THE FIRST BOOK. 85 



of impostures. And yet surely to alchemy this right is due, 

 that it may be compared to the husbandman whereof JEsop 

 makes the fable ; that, when he died, told his sons that he 

 had left unto them gold buried underground in his vineyard ; 

 and they digged over all the ground, and gold they found 

 none ; but by reason of their stirring and digging the mould 

 about the roots of their vines, they had a great vintage tho 

 year following : so assuredly the search and stir to make gold 

 hath brought to light a great number of good and fruitful 

 inventions and experiments, as well for the disclosing of nature 

 as for the use of man s life. 



(12) And as for the overmuch credit that hath been given 

 unto authors in sciences, in making them dictators, that their 

 words should stand, and not consuls, to give advice ; the 

 damage is infinite that sciences have received thereby, as the 

 principal cause that hath kept them low at a stay without 

 growth or advancement. For hence it hath come, that in 

 arts mechanical the first deviser comes shortest, and time 

 addeth and perfecteth ; but in sciences the first author goeth 

 furthest, and time leeseth and corrupteth. So we see artillery, 

 sailing, printing, and the like, were grossly managed at the 

 first, and by time accommodated and refined ; but contrariwise, 

 the philosophies and sciences of Aristotle, Plato, Democritus, 

 Hippocrates, Euclides, Archimedes, of most vigour at the first, 

 and by time degenerate and imbased : whereof the reason is no 

 other, but that in the former many wits and industries have 

 contributed in one ; and in the latter many wits and indus 

 tries have been spent about the wit of some one, whom many 

 times they have rather depraved than illustrated ; for, as 

 water will not ascend higher than the level of the first spring 

 head from whence it descendeth, so knowledge derived from 

 Aristotle, and exempted from liberty of examination, will not 

 rise again higher than the knowledge of Aristotle. And, there- 

 ; fore, although the position be good, Oportet discentem credere, 

 ,| yet it must be coupled with this, Oportet edoctum judicare ; for 

 3 I disciples do owe unto masters only a temporary belief and a sus 

 pension of their own judgment till they be fully instructed, and 

 lot an absolute resignation or perpetual captivity ; and there 

 fore, to conclude this point, I will say no more, but so let great 

 mthors have their due, as time, which is the author of authors, 

 36 not deprived of his due which is, further and further to 

 discover truth. Thus have I gone over these three diseases 

 of learning ; besides the which there are some other rather 



peccant humours than formed diseases, which, nevertheless, 

 ire not so secret and intrinsic, but that they fall under a 



