212 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



to have made unto God passionate and fervent prayers for 

 the delivery of his soul out of hell ; and to have obtained 

 it, with a caveat that he should make no more such 

 petitions. In this prince's time also the persecutions 

 against the Christians received intermission, upon the 

 certificate of Plinius Secundus, a man of excellent learning 

 and by Trajan advanced. 



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 

 comprehend 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 argument 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.' 

 It pleased God likewise 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 Appollonius (with whom in his vain 

 imagination 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 in glory of arms or 

 perfection of justice, yet in deserving of the weal of the 

 subject he did exceed him. For Trajan erected many 

 famous monuments and buildings ; insomuch as Con- 

 stantine the Great in emulation was wont to call him 

 Parietaria, w r all flower, because his name was upon so many 

 walls : but his buildings and works were more of glory and 

 triumph than use and necessity. But Adrian spent his 

 whole reign, which was peaceable, in a perambulation or 

 survey of the Roman empire ; giving order and making 

 assignation where he went for re-edifying of cities, towns, 

 and forts decayed, and for cutting of rivers and streams, 

 and for making bridges and passages, and for policing of 



