The physical and metaphysical works of Lord Bacon : including the Advancement of learning and Novum organum / edited by Joseph Devey.

Francis Bacon

Date:: 1886

Credit: The physical and metaphysical works of Lord Bacon : including the Advancement of learning and Novum organum / edited by Joseph Devey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$times under learned princes appears eminent in the age be- tween the death of Domitian and the reign of Commodus, comprehending a succession of six princes, all of them learned, or singular favourers and promoters of learning. And this age, for temporal respects, was the happiest and most flourishing that ever the Roman state enjoyed ; as was revealed to Domitian in a dream the night before he was slain,c when he beheld a neck and head of gold growing upon his shoulders; a vision which was, in the golden times succeeding this divination, fully accomplished. For his successor Nerva was a learned prince, a familiar friend and acquaintance of Apollonius, who expired reciting that line of Homer,—“ Phoebus, with thy darts revenge our tears.”d Trajan, though not learned himself, was an admirer of learn- ing, a munificent patron of letters, and a founder of libraries. Though the taste of his court was warlike, professors and preceptors were found there in great credit and admiration. Adrian was the greatest inquirer that ever lived, and an in- satiable explorer into everything curious and profound. Anto- ninus, possessing the patient and subtile mind of a scholastic, obtained the soubriquet of Cymini Sector, or splitter of cu- min-seed.6 Of the two brothers who were raised to the rank of gods, Lucius Commodus was versed in a more elegant kind of learning, and Marcus was surnamed the philosopher. These princes excelled the rest in virtue and goodness as much as they surpassed them in learning. Nerva was a mild philosopher, and who, if he had done nothing else than give Trajan to the world, would have sufficiently distinguished himself. Trajan was most famous and renowned above all the emperors for the arts both of peace and war. He enlarged the bounds of empire, marked out its limits and its power. He was, in addition, so great a builder, that Con- stantine used to call him Parietaria, or Wallflower/ his name being carved upon so many walls. Adrian strove with time for the palm of duration, and repaired its decays and ruins wherever the touch of its scythe had appeared. Antoninus was pious in name and nature. His nature and innate good- ness gained him the reverence and affection of all classes, c Suetonius, Life of Domitian, c. 23. d Iliad, i. 42. e “Unum de istis puto qui cuminum secant.”—Julian. Cass, ( fioTavT] rui\ov.j He called Adrian ipyaXuov %<oypa<pnc6v.$