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8 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [I.3. 
and limitations, whereby human knowledge is confined 
and circumscribed ; and yet without any such contracting 
or coarctation, but that it may comprehend all the uni- 
versal nature of things; for these limitations are three : 
the first, Zhat we do not so place our felicity in knowledge, 
as we forget our mortality: the second, Zhat we make 
application of our knowledge, to give ourselves repose and 
contentment, and not distaste or repining: the third, That 
we do not presume by the contemplation.of naiure.to.. atlain- io 
the-mysteries of. God. For as touching the first of these, 
“Salomon doth excellently expound himself in another 
yy. Place of the same book, where he saith: J saw well that 
knowledge recedeth as far from ignorance as light doth from 
darkness and that the wise man’s eyes keep watch in his 
head, whereas the fool roundeth about in darkness: but 
withal I learned, thal the same mortality involveth them both. 
And for the second, certain it is, there is no vexation or 
anxiety of mind which resulteth from knowledge other- 
wise than merely by accident; for all knowledge and 
wonder (which is the seed of knowledge) is an impression 
of pleasure in itself: but when men fall to framing con- 
clusions out of their knowledge, applying it to their par- 
ticular, and ministering to themselves thereby weak fears 
or vast desires, there groweth that carefulness and trouble 
of mind which is spoken of: for then knowledge is no 
more Lumen siccum, whereof Heraclitus the profound 
= said, Lumen siccum optima anima ; but it becometh Lumen 
‘madtdum, or maceratum, being steeped and infused in the 
humours of the affections. And as for the third point, it 
deserveth to be a little stood upon, and not to be lightly 
passed over: for if any man shall think by view and 
inquiry into these sensible and material things to attain 
that light, whereby he may reveal unto himself the nature. 
