[135] There is too remarkable a similarity in this to Campbell’s lines:—
’Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,
And robes the mountains in their azure hue:
to allow one to pass it over without pointing it out.
[136] “Diogenes here appears (though, he gives no intimation of his doing so,) to be transcribing the reasonings of some one of the Sceptics.” French Transl.
[137] That is to say, the harmony between intellect and the senses will not last long. Attagas and Numenius were two notorious brigands.
[138] That is, “trifler,” from κρίνω, to judge; and λῆρος, nonsensical talk.
[139] That is, flattering for gifts; from σαίνω, to wag the tail as a dog, to caress; and δῶρον, a gift.
[140] This sentence is a remark of Diogenes himself. There are several more of his observations in parentheses as we proceed.
[141] This is the argument in its completed form: “We can only form an idea of an atom by analogy, and analogy demonstrates to us that it is not of infinite littleness. In fact, let us compare it to the smallest particles recognisable by sense, and then let us endeavour to form an idea of these last. To do this we must take a term of comparison in complex objects, which are composed of various parts. Abstracting from these all other characteristics but that of extent, we see that these objects have dimensions, some greater and some less, measuring an extent which is greater or less as the case may be. The smallest sensible particle will then have its dimensions; it will measure the smallest possible sensible extent, that is to say, it will not be infinitely small. Applying this analogy to an atom, one comes to conceive it as measuring the smallest extent possible, but not as having no extent at all, which was what Epicurus wished to prove.”—French Translator.