Advancement of Learning 79 



memory, with politic discourse and observation thereupon : 

 not incorporate into the history, but separately, and as the 

 more principal in their intention ; x which kind of ruminated 

 history I think more fit to place amongst books of policy, 

 whereof we shall hereafter speak, than amongst books of 

 history: for it is the true office of history to represent the 

 events themselves together with the counsels, and to leave 

 the observations and conclusions thereupon to the liberty 

 and faculty of every man s judgment. But mixtures are 

 things irregular, whereof no man can define. 



So also is there another kind of history manifoldly mixed, 

 and that is history of cosmography : being compounded of 

 natural history, in respect of the regions themselves; of 

 history civil, in respect of the habitations, regiments, and 

 manners of the people ; and the mathematics, in respect of 

 the climates and configurations towards the heavens : which 

 part of learning of all others in this latter time hath obtained 

 most proficience. For it may be truly affirmed to the 

 honour of these times, and in a virtuous emulation with 

 antiquity, that this great building of the world had never 

 through-lights made in it, till the age of us and our fathers: 

 for although they had knowledge of the Antipodes, 



Nosque ubi primus equis Oriens afflavit anhelis, 

 Illic sera rubens accendit lumina Vesper: 2 



yet that mought be by demonstration, and not in fact ; and 

 if by travel, it requireth the voyage but of half the globe. 

 But to circle the earth, as the heavenly bodies do, was not 

 done or enterprised till these latter times: and therefore 

 these times may justly bear in their word, not only plus 

 ultra* in precedence of the ancient non ultra, and imitabile 

 fulmen, in precedence of the ancient non imitabile fulmen, 



Demens qui nimbos et non imitabile fulmen; etc. 4 



but likewise imitabile ccelum ; in respect of the many 

 memorable voyages after the manner of heaven about the 

 globe of the earth. 



And this proficience in navigation and discoveries may 



1 Such books as Machiavelli s Discorsi sopra Livia are here meant. 



a Virg. Georg. i. 250, 251. 



3 Plus ultra was the motto of Charles V. (Ellis). 



* Virg. ln. vi. 590. 



