48 ARISTOTLE. 



With respect to personal appearance, Aristotle was 

 not highly favoured. He was of short stature, with 

 slender legs, and remarkably small eyes. His voice 

 was shrill, and his utterance hesitating. Although 

 his constitution was feeble, he seems to have enjoyed 

 good health. His moral character has been im- 

 peached by some ; but we may presume that it was 

 not liable to any serious imputation, otherwise his 

 faults would not have escaped the observation of his 

 numerous enemies, who yet could only prefer against 

 him some vague charges of impiety. 



Aristotle was not merely a philosopher; he was also 

 what would at the present day be called a gentle- 

 man and a man of the world. In accordance with 

 this character he dressed magnificently, wore rings 

 of great value, shaved his head and face, contrary to 

 the practice of the other scholars of Plato, and freely 

 indulged in social intercourse. He was twice mar- 

 ried. By his first wife, Pythias, he had a daughter 

 of the same name, who was married to Nicanor, 

 the son of Proxenus. His second wife was Herpy- 

 lis, a native of Stagira, by whom he had a son, 

 called Nicomachus. 



It is difficult to determine his real character. 

 Those who seem to find pleasure in reviling him, 

 assert that he was a parasite, a habitual glutton and 

 drunkard, a despiser of the gods, a vain person, 

 whose chief care was to ornament his person, and 

 thereby counteract the unfavourable impression 

 which his disproportioned figure might make. It has 

 been said, with perhaps more truth, that he taught 

 his pupil Alexander principles of morals and policy 

 which were not the best adapted for a prince of his 

 ambitious temper ; and that his desire of standing 



