Titian Volume 2; A romance of Venice
Category: Books
Titian Volume 2; A romance of Venice Details
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843 Excerpt: ...was a sort of lay Eremite, self-dedicating his powers to the lofty purposes of learning--a zealous ministrant at the altar of knowledge. This class was then comparatively a small one. Some, foiled in worldly ambition, retreated upon study as a means by which to win that knowledge which is power. Some, baffled in the game of life, bore wounded spirits to their retirement and became happier in the endeavour to be wiser. Many were mere pretenders, assuming the name without possessing the endowments of scholarship. But there were some--like Bacon, Trithemius, Savonarola and Agrippa--who cast their hearts into the quest of knowledge, and whose literary acquirements and scientific discoveries prove that they did not vainly dig into the mine of thought. These were the true devotees--for they loved knowledge for its own sake. Others might use it as the means of gaining worldly wealth or honours; but these men had far loftier and more extended aims. Much, it is true, of their study was unprofitable, (if we judge by the present standard); many of their professions exceeded their ability of performance, but this is certain, if they deceived others it was because they oftener were self-deceived. To this class, as we have said, Cornelius Agrippa belonged. Circumstances had early thrown him into the bustle of life, but his ardent spirit of inquiry remained unabated, even amid the turmoil of action. At an age when others had reached only the vestibule of knowledge, he had entered her penetralia. The desire of distinction had made him yield to the Emperor's wish that he should enter into the military and civil services, but his own inclination was to abandon busy life and resign himself wholly to pursuits for which education and long habit had well fitted him. We should mo...
Reviews
