hich Pliny has
pronounced on him is very eloquent, and fully deserved. "Hipparchus can
scarcely receive too high praise: he has proved, more satisfactorily than
any other philosopher, that man is allied to heaven, and his soul derived
from on high. In his time, more than one new star was discovered, or rather
appeared for the first time; and this induced him to believe, that future
ages might witness stars for the first time moving from the immense regions
of space, within the limits of our observation. But the grandeur and
boldness of Hipparchus's mind rested not here: he attempted, and in some
measure succeeded in doing, what seems above human knowledge and power: he
numbered the stars, laid down rules by which their rising and setting might
be ascertained beforehand; and, finally, he constructed an apparatus on
which the position of each star was accurately given, and a miniature
picture of the heavens, with the motions of the celestial bodies, their
rising and setting, increase and diminution. He thus may be said to have
left the heavens as a legacy to that man, if any such were to be found, who
could rival him and follow his steps."

From the time of Hipparchus to that of Ptolemy the geographer, the
Alexandrian school, though rich in philosophers, who devoted their studies
and labour to other branches of physical and metaphysical science, did not
produce one, who improved geography, or the sciences on which it depends,
with the exception of Posidonius. This philosopher, who belonged to the
sect of the Stoics, was born at Apamea in Syria: he usually resided at
Rhodes, and was the friend of Pompey and Cicero. The former, on his return
from Syria, came thither to attend his lectures. Arriving at his house, he
forbad his lictor to knock, as was usual, at the door; and paid homage to
philosophy, by lowering the fasces at the abode of Posidonius. Pompey,
being informed that he was at that time ill of the gout, visited him in his
confinement, and expressed himself very much disappointed that he could not
have the benefit of his lectures. Posidonius, thus honoured and flattered,
in spite of his pain, delivered a lecture in the presence of his noble
visitor; the subject of which was to prove, that nothing is good which is
not honourable. Cicero informs us, that he also attended his lectures; and
according to Suidas Marcellus, brought him to Rome in the year of the city
702; in this, however, Suidas is not supported by other a