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Athenians out of the original MSS。 of AEschylus； Sophocles； and Euripides； and adds largely to it by more honest methods。 Eumenes； King of Pergamus in Asia Minor； fired with emulation； commences a similar collection； and is so successful； that the reigning Ptolemy has to cut off his rival's supplies by prohibiting the exportation of papyrus； and the Pergamenian books are henceforth transcribed on parchment； parchemin； Pergamene； which thus has its name to this day； from Pergamus。 That collection； too； found its way at last to Alexandria。 For Antony having become possessor of it by right of the stronger； gave it to Cleopatra； and it remained at Alexandria for seven hundred years。 But we must not anticipate events。
Then there must be besides a Mouseion； a Temple of the Muses； with all due appliances； in a vast building adjoining the palace itself； under the very wing of royalty； and it must have porticos； wherein sages may converse； lecture…rooms； where they may display themselves at their will to their rapt scholars； each like a turkey…cock before his brood； and a large dining…hall； where they may enjoy themselves in moderation； as befits sages； not without puns and repartees； epigrams； anagrams； and Attic salt； to be fatal； alas； to poor Diodorus the dialectician。 For Stilpo； prince of sophists； having silenced him by some quibbling puzzle of logic； Ptolemy surnamed him Chronos the Slow。 Poor Diodorus went home； took pen and ink； wrote a treatise on the awful nothing； and died in despair； leaving five 〃dialectical daughters〃 behind him； to be thorns in the sides of some five hapless men of Macedonia； as 〃emancipated women；〃 a class but too common in the later days of Greece； as they will always be； perhaps； in civilisations which are decaying and crumbling to pieces； leaving their members to seek in bewilderment what they are； and what bonds connect them with their fellow…beings。 But to return： funds shall be provided for the Museum from the treasury； a priest of rank； appointed by royalty； shall be curator； botanical and zoological gardens shall be attached； collections of wonders made。 In all things the presiding genius of Aristotle shall be worshipped； for these； like Alexander； were his pupils。 Had he not mapped out all heaven and earth； things seen and unseen； with his entelechies； and energies； and dunameis； and put every created and uncreated thing henceforth into its proper place； from the ascidians and polypes of the sea to the virtues and the vicesyea； to that Great Deity and Prime Cause （which indeed was all things）； Noesis Noeseon； 〃the Thought of Thoughts；〃 whom he discovered by irrefragable processes of logic； and in whom the philosophers believe privately； leaving Serapis to the women and the sailors？ All they had to do was to follow in his steps； to take each of them a branch； of science or literature； or as many branches as one man conveniently can； and working them out on the approved methods； end in a few years； as Alexander did； by weeping on the utmost shore of creation that there are no more worlds left to conquer。
Alas！ the Muses are shy and wild； and though they will haunt； like skylarks； on the bleakest northern moor as cheerfully as on the sunny hills of Greece； and rise thence singing into the heaven of heavens； yet they are hard to tempt into a gilded cage； however amusingly made and plentifully stored with comforts。 Royal societies； associations of savants； and the like； are good for many things； but not for the breeding of art and genius： for they are things which cannot be bred。 Such institutions are excellent for physical science； when； as among us now； physical science is going on the right method： but where； as in Alexandria； it was going on an utterly wrong method； they stereotype the errors of the age； and invest them with the prestige of authority； and produce mere Sorbonnes； and schools of pedants。 To literature； too； they do some good； that is； in a literary agean age of reflection rather than of production； of antiquarian research； criticism； imitation； when book…making has become an easy and respectable pursuit for the many who cannot dig； and are ashamed to beg。 And yet； by adding that same prestige of authority； not to mention of good society and Court favour； to the popular mania for literature； they help on the growing evil； and increase the multitude of prophets who prophesy out of their own heart and have seen nothing。
And this was； it must be said； the outcome of all the Ptolemaean appliances。
In Physics they did little。 In Art nothing。 In Metaphysics less than nothing。
We will first examine； as the more pleasant spectacle of the two； that branch of thought in which some progress was really made； and in which the Ptolemaic schools helped forward the development of men who have become world…famous； and will remain so； I suppose； until the end of time。
Four names at once attract us： Euclid； Aristarchus； Eratosthenes； Hipparchus。 Archimedes； also； should be included in the list； for he was a pupil of the Alexandrian school； having studied （if Proclus is to be trusted） in Egypt； under Conon the Samian； during the reigns of two Ptolemies； Philadelphus and Euergetes。
Of Euclid； as the founder （according to Proclus） of the Alexandrian Mathematical school； I must of course speak first。 Those who wish to attain to a juster conception of the man and his work than they can do from any other source； will do well to read Professor De Morgan's admirable article on him in 〃Smith's Classical Dictionary；〃 which includes； also； a valuable little sketch of the rise of Geometric science； from Pythagoras and Plato； of whose school Euclid was； to the great master himself。
I shall confine myself to one observation on Euclid's genius； and on the immense influence which it exerted on after generations。 It seems to me； speaking under correction； that it exerted this； because it was so complete a type of the general tendency of the Greek mind； deductive； rather than inductive； of unrivalled subtlety in obtaining results from principles； and results again from them ad infinitum： deficient in that sturdy moral patience which is required for the examination of facts； and which has made Britain at once a land of practical craftsmen； and of earnest scientific discoverers。
Volatile； restless； 〃always children longing for something new；〃 as the Egyptian priest said of them； they were too ready to believe that they had attained laws； and then； tired with their toy； throw away those hastily assumed laws； and wander off in search of others。 Gifted； beyond all the sons of men； with the most exquisite perception of form； both physical and metaphysical； they could become geometers and logicians as they became sculptors and artists； beyond that they could hardly rise。 The were conscious of their power to build； and it made them ashamed to dig。
Four men only among them seem； as far as I can judge； to have had a great inductive power： Socrates and Plato in Metaphysics； Archimedes and Hipparchus in Physics。 But these men ran so far counter to the national genius； that their examples were not followed。 As you will hear presently； the discoveries of Archimedes and Hipparc