Advancement of Learning 45 



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 profes 

 sors 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: 1 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 Chris 

 tians received intermission, upon the certificate of Plinius 

 Secundus, a man of excellent learning, and by Trajan 

 advanced. 2 



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 compre 

 hend 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 argu 

 ment touching music, was well answered by him again, 

 God forbid, sir, saith he, that your fortune should be so bad, 

 as to know these things better than I. 3 It pleased God like 

 wise 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 imagina 

 tion 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 



1 See Dante, Purgatorio, x., who seems to take it from the Life of 

 Gregory, by John the Deacon. 



2 C. Plin. Epist. x. 97. 3 Plutarch, Apophth. 179. 



