64 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



which are ordained for generating and propagating of sciences, 

 and not for transitory use. This cannot be, except their con 

 dition and endowment be such as may content the ablest man 

 to appropriate his whole labour and continue his whole age in 

 that function and attendance ; and therefore must have a pro 

 portion answerable to that mediocrity or competency of ad 

 vancement, which may be expected from a profession or the 

 practice of a profession. So as, if you will have sciences 

 flourish, you must observe David s military law, which was, 

 &quot; That those which stayed with the carriage should have equal 

 part with those which were in the action ; &quot; else will the car 

 riages be ill attended. So readers in sciences are indeed the 

 guardians of the stores and provisions of sciences, whence men 

 in active courses are furnished, and therefore ought to have 

 equal entertainment with them ; otherwise if the fathers in 

 sciences be of the weakest sort or be ill maintained, 

 &quot; Et patrura invalidi referent jejunia nati.&quot; 



10. Another defect I note, wherein I shall need some al 

 chemist to help me, who call upon men to sell their books, 

 and to build furnaces ; quitting and forsaking Minerva and 

 the Muses as barren virgins, and relying upon Vulcan. But 

 certain it is, that unto the deep, fruitful, and operative study 

 of many sciences, specially natural philosophy and physic, 

 books be not only the instrumental ; wherein also the bene 

 ficence of men hath not been altogether wanting. For we see 

 spheres, globes, astrolabes, maps, and the like, have been pro 

 vided as appurtenances to astronomy and cosmography, as 

 well as books. We see likewise that some places instituted for 

 physic have annexed the commodity of gardens for simples of 

 all sorts, and do likewise command the use of dead bodies for 

 anatomies. But these do respect but a few things. In general, 

 there will hardly be any main proficience in the disclosing of 

 nature, except there be some allowance for expenses about 

 experiments; whether they be experiments appertaining to 

 Vulcanus or Daedalus, furnace or engine, or any other kind. 

 And therefore as secretaries and spials of princes and states 

 bring in bills for intelligence, so you must allow the spials and 

 intelligencers of nature to bring in their bills ; or else you 

 shall be ill advertised. 



11. And if Alexander made such a liberal assignation to 

 Aristotle of treasure for the allowance of hunters, fowlers, 

 fishers and the like, that he might compile a history of 

 nature, much better do they deserve it that travail in arts of 

 nature. 



