Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/136

 learn Obedience by Silence: And that afterwards it was granted to some few, as a particular Favour, to be admitted into his Presence. These Things tended very much to impress a Veneration of his Person upon his Scholars, but signified nothing to the Advancement of Learning; yea, rather hindred it. Those that live in the End of the World, (y) when every Thing, according to Sir William Temple, is in its Declension, know no Way so effectual to promote Learning, as much Conversation and Enquiry; and, which is more, they have no Idea how it can be done without them. The Learned Men of the present Age pretend to no Acquaintance with Mercury or Apollo, and can do as little in Natural Knowledge by such a Sham-Revelation, as they can by Reminiscence. If a Man should, for Five Years together, read Lectures, to one that was not allowed to make Pauses, or ask Questions; another Man, in the ordinary Road, by Books and Professors, would learn more, at least, to much better purpose, in Six Months, than he could in all that Time.

Pythagoras was, without question, a wise Man, well skilled in the Arts of Civil Prudence; by which he appeased great Disturbances in those Italian Com-