Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/43

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was much in the right when he observ'd, That the Bath, and the Wells were much more fancied, than the making a Campaign. People don't care for straining up an Ascent, nor travelling in a rugged Path; A Road that's open and unfatiguing has always most Company. But then the Multitude are little more than so many Noses: They have Numbers but no great weight in them. Pebbles are much more common than Diamonds. And 'tis an old Saying, that the bad [1] sort are always the Majority. [2] To agree with the Multitude, is an Argument of a wrong Choice. [3] Things extraordinary in Value, are not thick sown : Neither was the World ever in so happy a Condition, as that the Best [4] Practises, should be follow'd by the Most.

2ly. As the Stoicks made the least Body in the Field, so several of them changed their side, and went over to other Parties, particularly to the Epicureans, whereas on the contrary very few Deserted to them.

This Objection supposing the Fact true, has as little weight in't as the former. When an Argument proves too much 'tis like a Gun over-charg'd, and recoils upon him that shoots in't.

" I remember Calisto [5] an Athenian Strumpet had the Impudence to tell So-

"crates
  1. Bias.
  2. Senec de Vit. beat. c. 2.
  3. Id. Ep. 42.
  4. Id. de vit. beat. c. 2.
  5. Æl. Hist. var. 1. 3. 32.