[Footnote 92:  Op.  It. vol. i. p. 123.]

They even condescended to dispute with him.  Yet they made Oxford so unpleasant a place of residence that after three months he returned to London.  The treatment he experienced rankled in his memory.  ’Look where you like at the present moment, you will find but doctors in grammar here; for in this happy realm there reigns a constellation of pedantic stubborn ignorance and presumption mixed with a rustic incivility that would disturb Job’s patience.  If you do not believe it, go to Oxford, and ask to hear what happened to the Nolan, when he disputed publicly with those doctors of theology in the presence of the Polish Prince Alasco.[93] Make them tell you how they answered to his syllogisms; how the pitiful professor, whom they put before them on that grave occasion as the Corypheus of their university, bungled fifteen times with fifteen syllogisms, like a chicken in the stubble.  Make them tell you with what rudeness and discourtesy that pig behaved; what patience and humanity he met from his opponent, who, in truth, proclaimed himself a Neapolitan, born and brought up beneath more genial heavens.  Then learn after what fashion they brought his public lectures to an end, those on the Immortality of the Soul and those on the Quintuple Sphere.’[94] The Soul and the Sphere were Bruno’s favorite themes.  He handled both at this period of life with startling audacity.

[Footnote 93:  See Wood, Ath.  Oxon. p. 300.]

[Footnote 94:  Op.  It. vol. i. p. 179.]

They had become for him the means of ventilating speculations on terrestrial movement, on the multiplicity of habitable worlds, on the principle of the universe, and on the infinite modes of psychical metamorphosis.  Such topics were not calculated to endear him to people of importance on the banks of Isis.  That he did not humor their prejudices, appears from a Latin epistle which he sent before him by way of introduction to the Vice Chancellor.[95] It contains these pompous phrases:  ’Philotheus Jordanus Brunus Nolanus magis laboratae theologiae doctor, purioris et innocuae sapientiae professor.  In praecipuis Europae academiis notus, probatus et honorifice exceptus philosophus.  Nullibi praeterquam apud barbaros et ignobiles peregrinus.  Dormitantium animarum excubitor.  Praesuntuosae et recalcitrantis ignorantiae domitor.  Qui in actibus universis generalem philantropiam protestatur.  Qui non magis Italum quam Britannum, marem quam foeminam, mitratum quam coronatum, togatum quam armatum, cucullatum hominem quam sine cucullo virum:  sed ilium cujus pacatior, civilior, fidelior et utilior est conversatio diligit.’  Which may thus be Englished:  ’Giordano Bruno of Nola, the God-loving, of the more highly-wrought theology doctor, of the purer and harmless wisdom professor.  In the chief universities of Europe known, approved, and honorably received as philosopher.  Nowhere save among barbarians