PROCLUS, THE PLATONIC SUCCESSOR

PREFACE.
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NO subjects of discussion are perhaps more
interesting or more important than those of
which the present volume consists. For what
can more demand our most serious
attention, or what can be more essential to
the well-being of our immortal part, than a
scientific elucidation and defense of the
mysterious ways of Providence, and a
development of the nature of Evil ? For as
Divinity is goodness itself, it is requisite that
all the dispensations of his providence
should be beneficent, and that perfect evil
should have no real existence in the nature
of things. That this is necessary, is
demonstrated by Proclus in the following
Treatises with his usual acuteness and
eloquence, by arguments which are no less
admirable for their perspicuity, than
invincible from their strength.
In praise of Proclus, I have said so much in
most of my other numerous works, that I shall
only summarily observe at present respecting
this coryphaean philosopher, that his disciple
Marinus says in his Life of him, "that he was
wise in a most transcendent degree"; and that
Ammonius Hermias calls him his divine
preceptor, and says " that he
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PREFACE,
possessed the power of unfolding the opinions of
the ancients, and a scientific judgement of the
nature of things, in the highest perfection possible
to man" a . And with respect to his eloquence, his
before-mentioned disciple Marinus says, " that he
did not appear to be without divine inspiration, for
he produced from his wise mouth words similar to