122 The Admirable Crichton. 



indicate that the voting was — 22 for the motion, 2 against, and 

 4 neutral. 



Testimonies as to Crichton's Wonderful Powers. 



Felice Astolfi, in his " Officina Historica " (Venice, 1605), 

 under the heading of " Memorosi Moderni, ' ' writes thus : — " The 

 Scotsman is well known to all (he was called James Crichton), 

 who like a marvellous prodigy was admired in our times for his 

 stupendous memory ; he being a person who, though a youth of 

 twenty-two years, penetrated the most recondite sciences, ex- 

 pounded obscure meanings and the most difficult ?entsnces of 

 philosophers and theologians, so that to all w'ho beheld his first, 

 down [early growth of beard] it seemed impossible that he could 

 have read so much, to say nothing of committing it to memory." 



Still a further testimony as to Crichton's wonderful memory 

 occurs in the " Epitaphiorum Dialogi Septem ' ' of Doctor 

 Bartholomseus Burchelatus, dated Venice, 1583. "Oh, happy 

 memory, which I most truly admire, since, as I hear, you retain 

 those things which it has happened that you may at any time or 

 place have read; nor do I wonder at its being impossible to re- 

 member everything, which Divine gift the famous James Crichton 

 of Scotland, whom we have met more than once at Venice and 

 Treviso (as others at other places have met him), now possesses, 

 if anyone ever did ; who, as is well known, professes, among other 

 things, that he is never embarrassed by forgetfulness, or even the 

 slightest hesitation, as to any things, words, letters, works and 

 volumes, however numerous, that he has seen or read." 



It is Aldus Manutius, however, to whom we are most 

 indebted for an account of Crichton's life and character, and 

 this account is to be found in his dedication to Crichton of 

 his edition of the " Paradoxa Ciceronis." It is addressed in 

 Latin to the most noble youth, James Crichton, a Scot, whose 

 qualities, we are informed, are so lofty and wonderful that his 

 grandeur takes away the glory from the most illustrious and wisest 

 men of the past. " It has fallen to the lot of no one, excepting 

 yourself, from the beginning of the human race, to engage, while 

 yet a stripling, in the occupations of war, to continue them with 

 zeal and fondness, and connect them, like another Brutus, with 

 literature and philosophy. You have," continues Aldus, address- 



