At breakfast, my parcel of books from Eaton came up the road. Fresh from the carrier. Unpacked it eagerly, & read the title pages of Barnes?s Euripides, Marcus Antoninus, Callimachus, the Anthologia, Epictetus, Isocrates, & Da Vinci?s Painting. The last I had sent for, for Eliza Cliffe, but the externals are so shabby that I have a mind to send it back again. Finished my dream about Udolpho; - & began Destiny, a novel by the author of the Inheritance [Susan Ferrier] which Miss Peyton lent me. I liked the Inheritance so much that my desires respecting this book were ?all alive?. I forgot to say that I don?t like the conclusion of the Mysteries. It is ?long drawn out? & not ?in linked sweetness?. Read some of the Alcestis. Mr. Boyd wishes me to read it; & I wished so too.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Book
'This week I have read a satire of Juvenal, some of Cicero's "De Officiis", part of Epictetus' Enchiridion, two cantos of Pulci, part of the Canti Carnascialeschi, and finished Manni's Veglie Piacevole, besides looking up various things in the classical antquities and peeping into Theocritus'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Eliot Print: Book
?? in looking over the title pages, I met with Hobbes translation of Homer, I had some how or other heard that Homer was a great poet, but unfortunately I had never heard of Pope?s translation of him, so we eagerly purchased that by Hobbes. At this stall I also purchased Walker?s Poetical paraphrase of Epictetus?s Morals; and home we went, perfectly well pleased with our bargains.
We that evening began with Hobbes's Homer; but found it very difficult for us to read, owing to the obscurity of the translation, which together with the indifferent language, and the want of poetical merit in the translator somewhat disappointed us; however we had from time to time many a hard puzzling hour with him.
But as Walker's Epictetus, although it had not much poetical merit, yet it was very easy to be read, and as easily understood; and the principles of the Stoic [underlined] charmed me so much, that I made the book my companion wherever I went, and read it over and over...?
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Lackington Print: Book
'Here is the work of one week of my solitude - by the many faults in it your Lordship will easily believe I spend no more time upon it; it was hardly finished when I was obliged to begin my journey, and I had not leisure to write it over again. You have it here without any corrections, with all its blots and errors: as I endeavoured at no beauty of style, but to keep as literally as I could to the sense of the author. My only intention in presenting it, is to ask your lordship whether I have understood Epictetus?'
Unknown
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary, Lady Wortley Montagu
'Altogether I think I have had a satisfactory day. I had a good lesson of French this morning and read much in Epectitus'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Gurney Print: Book
Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, c. 3 August 1797: 'I think you would derive more good from Epictetus than from studying yourself. there is a very proud independance in the Stoic philosophy which has always much pleased me; you would find certain sentences in the Enchiridion which would occur to the mind when such maxims were wanted & operate as motives. besides when you are examining yourself you ought to have a certain standard by which to measure yourself: & however far an old Stoic may be from perfection, he is almost a God when compared to the present race who libel that nature which appeared with such exceeding lustre in Athens in Lacedæmon & in Rome. I could send you to a better system than that of the bondsman Epictetus, where you would find a better model on which to form your conduct. but the mind should have arrived at a certain stage to profit properly by that book, which few have attained. it should be cool & confirmed.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Southey Print: Book
Robert Southey to John May, 15 August 1797: 'I am fond of great part of the Stoical system, & there are few characters that I contemplate with more reverence than the slave Epictetus. his book was for some months my pocket companion, & I think I am the better for it. our language, & perhaps every other, wants a name for that pride which every man ought to possess, & without which he can never be compleatly respectable. the Stoic doctrines tend to make a man tranquil & self-contented. such too is the end of Christianity when well understood, but among its many corruptions is the wretched doctrine that we ought to be vile in our eyes — alas! if we are not respectable to ourselves to whom shall we be so?'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Southey Print: Book
‘Mrs Voynich has sent me M Aurelius and Epictetus. The last is a game old boy,
and I should dearly love to watch him in a strafe, but M Aurelius is a pious
swanker in comparison, though he says some lovely things. Epictetus remains
among the persons decidedly worth getting to know, perhaps after the next
strafe.’
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ivor Bertie Gurney Print: Book
