Page:The battle of the books - Guthkelch - 1908.djvu/155

Rh was of his side. That made him establish the doctrine of transmigration of souls, which he brought with him out of India, that so those Italians might think that he had a certain reminiscence of things past since his first stage of life, and the beginning of the world, and upon that account admire him the more: for Laertius says that he pretended to remember everything that he had done formerly, whilst he was in those other bodies, and that he received this as an especial favour from Mercury, who gave him his choice of whatsoever he desired, except immortality. For these reasons also, he obliged his scholars to go through a trial of five years, to 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 hindered it. Those that live in the end of the world when everything, 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