And now I have mentioned the Philosophers, I must beg Your Patience for a Moment, to hear a short Account of their Amours: For nothing will convince us of the irresistible Force of Love, and the Folly of hoping to suppress it, sooner than reflecting, that those venerable _Sages_, those Standards of Morality, those great _Reformers_ of the World, were so sensibly touch’d with this tender Passion. _Socrates_ confess’d, that, in his old Age, he felt a strange tickling all over him for five Days, only by a Girl’s touching his Shoulder. _Xenophon_ made open Profession of his passionate Love to _Clineas_. _Aristippus_ of _Cyrene_, writ a lewd Book of ancient Delights; he compar’d a Woman to a House or a Ship, that was the better for being used: He asserted, that there was no Crime in Pleasure, but only in being a Slave to it: And often used to say, I _enjoy_ Lais, _but_ Lais _does not enjoy me_. _Theodorus_ openly maintain’d, that a wise Man might without Shame or Scandal, keep Company with common Harlots. _Plato_, our great Pattern for chaste-Love, proposes, as the greatest Reward for public Service, that he who has perform’d a signal Exploit, should not be deny’d any amorous Favour. He writ a Description of the Loves of his Time, and several amorous Sonnets upon his own Minions: His chief Favorites were _Asterus_, _Dio_, _Phædrus_, and _Agatho_; but he had, for Variety, his Female Darling _Archeanassa_; and was so noted for Wantonness, that _Antisthenes_, gave him the Nick-name of _Satho_, i. e. _Well-furnish’d_. _Polemo_ was prosecuted by his Wife for Male-Venery. _Crantor_ made no Secret of his Love to his Pupil _Arcesilaus_. _Arcesilaus_ made Love to _Demetrius_ and _Leocharus_; the last, he said, he would fain have open’d: Besides, he publickly visited the two _Elean_ Courtezans, _Theodota_ and _Philæta_, and was himself enjoy’d by _Demochares_ and _Pythocles_: He suffer’d the last, he said, for Patience-sake. _Bion_ was noted for debauching his own Scholars. _Aristotle_, the first _Peripatetic_, had a Son call’d _Nichomacus_, by his Concubine _Herpilis_: He lov’d her so well, that he left her in his Will a Talent of Silver, and the Choice of his Country-Houses; that, as he says, the Damsel might have no Reason to complain: He enjoy’d, besides the Eunuch _Hermias_, others say only his Concubine _Pythais_, upon whom he writ a Hymn, call’d, _The Inside_. _Demetrius Phalereus_, who had 360 Statues in _Athens_, kept _Lamia_ for his Concubine, and at the same time was himself enjoy’d by _Cleo_: He writ a Treatise, call’d, _The Lover_, and was nick-nam’d by the Courtezans, _Charito_, _Blespharus_, i. e. _A Charmer of Ladies_; and _Lampetes_, i. e. _A great Boaster of his Abilities_.