Advancement of Learning 6 1 



THE SECOND BOOK 

 To the King 



IT might seem to have more convenience, though it come 

 often otherwise to pass, excellent King, that those, which 

 are fruitful in their generations, and have in themselves the 

 foresight of immortality in their descendants, should like 

 wise be more careful of the good estate of future times, unto 

 which they know they must transmit and commend over 

 their dearest pledges. Queen Elizabeth was a sojourner 

 in the world in respect of her unmarried life, and was a 

 blessing to her own times ; and yet so as the impression of 

 her good government, besides her happy memory, is not 

 without some effect which doth survive her. But to your 

 Majesty, whom God hath already blessed with so much 

 royal issue, worthy to continue and represent you for ever, 

 and whose youthful and fruitful bed doth yet promise many 

 of the like renovations ; it is proper and agreeable to be con 

 versant not only in the transitory parts of good government, 

 but in those acts also which are in their nature permanent 

 and perpetual: amongst the which, if affection do not 

 transport me, there is not any more worthy than the further 

 endowment of the world with sound and fruitful knowledge. 

 For why should a few received authors stand up like Her 

 cules columns, 1 beyond which there should be no sailing 

 or discovering, since we have so bright and benign a star 

 as your Majesty to conduct and prosper us? To return 

 therefore where we left, it remaineth to consider of what 

 kind those acts are which have been undertaken and per 

 formed by kings and others for the increase and advance 

 ment of learning: wherein I purpose to speak actively 

 without digressing or dilating. 



Let this ground therefore be laid, that all works are over 

 come by amplitude of reward, by soundness of direction, 



1 A favourite thought of Bacon s, and expressed afterwards on 

 the engraved title-page of the first edition of the Novum Organum, 

 A.D. 1620. 



