Synesius’s Testimony to the Learning and Virtue of Hypatia. Some Account of his Writings and other Works.

The Thing which our Design obliges us not to pass over slightly is, the greatful Testimony he every where bears to the Learning and Virtue of Hypatia, whom he never mentions without the profoundest Respect, and sometimes in Terms of Affection coming little short of Adoration. In a Letter to his Brother Euoptius, Salute (says he) the most honoured and the most beloved of God, the Philosopher; and that happy Sodality or Fellowship, which injoys the Blessing of her divine Voice. In another to his said Brother he mentions one Egyptus, who sucked in the Seeds of Wisdom from Hypatia. And thus he expresses himself writing to Olympius: I suppose these Letters will be delivered by Peter which he will receive from that sacred Hand. I send them from Pentapolis to our common Instructress, and she will intrust them with whom she thinks fit, which I am sure will be to one that is well known to her. In a Letter addressed to herself, he desires her to direct a Hydroscope to be made and bought for him, which he there describes. Petavius thinks it was a sort of Level, and others an Hour-Measure. That famous Silver Astrolabe which he presented to Peonius, a Man equally excelling in Philosophy and Arms, he owns to have been perfected by the Directions of Hypatia. In a long Epistle he acquaints her with the Reasons of his writing two Books, which he thereby sends her. The one was his mystical Treatise of Dreams, and the other his Dion. This last is a most ingenious Apology for Learning against two Sorts of Men, who by very opposite Lines tended to the same Center of Ignorance. The one, that under Pretence of being reserved towards unworthy Hearers, concealed their Want of real Knowledge, did accuse him of being two Communicative, and of prostituting Philosophy. The others would have him to be eternally prating like themselves, not that they studied more than others, nor yet so much, to be furnished with Matter of Discourse; but that talking by Rote out of certain Systems, the Truth of which they took for granted, and which no Body must contradict, they could tire the Patience of their Hearers, without making these or themselves a whit the wiser. Both Sorts charged him with studying Elegance and Oratory in his Compositions; for the Divines of that Time were substituting apace to Philosophy and other Learning, Legends and Enthusiasm, Fables and Fancies, which they sanctified by the Name of Divine Contemplation. Metaphysical Distinctions about the Trinity, and extravagant Notions about the Essence of GOD (whose Majesty they blasphemed by their profane Definitions) was all the Study then in Vogue, to the irreparable Damage of polite and useful Letters.