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 



