152 Epitome of the Progress of Natural Science, 



victories worthy of the ancient Roman renown. Muratori, in hig 

 annals of Italy, has shown, that although he had been treated with 

 signal ingratitude by the Emperor, yet that he died honoured, 

 and in possession of great wealth, in 566. The story of * Date 

 Obolum Belisario,' was an invention of a Greek writer of the 

 twelfth century, named Tzetzes. Narses, the eunuch, finally 

 wrested Italy from the Goths, who had ruled there sixty-four 

 years ; and after contending with the Germans and the FranlfSj 

 whom the hope of booty had drawn into Italy, he died at the age 

 of ninety-five 3^ears. The Longobards, another race of barba- 

 rians, had now descended into the north of Italy, not with a ma- 

 rauding force, but with their entire nation, aged and young. 

 They established themselves from the Alps to Rome, and in 

 their bloody contests with the Greeks and Franks, they reduced 

 Italy to ruin, and deluged it with blood. Their iron reign lasted 

 from the end of the sixth century, through the seventh, and the 

 greater part of the eighth. During this period, individual safety 

 was the only consideration with men ; and whatever of human 

 letters survived this storm, found shelter in the monasteries. 



In these consecrated retreats, hallowed even in the eyes of 

 barbarians, — with whom superstition asserts its influence most 

 powerfully, — the wreck of civilization found a refuge. Here 

 contemplative and pious minds, turning with horror from the uni- 

 versal desolation, sought an asylum. It is a remarkable circum- 

 stance in human history, that these monastic institutions, which 

 had been so instrumental in the encouragement of that blind 

 fanaticism to which the literature of antiquity had been deliver- 

 ed, should be the direct means of preserving it from total ruin. 

 Every monastery had its library, consisting principally of the 

 works of the fathers, and of the polemic writings which had 

 abounded in the preceding times. To these, in many instances, 

 were added the most celebrated works of the ancients, of which 

 copies had been preserved from the general proscription. Be- 

 fore the art of printing was introduced, it was part of the daily 

 duty of the noviciates, and of the monks, whose time was not de- 

 voted to other pursuits, to copy those held in the highest estima- 

 tion. These copies were of great value, and the abbots were 

 not indifferent to the pecuniary advantages they derived from 

 this source. In the history of the monasteries of the middle ages, 

 those who followed this occupation, were styled antiquaries, or 



