even yield their assent to its truth, their very assent is the result of
the same most dreadful disease of the soul. For they will fancy, says
Plato, that they understand the highest truths, when the very contrary is
really the case. I earnestly therefore entreat men of this description,
not to meddle with any of the profound speculations of the Platonic
philosophy, for it is more dangerous to urge them to such an employment,
than to advise them to follow their sordid avocations with unwearied
assiduity, and toil for wealth with increasing alacrity and vigor; as
they will by this means give free scope to the base habits of their soul,
and sooner suffer that punishment which in such as these must always
precede mental illumination, and be the inevitable consequence of guilt.
It is well said indeed by Lysis, the Pythagorean, that to inculcate
liberal speculations and discourses to those whose morals are turbid and
confused, is just as absurd as to pour pure and transparent water into a
deep well full of mire and clay; for he who does this will only disturb
the mud, and cause the pure water to become defiled. The woods of such,
as the same author beautifully observes, (that is the irrational or
corporeal life), in which these dire passions are nourished, must first
be purified with fire and sword, and every kind of instrument (that is,
through preparatory disciplines, and the political virtues), and reason
must be freed from its slavery to the affections, before any thing useful
can be planted in these savage haunts.

Let not such then presume to explore the regions of Platonic philosophy.
The land is too pure to admit the sordid and the base. The road which
conducts to it is too intricate to be discovered by the unskillful and
stupid, and the journey is too long and laborious to be accomplished by
the effeminate and the timid, by the slave of passion and the dupe of
opinion, by the lover of sense and the despiser of truth. The dangers and
difficulties in the undertaking are such as can be sustained by none but