MEMOIR OF ARISTOTLE. 61 



rious, would hardly deserve to be noticed, did they 

 not serve to shew a mind free and unencumbered 

 amidst the abstrusest studies, and a readiness of wit 

 which never failed to check arrogance, and repel the 

 %neers of the impertinent. 



His unwearied application to study has been al- 

 ready noticed, and he took great pains that his dis- 

 ciples should follow his example. In the Lycaeum 

 their industry was remarkable. An archon, or re- 

 gent, was chosen from amongst themselves every ten 

 days, to superintend their progress and enforce the 

 due observance of the stated rules of the school. 

 Scientific lectures were given, and exercises pre- 

 scribed to the students, both in the dialectical and 

 rhetorical form. To assist them in the acquisition 

 of every kind of learning, their master had taken 

 care to collect a variety of books, which were con- 

 stantly open to their perusal. Strabo, indeed, says 

 that he was the first who formed a regular library ; 

 and that Ptolemy Philadelphua received directions \ 

 from him as to the proper method of arranging the 

 celebrated one which he founded. That he might 

 have given suggestions as to the collecting and dis- 

 posing of literary works, may be fairly admitted ; 

 but that no considerable libraries existed before his 

 time, is neither probable nor consistent with history 

 which mentions several, both princes and private 

 persons, anterior to that age, who had made collec- 

 tions, and possessed repositories of books. His con- 

 duct towards the writers that preceded him, has 



