"Εντελεχεῖά τις ἐστι, καὶ λόγος τοὖ δύναμιν ἓχοντος
τοιοὗδι εἷ ταἷ."
"I am not very well versed in Greek," said the giant.
"Nor I either," replied the philosophical mite.
"Why then do you quote that same Aristotle in Greek?" resumed the Sirian.
"Because," answered the other, "it is but reasonable we should quote what we do not comprehend in a language we do not understand."
Here the Cartesian interposing: "The soul," said he, "is a pure spirit or intelligence, which hath received before birth all the metaphysical ideas; but after that event it is obliged to go to school and learn anew the knowledge which it hath lost."
"So it was necessary," replied the animal of eight leagues, "that thy soul should be learned before birth, in order to be so ignorant when thou hast got a beard upon thy chin. But what dost thou understand by spirit?"
"I have no idea of it," said the philosopher, "indeed it is supposed to be immaterial."
"At least, thou knowest what matter is?" resumed the Sirian.
"Perfectly well," answered the other. "For example: that stone is gray, is of a certain figure, has three dimensions, specific weight, and divisibility."