Critical History of Eclecticism

pleasant style, which enjoyed a cer-
tain popularity that it did not
deserve (1). The Critical History of
Mr. Brucker Johann Jakob Brucker (1696–1770) was a German historian of philosophy. His monumental work, Historia Critica Philosophiae, became the standard reference for the Enlightenment era. had not yet
appeared when the French Author
published his own; consequently,
he hardly even knew the name of the
Eclectics The Eclectics, or the "Eclectic Sect," refers here to the Neoplatonists of Alexandria who sought to harmonize different philosophical traditions. The author implies Deslandes lacked the deep scholarship to understand their influence on early Christian thought. (2), and one cannot—

(1) original: "Ille non conſultis fontibus, ſua tantùm.... in eorum gratiam congeſſit, qui ſolidam ſcientiarum notitiam ſubterfugientes ſuperficiaria tantùm eruditione ſuperbire cupiunt. Hic autem ſi iis præſidiis ; quæ ad tantum opus perficiendum requiruntur fuiſſet inſtructus ; ſi ab alienis, quæ numero apud eum illa ſuperant, quæ Hiſtoriæ Phi-loſophicæ propria ſunt & domeſtica, abſtinuiſſet ; ſi eruditionem in genere cum Phi-loſophia non confudiſſet, judiciumque adhibuiſſet in detegenda veterum Philoſopho-rum mente, cum eloquentiæ veneribus, quibus liber ſe commendat, certans, promiſſis feciſſe ſatis, & expleviſſe expectationem meritò crederetur." "He, without consulting the sources, gathered only his own thoughts... for the sake of those who, avoiding a solid knowledge of the sciences, desire to take pride in merely superficial erudition. If he had been equipped with the resources required to complete such a great work; if he had abstained from foreign matters which, in his work, outnumber those proper and internal to Philosophical History; if he had not confused general learning with Philosophy, and had employed judgment in uncovering the minds of ancient Philosophers—competing with the charms of eloquence with which the book commends itself—he would rightly be believed to have fulfilled his promises and satisfied expectations." Brucker, volume I, page 37. This is the judgment of Mr. Brucker on the work of Mr. Deslandes: and one could hardly think otherwise, if one has read this work carefully.

(2) He says only a few words about them, volume III, pages 83, 84 and 85, and what he says about them is in no way accurate.