54 ARISTOTLE. 



selves in the deserts, where they lead a savage 

 life, and where they give origin to others, wlio 

 in the progress of time cultivate the ground, and 

 invent or rediscover the arts; and that the same 

 opinions recur, and have been renewed times with- 

 out number. In this manner, he maintains that, 

 notwithstanding these vicissitudes and revolutions, 

 the machine of the world always remains indestruc- 

 tible. 



If an apology w^re necessary for the brevity of 

 the above sketch, it might be urged, that it probably 

 contains all that is authentic respecting the life 

 of this eminent philosopher ; and that our object is 

 to condense, not to expand ; to direct the attention 

 to characteristic features, not to lead the mind to 

 expatiate vaguely upon tlie general surface. 



