26 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [lll 9. 
those trencher philosophers which in the later age of 
the Roman state were usually in the houses of great 
persons, being little better than solemn parasites; of 
which kind, Lucian maketh a merry description of the 
philosopher that the great lady took to ride with her in 
her coach, and would needs have him carry her little 
dog, which he doing officiously and yet uncomely, the 
page scoffed and said, Zhat he doubted the philosopher 
of a Store would turn to be a Cynic. But above all the 
rest, the gross and palpable flattery, whereunto many 
not unlearned have abased and abused their wits and 
pens, turning (as Du Bartas saith) Hecuba into Helena, 
and Faustina into Lucretia, hath most diminished the 
price and estimation of learning. Neither is the_modern 
dedication of _books and writings, — as to patrons, t to | be 
commended : forth ‘that books (such as-are worthy the name 
of books) ought to have no patrons but ttuth-and reason. 
And the ancient custom was to dedicate them only"to” 
private and equal friends, or to entitle the books with 
their names: or if to kings and great persons, it was to 
some such as the argument of the book was fit and pro- 
per for: but these and the like courses may deserve 
rather reprehension than defence. 
10. Not that I can tax or condemn the morigeration 
or application of learned men to men in fortune. For 
the answer was good that Diogenes made to one that 
asked him in mockery, How zt came to pass that philo- 
sophers were the followers of rich men, and not rich men 
of philosophers P “He answered soberly, and yet sharply, 
Because the one sort knew what they had need of, and the 
other did not. And of the like nature was the answer 
which Aristippus made, when having a petition to Dio- 
nysius, and no ear given to him, he fell down at his feet; 
a 
