Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

"
Plutarch and the Greece of His Age
closely the best that is in the old philosophy ap
proached the new religion; or, to state the case some
what differently, that the old philosophy and the new
religion are in many points identical.
The French have, almost from the beginning of
their national literature, been ardent admirers of
Plutarch. Amyot reduced some of his precepts to
rhyme in order that they might the more readily be
taught to children, and regarded his writings as more
profitable than any other except the Scriptures.
Gui-Patin makes Pliny, Aristotle, Plutarch, and
Seneca constitute an entire family, father, mother,
older and younger brother and thus in a sense
represent the whole circle of literature. Rollin copies
his Parallel Lives almost literally into his Ancient
History. Rousseau cites him among the few authors
that he read in his old age. He is the last consola
tion of St. Pierre. Laharpe regards him as by nature
the most moral man that ever lived; and Joubert
calls him the Herodotus of Philosophy, and deems
his Lives the wisdom of antiquity in its entirety.
Montaigne says, never settled myself to the read
"I
ing of any authors but Plutarch and Seneca."
Again.
Plutarch had rather we should applaud his judg
ment than commend his knowledge, and had rather
leave us with an appetite to read more, than glutted
with that we have already read.
that a man may say too much even upon
He knew very well
the best
subjects, and that Alexandrides did justly reproach
him who made very elegant but too long speeches to
ill