5 2 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. I. 



§ Which felicity of times under Le^^rKec^ Pr/wcf/ (to keep ftillthe 

 law of brevity by ufing the moft feledied and eminent examples) doth 

 beft appear, in the-Age which pafled from the death oi Domitianus the 

 Emperour, untill the reign of Commodus^ comprehending afttccejjion of 

 Jix Princes J al/ Learned, or Jingular favourers and advancers of Learnings 

 and of all ages (if we regard temporal happinef) the mojiflourijlnng that 

 ever Rome jaw, which was then the Model and Epitome of the world : A 



Suet.in matter revealed and prefigiir'd unto Domitian in a dream, the night 

 °"^'^^' before he was flain, /(?r hefeem'dtofeegrown behinduponhisjhoulders a. 

 neckband a head of gold j which Divination came indeed accordingly to 

 pals, in thofe golden times which lucceeded , of which we will make 

 Ibme particular, but brief commemoration. Nerva was a Learned 

 Prince, an inward accquaintance, and even a Difciple to ApoUonius 



A'ri/,1 tuiii the Pythagorean ; who alfo almoft expired in a verfe of Homers* 



Flin.Fan. , , , , , , r n 



Telfs rhtebe tuis, lachrimas mcifcere nojtras, 



Trajan was for his Perfbn not Learned, but an admirer of Learning, 

 and a munificent bencfaftor to the Learned, a Founder of Libraries, 

 and in whofe Court (though a warlike Prince) as is recorded, Profel^ 

 Dion.in fours and Preceptors were of moft credit and eftimation. Adrian was 

 Adnano. jj^^ ^^^ curious man that lived, and the infatiable inquirer of all va- 

 riety and fecrets. Antonius had the patient and fubtile wit of i 

 Eionin School-man, in fo much as he was called Cymini-SeBor^ a Carver, or a. 

 Anton. P Ji^ijgf. oj- Cummin feed : And of the Divifratres, Lucius Commodtts 

 -.,, was delighted with a fbfter kind of Learning ; and Marcus was furnam'd 



the Fhilofopher. Thefe Princes as they excel' d the reji in Learning, fo 

 they excel' d them li^ewife in virtue and goodnej?. Nerva was a moft mild 

 plin.Pan. Emperour, and who (if he had done nothing e\re)gaveTrajvtt to the 

 Aur.'vift. World. Trajan, of all that reigned, for the Arts, both of Peace and 

 c.ij. War, was moft famous and renowned ; the fame Prince enlarged the 

 bounds of the Empire f the fame, temperately confin'd the Limits and 

 Dion. Power thereof, he was alfo a great Builder in fo much as Conjiantine 

 Trajan, the Great, in emulation was was wont to call him, Parietaria^ Watt' 

 Flower, becaufe his name was carved upon (6 many walls. Adrian 

 was Times rival for the vidlory of perpetuity, for by his care and mu- 

 nificence in every kind, he repaired the decaies and ruines of Time. 

 Antonintff, as by name, {o nature, a man exceeding Piom j for his na- 

 in Ant. P. ^^^^ ^^'^ inbred goodnels, was beloved and moft acceptable to men of 

 all (brts and degrees 5 whole reign, though it was long, yet was it 

 ^ peaceful and happy. Lucius Commodtfs (exceeded indeed by his bro- 

 Tn Vero. ther) excel'd many of the Emperours for goodnels. Marcus formed 

 nM. nt. j^y nature to be the pattern and Platform of virtue, againft whom that 

 7ty?cr in the banquet of the Gods had nothing to objeft, or carpeat, 

 fave his patience towards the humours of his wife. So in this continued 

 lequence of /?x Princes, a man may fee the happy fruits of Learning in So* 

 Tiii'ani veraigffty. Painted forth in the greateft Table of the world. 

 X are?. III. Neither hath Learning an influence or operation upon Civil merit and 

 the Arts of peace only, hut. likewise it hath no lefs Power & Fificacy inMat' 

 tial and Alilitary virtue, as may notably be rcprefented in the examples 

 of Alexander the Great, and IhUhs C^ejar the Dr&ator^ meation'd,by the 



way 



