Taylor - Eleusianian and Bacchic Mysteries.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

124 Eleusiriian anda death mean but symbolical or philosophicaldeath I And what is this but the true exercise of the virtues which purify ? Butthese poor men read only superficially, orfor the sake of displaying some criticalacumen in verbal emendations ;and yet withsuch despicable preparations for philosophical discussion, they have the impudence tooppose their puerileconceptions to the decisions of men of elevated genius and profound investigation, who, happily freed fromthe danger and drudgery of learning anyforeign language,* directed all their attentionwithout restraint to the acquisition of themost exalted truth.\It only now remains that we prove, in thelast place, that a representation of the descentof the soul formed no inconsiderable part ofthese mystic shows.This, indeed,is doubt-* It is to be regretted, nevertheless, that our author had notrisked the "danger and drudgery" of learning Greek, so as tohave rendered fuller justice to his subject, and been of greaterservice to his readers. We are conscious that those who are toolearned in verbal criticism are prone to overlook the real purportof the text. A. W.