124 ADVANCEMENT Of LEARNINO. jfiOOlt til. 



of my Father, and ye received me not ; but if one came in 

 his own name, ye would receive him."" Which divine 

 aphorism, as applied to Antichrist, the great deceiver, plainly 

 shows us that a man's coming in his own name, without 

 regard to antiquity or paternity, is no good sign of truth, 

 though joined with the fortune and success of being received. 

 But for so excellent and sublime a genius as Aristotle, one 

 would think he caught this ambition from his scholar, and 

 affected to subdue all opinions, as Alexander did all nations; 

 and thus erect himself a monarchy in his own contemplation. 

 Though for this, perhaps, he may not escape the lash of some 

 severe pen, no more than his pupil ; and be called a success- 

 ful ravager of learning, as the other was of countries.'^ Some 

 are doubtless disposed to treat him with the same courtesy 

 as his scholar, in saying, 



" Fcelix doctrinjB prsedo, non utile mundo 

 Editus exemplum."*' 



But on the other hand, desiring, by all possible means, to 

 cultivate and establish a free commerce betwixt ancient and 

 modern learning, we judge it best religiously to side with 

 antiquity, and therefore to retain ancient terms, though we 

 frequently alter their sense, according to that moderate and 

 laudable usage in politics, of introducing a new state of 

 things, without changing the styles and titles of government.^ 

 Thus then we distinguish metaphysics, as may appear by 

 what was above delivered, from primary philosophy,*^ which 

 has hitherto been taken from it, making this the common 

 parent of the sciences, and that a part of natural philosophy 



» St. John V. 43. 



•» We sliould rather say that Alexander caught the fire of ambition 

 from his master, as Aristotle put forth his pretensions to mental empire 

 long before his pupil overran Egypt. In addition, it may be observed that 

 Aristotle was an Athenian, and that the strong antipathies which his 

 countrymen bore to the king of Persia were increased by the ties of 

 blood and friendship which bound him to Hermius, king of Atarne, 

 whom the eastern despot had abused. It is most likely, therefore, that 

 Aristotle never missed an opportunity of exciting his royal pupil to that 

 conquest, which the Athenians had previously attempted to execute ; aa 

 affording him the satisfaction of retaliating the injuries of a departec 

 friend, as well as an opportunity ot collecting a store of natural facts o : 

 which he might erect the superstructiire of the physical sciences. £cL 



= Lucan, x. 21. •• Tacitus, Annala, i. 



c Cocceniing primary philosophy, see above. 



