3950. I spoke with Aristotle when he was overhead, saying that a little boy could speak in the space of a half hour so philosophically, analytically, logically that Aristotle would be unable in many volumes to describe all his philosophical, analytical and logical secrets, and yet the child knows nothing of that ability.
[2] For example, a dancer is able to move his joints together with all his bodily members artificially, as if they were moving spontaneously, coordinating his breathing with the least movements, which, if scrutinized individually as to their origin and operation, by an examination of the tissues running together from the brains, through the motor fibers, the muscles of the diaphragm, the breathing of the lungs, and the contributions of them and of the rest of the internal organs, they cannot be described in volumes - and yet he knows how to dance, without a deeper knowledge of those things. Such also is the case with the philosophy of such things, which are of no use except for the sake of delight. Aristotle highly approved, saying that it is so, and now, that such things are useless and futile, and like dust that should be completely discarded, because it entirely obstructs the sight with heaps of earth and blinds the eyes when they proceed in that backwards order, trying to think from the artificial, whereas the thought extends to such artificial things as are seen by the thought, but the thought is not from the artificial things. These are the words of Aristotle, who adds that if anyone wishes to be foolish, let him go about it in this way.
3950. I spoke with Aristotle when above the head, [observing] that a child could, in the space of half an hour, speak so philosophically, analytically, and logically, that Aristotle [himself] would be unable, in many volumes, to describe all the recondite philosophy, analysis, and logic [embodied in it], and yet the child knows nothing of it. In like manner the dancer may ply his arts, moving at the same time each of his limbs artificially, yet as if naturally, and applying [the necessary] respirations to each [movement], which, if they should all be explored to their source, and their mode of operation be discovered, by investigating the action of the concurrent fibers flowing from the two brains, of the motive fibers, of the muscles, of the diaphragm, of the pulmonary respiration, and of the various application of these and the other viscera, whole volumes would be required for the description, yet he knows how to dance without knowing anything of these matters. So it is with the philosophy of these things, which is of no use, except for the sake of delight. Aristotle greatly approved of this, and said that it was so, and said that it was [otherwise] as useless and futile as the dust of the earth, which was to be wholly cast away, because such [a mode of philosophizing] merely throws a heap of rubbish before the eyes, and blinds them, in case that men proceed in such an inverted order, and would fain think from an artificial method, when [yet] thought extends itself to such artificials, which seem [to proceed] from thought, instead of thoughts [proceeding] from them. These are the sentiments of Aristotle; he added, if anyone wishes to be infatuated, let him proceed in this manner.
3950. Loquutus cum Aristotele cum supra caput, quod puerulus per dimidium horae ita philosophice, analytice, logice, loqui possit, ut Aristoteles per volumina omnia recondita philosophica ejus, analytica et logica describere nequiret, et tamen puer is nescit, quod talis; sicut quod saltator possit artus suos, simul singula membra movere artificiose, ut naturaliter, et applicare respirationes singulis, quae si explorarentur unde, et quomodo, per explorationem fibrarum concurrentium a cerebris, per fibras motrices, musculos diaphragmatis, respirationes pulmonum, et eorum ac caeterorum viscerum applicationes, per volumina describi nequeunt, cum tamen is novit saltare, absque cognitione talium, ita se habet cum philosophia talium, quae nullius usus est, nisi delectationis causa, Aristoteles hoc multum approbavit, et dixit ita esse, et nunc quod inutilia et futilia sint, et sicut pulveris, qui prorsus rejiciendus, quia talis quod prorsus oculis objiciat grumos, et occoecat, cum tali inverso ordine procedunt, et velint ex artificio cogitare, cum [tamen] cogitatio se extendat ad artificialia talia, quae a cogitatione videntur, non autem cogitatio ab artificialibus, haec sunt Aristotelis, addit, si fatuus quis velit esse, ita procedat.