The Stoic Creed - College of Stoic Philosophers

"
186 THE STOIC CREED
cheering than exemplifications
of virtue in the char
acters of those about us, suggesting themselves as
copiously as possible. We should keep them always
ready to hand : and that he acted on his own counsel
is evident from the beautiful picture that he draws of
Antoninus Pius in Book I.
the glowing tribute that he pays
of the Meditations^ and from
to his mother and to
all the instructors that helped to mould his character,
out of a full and grateful heart.
And there is no question that the most effective way
of teaching morals is by example. Precept
is not to be
contemned ;
but precept divorced from practice is a
weak force compared with high doctrine embodied in a
life. Such life embodiment is what people can see and
understand ; and, coming
into immediate contact with
it, they can feel its power and inspiration. It thus
comes to them with warmth, clothed in flesh and blood,
and thereby influences.
VII.
Yet again, the Stoic made it his special endeavour to
be helpful to the earnest ;
and so put his principles to
practical use all round. He condescended to teach the
duties of everyday We life. do not, indeed, find in
any of the masters an elaborate classification and
handling of duties such as is given us by Kant l or by
Richard Price,
2
or such as may be found in Bishop
Martensen, 3 or in Professor Newman Smyth, 4 or in Dr.
1
The Metaphysic of Ethics (Sample s translation).
2 A Review of the Principal Questions in Morals.
3 Christian Ethics (Eng-. tr.).
4 Christian Ethics.