the advancement of learning-第10部分

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　fall；　but　the　other　is　indeed　like　the　benefits　of　heaven；　which　are　permanent　and　universal。　The　former；　again；　is　mixed　with　strife　and　perturbation；　but　the　latter　hath　the　true　character　of　Divine　Presence；　coming　　in　AURA　LENI；　without　noise　or　agitation。

＇16＇　2。　Neither　is　certainly　that　other　merit　of　learning；　in　repressing　the　inconveniences　which　grow　from　man　to　man；　much　inferior　to　the　former；　of　relieving　the　necessities　which　arise　from　nature；　which　merit　was　lively　set　forth　by　the　ancients　in　that　feigned　relation　of　Orpheus'　theatre；　where　all　beasts　and　birds　assembled；　and；　forgetting　their　several　appetites；　some　of　prey；　some　of　game；　some　of　quarrel；　stood　all　sociably　together　listening　to　the　airs　and　accords　of　the　harp；　the　sound　whereof　no　sooner　ceased；　or　was　drowned　by　some　louder　noise；　but　every　beast　returned　to　its　own　nature：　wherein　is　aptly　described　the　nature　and　condition　of　men；　who　are　full　of　savage　and　unreclaimed　desires　of　profit；　of　lust；　of　revenge；　which　as　long　as　they　give　ear　to　precepts；　to　laws；　to　religion；　sweetly　touched　with　eloquence　and　persuasion　of　books；　of　sermons；　of　harangues；　so　long　is　society　and　peace　maintained；　but　if　these　instruments　be　silent；　or　that　sedition　and　tumult　make　them　not　audible；　all　things　dissolve　into　anarchy　and　confusion。

3。　But　this　appeareth　more　manifestly；　when　kings　themselves；　or　persons　of　authority　under　them；　or　other　governors　in　commonwealths　and　popular　estates；　are　endued　with　learning。　For　although　he　might　be　thought　partial　to　his　own　profession；　that　said；　THEN　SHOULD　PEOPLE　AND　ESTATES　BE　HAPPY；　WHEN　EITHER　KINGS　WERE　PHILOSOPHERS；　OR　PHILOSOPHERS　KINGS；　yet　so　much　is　verified　by　experience；　that　under　learned　princes　and　governors　there　have　been　ever　the　best　times：　for　howsoever　kings　may　have　their　imperfections　in　their　passions　and　customs；　yet　if　they　be　illuminate　by　learning；　they　have　those　notions　of　religion；　policy；　and　morality；　which　do　preserve　them；　and　refrain　them　from　all　ruinous　and　peremptory　errors　and　excesses；　whispering　evermore　in　their　ears；　when　counsellors　and　servants　stand　mute　and　silent。　And　senators　or　counsellors　likewise；　which　be　learned；　do　proceed　upon　more　safe　and　substantial　principles；　than　counsellors　which　are　only　men　of　experience：　the　one　sort　keeping　dangers　afar　off；　whereas　the　other　discover　them　not　till　they　come　near　hand；　and　then　trust　to　the　agility　of　their　wit　to　ward　or　avoid　them。

4。　Which　felicity　of　times　under　learned　princes；　（to　keep　still　the　law　of　brevity；　by　using　the　most　eminent　and　selected　examples；）　doth　best　appear　in　the　age　which　passed　from　the　death　of　Domitian　the　emperor　until　the　reign　of　Commodus；　comprehending　a　succession　of　six　princes；　all　learned；　or　singular　favourers　and　advancers　of　learning；　which　age　for　temporal　respects；　was　the　most　happy　and　fiourishing　that　ever　the　Roman　empire；　（which　then　was　a　model　of　the　world；）　enjoyed：　a　matter　revealed　and　prefigured　unto　Domitian　in　a　dream　the　night　before　he　was　slain；　for　he　thought　there　was　grown　behind　upon　his　shoulders　a　neck　and　head　of　gold：　which　came　accordingly　to　pass　in　those　golden　times　which　succeeded：　of　which　princes　we　will　make　some　commemoration；　wherein　although　the　matter　will　be　vulgar；　and　may　be　thought　fitter　for　a　declamation　than　agreeable　to　a　treatise　infolded　as　this　is；　yet　because　it　is　pertinent　to　the　point　in　hand；

Neque　semper　arcum　Tendit　Apollo；

and　to　name　them　only　were　too　naked　and　cursory；　I　will　not　omit　it　altogether。　The　first　was　Nerva；　the　excellent　temper　of　whose　government　is　by　a　glance　in　Cornelius　Tacitus　touched　to　the　life：　POSTQUAM　DIVUS　NERVA　RES　OLIM　INSOCIABILES　MISCUISSET；　IMPERIUM　ET　LIBERTATEM。　And　in　token　of　his　learning；　the　last　act　of　his　short　reign　left　to　memory；　was　a　missive　to　his　adopted　son　Trajan；　proceeding　upon　some　inward　discontent　at　the　ingratitude　of　the　times；　comprehended　in　a　verse　of　Homer's：

Telis；　Phoebe；　tuis　lacrymas　ulciscere　nostras。

5。　Trajan；　who　succeeded；　was　for　his　person　not　learned：　but　if　we　will　hearken　to　the　speech　of　our　Saviour；　that　saith；　HE　THAT　RECEIVETH　A　PROPHET　I？THE　NAME　OF　A　PROPHET；　SHALL　HAVE　A　PROPHET'S　REWARD；　he　deserveth　to　be　placed　amongst　the　most　learned　princes：　for　there　was　not　a　greater　admirer　of　learning；　or　benefactor　of　learning；　a　founder　of　famous　libraries；　a　perpetual　advancer　of　learned　men　to　office；　and　a　familiar　converser　with　learned　professors　and　preceptors；　who　were　noted　to　have　then　most　credit　in　court。　On　the　other　side；　how　much　Trajan's　virtue　and　government　was　admired　and　renowned；　surely　no　testimony　of　grave　and　faithful　history　doth　more　lively　set　forth；　than　that　legend　tale　of　Gregorius　Magnus；　bishop　of　Rome；　who　was　noted　for　the　extreme　envy　he　bore　towards　all　heathen　excellency：　and　yet　he　is　reported；　out　of　the　love　and　estimation　of　Trajan's　moral　virtues；　to　have　made　unto　God　passionate　and　fervent　prayers　for　the　delivery　of　his　soul　out　of　hell：　　and　to　have　obtained　it；　with　a　caveat　that　he　should　make　no　more　such　petitions。　In　this　prince's　time　also；　the　persecution　against　the　Christians　received　intermission；　upon　the　certificate　of　Plinius　Secundus；　a　man　of　excellent　learning；　and　by　Trajan　advanced。

　6。　Adrian；　his　successor；　was　the　most　curious　man　that　lived；　and　the　most　universal　inquirer；　insomuch　as　it　was　noted　for　an　error　in　his　mind；　that　he　desired　to　comprehend　all　things；　and　not　to　reserve　himself　for　the　worthiest　things：　falling　into　the　like　humour　that　was　long　before　noted　in　Philip　of　Macedon；　who；　when　he　would　needs　over…rule　and　put　down　an　excellent　musician　in　an　argument　touching　music；　was　well　answered　by　him　again；　GOD　FORBID；　SIR；　saith　he；　THAT　YOUR　FORTUNE　SHOULD　BE　SO　BAD；　AS　TO　AVOW　THESE　THINGS　BETTER　THAN　I。　It　pleased　God　likewise　to　use　the　curiosity　of　this　emperor　as　an　inducement　to　the　peace　of　His　Church　in　those　days。　For　having　Christ　in　veneration；　not　as　a　God　or　Saviour；　but　as　a　wonder　or　novelty；　and　having　His　picture　in　his　gallery；　matched　with　Apollonius；　with　whom　in　his　vain　imagination　he　thought　he　had　some　conformity；　yet　it　served　the　turn　to　allay　the　bitter　hatred　of　those　times　against　the　Christian　name；　so　as　the　Church　had　peace　during　his　time。　And　for　his　government　civil；　although　he　did　not　attain　to　that　of　Trajan's　glory　of　arms；　or　perfection　of　justice；　yet　in　deserving　of　the　weal　of　the　subject　he　＇17＇　did　exceed　him。　For　Trajan　erected　many　famous　monuments　and　buildings；　insomuch　as　Constantine　the　Great　in　emulation　was　wont　to　call　him　Parietaria；　wall…flower；　because　his　name　was　upon　so　many　walls：　but　his　buildings　and　works　were　more　of　glory　and　triumph　than　use　and　necessity。　But　Adrian　spent　his　whole　reign；　which　was　peaceable；　in　a　perambulation　or　survey　of　the　Roman　empire；　giving　order　and　making　assignation　where　he　went；　for　re…edifying　of　cities；　towns；　and　forts　decayed；　and　for　cutting　of　rivers　and　streams；　and　for　making　bridges　and　passages；　and　for　policing　of　cities　and　commonalties　with　new　ordinances　and　constitutions；　and　granting　new　franchises　and　incorporations；　so　that　his　whole　time　was　a　very　restoration　of　all　the　lapses　and　decays　of　former　times。

7。　Antoninus　Pius；　who　succeeded　him；　was　a　prince　excellently　learned；　and　had　the　patient　and　subtle　wit　of　a　schoolman；　insomuch　as　in　common　speech；　which　leaves　no　virtue　untaxed；　he　was　called　Cymini　Sector；　a　carver　or　divider　of　cummin；　which　is　one　of　the　least　seeds；　such　a　patience　he　had　and　settled　spirit　to　enter　into　the　least　and　most　exact　differences　of　causes；　a　fruit　no　doubt　of　the　exceeding　tranquillity　and　serenity　of　his　mind；　which　being　no　ways　charged　or　incumbered；　either　with　fears；　remorses；　or　scruples；　but　having　been　noted　for　a　man　of　the　purest　goodness；　without　all　fiction　or　affectation；　that　hath　reigned　or　lived；　made　his　mind　continually　present　and　entire。　He　likewise　approached　a　degree　nearer　unto　Christianity；　and　became；　as　Agrippa　said　unto　St。　Paul；　half　a　Christian；　holding　their　religion　and　law　in　good　opinion；　and　not　only　ceasing　persecution；　but　giving　way　to　the　advancement　of　Christians。

8。　There　succeeded　him　the　first　DIVI　FRATRES；　the　two　adoptive　brethren；　Lucius　Commodus　Verus；　（son　to　Aelius　Verus；　who　delighted　much　in　the　softer　kind　of　learning；　and　was　wont　to　call　the　poet　Martial　his　Virgil；）　and　Marcus　Aurelius　Antoninus；　whereof　the　latter；　who　obscured　his　colleague　and　survived　him　long；　was　named　the　philosopher：　who；　as　he　excelled　all　the　rest　in　learning；　so　he　excelled　them　likewise　in　perfection　of　all　royal　virtues；　insomuch　as　Julianus　the　emperor；　in　his　book　entitled　CAESARES；　being　as　a　pasquil　or　satire　to　deride　all　his　predecessors；　feigned　that　they　were　all　invited　to　a　banquet　of　the　gods；　and　Silenus　the　jester　sat　at　the　nether　end　of　the　table；　and　bestowed　a　scoff　on　every　one　as　they　came　in；　but　when　Marcus　Philosophus　came　in；　Silenus　was　gravelled；　and　out　of　countenance；　not　knowing　where　to　carp　at　him；　save　at　the　last　he　gave　a　glance　at　his　patience　towards　his　wife。　And　the　virtue　of　this　prince；　continued　with　that　of　his　predecessor；　made　the　name　of　Antoninus　so　sacred　in　the　world；　that　though　it　were　extremely　dishonoured　in　Commodus；　Caracalla；　and　Heliogabalus；　who　all　bore　the　name；　yet　when　Alexander　Severus　refused　the　name；　because　he　was　a　stranger　to　the　family；　the　senate　with　one　acclamation　said；　QUOMODO　AUGUSTUS；　SIC　ET　ANTONINUS。　In　such　renown　and　veneration　was　the　name　of　these　two　princes　in　those　days；　that　they　would　have　it　as　a　perpetual　addition　in　all　the　emperors'　style。　In　this　emperor's　time　also　the　Church　for　the　most　part　was　in　peace；　so　as　in　this　sequence　of　six　princes　we　do　see　the　blessed　effects　of　learning　in　sovereignty；　painted　forth　in　the　greatest　table　of　the　world。

9。　But　for　a　tablet；　or　picture　of　smaller　volume；　（not　presuming　to　speak　of　your　majesty　that　liveth；）　in　my　judgment　the　most　excellent　is　that　of　Queen　Elizabeth；　your　immediate　predecessor　in　this　part　of　Britain；　a　princess　that；　if　Plutarch　were　now　alive　to　write　lives　by　parallels；　would　trouble　hi