Advancement of Learning 179 



them meet, and rarely all three. As for pleasure, we have 

 likewise determined that the mind ought not to be reduced 

 to stupid, 1 but to retain pleasure; confined rather in the 

 subject of it, than in the strength and vigour of it. 



CIVIL knowledge is conversant about a subject which of all 

 others is most immersed in matter, and hardliest reduced 

 to axiom. Nevertheless, as Cato the Censor said, That the 

 Romans were like sheep, for that a man might better drive a 

 flock of them, than one of them ; for in a flock, if you could 

 but get some few to go right, the rest would follow : 2 so in 

 that respect moral philosophy is more difficile than policy. 

 Again, moral philosophy propoundeth to itself the framing 

 of internal goodness; but civil knowledge requireth only 

 an external goodness; for that as to society sufficeth. 

 And therefore it cometh oft to pass that there be evil times 

 in good governments: for so we find in the holy story, 

 when the kings were good, yet it is added, Sea adhuc populus 

 non direxerat cor suum ad Dominum Deum patrum suorum. 3 

 Again, states, as great engines, move slowly, and are not 

 so soon put out of frame: for as in Egypt the seven good 

 years sustained the seven bad, so governments for a time 

 well grounded, do bear out errors following; but the 

 resolution of particular persons is more suddenly subverted. 

 These respects do somewhat qualify the extreme difficulty 

 of civil knowledge. 



This knowledge hath three parts, according to the three 

 summary actions of society; which are conversation, 

 negotiation, and government. For man seeketh in society 

 comfort, use, and protection: and they be three wisdoms 

 of divers natures, which do often sever: wisdom of the 

 behaviour, wisdom of business, and wisdom of state. 



The wisdom of conversation ought not to be over much 

 affected, but much less despised; for it hath not only an 

 honour in itself, but an influence also into business and 

 government. The poet saith, 



Nee vultu destrue verbo tuo : 4 



1 Should this be stupidity or stupor ? In the Latin it is &quot; reddat 

 animum non stupidum, sed voluptatis sensum vivide retinen- 

 tem.&quot; a Plut. Vit. Cat. 



3 2 Chron. xx. 33. * Ovid, ii. 312, de Art. Am. 



