Epitome of the Progi^ess of JVatural Science. 147 



rank and wealth of Rome. Courtiers, generals, magistrates, 

 counsellors, ministers, all these, with their households, their slaves, 

 their wealth; the artists, manufacturers, and merchants, who 

 depended upon them, all abandoned Italy. The public revenue, 

 too, being no longer collected and expended in Rome, a void was 

 left there which was deeply felt for five centuries. 



Whilst by this great movement, the total ruin of Roman let- 

 ters was perpetrated, a new literature, which had been growing 

 into importance, during the controversies of two centuries, at- 

 tained its height under this emperor. This literature arose in 

 the conflict which the first Christian writers had to maintain 

 with the champions of the dominant religions ; but it reached its 

 meridian at a later period, when the field of controversy was in 

 the very bosom of Christianity, It was in the schools and libra- 

 ries of Egypt, Persia, Palestine, and Africa, those great polemics 

 were nursed, who were the glory of the fourth century. Ar- 

 nobius, Lactantius, Eusebius, Athanasius, Hilary, Basil, the Gre- 

 gory's, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustin, and Chrysostom.* Unlike 

 the miserable sophists from amongst their countrymen, who had 

 assisted to produce the general debasement, these illustrious men, 

 known as the Fathers of the Christian church, were distinguish- 

 ed as much for their profound views of moral conduct, as for 

 their Christian zeal, and unrivalled erudition. St. Augustine, 

 whose writings are dear to every true scholar, has not disdained, 

 in his great work " De Civitate Dei," to hold up the writings of 

 Cicero as models of human wisdom, although Cicero lived before 

 Christianity was taught. Cicero's celebrated work, " De Repub- 

 lica," was principally known to us by the writings of Augustine, 

 before the recent fortunate discovery of the mutilated original, 

 by professor Mai, in the library of the Vatican. The voluminous 

 and eloquent works of these fathers, have had the greatest influ- 

 ence upon succeeding times. It was unfortunate, however, for 

 letters, that they became entirely obscured by theology. The 

 numerous councils which were held, composed of the most emi- 

 nent men from all civilized countries, extended the field of argu- 

 mentation to the most distant points. Their decisions, which 

 tended often to put doctrinal opinions into a still greater state of 

 complication, and which constantly gave birth to new disputes. 



* Died A. D. 401. 



