ARCESILAUS, a celebrated Greek philosopher, about 300 years before the Christian era, was born at Pitane, in Æolis. He founded the New Academy, called also the Second or Middle school. He was a man of great erudition, and had many disciples. The middle school laid it down as a principle, that we could know nothing, nor even assure ourselves of the certainty of this position; from whence they inferred that we should affirm nothing, but always suspend our judgment. They held that a philosopher was able to dispute upon every subject, and bring conviction with him, even upon contrary sides of the same question; for there are always reasons of equal force both in the affirmative and negative of every argument. According to this doctrine, neither our senses nor even our reason are to have any credit; and therefore, in common affairs, we are to conform ourselves to received opinions. Arcesilaus died in his 76th year in a fit of intoxication, and was succeeded by his disciple Lacydes, who met a similar fate.