76 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



N 



observations and conclusions thereupon to the liberty and 

 faculty of every man s judgment. But mixtures are things 

 irregular, whereof no man can define. 



(13) So also is there another kind of history manifoldly 

 mixed, and that is history of cosmography : being compounded 

 of natural history, in respect of the regions themselves ; of 

 history civil, in respect of the habitations, regiments, and 

 manners of the people ; and the mathematics, in respect of the 

 climates and configurations towards the heavens : which part 

 of learning of all others in this latter time hath obtained most 

 proficience. For it may be truly affirmed to the honour of these 

 times, and in a virtuous emulation with antiquity, that this 

 great building of the world had never through-lights made in 

 it, till the age of us and our fathers. For although they had 

 knoAvledge of the antipodes, 



&quot;Nosque ubi primus equis Oriens afflavit anhelis, 

 Illic sera rubens accendit lumina Vesper,&quot; 



yet that might be by demonstration, and not in fact ; and if by 

 travel, it requireth the voyage but of half the globe. But to 

 circle the earth, as the heavenly bodies do, was not done nor 

 enterprised till these later times : and therefore these times 

 may justly bear in their word, not only plus ultra, in prece 

 dence of the ancient non ultra, and imitabile fulmen, in 

 precedence of the ancient non imitabile fulmen, 



&quot; Demens qui nimbos et non imitabile fulmen,&quot; &c. 



but likewise imitabile ccelum ; in respect of the many memorable 

 voyages after the manner of heaven about the globe of the 

 earth. 



(14) And this proficience in navigation and discoveries may 

 plant also an expectation of the further proficience and augmen 

 tation of all sciences ; because it may seem they are ordained 

 by God to be coevals, that is, to meet in one age. For so the ! 

 prophet Daniel speaking of the latter times f oretelleth, Plurimi \ 

 pertransibunt, et multiplex erit scient ia : as if the openness and I 

 through-passage of the world and the increase of knowledge! 

 were appointed to be in the same ages ; as we see it is already :j 

 performed in great part : the learning of these later times no13 , 

 much giving place to the former two periods or returns oifl ; ; 

 learning, the one of the Grecians, the other of the Romans. 



III. (1) History ecclesiastical receiveth the same division fj 

 with history civil : but further in the propriety thereof may bjj 

 divided into the history of the Church, by a general name 



