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Prelude to Chapter II.
This chapter is a review of the opinions of earlier and contemporaneous writers upon the Vital Principle, and as Aristotle has never failed at the outset of each subject of inquiry to record the principal writers upon it, he may be regarded as the founder of tradition in science. The writers here cited may be divided into those who made motion, and those who supposed feeling to be the essential characteristic of that which imparts life to matter; although there were some who attributed to it both motion and feeling.
CHAPTER II.
As we are now entering upon the study of Vital Principle, and are encompassed with doubts which ought to be resolved, it will be incumbent upon us to gather the opinions of such of the earlier writers as have suggested any thing concerning it, in order that we may be able as well to adopt their happier conceptions as to be on our guard against their errors.
