1whether Ariſtotle, had he but ſeen the novelties diſcovered in
ven, would not have changed his opinion, amended his Books,
and embraced the more ſenſible Doctrine; rejecting thoſe ſilly
Gulls, which too ſcrupulouſly, go about to defend what ever he
hath ſaid; not conſidering, that if Ariſtotle were ſuch a one as
they fancy him to themſelves, he would be a man of an
ble wit, an obſtinate mind, a barbarous ſoul, a ſtubborn will,
that accounting all men elſe but as ſilly ſheep, would have his
Oracles preferred before the Senſes, Experience, and Nature her
ſelf? They are the Sectators of Aristotle that have given him this
Authority, and not he that hath uſurped or taken it upon him;
and becauſe it is more eaſie for a man to ſculk under anothers
ſhield than to ſhew himſelf openly, they tremble, and are affraid
to ſtir one ſtep from him; and rather than they will admit ſome
alterations in the Heaven of Ariſtotle, they will impertinently
ny thoſe they behold in the Heaven of Nature.
ven, would not have changed his opinion, amended his Books,
and embraced the more ſenſible Doctrine; rejecting thoſe ſilly
Gulls, which too ſcrupulouſly, go about to defend what ever he
hath ſaid; not conſidering, that if Ariſtotle were ſuch a one as
they fancy him to themſelves, he would be a man of an
ble wit, an obſtinate mind, a barbarous ſoul, a ſtubborn will,
that accounting all men elſe but as ſilly ſheep, would have his
Oracles preferred before the Senſes, Experience, and Nature her
ſelf? They are the Sectators of Aristotle that have given him this
Authority, and not he that hath uſurped or taken it upon him;
and becauſe it is more eaſie for a man to ſculk under anothers
ſhield than to ſhew himſelf openly, they tremble, and are affraid
to ſtir one ſtep from him; and rather than they will admit ſome
alterations in the Heaven of Ariſtotle, they will impertinently
ny thoſe they behold in the Heaven of Nature.
Some of
tles Sectators
pare the reputation
of their Maſter, in
going about to
hanſe it.
tles Sectators
pare the reputation
of their Maſter, in
going about to
hanſe it.
SAGR. Theſe kind of Drolleries put me in mind of that
ary which having reduced a great piece of Marble to the Image of
an Hercules, or a thundring Jupiter, I know not whether, and
given it with admirable Art ſuch a vivacity and threatning fury,
that it moved terror in as many as beheld it; he himſelf began
alſo to be affraid thereof, though all its ſprightfulneſſe, and life
was his own workmanſhip; and his affrightment was ſuch, that
he had no longer the courage to affront it with his Chizzels and
Mallet.
ary which having reduced a great piece of Marble to the Image of
an Hercules, or a thundring Jupiter, I know not whether, and
given it with admirable Art ſuch a vivacity and threatning fury,
that it moved terror in as many as beheld it; he himſelf began
alſo to be affraid thereof, though all its ſprightfulneſſe, and life
was his own workmanſhip; and his affrightment was ſuch, that
he had no longer the courage to affront it with his Chizzels and
Mallet.
A ridiculous
paſſage of a certain
Statuary.
paſſage of a certain
Statuary.
SALV. I have many times wondered how theſe nice
ers of what ever fell from Ariſtotle, are not aware how great a
judice they are to his reputation and credit; and how that the
more they go about to encreaſe his Authority, the more they
diminiſh it; for whileſt I ſee them obſtinate in their attempts
to maintain thoſe Propoſitions which I palpably diſcover to
be manifeſtly falſe; and in their deſires to perſwade me that
ſo to do, is the part of a Philoſopher; and that Ariſtotle himſelf
would do the ſame, it much abates in me of the opinion that he
hath rightly philoſophated about other concluſions, to me more
abſtruſe: for if I could ſee them concede and change opinion in
a manifeſt truth, I would believe, that in thoſe in which they
ſhould perſiſt, they may have ſome ſolid demonſtrations to me
known, and unheard of.
ers of what ever fell from Ariſtotle, are not aware how great a
judice they are to his reputation and credit; and how that the
more they go about to encreaſe his Authority, the more they
diminiſh it; for whileſt I ſee them obſtinate in their attempts
to maintain thoſe Propoſitions which I palpably diſcover to
be manifeſtly falſe; and in their deſires to perſwade me that
ſo to do, is the part of a Philoſopher; and that Ariſtotle himſelf
would do the ſame, it much abates in me of the opinion that he
hath rightly philoſophated about other concluſions, to me more
abſtruſe: for if I could ſee them concede and change opinion in
a manifeſt truth, I would believe, that in thoſe in which they
ſhould perſiſt, they may have ſome ſolid demonſtrations to me
known, and unheard of.
SAGR. Or when they ſhould be made to ſee that they have
zarded too much of their own and Ariſtotle's repuatation in
feſſing, that they had not underſtood this or that concluſion found
out by ſome other man; would it not be a leſs evil for them to
ſeek for it amongſt his Texts, by laying many of them together,
according to the art intimated to us by Simplicius? for if his
zarded too much of their own and Ariſtotle's repuatation in
feſſing, that they had not underſtood this or that concluſion found
out by ſome other man; would it not be a leſs evil for them to
ſeek for it amongſt his Texts, by laying many of them together,
according to the art intimated to us by Simplicius? for if his