184 COSMOS. 



pie , but, after the gradual downfall of the Egypto- Alexan- 

 drian school, the dimmed sparks of knowledge and of intellect- 

 ual investigation were scattered abroad, and it was not until 

 a later period that they reappeared in Greece and Asia Minor. 

 As is the case in all unlimited monarchies embracing a vast 

 extent of the most heterogeneous elements, the efforts of the 

 Roman government were mainly directed to avert, by mili- 

 tary restraint and by means of the internal rivalry existing in 

 their divided administration, the threatened dismemberment 

 of the political bond ; to conceal, by an alternation of severity 

 and mildness, the domestic feuds in the house of the Caesars ; 

 and to give to the different dependencies such an amount of 

 peace, under the sway of noble rulers, as an unchecked and 

 patiently-endured despotism is able periodically to afford. 



The attainment of universal sway by the Romans certainly 

 emanated from the greatness of the national character, and 

 from the continued maintenance of rigid morals, coupled with 

 a high sense of patriotism. When once universal empire was 

 attained, these noble qualities were gradually weakened and 

 altered under the unavoidable influence of the new relations 

 induced. The characteristic sensitiveness of separate individ- 

 uals became extinguished with the national spirit, and thus 

 vanished the two main supports of free institutions, publicity 

 and individuality. The eternal city had become the center 

 of too extended a sphere, and the spirit was wanting which 

 ought to have permanently animated so complicated a state. 

 Christianity became the religion of the state when the empire 

 was already profoundly shaken, and the beneficent effects of 

 the mildness of the new doctrine were frustrated by the dog- 

 matic dissensions awakened by party spirit. That dreary 

 contest of knowledge and of faith had already then begun, 

 which ^continued through so many centuries, and proved, un- 

 der various forms, so detrimental to intellectual investigation. 



If the Roman empire, from its extent and the form of con- 

 stitution necessitated by its relations of size, was wholly un- 

 able to animate and invigorate the intellectual activity of 

 mankind, as had been done by the small Hellenic republics 

 in their partially-developed independence, it enjoyed, on the 

 other hand, peculiar advantages, to which we must here al- 

 lude. A rich treasure of ideas was accumulated as a conse- 

 quence of experience and numerous observations. The ob- 

 jective world became considerably enlarged, and was thus 

 prepared for that meditative consideration of natural phenom 

 ena which has characterized recent times. National inter 



