26 Greek Biology 



In the opening chapter cf one of his great biological works 

 Aristotle sets forth in detail his motives for the study of living 

 things. The passage is in itself noteworthy as one of the few 

 instances in which he rises to real eloquence. 



' Of things constituted by nature some are ungenerated, 

 imperishable, and eternal, while others are subject to generation 

 and decay. The former are excellent beyond compare and 

 divine, but less accessible to knowledge. The evidence that 

 might throw light on them, and on the problems which we 

 long to solve respecting them, is furnished but scantily by 

 sensation ; whereas respecting perishable plants and animals we 

 have abundant information, living as we do in their midst, and 

 ample data may be collected concerning all their various kinds, 

 if only we are willing to take sufficient pains. Both depart- 

 ments, however, have their special charm. The scanty con- 

 ceptions to which we can attain of celestial things give us, from 

 their excellence, more pleasure than all our knowledge of the 

 world in which we live ; just as a half glimpse of persons we 

 love is more delightful than a leisurely view of other things, 

 whatever their number and dimensions. On the other hand, 

 in certitude and in completeness our knowledge of terrestrial 

 things has the advantage. Moreover, their greater nearness and 

 affinity to us balances somewhat the loftier interest of the 

 heavenly things that are the objects of the higher philosophy. . . . 

 For if some [creatures] have no graces to charm the sense, yet 

 even these, by disclosing to intellectual perception the artistic 

 spirit that designed them, give immense pleasure to all who can 

 trace links of causation, and are inclined to philosophy. We 

 therefore must not recoil with childish aversion from the 

 examination of the humbler animals. Every realm of nature is 

 marvellous. It is told of Heraclitus that when strangers found 

 him warming himself at the kitchen fire and hesitated to go in, 

 he bade them enter since even in the kitchen divinities were 

 present. So should we venture on the study of every kind 



