under an Apprehenfion of Dange, or Evil that would befal them, are fome of them rare, clearly beyond the Ken of Human Reason or Prudence: Nay, if the Stories related be true, contrary to it; of which Zenophon, and Plato particularly in his Dialogue entituled Theages.

Theages. Such a Noife did thefe Predictions make, that Antipater the Philofopher collected a large Volume of them, as Cicero tells us. M. (a) Carpenter hath likewise transcrib'd most of thofe extant; to which I refer you. To fay no more: Altho' we should allow great Luck to Socrates, as well as great Wisdom, yet both feem infufficient to enable him to foretel at the rate that Zenophon reports he did. He gave, fays he, diverfe Advertisements to his Friends, of Evils and Unfucceffes, which were accompany'd with this glorious Circumftance, that never one of them neglected them, but exceedingly repented it in the Event. Thirdly, That this Damon was not Human Reafon feems plain, in that, where he pretended Revelations from it, where he heard this Voice, he was generally unacquainted with what fort of Evils or Unfucceffes would befal Men, in Case of perfifting in their Purposes. He only knew fuch a thing would be unfortunate to them, and that becaufe of his Voice, without knowing in what kind or refpect. So Plato introduces him difcourfing in the foremention'd Dialogue, Theages, in refpect to Samionus; that he hear'd his ufual Voice, and confequently knew his intended Expedition would be unfuccefsful to him; that he would be flain, or incur fome very great Evil; what he knew not. Now if this were nothing but his own Understanding, penetrating by Gueffes and Conjectures into the Confequent and Event of Enterprizes; the fame Underftanding would have enabled him generally to guess into the Nature of the particular Misfortunes that they fhould receive. For, from the particular Dangers Human Reafon forefees, or Conjectures Men lyable to in any Enterprize, it is. (a) Vide de Soc. p. 99.

enabled

enabled to foretel or guefs at Dangers or Evils in general; and without any Danger or Evil in particular conceiv'd as threatning a Man, Human Reason would have no rational Ground of pre-conceiving any Enterprize unfortunate ; and fuch a fort of Foretelling would be a meer random way of speaking; not only without Supernatural Direction, but without the Direction of Human Reafon: Of which Socrates, if fo wife a Man as fuppos'd, could not be guilty; it expofing his Reputation to meer Chance and Hazard, in the highest and most illuftrious part of it.

B. I cannot acquiefce in your Sentiment here. For a Man having nothing to direct him but his Understanding, proceeding by meer Conjecture; would it not be his beft way to deliver himself in general and obfcure Terms? I think too, you have afferted fome fuch thing.

A. Socrates was not at all obfcure, fo far as he pretended to foretel. He many times peremptorily pronounced Evils to attend Men in their Projects and Enterprizes; herein he was not equivocal, but clear and exprefs; and confequently, could not hope to escape thro' the double and fallacious Meaning of his Predictions. He only afferted his Voice to be a fure Sign to him of fome Evils and Difafters, but of what Nature he knew not; and it is much, if he had prophecy'd upon the Ground of Human Probability, if it had been only meer gueffing; that he had not in fome Cafes gueffed farther into the particular Nature of the Misfortunes that would befall Men. For he might have guefs'd at this in many Cafes, and upon as fure Grounds as guefs'd at all. Perhaps he had a greater Chance, in foretelling only general Difafters, without being particular in their Nature. And

I

I fhould be of this Mind too, was it not for fome Confiderations that oppofe it. Firft, It is generally very dangerous to prophefie meerly upon Chance, a Man fubjects his Character to too great a Hazard in it, and muft not do it often. Secondly, When a Man depends on Chance, his Prophecies must be deliver'd in Terms of a very loofe, equivocal, indeterminate Signification, without Relation to Perfon or Time; of which Socrates his Predictions were generally very free. Thirdly, Some Predictions are related of Socrates, to the uttering whereof, no Human Reafon could induce him. As that to one, if he ftir'd out of his House that Day, a great Mischief would befal him; and fo it fell out, for he receiv'd a fevere Stroke, that was like to have coft him his Eye. What Human Reafon could determine a Man to make fuch a Prophecy? Could forefee fuch a Difafter? It was ftrange Luck you will fay, that it fo fell out; we fay fo too; but then this fuppofes Socrates to prophefie, not upon probable Gueffes, by an acuter Infight into the Nature of Things than other People, but by meer Chance. For Socrates must have a ftrange Difcernment to difcover Events of fo meer a cafual and accidental Nature, as the Stroke of a Twig, as a Man walks by the Hedge, muft be. And indeed, many of the Predictions of Socrates are the oddeft things that can be, to be accounted for through. an extraordinary Perfpicacity of Understanding. And this one may difpute, I think; if he were not directed by a Damon in thefe Matters, he was far from being directed by a Reafon fuperior to other Men; that inftead of this thefe very Predictions argue the Feeblenefs of his Reafon; and I fhould believe his Sneezing (which fome fancy to be his Dæmon) the Ground of his Predictions,

the ominous Sign to him of Evil, or any other idle or fuperftitious Conceit, rather than a Superiority and Advantage of Understanding above other Men.

B. Upon the whole Matter, this Voice to Socrates feem'd to ferv' as a Means of progno fticating Good or Evil; fomewhat like the Art of Divination, from the flying of Birds, . to the Augurs; not conveying any certain and exprefs Revelation, but as Signs or Omens in general, of good or ill Succefs.

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A. You hit the thing right, only with this Difference, that always 'twas a Sign of ill Luck to Socrates, when he heard it; and it feem'd to be better founded, anfwer'd better in Fact and Experience, then Augury. So far they agree, it was a fort of an ominous Šign to him of Evil; and when he heard it not, he was confident in the Matter that either himself or Friends undertook. If it were nothing Supernatural, it was a piece of the Pagan Superftition and Folly. Some Conceit he had entertain'd of Prognofticating; however to fuppofe that he understood only his own Natural Reafon by this Voice, can never be admitted; unless Plato and Xenophon have miferably represented him; if he ever pretended to fuch Prophecies, as they ftory of him.

B. I perceive you doubt much of his Infpiration, or Supernatural Direction.

A. What Proofs there were of his Predictions, how made, or how accomplish'd, the Athenians were the best Judges; if as Plato and Xenophon relate, they will ftrongly argue for fome Supernatural Influence on him. For they pretend to say that he never err'd in his Predictions, conftantly fome Evil attended his Forebodings, or Debortations; and indeed, fome of his Forebodings were concerning Matters of fuch

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