A HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



be accepted, we are brought one step nearer the phi- 

 losopher himself. The summary is as follows: 



" That the monad was the beginning of everything. 

 From the monad proceeds an indefinite duad, which is 

 subordinate to the monad as to its cause. That from 

 the monad and the indefinite duad proceed numbers. 

 And from numbers signs. And from these last, lines 

 of which plane figures consist. And from plane figures 

 are derived solid bodies. And from solid bodies sen- 

 sible bodies, of which last there are four elements fire, 

 water, earth, and air. And that the world, which is 

 indued with life and intellect, and which is of a spher- 

 ical figure, having the earth, which is also spherical, 

 and inhabited all over in its centre, 4 results from a com- 

 bination of these elements, and derives its motion from 

 them; and also that there are antipodes, and that 

 what is below, as respects us, is above in respect of 

 them. 



" He also taught that light and darkness, and cold 

 and heat, and dryness and moisture, were equally di- 

 vided in the world ; and that while heat was predomi- 

 nant it was summer; while cold had the mastery, it 

 was winter; when dryness prevailed, it was spring; and 

 when moisture preponderated, winter. And while all 

 these qualities were on a level, then was the loveliest 

 season of the year ; of which the flourishing spring was 

 the wholesome period, and the season of autumn the 

 most pernicious one. Of the day, he said that the 

 flourishing period was the morning, and the fading one 

 the evening ; on which account that also was the least 

 healthy time. 



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