The science temperance text-book : in relation to morals, chemistry, physiology, criticism, and history / [Frederic Richard Lees].

  • Frederic Richard Lees
Date:
1884-
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The science temperance text-book : in relation to morals, chemistry, physiology, criticism, and history / [Frederic Richard Lees]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    this shallow critic read and understood more of Cicero, he would have abstained from his impudent censure. The ratio or reason of which the Roman moralist speaks, is, in its primary sense, a ‘reckoning’ or ‘account’; just as with us, to ‘account for a thing,’ is to give the reason for it. Compare what we know of alcohol (gin or brandy, if you will) from experience and science, and whose ‘ reckoning ’ is the truer—the tippler’s or the teetotaler’s ? Turning to the ‘Tusculam Disputations’ (cap. xiii.), we find Cicero comparing health of body and mind, thus :— “As the tempering of the body, when its parts are in harmony with one another is called health (or wholeness), so is it called health (or soundness) of mind when its judg¬ ments are in harmony [with fact and themselves]—and that is virtue of the mind. This some style Temperance itself —others virtue—obeying the precepts of Temperance and following it.” Three chapters further on Cicero describes obedience to ‘cupidity’ or passional desires, as a “certain impotence of the soul, greatly differing from Temperance and Modera¬ tion.” That ‘abstinence’ and ‘continence ’ were inclicsive applications of Cicero’s temperance is made clear in the 16th chapter. After dwelling on this ‘impotence’ or want of self-control, he adds :— “And from this may be seen, what kind of a man he is, whom in one sense we call ‘ moderate ’—in another modest and temperate—in another, consistent and continents The root idea of Temperance with Cicero is, the perfect co¬ ordination of all the parts—the mind desiring, and the will doing, what the reason dictates as the law of truth. How can such ideas sanction the use of the ‘ tricksy spirit ’ of wine, or brutalizing brandy ? Even this is not all that Cicero says. He explicitly condemns the Peripatetic fallacy which Dr Crosby has revived. After defining the ‘ wise man,’ he says :—“ Some disturbance there must be, only there must needs be a