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Hence were the early and preternatural abilities of Pico della 

 Mirandola loft to the benefit of mankind; and hence was Petrarch, 

 the man of all others beft adapted to the propagation of true Sci- 

 ence, and who, even thus led aftray, powerfully contributed to its 

 advancement, bewildered in the flowery, but pathlefs, mazes of 

 metaphyfical or platonic Love — yet all was perhaps for the beft ; 

 and the mind, by exercifing its powers in the inveftigation, and 

 eager purfuit of impoffibilities, may probably have encreafed its 

 natural vigour, and have thus become more fit for beneficial en- 

 quiry ; as the body, by having been early inured to exert its flrength 

 in unprofitable efforts, is rendered more able for the real emolu- 

 ment of ufeful labour. 



I HAVE faid, in the former part of this EfTay, that Cenjlantimple 

 was the Jour ce from which Learning Jlo-wed into Italy ; an affertion, 

 which, though made in conformity with the opinion generally re- 

 ceived, will require fome explanation, as it is hazarded in apparent 

 contradidion to the refpedable authority of Voltaire, who, in his 

 Eflai fur les Mceurs. Tom. ix. of his works, page 164. 4to edition, 

 has thefe words, ' On fut redevablede toutes ces belles Nouveautes 

 ' aux Tofcans — lis firent tout rcnaitre par leur feul Genie, avant 

 • que le peu de fcience qui etait refte a Conftantinople refluat en 

 ' Italic avec la Langue Grecque par les Conquctcs des Ottomans — 

 ' Florence etait alors ime nouvelle Athenes, et parmi les Orateurs qui 

 ' vinrent de la part des Villes d'ltalie haranguer Boniface viii. fur fon 

 ' Exaltation, on compta dix huit Florentins — On voit par la que 

 ' ce n'eft point aux Fugitifs de Conftantinople qu'on a du la Re- 



' naifTance 



