BEE-MASTERS IN THE MIDDLE AGES 29 
ence, unless it could be supported by ample testi- 
mony from the same infallible source. 
They seemed to look upon the works of Aris- 
totle, Virgil, Pliny, and the rest, as so many divine 
revelations of the mystery of bee-craft, all-sufficing, 
finitely perfect ; and they continually quoted from 
them in support of their own contentions, or in 
refutation of the statements of others, much as 
teachers of religion refer doubters to Bible texts. 
The bee-masters of the Middle Ages were, how- 
ever, not alone in adopting this peculiar attitude 
of mind. It seems to have been the prevailing 
habit of the time with all classes. One might 
almost be justified in concluding that the study of 
nature in those days had no other object with these 
inveterate old classicians but to support what had 
already been set down by their revered oracles. It 
was enough that a thing had been written in Greek 
or Latin in the literary youth of the world; it was 
immaculate—the first and last word on the 
question; and if their personal observations seemed 
at variance with any statement of the old-world 
writers, then the contradiction was only an apparent 
one, and could, no doubt, be. easily resolved by a 
more learned exponent of these bee-scriptures of 
ancient days. 
It is certainly, at first glance, a matter for wonder 
that men could pass their whole lives in the pursuit 
of the craft, and yet manage to preserve uncor- 
rupted a faith which seems so readily, and at so 
