266 
the semicylinder, and Eratosthenes by means of a propor¬ 
tional instrument. The pleasures derivable from scien¬ 
tific investigations, and the delight which inventions 
afford when we consider their effects, are such that I 
cannot help admiring the works of Democritus, on the 
nature of things, and his commentary, entitled o¬ 
7o, wherein he sealed with a ring, on red wax, the ac- 
count of those experiments he had tried. The disco¬ 
veries, therefore, of these men are always at hand, not 
only to correct the morals of mankind, but also to be of 
perpetual advantage to them. But the glory of the 
wrestler and his body soon decay, so that neither whilst 
in vigour, nor afterwards by his instructions, is he of 
that service to society which the learned are by publi¬ 
cation of their sentiments. Since honours are not awarded 
for propriety of conduct, nor for the excellent precepts 
delivered by authors, their minds soaring higher, are raised 
to heaven in the estimation of posterity, they derive immor- 
tality from their works, and even leave their portraits to 
succeeding ages. For, those who are fond of literature, 
cannot help figuring to themselves the likeness of the poet 
Ennius, as they do that of any of the gods. So also those 
who are pleased with the verses of Accius,think they have 
himself, not less than the force of his expressions, always 
before them. Many even in after ages will fancy them¬ 
selves contending with Lucretius on the nature of things, 
as with Cicero on the art of rhetoric. Many of our poste- 
rity will think that they are in discourse with Varro when 
they read his work on the Latin language : nor will there 
be wanting a number of philologers, who, consulting in 
various cases the Greek philosophers, will imagine that they 
are actually talking with them. In short, the opinions of