hat which it had before,
but will not be identical with it; for it will be no longer seeking the
good of a plant, but that of an animal. And suppose that not only the
senses are given it, but also the mind of a man, does it not follow
inevitably that those former things will remain and require to be
protected, and that among them these additions will be far more dear to it
than its original qualities? and that each portion of the mind which is
best is also the dearest? and that its chief good must now consist in
satisfying its nature, since intellect and reason are by far the most
excellent parts of it? And so the chief of all the things which it has to
desire, and that which is derived from the original recommendation of
nature, ascends by several steps, so as at last to reach the summit;
because it is made up of the integrity of the body, and the perfect reason
of the intellect.

XV. As, therefore, the form of nature is such as I have described it, if,
as I said at the beginning, each individual as soon as he is born could
know himself, and form a correct estimate of what is the power both of his
entire nature and of its separate parts, he would see immediately what
this was which we are in search of, namely, the highest and best of all
the things which we desire: nor would it be possible for him to make a
mistake in anything. But now nature is from the very beginning concealed
in a wonderful manner, nor can it be perceived nor comprehended. But as
our age advances, we gradually, or I should rather say slowly, come to a
kind of knowledge of ourselves. Therefore, that original recommendation
which is given to us by our nature, is obscure and uncertain; and that
first appetite of the mind only goes the length of wishing to secure our
own safety and soundness. But when we begin to look around us, and to feel
what we are, and in what we differ from all the other animals, then we
begin to pursue the objects for which we were born. And we see a similar
thing take place in beasts, who at first do not move from the place in
which they were born; but afterwards all move, influenced by some desire
of their own. And so we see snakes crawl, ducks swim, blackbirds fly, oxen
use their horns, scorpions their stings; and we see nature a guide to each
animal in its path of life.

And the case is similar with the human race. For infants at their first
birth lie as if they were utterly devoid of mind; but when a little
strength has bee