Page 77 [77]
OCR
46 Erasmus disturbing the peace of the Commonwealth with his hair-brain’d accusations; the other, while he too wisely vindicated its liberty, quite overthrew it. Add to this the Bruti, Cassii, nay Cicero himself, that was no less pernicious to the Commonwealth of Rome than was Demosthenes to that of Athens. Besides M. Antoninus (that I may give ye one instance that there was once one good Emperour; for with much ado I can make it out) was become burthensome and hated of his Subjects, upon no other score but that he was so great a Philosopher. But admitting him good, he did the Commonwealth more hurt in leaving behind him such a Son as he did, than ever he did it good by his own Government. For these kind of Men that are so given up to the study of Wisdome are generally most unfortunate, but chiefly in their Children; Nature, it seems, so providently ordering it, lest this mischief of Wisdome should spread farther among mankind. Forwhich reason ’tismanifest why Cicero’s Son was so degenerate, and that wise Socrates’s Children, as one has well observ’d, were more like their Mother than their Father, that is to say, Fools.
