Medical-Chemical Work

...But what? In truth, in the whole course of life, we can learn nothing else than that divine command of the wise and philosophers, which has fallen from heaven: Γνῶθι σεαυτόν Know yourself. The wise philosopher therefore discoursed piously and learnedly on the true path (according to the oracle of the Delphic Apollo written before the doors of his temple) to attaining true wisdom and perpetual beatitude: If you have known yourself, because there is in man a true and real possession of all things and natures; furthermore, he is the peculiar and perfect image of the Creator of all things himself. Therefore, it is necessary that the knowledge of all things and natures, and of the Creator himself (in which alone true wisdom and beatitude consist), should first begin from oneself. Thus, man, by knowing himself, beholds in himself, as in a certain deific mirror, and understands all things; by which name David says in Psalm 139: "Lord, Thy knowledge is become wonderful from me." On the contrary, he who has ignored himself can have no true, intrinsic, and essential knowledge of things, but, like brute animals, whatever he knows outside of himself will remain outside of him. For no knowledge, whether flowing from heaven or acquired by the labor of talent or worldly diligence, will remain perpetually in the soul, but will pass away subject to oblivion, unless only that which is received internally in the hidden essential knowledge of the intellect. But that essential, intrinsic knowledge is not from flesh and blood, nor in the multitude of books and reading, nor in the plurality of experience and the antiquity of days, nor in the persuasions of human speech and the contention of reason, but in the very passion of Divine things; not in learning, but in suffering Divine things, the mind of man is perfected. The whole is situated in knowledge, because we are from all things and carry all things in ourselves, not otherwise than God our Father himself (John 4).

He used to say that nothing seemed more foolish to him than man. Indicating that the talent of man is suited for the best things if it is exercised, but if it degenerates to vices, it is far below mute cattle.

1 Cor. 15.
The first man from the earth is earthly; the second man is the Lord from heaven, celestial. As is the earthly, such also are the earthly; and as is the celestial, such also are the celestial. Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear the image of the celestial.

Laert. lib. 6.
Diogenes, as often as he considered the governors of cities, doctors, or philosophers in the life of men, used to say that no animal was wiser than man. The same, contemplating interpreters of dreams, soothsayers, diviners, and others of this kind, or those who served glory and riches, used to say...