14 Hermes.pdf

The Fourteenth Book Of Operation and Sense 1. Tat: Thou hast well explained these things, Father: Teach me furthermore these things; for thou sayest, that Science and Art were the Operations of the rational, but now thou sayest that Beasts are unreasonable, and for want of reason, both are and are called Brutes; so that by this Reason, it must needs follow that unreasonable Creatures partake not of Science, or Art, because they come short of Reason. 2. Hermes: It must needs be so, Son. 3. Tat: Why then, O Father, do we see some unreasonable living Creatures use both Science and Art? As the Pismires treasure up for themselves food against the Winter, and Fowls of the Air likewise make them Nests, and four-footed Beasts know their own Dens. 4. These things they do, O Son, not by Science or Art, but by Nature; for Science or Art are things that are taught, but none of these brute Beasts are taught any of these things. 5. But these things being Natural unto them, are wrought by Nature, whereas Art and Science do not happen unto all, but unto some. 6. As men are Musicians, but not all; neither are all Archers or Huntsmen, or the rest, but some of them have learned something by the working of Science or Art. 7. After the same manner also, if some Pismires did so, and some not, thou mightest well say, they gather their food according to Science and Art. 8. But seeing they are all led by Nature, to the same thing, even against their wills, it is manifest they do not do it by Science or Art. 9. For Operations, O Tat, being unbodily, are in Bodies, and work by Bodies. 10. Wherefore, O Tat, in as much as they are unbodily, thou must needs say they are immortal. 11. But in as much as they cannot act without Bodies, I say, they are always in a Body. 12