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4 _ OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 
in a king, and in a king born, is almost a miracle. hha : % 
the more, because there is met in your Majesty a rare 
conjunction, as well of divine and sacred literature, as of — 
profane and human; so as your Majesty standeth in- 
vested of that triplicity, which in great veneration was 
ascribed to the ancient Hermes; the power and fortune 
of a king, the knowledge and illumination of a priest, and 
the learning and universality of a philosopher. This 
propriety inherent and individual attribute in your Majesty 
deserveth to be expressed not only in the fame and ad- 
miration of the present time, nor in the history or tradition 
of the ages succeeding, but also in some solid work, fixed 
memorial, and immortal monument, bearing a character 
or signature both of the power of a king and the differ- 
ence and perfection of such a king. = 
3. Therefore I did conclude with myself, that I could 
not make unto your Majesty a better oblation than of 
some treatise tending to that end, whereof the sym will 
consist of these two parts ;(the former concerning the 
excellency of learning and. knowledge, and the excel- 
Z lency of the merit and true glory in the augmentation and 
propagation thereof :}the latter, what the particular acts 
and works are, which have been embraced and under- 
taken for the advancement of learning ; and again, what 
defects and undervalues I find in such particular acts: to 
the end that though I cannot positively or affirmatively 
advise your Majesty, or propound unto you framed par- 
ticulars, yet 1 may excite your princely cogitations to 
visit the excellent treasure of your own mind, and thence 
to extract particulars for this purpose, agreeable to your 
magnanimity and wisdom. 
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