THE PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS. 51 



Telesius of Cozensa, whom Bacon has commended as e( the 

 best of the novellists," was one of the Italian reformers of phi- 

 losophy. Tennemann's remark that the reform which he at- 

 tempted to introduce was but partial, as having reference only 

 to the natural sciences, is not altogether accurate, but it describes 

 with sufficient correctness the general character of his writings. 

 They contain an attempt to explain all phenomena, including 

 those of animal life, on the hypothesis of the continuous 

 conflict and reciprocal action of two formal principles, heat 

 and cold. His other doctrines are either subordinated to this 

 kind of dualism, or are merely the necessary complements 

 of a system of philosophy. In proposing to inquire into the 

 nature and origin of the soul, he had no other end in view 

 than to arrive at an explanation of the phenomena of sensation, 

 voluntary motion, &c., which should be in accordance with hia 

 fundamental hypothesis. He therefore sets out from the phy- 

 siological point of view ; and in order to explain the phenomena 

 of animal and vegetable life, refers them to an indwelling spi- 

 ritus, or animal soul, which in plants resides in the bark and 

 fibres, and in animals in the white and exsanguine parts of the 

 body, the bones being however excepted. * The animal and 

 vegetable souls are in essence alike, but the latter is "paulo 

 quam qui in animalibus inest crassior." In both cases the origin 

 of this anima is the same ; it is educed from the seed (educta 

 ex semine), and is to all intents as truly material as any other 

 part of the body. . 



In the application of these views to the soul of man, Telesius 

 was met by considerations of another order. The soul educed 

 ex semine, was (like the body which it animated, and of which 

 it was only the subtlest portion) propagated by generation; 

 whereas it was decided by orthodox theology that souls are not 

 ex traduce, do not pass from parent to child in the way Telesius 

 must have supposed. The soul is a gift, which after death is 

 to return to Him who gave it. I do not conceive that Telesius's 

 attempt to co-ordinate this doctrine with his own views arose 

 merely from a wish to avoid the imputation of heresy. His 

 writings are, I think, free from that tone of mocking deference 

 to authority by which those of many of his contemporaries are 



Q. 76. a. 3., to which I have already referred. Leibnitz scarcely thought that in 

 following the Angelic Doctor, he was protesting against scholasticism. 

 1 De Kerum Nat. v. 1. et vi. 26. 



E 2 



