ULYSSES ALDROVANDT. 25 



* From my earliest childhood I esteemed nothing 

 more than this noble study, nor do I believe there 

 is any other subject, which can more favourably or 

 clearly display the attributes of the Deity, exhibiting 

 at once His Almighty Power, His excellent goodness, 

 and His unsearchable wisdom. Wherefore, immedi- 

 ately after having tasted of the politer studies, and 

 after devoting myself for seven successive years to 

 the civil and canon law, I made such proficiency that 

 I was urged to accept the badges of its highest 

 honours. But having tasted the elements of philo- 

 sophy viz. those which are found in Logic I was 

 so much delighted with the study, that, contrary to 

 the advice, and the opposition of my friends, I 

 bade farewell to jurisprudence, and gave the pre- 

 ference to philosophy ; with which philosophy, when 

 I perceived it consisted in the particulars above 

 enumerated, impelled by strong inclination, I was 

 most eager to become familiar. I therefore di- 

 rected my views to these pursuits, as to my earthly 

 summum bonum. To it I devoted every word and 

 every action, in fact, my whole labour ; and was 

 like the mariner directing his course by the polar 

 star ; not forgetting the precept of the Stoics, That- 

 every man should have some fixed goal unceasingly 

 before him."* 



These sentences throw considerable light on the 



history of Aldrovandi's early years. For it thus 



appears, though not a hint of the fact is to be found 



Opera, t. i. Praefati. 



