Advancement of Learning 17 



of those employments wherein youth is conversant, and 

 which are conversant about youth. But how unjust this 

 traducement is (if you will reduce things from popularity 

 of opinion to measure of reason) may appear in that we see 



rngp nrfi mom mrinnc whnt thpy pnf into a riPW VPS g ^1 than 



into a vessel seasoned: and what mould they lay about a 

 young plant than about a plant corroborate; so as the 

 weakest terms and times of all things use to have the 

 best applications and helps. And will you hearken to the 

 Hebrew rabbins ? Your young men shall see visions, and 

 your old men shall dream dreams ; x say they 2 youth is the 

 worthier age., for that visions are nearer apparitions of God 

 than dreams) And let it be noted, that howsoever the 

 condition 3 of life of Pedantes hath been scorned upon 

 theatres, as the ape of tyranny ; and that the modern Innsp- 

 ness_or negligence hath taken no due regard to the r.hoir.p 

 of schoolmasters and tutors ; yet the ancient wisdom of the 

 best times did always make a just complaint, that states 

 were too busy with their laws and too negligent in point of 

 education: which excellent part of ancient discipline hath 

 been in some sort revived of late times by the colleges of the 

 Jesuits; of whom, although in regard of their superstition I 

 may say, Quo meliores, eo deteriores ; yet in regard of this, 

 and some other points concerning human learning and 

 moral matters, I may say, as Agesilaus said to his enemy 

 Pharnabazus, Tails quum sis, ulinam noster esses* And 

 thus much touching the discredits drawn from the fortunes 

 of learned men. 



2. As touching the manners of learned men, it is a thing 

 personal and jridividnaT: ancTno doubt there be amongst 

 tnernT as in other professions, of ^Hejnrjeraliires : but yet so 

 as it is not without truth, which is said, that Abeunt studia 

 5 studies have an influence and operation upon the 



manners of those that are conversant in them. 



(a) But upon an attentive and indifferent review, I for 

 my part cannot find any disgrace to Learning can proceed 



1 Joel ii. 28. 



2 Edition 1629 and 1633 read &quot; say the.&quot; 



3 Edition 1605 reads &quot; conditions . . . hath,&quot; 1633 reads &quot; con 

 ditions . . . have.&quot; 



4 Conference of Agesilaus and Pharnabazus. Plut. Vit. Ages. 



5 Ovid, Ep. xv. 83. 



