385 
P I 
powers of mint!. It would be worth while to tranfcribe 
the whole of this curious piece for the amufement offuch 
of our readers as may not have accefs to the original; 
but our limits do not admit of it. 
It is curious to obferve how greatly the fudden growth 
of learning outftripped that of folid fcience. No age, 
perhaps, was ever fo remarkable for the learning which 
it produced as the period from the middle of the 15th 
century to the beginning of the 16th; yet, except the 
ineftimable obligations we owe to the learned men of 
that time for their editions of the claflics, later ages have 
been little benefited by their works, which are either 
loft or negledfed, and even the fciences they treated of 
exploded and ridiculed. School divinity and metaphy- 
fics, though the moft attended to, were not the only 
ftudies in which the vaft erudition of that age was 
wafted. The myfterious dodtrinesof the Cabbala formed 
a favourite ftudy of fome of the moft learned fcholars. 
The propofition which laid Pico open to the indignation 
of the church, w’as that in which he afierted the ortho¬ 
doxy of Origen; for Origen, notwithftanding his meri¬ 
torious labours in the caufe of Chriftianity, his daring 
zeal and felf-martyrdom, and notwithftanding the de¬ 
fence of Eufebius, was configned by the fentence.of the 
church to inevitable damnation, on account of his errors 
in the myfteries of the faith. To queftion his perdition, 
therefore, was to deny that the church was the interpre¬ 
ter of the divine intentions. The defence of this part of 
the Conclufiones is written with a boldnefs that could 
hardly be expended from an Italian of the 15th century. 
But the hardieft of thefe Propofitions was that in which 
it is afierted, “that faith is not in a man’s own power.” 
In defending this and the other Propofitions which were 
taxed with herefy, Pico probably relied lefs on the fpirit 
and ability of his juftification, than on his own high 
rank and ftation, together with the countenance and 
protedlion of his powerful friends, particularly the Me¬ 
dici, whofe liberality of fentiment in regard to religious 
points was fo notorious, that even Leo X. has been 
diredtly charged, not only with f herefy, but infidelity. 
Thefe particulars are principally collected from his 
letters, and the account given of him by his nephew 
Francifco, himfelf an eminent fcholar. Such a biographer 
might naturally be fufpeffed of partiality; but the evi¬ 
dence of other writers fully confirms his account. Paulus 
Jovius, in his Elogia Doftorum Virorum, gives the fol¬ 
lowing charafter of him. “John Pica of Mirandola has 
been juftly ftyled the phcenix; for in him, the immortal 
gods, befides the fplendour of his family, affembled all 
the rareft gifts of body and mind.” Petrus Riccius, 
commonly called Petrus Crinitus, who was the pupil of 
Politian and the companion of Mirandola, laments the 
death of him and Politian, which happened in the fame 
year, as a public misfortune, more feverely felt at that 
particular time, when learning, obftrudled by the incur- 
fion of the French into Italy, wanted the fupport and 
aftiftance of fuch men. To thefe may be added tlie tefti- 
mony of Hieronymus Savonarola, who, though after¬ 
wards put to death by pope Alexander for a heretic, 
was a man of great confideration on account of his learn¬ 
ing and talents. In a difpute which took place between 
him and Mirandola, concerning the philofophy of the 
ancients, the former, yielding to the fuperiority of his 
opponent, rofe up, and embracing him faid, “ Unus tu es. 
Pice, aetate noftra qui omnium veterum philcfophiam ac 
religionis Chriftiante prascepta et leges percalleas.” The 
following epitaph, written by Hercules Strozza, is pre¬ 
served by Paulus Jovius: 
Joannes jacet hie Mirandola; caetera norunt 
Et Tagus et Ganges, forfan et Antipodes. 
Dr. Johnfon, in his EfTay on Epitaphs, has taken notice 
of this pompous diftich, as a warning to epitaph-writers. 
“Thus ("fays he) have their expectations been difap- 
pointed, who honoured Picus of Mirandola with this 
Vol.XX, No. 1376. 
c o. 
pompous epitaph. His name, then celebrated in the 
remoteft corners of the earth, is now almoft forgotten; 
and his works, then ftudied, admired, and applauded, are 
now mouldering in obfeurity.” Paulus Jovius Elogia 
Dodforum Virorum, p. 92. P. Crinitus de Honefta Difcip. 
lib. ii. iii. v. Milner’s Hift. of the Church, vol. iv. 
Sibly’s Aftrology, p. 41. Monthly Magazine. 
PI'CO (Gianfrancefco), prince of Mirandola, nephew 
of the preceding, being fon of his brother Galeotto, was 
born in 1470. He ftudied in Ferrara, and manifefted a 
difpofition to letters comparable to that of his uncle. 
After the death of his father, he fucceeded to the fove- 
reignty of Mirandola; but this elevation was a fource 
of contention which rendered his whole life a feries of 
troubles. His brother Lodovico, who had married a 
daughter of the celebrated general Trivulzi, was his com¬ 
petitor; and, by the aftiftance of a third brother, Frede- 
rico, of the duke of Ferrara, and of Trivulzi, he expelled 
Gianfrancefco, in 1502. This prince was reftored by the 
arms of pope Julius II. in 1511, but was foon after con- 
ftrained by the French to relinquifh his feat. A fecond 
reftoration followed, but attended with great inteftine 
diforders, till an accommodation between the parties was 
made through the mediation of Leo X. This, however, 
was not durable; for, on the night of Odiober 15, 1533, 
Galeotto, nephew of Lodovico, with a band of armed 
men, furprifed Mirandola, and, entering the chamber of 
Gianfrancefco, (who, alarmed at the tumult, had thrown 
himfelf on his knees before a crucifix,) barbaroufly put 
him and one of his fons to death, and then imprifoned 
his wife and younger fon. Such was the tragical end of 
a man, who feems to have been better fitted for a private 
than a public ftation. In the midft of all his changes of 
fortune, religion and letters were his great folace. He 
was in habits of correfpondence with all the eminent 
literary charadters of his time, many of whom, in letters 
ftill extant, exprefs the higheft efteem and refpedt for 
him. The numerous works which he himfelf compofed 
prove the extent of his learning and the intenfity of his 
application. They are chiefly upon philofophical and 
theological fubjedts, and cannot at prefent command 
attention, though regarded as valuable in their age. 
Like his uncle, he attacked judicial aftrology; and he 
was a great impugner of the dodtrines of Ariftotle, which 
he regarded as inimical to the Chriftian faith. He is 
beft known by a copious life of his uncle, containing 
much curious information refpedfing that extraordinary 
man, but betraying great fuperftition. He alfo compofed 
a Life and Apology of the famous Jerome Savonarola. 
Tirabofchi. 
PIC'O SA'CRO, a mountain of Spain, in Galicia ; 
nine miles fouth of Santiago. 
PI'CO el TE'GO, a town of Spain, in Old Caftile : 
twenty miles weft-fouth-weft of Segorbe. 
PI'CO TENERIF'FE, a mountain of Barbadoes: one 
mile fouth of Cuckold’s Point. 
PI'CO d’URBI'NO, a mountain of Spain, in Old 
Caftile : twelve miles fouth of Calzada. 
PICOLA'TA, a fortrefs of Eaft Florida, on the river 
St. John -. twenty-feven miles north-weft of St. Auguftin. 
PIC'OLET POI'NT, a point on the north fide of the 
ifland of St. Domingo, that forms the u’eft boundary of 
the bay which fets up to Cape Francois. Under its 
cannon (hips have been fecured in time of war. 
PIC'OLO, a town of Italy, in Friuli: fix miles fouth of 
Udina. 
PICO'LOS, the name of one of the ancient Pruflian 
idols. See Potrimpos. 
PICO'SA, or Pisa'na, mountains of the coaft of Peru, 
extending about feven leagues between Colamahe-river 
and Salango-ifland, fouth of the equator, and ferving for 
the diredlion of mariners. 
PICO'TA, /'. A name given by fome authors to a 
diftemper which they deferibe as confiding wholly in an 
eruption of a number of very minute pimples upon the 
5 F (kin, 
