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of a long-liv'd reputation, the most effectual
fpurr to laudable and arduous undertakings. The
fucceffion of the great men that prefided in this
School, may be learnt out of the works of those,
who have purpofely written on fuch fubjects.
My defign however obliges me here to mention
one of them, namely THEON, who govern'd
that Academy with much applaufe in the latter
part of the fourth century. He was particularly
famous for his extenfive knowlege in Aftronomy,
as the Catalogues made of fuch who excell'd in
this fcience, abundantly fhow. But what has
contributed to render him more illustrious to all
pofterity, is, that he was father to the incom-
parable HYPATIA; whom, according to the
cuftom of those times, or rather promted by the
incouragement he receiv'd from her own promi- SOCRAT
fing genius, he educated not onely in all the qua- cap. 15.
lifications belonging to her fex: but caus'd her NICEPHOR.
likewife to be inftructed in the most abftrufe Hift. lib.
fciences, which are reputed the proper occupa-
tion of men, as requiring too much labor and ap-
plication for the delicate conftitution of women.

Hift. lib. 7.

14.cap. 14.
SUID. in
Ὑπατια.

TATIA.
Alii alibį.

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III.

HAT this notion is a vulgar prejudice, the vast number of Ladies, who have in every age diftinguish'd themfelves by their profeffions or performances in Learning, furnishes an unfwerable argument. Whole volums have been written, containing nothing else but the lives of fuch women, as became eminent in all kinds of

Literature, especially in Philofophy; which, as it is the highest perfection, fo it demands the utmost effort of human nature. But leaving those heroines to the fearch of the curious, I fhall confine my felfat present to one object worthy all admiration; in doing juftice to whom, I may be deem'd to write the panegyric of the whole fex. We have the unanimous confent of SYNESIUS, SOCRATES, and PHILOSTOR GIUS, her contemporaries; as likewife of DAMASCIUS, NICEPHORUS Gregoras, NICEPHORUS Calliftus, PHOTIUS, SUIDAS, HESYCHIUS Illuftris and others, touching the prodigious Learning and other excellent accomplishments of HYPATIA. What is ftill a greater proof of the fact, no one perfon, or thro ignorance or thro envy, has ever as much as infinuated the contrary. SoCRATES the Ecclefiaftical histoHift. lib. rian, an unfufpected witness, fays, that she arriv’d cap. 15. to fuch a pitch of Learning, as very farr to excede Hift. lib. all the Philofophers of her time; to which NICE14.cap. 14. PHORUS, alfo an Ecclefiaftical hiftorian, adds, Lib. 8. cap. thofe of other times. PHILOSTORGIUS affirms, 9. Edit. that he was much fuperior to her father and mafter

Gen

THEON, in what regards Aftronomy. And SUIDAS, In 'Tra- who mentions two books of her writing, one

τια.

on the Aftronomical Canon of DIOPHANT US, and another on the Conics of APOLLONIUS; averrs, that he not onely exceded her father in Aftronomy: but further, that she understood all the other parts of Philofophy; a thing that will be eafily credited by thofe, who fhall perufe the fequel of this ftory, wherein nothing is advanc'd without competent vouchers.

IV. AND

A

IV.

ND truely were not this matter fo well attefted by thofe writers we have juft nam'd, and by others we fhall prefently have occafion to allege; yet no body cou'd any longer doubt of it, after being inform'd by the very fame perfons, that HYPATIA fucceded in the government In locis of the PLATONIC fchool at Alexandria, the place of jam citatis. her birth and education. This was another guess thing, God knows, than taking the degree of Doctor in any of the faculties; which one or two women have not long fince done, for which they have been loaded with fulfom elogies, tho producing no effects futeable to the Titles they have fo much ambition'd. But what greater glory for a woman, what greater honor redounding to all women; than to fee a Lady teaching in that chair, where AMMONIUS and HIEROCLES (to name no more, for tis a miftake in SOCRATES or his tranfcriber to make PLOTINUS one of them) where so many Profeffors, I fay, utter'd the oracles of Learning, rather as divine Intelligences than mortal men? What infinite merit must she have poffefs'd, who cou'd be preferr'd to that confpicuous ftation, at a time when men of immenfe Learning abounded both at Alexandria, and in many other parts of the Roman Empire? Wherfore, the novelty of the thing confider'd, and HYPATIA's worth being univerfally acknowledg'd, tis no wonder that the foon had a crouded auditory. She explain'd to her bearers, fays So

CRATES,

Ubi fupra. CRATES, the feveral Sciences, that go under the general name of Philofophy; for which reafon, continues he, there was a confluence to her from all parts, of those who made Philofophy their delight or ftudy. To the fame purpose speak others: and SUIDAS In 'ra- adds, that he explain'd all the Philofophers, that is, all the feveral fects with the particular tenets of their founders; which fhows an inexpreffible elevation and capacity, each of these feparately being thought a fufficient province, to exercife the diligence of any one man, however confummate in Letters.

Tid.

N

V.

OW, I cannot but here represent to my self with pleasure, let who will cenfure me for it, the flower of all the youth in Europe, Afia, and Africa, fitting at the feet of a moft SUIDAS in beautiful Lady (for fuch we are affur'd Hyloco citato. PATIA was) all greedily fwallowing Inftruction from her mouth, and many of 'em Love from her eyes. How the ferv'd one of this laft fort, fhall be told in its due place. It was doubtless a thing impoffible, not to improve under fuch a teacher; as one must be equally ftupid and infenfible, that cou'd not be powerfully affected by a charming mind in a charming body. I'me fure this reflection is very agreable to that Philofophy the peculiarly profefs'd: and accordingly the Alexandrian School never florifh'd more. Her disciples enter'd into a strict tye of intimacy with one anoEra ther, filing themfelves Companions, or, as in our Colleges

les.

Colleges Fellows; which was likewise the custom at Socii vel Athens, and in other famous feminaries of Learning, potius SodaThis commonly begot effects of benevolence thro the whole course of their lives, and fomtimes acts of friendship very extraordinary. HYPATIA was by way of excellence nam'd The PHILOSOPHER, SYNES. altogether as much on account of her profound DAMASC. knowlege, as for her public profeffion of teach- apud PHOт. ing. Nor was any Profeffor ever more admir'd by the world, or more dear to his own Scholars. Hers were as remarkable as numerous.

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VI.

CUM.

NE of thefe, who has preferv'd to us the names of feveral others, is the celebrated SYNESIUS. He was a native of Cyrene in Africa, on the borders of Egypt, a very antient Greec Colony, the birth-place of ARISTIPPUS and CARNEADES, which SYNESIUS forgets not to mention in his writings. He travell'd for improve- Adverfus ment to his neighboring country of Egypt, the ANDRONI undoubted mother of the fciences, where he happily fucceded in his ftudies at Alexandria under HYPATIA. This Perfonage alone may fuffice for a fpecimen, of the extraordinary Spirits that fhe form'd. If we may rely on the judgement of no less a man than NICEPHORUS Gregoras, Patriarch of Conftantinople (who wrote elaborate annotations on his treatife of Dreams, a piece fraught with uncommon Learning) he says, there was no- In Introthing he did not know, no Science wherin he did not duct. ad excel, no Mystery in which he was not initiated or

skill'd,

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