ARISTOTELES. 1 3 



but the judges were ignorant, and sunk in paganism, 

 and almost invariably took the side of the accuser. 

 Indeed, all through the histoiy of the progress of 

 the rise of civilization there v^^ere men who teaching 

 a false religion, accused the bright lights of genius, 

 science, and wit, of irreligion. The false priest and 

 the fighting class, with rare exceptions, have always 

 persecuted the leaders in science, and have an- 

 tagonized progress, except in their own interests. 



When the charge was made against Aristoteles, 

 Alexander the Great was dead, and the great 

 teacher, knowing full well what would be the 

 result of the trial, quitted Athens and took refuge 

 in Chalcis, in Eubcea, saying that he wished to 

 prevent the Athenians twice rimning against phi- 

 losophy^ alluding to the judicial murder of Socrates. 



But Aristoteles' work was nearly ended, and the 

 slightly made, delicate, and sensitive man sank 

 during the first year of his exile, in the sixty-third 

 year of his age. 



A great writer on moral philosophy, the man 

 whose career has just been noticed will always 

 remain a master in natural history subjects also. 

 He was really a greater student of animal life than 

 of plants ; but it appears that his method of study 

 of botany, and much of his knowledge, have 

 descended to us, in consequence of his careful 

 teaching, through his pupil Theophrastus. A great 

 writer remarks that " everywhere Aristoteles ob- 

 serves the facts with attention ; he compares them 

 with sagacity, and endeavours to rise to the quali- 



