60 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



only those of the understanding and not of the affection ; so 

 immortal and incorruptible a thing did knowledge seem unto 

 them to be. But we, that know by divine revelation that not 

 only the understanding but the affections purified, not only 

 the spirit but the body changed, shall be advanced to immor 

 tality do disclaim in these rudiments of the senses. But it 

 must be remembered, both in this last point, and so it may 

 likewise be needful in other places, that in probation of the 

 dignity of knowledge or learning, I did in the beginning 

 separate divine testimony from human, which method I have 

 pursued, and so handled them both apart. 



(7) Nevertheless I do not pretend, and I know it will be 

 impossible for me, by any pleading of mine, to reverse the 

 iudgment, either of ^sop s cock, that preferred the barleycorn 

 before the gem ; or of Midas, that being chosen judge between 

 Apollo, president of the Muses, and Pan, god of the flocks, 

 judged for plenty ; or of Paris, that judged for beauty and love 

 against wisdom and power ; or of Agrippina, occidat^ matrem, 

 modo imperet, that preferred empire with any condition never 

 so detestable ; or of Ulysses, qui vetulam prcctulit immortalitatt, 

 bein- a figure of those which prefer custom and habit before 

 all excellency, or of a number of the like popular judgments. 

 For these things must continue as they have been ; but so will 

 that also continue whereupon learning hath ever relied, and 

 which faileth not : Justificata esl sapientia afiliis suu. 



