an eminent philosopher of antiquity, was born in the first year of the 70th Olympiad, or 500 years before Christ. In consequence of the eminent talents of this philosopher he obtained the appellation of Mind. Pythagoras represents philosophers as mere spectators of the affairs of human life, and who, neglecting all other pursuits, devote their exertions to the investigation of nature, and the search after wisdom. According to this definition of a philosopher, Anaxagoras strictly merited the honourable appellation; for though he was of respectable descent, and possessed of a considerable fortune, yet he relinquished both, so that, in the language of Cicero, he might "give himself wholly to the divine pleasures of learning and inquiry." The sons of wealth, and the lovers of money, will probably unite in the ridicule cast upon him by the age in which he lived, even "that he philosophized very foolishly;" but the mind of Anaxagoras disregarded their scorn, and persevered in his plan; and although the reader may hesitate in giving applause to the man who deprives society of the benefits of his social talent, yet the eager thirst of his mind after knowledge is entitled to becoming credit.

Leaving his lands to be cultivated and enjoyed by his friends, Anaxagoras placed himself under the care of Anaximenes the Milesian. About the age of twenty he went to Athens and entered upon the study of philosophy, where he continued 30 years. Some suppose that he was the first disciple of the Ionian school, founded by Thales a teacher of philosophy in Athens. When Anaxagoras assumed the character of a public teacher of philosophy, he quickly rose to high eminence, and produced many famous scholars, among whom were Euripides the tragedian, Pericles the statesman, and the renowned Socrates. This philosopher contented himself with serving the republic in his own station, without interfering in any of the public affairs of the state. Both by the principles of wisdom which he inspired into the minds of the Athenian youth, and also by his daily advice in the most important affairs, particularly in the case of Pericles, he was of singular service to his country. But neither the friendship of the famous Pericles, nor his own general disinterestedness of character, nor his immense stores of learning, could ward off the shafts of persecution. Cleo accused him of impiety, and the introduction of new opinions concerning the gods, because he taught that the sun was a burning mass of stone, or an inanimate fiery substance. By this opinion he was said to rob the sun of his divinity, because in the popular opinion he was deemed Apollo, one of the greatest deities. But although Cleo made religion the avowed cause of the accusation of Anaxagoras, it is highly probable that civil causes chiefly operated towards his condemnation. It is, however, abundantly evident, that he did not hesitate to expose the vulgar superstitions on several occasions; but the evidence is not sufficient which pretends to prove that he was condemned for teaching the doctrine of a supreme intelligence, the creator of this world. His judges condemned him to death; but Pericles appearing in his defence, the sentence was changed from that of death to banishment and a pecuniary fine.

It is reported, that when one of his friends regretted his exile, he replied: "It is not I who have lost the Athenians, but the Athenians who have lost me." Whilst a small degree of vanity appears in this sentiment, it nevertheless informs posterity with what calmness of mind he endured the changes of fortune. But other sayings tend more fully to unfold his character. During the course of a lecture one day, he was interrupted with the unpleasant news of the death of a son; he calmly replied, "I knew that I begat him mortal." When he received the sentence of condemnation, he consoled himself by this consideration: "Nature," Expelled from Athens, Anaxagoras passed the remainder of his days at Lampacus, teaching philosophy in the school of his deceased master Anaximenes, until the infirmities of nature terminated his useful life in the year 428 before Christ. Before his death his friends inquired if they should carry his bones to his native city; he returned for answer, that this was quite unnecessary, the way to the regions below is everywhere alike open." When the magistrates of Lampacus sent a message to him before his death, requesting to know in what manner he wished them to honour his memory, he said, "Only let the day of my death be annually kept as a holiday by the boys in the schools of Lampacus." This was complied with, and the custom remained even in the time of Diogenes Laertius. This great philosopher died at the advanced age of 72, and the inhabitants of Lampacus erected a tomb over his remains, with the following epitaph.

This tomb great Anaxagoras confines, Whose mind explord' the paths of heavenly truth.

It is also reported, that there was an altar erected to his memory, upon which were inscribed the words Truth and Mind.

Many fabulous reports are narrated concerning this philosopher, of which it appears unnecessary to take any particular notice; and Diogenes Laertius has collected with little care and judgment, after an interval of more than 700 years, the remains concerning this philosopher, which were scattered through various writings. With no small degree of diffidence then the pen must record a summary of his doctrine collected from such unsatisfactory information; especially since his biographer himself has given full proof both of his ignorance and negligence, and as the whole narrative abounds with chronological contradictions and other inconsistencies.

It appears, however, that in the midst of some extravagant conceptions Anaxagoras held opinions which indicate a considerable acquaintance with the laws of nature. His idea of the heavens appears to have been, that they were a solid vault, originally composed of stones, elevated from the earth by the violent motion of the ambient ether, inflamed by its heat, and by the rapid circular motion of the heavens fixed in their respective places. The testimonies of several writers, among which is that of the respectable Xenophon, unite in proving that he considered the sun to be a large fiery stone; and Xenophon introduces Socrates as refuting that doctrine, and delivering an unfavourable opinion concerning his other writings. From his perceiving that the rainbow is the effect of the reflection of the solar rays from a dark cloud, and that wind is produced by the rarefaction, and found by the percussion of the air, Anaxagoras seems to have paid considerable attention to the phenomena of nature. He must have had some knowledge of the nature of the atmosphere, and the doctrine of eclipses, if, according to report, he could predict a fall of rain and darkness at noonday.

Our information is more correct concerning his opinions of the principles of nature and the origin of things. He imagined that in nature there are as many kinds of principles as there are species of compound bodies, and that the peculiar form of the primary particles of which any body is composed, is the same with the quality of the compound body itself. For instance, he supposed that a piece of gold is composed of small particles which are themselves gold, and a bone of a great number of small bones; thus, according to Anaxagoras, bodies of every kind are generated from similar particles. That part of his system is more agreeable to reason which explains the active principle in nature. According to Diogenes Laertius, Anaxagoras taught, that "the universe consists of small bodies composed of similar parts, and that mind is the beginning of motion."

"He was the first, (says the same writer) who superadded mind to matter, opening his work in this pleasing and sublime language: 'All things were confused; then came mind, and disposed them in order.' Plato informs us that this philosopher taught the existence of a disposing mind, the cause of all things. Anaxagoras, according to Aristotle, taught that mind was 'the cause of the world, and of all order; and that while all things else are compounded, this alone is pure and unmixed;' and that 'he attributes to this principle two powers, to know and to move,' saying, that mind put the universe into motion." Cicero expressly affirms, that Anaxagoras was the first who taught, that "the arrangement and order of all things was contrived and accomplished by the understanding and power of an infinite mind." (Gen. Biog.)