4807.) 
gia, who was well acquainted with the 
history, as well as the language of these 
countries, had remarked that there was 
still much obscurity and uncertainty 
upon several points respecting the dog- 
mas and discipline of the church, par- 
ticularly the ceremony of extreme unc- 
tion, which afforded him matter for a 
dissertation. It was immediately suc- 
ceeded by another, written also in Latin, 
under the title of Compendium Ordinis 
Alexandrini, &c. 
For some years he appeared to rest 
from his labours, and gave nothing to the 
‘world, until 1783, when he published a 
Coptic Fragment. » 
Always active in the pursuit of know- 
ledge, the learned prelate turned his at- 
tention towards Egypt, that land abound- 
ing in ancient monuments, many of 
which he had brought to Rome and Vel- 
letri, as well as several manuscripts. 
This laudable curiosity excited that of 
several other learned men, who imitated 
his example. 
His zeal for sacred and profane know- 
ledge made him particularly careful of 
the College of Urban, dependant on the 
Propaganda; it received its name from 
Urban VIII. who founded it in 1627. 
He also paid great attention to the li- 
brary, which he enriched with several 
foreign manuscripts. He was too en- 
lightened to display any partiality in the 
treatment of the pupils. His solicitude 
for their improvement did not cease with 
their attendance on his instructions. On 
the termination of their studies, and 
- when about to return to their homes, 
Borgia-supplied them liberally with books, 
and even carried his paternal regard so 
far asto furnish them with letters full of 
solid advice and instruction. 
In 1788, at the solicitation of Pius VI. 
he composed the History of the Sovereign- 
ty of the Popes over the Two Sicilies. 
He was, during eighteen years, secre- 
tary to the Propaganda, and inspector- 
general of the bishops an the Gollege of 
Prelates. It was chiefly during this space 
of time that he collected the: principal 
materials for his museum at Velletr. 
The correspondence and intimate con- 
nection which he always maintained with 
the pupils educated in the College of 
Urban, and the missionaries of different 
countries, contributed much to favour his 
design. 
It was thus that, while living in retire- 
ment at Rome, he penetrated, so to 
speak, by the assistance of his friends, 
into remote countries, and procured from 
Account of the Life of Cardinal Stephen Borgia. 
463 
them arich booty. He was so urgent 
and persuasive, that he in some measure 
inspired them with an ardour which en 
abled them to surmount every difficulty ; 
to ascend mountains almost inaccessible, 
to traverse seas and immense-desarts, to 
undertake the most perilous journies, 
and, in a word, to despise danger of 
every kind, in order to gratify his thirst 
for science. Thc zeal of Borgia experi- 
enced considerable opposition even from 
learned men. Several of them regarded 
him as an ideot and a madman, and it 
appéared to them highly blameable and 
ridiculous that a prelate should consecrate 
himself to the worship of demons, and im= 
port their mages at « vast expence. As 
if, in fact, they only saw devils in the 
idols of every nation, and in their my- 
thological monuments; as if it were con- 
trary to the principles of religion to study 
the history of the world. 
Besides, how is it possible to refute and 
combat the ignorance of those whom we 
suppose blind: how isit possible to bring 
conviction to the mind of those who be- 
lieve in error, if their instructors be igno- 
rant of the bases and nature of their be« 
lief? It is, then, necessary to be acs 
quainted with their doctrines, and this 
knowledge can best be acquired by means 
of their mythological monuments. 
Borgia, however, paid no attention to 
these foolish clamours, but persevered in 
the same line of conduct, and waited pa= 
tiently for the reward of his efforts. His 
hopes were at last crowned with success, 
A reférmed Franciscan, named Father 
Angelo Antonio, of Bergamo, sent him 
several Coptic manuscripts, among which 
were the precious fragments of St. Co~ 
luthus the Martyr, and of St. John the 
Evangelist, all procured from Nekkad, 2 
city of Upper Egypt. It was now that 
the envious were reduged to silence. It 
was now, that, emboldened by success, he 
set no bounds to his desires. He caused 
a strict search to be made for the impe~ 
rial coins of Alexandria, and a great 
number of others of several cities of 
Egypt, such as Arsinoé, Coptos, Cyno- 
polis, Diospolis, Heliopolis, Lycopolis, 
Mareotis, Memphis, Pelusium, &c. &c. 
They also collected for him precious 
stones, calcedonies, amethysts, agates, 
marble, alabaster, porphyry,,basalt, ma- 
nuscripts on papyrus, muminies, sculp- 
tures on sycainore; till at length he col- 
lected round him, at Veletri, all the cu- 
rious productions of nature and art that 
Egypt could produce. Among other cu- 
riosities, he received a species of glass 
money, 
