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26.

cap. 15.

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skill'd, with a great deal more to this purpose. And it must be own'd, that to all the vivacity natural to his country, there was join'd the most profound knowlege and folid judgement. His works are every one highly commended: but his InZuveσi Epiftles are admirable, as SUIDAS very truly remarks; and in the opinion of PHOTIUS as well as In Codice of EVAGRIUS, they are elegant, agreable, fentenHift. lib. 1. tious, and learned. He was a man of noble birth, which added no lefs weight to his Learning than this reflected luftre on his Quality; as both together procur'd him credit with his fuperiors, authority over his inferiors, and admiration from his Vid. libb.de equals. He went upon an Embaffy, which Infomniis, lafted three years, to the Emperor ARCADIUS de Regno, at Conftantinople, on the behalf of his country; which was miferably hafrafs'd by the auxiliary Goths and other Barbarians, but which received In lib. de confiderable relief from his follicitations. It was Infomn. then that with greater boldness than any of the Gre cians (as he tells us himself) he pronounc'd before the Emperor, that extremely fine Oration Пeet Ba- concerning GOVERNMENT; which, in a country, as fo juftly fond of Liberty as ours, I wonder has never been tranflated. This defect I have fupply'd, and will impart it to the public on a proper occafion. As for SYNESIUS's being confecrated Bishop of Ptolemais notwithstanding his proteftation, that he disbeliev'd fome of the moft effential Articles of the Chriftian Religion, we spoke enough to that point at the latter end of Sect. ult. Clidophorus: onely we fhall obferve in this place, how PETAVIUS, the Editor of his works, affirms that, in fome of the books written after his profeffion of Christianity, he appears as very a Heathen as ever. But this being no prejudice to his parts, however it may affect his falvation, is none of our present business to examine; much lefs to adopt

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adopt the pitiful excuses, or rather prevarications, invented by fome learned men to defend him from this imputation. The principal is BAROMIUS.

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VII.

HE thing which our defign obliges us not to pass over flightly is, the grateful teftimony he every where bears to the Learning and Virtue of HYPATIA, whom he never mentions without the profoundest respect, and fomtimes in terms of affection coming little fhort of adoration. In a Letter to his brother EUOPTIUs, Salute (fays he) Epist. 4+ the most honor'd and the most belov'd of God, the PHILOSOPHER; and that happy Sodality or fellowship, which injoys the bleffing of her divine Voice.

In another to his faid brother he mentions one EGYPTUS, who fuck'd in the feeds of wisdom from Epist. 135. HYPATIA. And thus he expreffes himself wri

ting to OLYMPIUS: I fuppafe thefe Letters will Epist. 132. be deliver'd by PETER, which he'll receive from that facred hand. I fend them from Pentapolis to our common Inftructress, and she'll intruft them with whom she thinks fit, which I'm fure will be to one that's well known to her. In a Letter addrefs'd to Epift. 15. her felf, he defires her to direct a Hydrofcope to be made and bought for him, which he there defcribes. PETAVIUS thinks it was a fort of Level, and others an Hour-measure. That famous filver Aftrolabe which he prefented to PEONIUS, Ad Pacon. a man equally excelling in Philofophy and Arms, he owns to have been perfected by the directions of HYPATIA. In a long Epiftle he acquaints Epift. 154.

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her with the reafons of his writing two books, which he thereby fends her. The one was his myftical Treatife of Dreams, and the other his DION. This laft is a moft ingenious Apology for Learning against two forts of men, who by very oppofite lines tended to the fame center of Ignorance. The one, that under pretence of being referv'd towards unworthy hearers, conceal'd their want of real knowlege, did accufe him of being too communicative, and of proftituting Philofophy. The others wou'd have him to be eternally prating like themselves, not that they ftudy'd more than others, nor yet fo much, to be furnish'd with matter for difcourfe: but that talking by rote out of certain Systems, the truth of which they took for granted, and which no body must contradict, they cou'd tire the patience of their hearers, without making these or themselves a whit the wiser. Both forts charg'd him with tudying elegance and oratory in his compofitions: for the Divines of that time were fubftituting apace to Philofophy and other Learning, Legends and Enthufiafm, Fables and Fancies, which they fanctify'd by the name of Divine Contemplation. Metaphyfical diftinctions about the Trinity, and extravagant notions about the effence of GOD (whose majefty they blafphem'd by their profane definitions) was all the ftudy then in vogue, to the irreparable damage of polite and useful Let

ters.

VIII. OF

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VIII.

F his DION therefore he begs Hy- Ibid. PATIA's judgement, refolving not to publish it without her approbation. He informs her moreover, that' fhe's the first among the Greecs, or rather the Heathens, to whom he communicates his Treatife of Dreams: and that he might complete, he fays, the facred number Three, he adds to thefe two his account of the Aftrolabe prefented to PEONIUS. It will not be a digreffion altogether foren to the fubject (as we fhall fee hereafter) if we infert here part of the fine defcription, which he has given of the fecond fort of thofe that cenfur'd him; who being full of ignorance, fays he, yet arm'd Ibid. with confidence, are readier than all other men to difcourfe concerning GOD: and if you happen to light upon them, you'll ftrait bear fome of their unreasonable reasonings, which they will needs obtrude on fuch as are defirous of no fuch matter; because, I fuppofe, it is for their intereft fo to do. For on the fcore of fuch things they are made Preachers in towns, which is the fame thing as to injoy AM ALTHEA's horn or plenty of all things, which thefe think themselves oblig'd to use. I fancy by this time you perceive, what this forward generation of men may be, that blame my generous purpose. They invite me to come into their Difcipline, promifing that in a short time I fhall appear most confident in things relating to GOD, and ever after be capable to difpute inceffantly both night and day. I believe this race of men is not yet extinct: but another time

they may hear of a certain Speech addreft to them by the fame truth-telling SYNESIUS.

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IX.

N his promotion, or, as he accounted it himself, his banishment to the Bifhoprick of Ptolemais, he was forc'd to quit the fellowship of his Condifciples, and the prefence of his dear HyPATIA. As an augmentation of his affliction he foon loft his wife, with his children in a little time after, whom he very tenderly lov'd, and whofe death he did not bear with the fame fortitude, that is reported of fome other Philofophers. On this occafion, and a fancy'd neglect of his friends, he wrote the following Letter to HyPATIA the Philofopher, that I may use the very Epift. 10. words of the infcription. I falute you, happy Lady, and by your means the most happy Companions. I have of a long time had an intention to chide, by reafon I have receiv'd no Letters from any of you. But now I perceive that I am neglected by all, not that I have in any thing faild of my duty; but that I am in many respects unfortunate, and indeed as unfortu nate as any one can be. Nevertheless, cou'd I be thought worthy of receiving your Letters, and of be ing inform'd how you lead your lives (being confident however it is after the best manner that may be, and that you fail not to exercife a sprightly genius) I fhou'd onely think my felf unhappy by halves, while I injoy'd any happiness on your account. But now I muft reckon this alfo, as one of the misfortunes wherin I am involv'd. For I am not onely depriv'd of my children, but likewife of my friends, and of every

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