Having given this display of itself in its greatest representative, the Middle Academy can now be allowed to retire.

The New Academy shows the Platonic School gradually developing out of Skepticism into Eclecticism, that principle which became the characteristic of the Roman world in the second century C, when it had conquered many nations and had to govern them from some gen- eral policy.

An adoption and amalgamation of the best ideas of all for all became the ruling spirit of the age.

Each people of importance was found to have something important to give and also to receive.

A universal liberalism of mind and mutual appreciation began to weaken all limits, and particularly the limits of the phi- losophical Schools against one another.