Viz] THE FIRST BOOK. — 53 
to religion, sweetly touched with eloquence and persuasion 
of books, of sermons, of harangues, so long is society and 
peace maintained; but if these instruments be silent, or 
that sedition and tumult make them not audible, all thing 
dissolve into anarchy and confusion. 
3. But this appeareth more manifestly, when kings 
themselves, or persons of authority under them, or other 
governors in commonwealths and popular. estates, are en- 
dued with learning. For although he might be thought 
partial to his” own profession, that said Zhen should people 
and estates be happy, when either kings were philosophers, or 
hilosophers kings ; yet so much is verified by experience, , 
that under learned princes and governors there have been | 
ever the best times: for howsoever kings may have their /) 
imperfections in their passions and customs; yet if they be 
illuminate by learning, they have those notions of religion, 
policy, and morality, which do preserve them and refrain 
them from all ruinous and peremptory errors and ex- 
cesses; whispering evermore in their ears, when coun- 
sellors and servants stand mute and silent. And senators 
or counsellors likewise, which be learned, do proceed upon 
more safe and substantial principles, than counsellors 
which are only men of experience: the one sort keeping 
dangers afar off, whereas the other discover them not till 
they come near hand, and then trust to the agility of 
their wit to ward or avoid them. 
4. Which felicity of times under learned princes (to | 
keep still the law of brevity, by using the most eminent 
and selected examples) doth best appear in the age which 
passed from the death of Domitianus the emperor until the | 
reign of Commodus; comprehending a succession of six 
princes, all learned, or singular favourers and advancers of 
learning, which age for temporal respects was the most 
Ri 
