"I have sought to avenge Epicurus, that truly holy philosopher, that
divine genius," Lucian tells us in his _Alexander, or the False
Prophet_. Lange, in his _History of Materialism_, sets down
Epicurus as a disciple and imitator of Democritus.

I am not a man of sufficient classical culture to be able to form an
authoritative opinion of the merits of Epicurus as a philosopher. All my
knowledge of him, as well as of the other ancient philosophers, is
derived from the book of Diogenes Laertius.

Concerning Epicurus, I have read Bayle's magnificent article in his
_Historical and Critical Dictionary_, and Gassendi's work, _De
Vita et Moribus Epicuri_. With this equipment, I have become one of
the disciples of the master.

Scholars may say that I have no right to enrol myself as one of the
disciples of Epicurus, but when I think of myself, spontaneously there
comes to my mind the grotesque epithet which Horace applied to the
Epicureans in his _Epistles_, a characterization which for my part
I accept and regard as an honour: "Swine of the herd of Epicurus,
_Epicuri de grege porcum_."




EVIL AND ROUSSEAU'S CHINAMAN


I do not believe in utter human depravity, nor have I any faith in great