252 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XXIV. 
of the world by navigation, which hath disclosed multi- 
tudes of experiments, and a mass of natural history; the 
leisure wherewith these times abound, not employing men 
so generally in civil business, as the states of Grecia did. 
in respect of their popularity, and the state of Rome, in 
respect of the greatness of their monarchy; the present 
disposition of these times at this instant to peace; the 
consumption of all that ever can be said in controversies 
of religion, which have so much diverted men from other 
sciences; the perfection of your Majesty’s learning, which 
as a phoenix may call whole vollies of wits to follow you; 
and the inseparable propriety of time, which is ever more 
and more to disclose truth; I cannot but be raised to this 
persuasion that this third period of time will far surpass 
that of the Grecian and Roman learning: only if men will 
know their own strength, and their own weakness both; 
and take, one from the other, light of invention, and not 
fire of contradiction; and esteem of the inquisition of 
truth as of an enterprise, and not as of a quality or orna- 
ment; and employ wit and magnificence to things of 
worth and excellency, and not to things vulgar and of 
popular estimation. As for my labours, if any man shall 
please himself or others in the reprehension of them, they 
shall make that ancient and patient request, Verbera, sed 
audi; \et men reprehend them, so they observe and 
weigh them. For the appeal is lawful (though it may be 
it shall not be needful) from the first cogitations of men 
to their second, and from the nearer times to the times 
further off. Now let us come to that learning, which both 
_ the former times were not so blessed as to know, sacred 
and inspired divinity, the Sabbath and port of all men’s 
labours and peregrinations, 
