Deri 
wes 
se 
220 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [ xxi. 4: 
experience, would far excel men of long experience with- 
out learning, and outshoot them in their own bow. 
5. Neither needeth it at all to be doubted, that this 
knowledge should be so variable as it falleth not under 
precept; for it is much less infinite than science of govern- 
ment, which we see is laboured and in some part re- 
duced. Of this wisdom it seemeth some of the ancient 
Romans in the saddest and wisest times were professors ; 
for Cicero reporteth, that it was then in use for senators 
that had name and opinion for general wise men, as 
Coruncanius, Curius, Lelius, and many others, to walk 
at certain hours in the Place, and to give audience to 
those that would use their advice; and that the particular 
citizens would resort unto them, and consult with them of 
the marriage of a daughter, or of the employing of a son, 
or of a purchase or bargain, or of an accusation, and 
every other occasion incident to man’s life. So as there 
is a wisdom of counsel and advice even in private causes, 
arising out of an universal insight into the affairs of the 
world; which is used indeed upon particular cases pro- 
pounded, but is gathered by general observation of cases 
of like nature. For so we see in the book which Q. Cicero 
writeth to his brother, De petitione consulatus (being the 
only book of business that I know written by the ancients), 
although it concerned a particular action then on foot, 
yet the substance thereof consisteth of many wise and 
politic axioms, which contain not a temporary, but a 
perpetual direction in the case of popular elections. But 
chiefly we may see in those aphorisms which have place 
amongst divine writings, composed by Salomon the king, 
of whom the scriptures testify that his heart was as the 
sands of the sea, encompassing the world and all worldly 
matters, we see, I say, not a few profound and excellent 
