Advancement of Learning i 3 



it is said of untrue valours, that some men s valours are in 

 the eyes of them that look on; so such men s industries are 

 in the eyes of others, or at least in regard of their own 

 designments : QjiJYjearned. men love business as an action 

 _ar.cordir)g to natnrp as agreeable to 



is tnJiealfj^Lb^y^^^^g-^leasure in the acTTor 

 anH not in fhp pnrrha^ for that of all men they are 

 the most indefatigable, if it be towards any business which 

 can hold or detain their mind. 



And if any man be laborious in reading and study and yet 

 anr&amp;gt; art inn it grnwpfh from some weacness 



of bod^Lr s^tn^ss ^f g pirit; such as Seneca speaketh of: 

 Quidam tarn sunt umbratiles, ut putent in turbido esse quicquid 

 in luce est ; 1 amljiot of Learning : well may it be that such 

 a point of a man s nature may make him give himself to 

 Learning, but it is not learning that breedeth any such point 

 in his nature. 



ta And that Learning should take up too much time oj^ 

 leisure; I answer, the most active or hnsy mnn that hafh^ 

 been or can be. hath, no question, many vacant times of 

 leisure, while he expecteth the times and returns of busi- 

 ness (except he be either tedious and of no dispatch, or 

 lightly and unworthily ambitious to meddle in things that 

 may be better done by others:) and then the question is, 

 but how these spaces and times of leisure shall be filled 

 and spent ; whether in pleasures or in studies ; as was well 

 answered by Demosthenes to his adversary vEschines, that 

 was a man given to pleasure, and told him, That his orations 

 did smell of the lamp : Indeed (said Demosthenes) there is a 

 great difference between the things that you and I do by lamp 

 light. 2 So as no man need doubt that learning will expulse 

 business, but rather it will keep and defend the possession 

 of the mind against idleness and pleasure, which otherwise 

 at unawares may enter to the prejudice of both. 



(6} Again, for that other conceit that Learning should 

 undermine the reverence of laws and government, it is 

 assuredly a mere depravation and calumny, without all 

 shadow of truth. For to say that a blind custom of obedi- 



1 Seneca, Epist. 3, quoted from Pomponius, &quot; Quidam adeo in 

 latebras refugerunt, ut &quot; etc. 



4 Plutarch. Libanius, Vit. Demosth. (Edition Dindorf, p. 6.) 

 Told of Pytheas, not of iEschmes. 



