26 
MEMOIR OP ARISTOTLE. 
gerated by bis enemies) was in him merely an ac- 
cessory which neither altered his character, nor 
weakened that ardent desire for knowledge, which, 
even in the vigour of manhood, and amidst the 
gaieties of Athens, continued to be the master pas- 
sion of his soul. There are other reasons of discord 
stated by Laertius, who says, that Plato disliked the 
scornful derision of his looks, and could not endure 
his impertinent contradiction of his prelections ; oil 
which account his friendship was withdrawn, and 
transferred to more submissive pupils. The repu- 
diated favourite, he adds, opened a school in the 
Lycamrn, in opposition to his master; at which the 
indignant sage severely remarked, that his ungrate- 
ful disciple resembled “ the young foals that kicked 
their dams when they had sucked their fill and, 
from this circumstance, Aristotle was usually called 
the Colt. These charges, however, are generally ad- 
mitted to have been malicious aspersions cast upon 
his memory, and invented after his death. Their 
origin is ascribed to Aristoxenus, who took this me- 
thod of revenge, because Aristotle refused to mako 
him successor in his school, having given the pre- 
ference to Theophrastus. That he contradicted 
Plato, and perplexed him with ingenious sophistries, 
is highly probable, considering the boldness with 
which he determines questions beyond the reach of 
human intellect ; but, as Annnonius observes, this is 
nothing wonderful, since Plato frequently contradicts 
himself. As for the assertion, that he was guilty oi 
