-i6 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



repressing the inconveniences which grow from man toman, much 

 inferior to the former, of relievingthe necessities which arise from 

 nature, which merit was lively set forth by the ancients in that 

 feigned relation of Orpheus theatre, where all beasts and birds 

 assembled, and, forgetting their several appetites some of prey, 

 some of game, some of quarrel stood all sociably together listen 

 ing unto the airs and accords of the harp, the sound whereof no 

 sooner ceased, or was drowned by some louder noise, but every 

 beast returned to his own nature ; wherein is aptly described 

 the nature and condition of men, who are full of savage and 

 unreclaimed desires, of profit, of lust, of revenge ; which as 

 long as they give ear to precepts, to laws, 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 things dissolve into anarchy and confusion. 



(3) But this appeareth more manifestly when kings themselves, 

 or persons of authority under them, or other governors in com 

 monwealths and popular estates, are endued with learning. For 

 although he might be thought partial to his own profession that 

 said &quot;Then should people and estates be happy when either 

 kings were philosophers, or philosophers kings ; &quot; 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 cus 

 toms, 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 excesses, whispering evermore in their ears, when coun 

 sellors and servants stand mute and silent. And senators 

 or counsellors, likewise, which be learned, to proceed upon 

 more safe and substantial principles, than counsellors which 

 are only men of experience j 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) \Vliich felicity of time:, under learned princes (to keep still 

 the law of brevity, by using the most eminent and selected ex 

 amples) doth best appear in the age which passed from the death 

 of Domitianus the emperor until the reign of Commodus ; com 

 prehending a succession of six princes, all learned, or singular 

 favourers and advancers of learning, which age for temporal re- 

 pects was the most happy and flourishing that ever the Roman 

 Empire (which then was a model of the world) enjoyed a matter 

 revealed and prefigured unto Domitian in a dream the night 



