156 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



the sophist or preceptor ; which he calleth left-handed, because, 

 with all his rules and preceptions, he cannot form a man so 

 dexterously, nor with that facility to prize himself and govern 

 himself, as love can do : so certainly, if a man s mind be truly 

 inflamed with charity, it doth work him suddenly into greater 

 perfection than all the doctrine of morality can do, which is 

 but a sophist in comparison of the other. Nay, further, as 

 Xenophon observed truly, that all other affections, though 

 they raise the mind, yet they do it by distorting and uncome- 

 liness of ecstasies or excesses; but only love doth exalt the 

 mind, and nevertheless at the same instant doth settle and 

 compose it : so in all other excellences, though they advance 

 nature, yet they are subject to excess. Only charity admitteth 

 no excess. For so we see, aspiring to be like God in power, the 

 angels transgressed and fell ; Ascendam, et era similis altissimo : 

 by aspiring to be like God in knowledge, man transgressed and 

 fell ; Eritis sicut Dii, scientes bomim etmalum : but by aspiring 

 to a similitude of God in goodness or love, neither man nor 

 angel ever transgressed, or shall transgress. For unto that 

 imitation we are called : Diligite inimicos vestros, bencfacite eis 

 qui oderunt vos, et orate pro persequentibus et calumniantibus vos, 

 ut sitis filii Patris vestri qui in ccelis est, qui solan suum oriri 

 facit super bonos et malos, et pluit super Justos et injustos. So in 

 the first platform of the divine nature itself, the heathen re 

 ligion speaketh thus, Optimus Maximum : and the sacred Scrip 

 tures thus, Misericordia ejus super omnia opera ejus. 



(16) Wherefore I do conclude this part of moral knowledge, 

 concerning the culture and regiment of the mind ; wherein 

 if any man, considering the parts thereof which I have enu 

 merated, do judge that my labour is but to collect into an art 

 or science that which hath been pretermitted by others, as 

 matter of common sense and experience, he JTidgeth well. But 

 as Philocrates sported with Demosthenes, You may not marvel 

 (Athenians) that Demosthenes and I do differ ; for he drinketh 

 water, and I drink wine ; &quot; and like as we read of an ancient 

 parable of the two gates of sleep 



&quot; Sunt geminse somni portse : quarum altera fertur 

 Cornea, qua veris facilis datur exitus umbris : 

 Altera candenti perfecta nitens elephanto, 

 Sed falsa ad coelum mittunt insomnia manes : &quot; 



so if we put on sobriety and attention, we shall find it a sure 

 maxim in knowledge, that the more pleasant liquor ( of 

 wine &quot;) is the more vaporous, and the braver gate (&quot;of ivory &quot;) 

 sendeth forth the falser dreams. 



