Letter 108 — On the Approaches to Philosophy (§6)

“Certain of them come to hear and not to learn, just as we are attracted to the theatre to satisfy the pleasures of the ear, whether by a speech, or by a song, or by a play. This class, as you will see, constitutes a large part of the listeners,—who regard the philosopher’s lecture-room merely as a sort of lounging-place for their leisure.”