The Works of Aristotle, Translated into English

Abstract

THE biological treatises of Aristotle are one of the chief marvels of antiquity. Remarkable in themselves for the evidence they give of the extraordinary powers of observation and reasoning possessed by their industrious author, they become truly astonishing when considered as only a comparatively small part of the life-work of a philosopher who entered profoundly into every department of human knowledge. The view has sometimes been entertained that after all Aristotle in his physical treatises was a mere copyist, that these works are rather of the nature of literary compilation from sources now mainly lost than record of original research and observation. A moderately careful study of, say, the “History of Animals” is sufficient to show that this is an error. Aristotle had undoubtedly made himself acquainted with what we should now call the “literature of the subject,” and when it seems necessary he quotes from earlier writers. But it is not his way to borrow their statements uncritically. If Herodotus or Ctesias makes what he considers to be a mistake, he does not hesitate to say so. Moreover, the “History” teems with what are beyond all reasonable doubt good firsthand observations derived from actual dissection. The Works of Aristotle, Translated into English. De Generatione Animalium. By Prof. A. Platt. Price 7s. 6d. net. De Partibus Animalium. By Dr. W. Ogle. Price 5s. net. Vol. iv., Historia Animalium. By Prof. D'Arcy W. Thompson. Price 10s. 6d. net. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910–11.)