126 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



to doubt, than not to err : glory making the author not to lay 

 open his weakness, and sloth making the disciple not to know 

 his strength. 



(4) But knowledge that is delivered as a thread to be spun 

 on ought to be delivered and intimated, if it were possible, in 

 the same method wherein it was invented : and so is it possible 

 of knowledge induced. But in this same anticipated and 

 prevented knowledge, no man knoweth how he came to the 

 knowledge which he hath obtained. But yet, nevertheless, 

 secundum majus et minus, a man may revisit and descend unto 

 the foundations of his knowledge and consent ; and so trans 

 plant it into another, as it grew in his own mind. For it is in 

 knowledges as it is in plants : if you mean to use the plant, it 

 is no matter for the roots but if you mean to remove it to 

 grow, then it is more assured to rest upon roots than slips : so 

 the delivery of knowledges (as it is now used) is as of fair 

 bodies of trees without the roots ; good for the carpenter, but 

 not for the planter. But if you will have sciences grow, it is 

 less matter for the shaft or body of the tree, so you look well 

 to the taking up of the roots. Of which kind of delivery the 

 method of the mathematics, in that subject, hath some 

 shadow : but generally I see it neither put in use nor put in 

 inquisition, and therefore note it for deficient. 



(5) Another diversity of method there is, which hath some 

 affinity with the former, used in some cases by the discretion of 

 the ancients, but disgraced since by the impostures of many 

 vain persons, who have made it as a false light for their 

 counterfeit merchandises ; and that is enigmatical and dis 

 closed. The pretence whereof is, to remove the vulgar 

 capacities from being admitted to the secrets of knowledges, 

 and to reserve them to selected auditors, or wits of such sharp 

 ness as can pierce the veil. 



(6) Another diversity of method, whereof the consequence is 

 great, is the delivery of knowledge in aphorisms, or in methods ; 

 wherein we may observe that it hath ben too much taken into 

 custom, out of a few axioms or observations upon any subject, 

 to make a solemn and formal art, filling it with some discourses, 

 and illustrating it with examples, and digesting it into a 

 sensible method. But the writing in aphorisms hath many 

 excellent virtues, whereto the writing in method doth not 

 approach. 



(7) For first, it trieth the writer, whether he be superficial 

 or solid : for aphorisms, except they should be ridiculous, 

 cannot be made but of the pith and heart of sciences ; for 

 discourse of illustration is cut off ; recitals of examples are cut 



