it et a ae aed << i fillies EN 9 
70 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. (vm. iu 2p 
than in tyrannies, because the commandment extendeth 
‘more over the wills of men, and not only over their deeds 
and services. And therefore, when Virgil putteth himself 
forth to attribute to Augustus Cesar the best of -human 
honours, he doth it in these words: 
Victorque voléntes 
Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat Olympo. 
But yet the commandment..of.knowledge is yet higher | 
than the commandment.over-the..will: for it is a com- \/ 
mandment over the reason, belief, and understanding of 
mah, which is the higheSt “part” of the mindyxand giveth 
law to~the will itself. “FOr°theré"isno | power on earth 
which setteth up a throne or chair of estate in the spirits 
and souls of men, and in“their cogitatiéns, imaginations, 
opinions, and beliefs, but knowledge and learning. And 
therefore we see the detestable and eX*teme pleasure that 
arch-heretics, and false prophets, and impostors are trans- 
ported with, when they once find in themselves that they 
havea superiority im the faith and conscience’of men; so 
great as if they have once tasted of ity it is sekdom’ ten 
that any torture or persecution can make them relinquish 
or abandon it. But as this is that which the author of fhe 
4 Revelation calleth the depth or profoundness of Satan, 
so by argument of contraries, the just and lawful sove- 
reignty over men’s understanding;by force gf truth rightly 
interpreted, is that which approacheth nearest to the simil- 
itude of the divine rule. 
4. As for fortune and advancement, the beneficence of 
learning is not so confined to give fortune only to states 
and commonwealth, as it doth not likewise give fortune 
to particular persons. For it was well noted long ago, 
that Homer hath given more men their livings, than either 
Sylla, or Cesar, or Augustus ever did, notwithstanding 
, 
