THE FINAL SYSTEM: GALEN 



detailed arguments sometimes seem but to am* 

 plify his general or introductory phrases. 



It is the work of Nature to form all the parts 

 of the animal while still in the womb, and 

 after birth to bring the animal to its full size, 

 and maintain it. This is a threefold effect, and 

 the activities are three, '' namely genesis, 

 growth, and nutrition. Genesis, however, is 

 not a simple activity of Nature, but is com- 

 pounded of alteration and shaping. That is to 

 say, in order that bone, nerve, veins, and all 

 other [tissues] may come into existence, the 

 underlying substance ^^ from which the animal 

 springs must be altered; and in order that the 

 substance so altered may acquire its appro- 

 priate shape and position, its cavities, out- 

 growths, attachments and so forth, it has to 

 undergo a shaping or formative process." '° 



Then, proceeding from the partly false anal- 

 ogy of the semen and the seed cast into the 

 earth, he enlarges his descriptive detail, with- 

 out, of course, penetrating any further into the 

 process itself. He next takes up the faculty of 

 growth, which " is one of increase and expan- 

 sion in length, breadth and thickness of the 

 solid parts of the animal (those which have 

 been subjected to the moulding or shaping 



[113] 



