THE FIRST BOOK. 57 



obstructions, sometimes helping digestion, sometimes increasing 

 appetite, sometimes healing the wounds and exulcerations 

 thereof, and the like ; and, therefore, I will conclude with that 

 which hath rationem totius which is, that it disposeth the 

 constitution of the mind not to be fixed or settled in the de 

 fects thereof, but still to be capable and susceptible of 

 growth and reformation. For the unlearned man knows not 

 what it is to descend into himself, or to call himself to account, 

 nor the pleasure of that suavissima vita, indies sentire se fieri 

 meliorem. The good parts he hath he will learn to show to the 

 full, and use them dexterously, but not much to increase them. 

 The faults he hath he will learn how to hide and colour them, 

 but not much to amend them ; like an ill mower, that mows 

 on still, and never whets his scythe. Whereas with the 

 learned man it fares otherwise, that he doth ever intermix the 

 correction and amendment of his mind with the use and em 

 ployment thereof. Nay, further, in general and in sum, 

 certain it is that Veritas and Bonitas differ but as the seal and 

 the print ; for truth prints goodness, and they be the clouds 

 of error which descend in the storms of passions and pertur 

 bations. 



(3) From moral virtue let us pass on to matter of power and 

 commandment, and consider whether in right reason there be 

 any comparable with that wherewith knowledge investeth and 

 crowneth man s nature. We see the dignity of the command 

 ment is according to the dignity of the commanded ; to have 

 commandment over beasts as herdmen have, is a thing con 

 temptible ; to have commandment over children as school 

 masters have, is a matter of small honour ; to have command 

 ment over galley-slaves is a disparagement rather than an 

 honour. Neither is the commandment of tyrants much better, 

 over people which have put off the generosity of their 

 minds ; and, therefore, it was ever holden that honours in free 

 monarchies and commonwealths had a sweetness more 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 puttetli himself forth to attribute to 

 Augustus Caesar the best of human honours, he doth it in these 

 words : 



&quot; Victorque volentes 

 Per populos dat jura, viamque att ectat Olympo.&quot; 



But yet the commandment of knowledge is yet higher than tha 

 commandment over the will ; for it is a commandment over the 

 reason, belief, and understanding of man, which is the highest 



