Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/170

 134 A L B E R T U S. /ib. ;. v 2 r. articulate found? ; like to the machines of Boetius, of which ^f .45- Caffiodorus has faid, " Metals lowe, the birds of Di-omcck-a "' trumpet in brafs, the brazen ferp^nt hiiU's, counterfeited t; brafs fend forth harmonious mufic." John Mattbasus de r ap. ii. J jUna-i j n his trt-atlfe' 1 De rerum inventoribus," has attributed JOJ. 1O. , ., , ..... tne invention or nre-arms to Albert j but in this he is con- Anr.alsof futed by Naude, in. his " Apologie des grands hommes." We vo j ( V ; 1U ' are told, that Albert was naturally very dull, and fo incapa- ble of in ft ruction, as to be upon the point of quitting the cloifter, from defpair of learning what his habit required ; but that the holy Virgin appeared to him, and afked him in which he chofe to excel, philofopby or divinity I that having chofen the former, (he aflured him he fhould become incom- parable therein ; but that, as a punifhment for not preferring divinity, he fhculd fink, before he died, into his former ftu- pidity. It is added, that after this apparition he had an in- finite deal of wit, and that he advanced in all the fciences with fo quick a progrefs, as utterly aftonifhed his matters ; but that three years before his death, he {topped fhort when reading a divinity-lecture at Colcgn, and having in vain en- deavoured, to recal his ideas, he found that the Virgin's pre- diction was accomplifhed. " It would be very unnecciTary," fays Bayle, after relating thefe particulars, " to obferve that " they are fables; thofe who would believe me, need not be 46 told this, fince they would judge in the fame manner of " their own accord ; and as for fuch as think otherwife, they Ci would not alter their opinion by reading here, that I am of  Alcaeus is introduced, requeuing- a favour of that lady, in thefe words : O/Xw rlv H7TiV, AAa ps sewXuft AjtJVj. Fain would I fpeak, but muft, thro' fhame, conceal The thought my eager tongue would foon reveal. Sappho -
 * ' fwallows chatter, and fuch as have no proper note, fiorn