OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [iV. 2. 



Asme. Then grew the learning of the schoolmen 

 to be utterly despised as barbarous. In sum, the whole 

 inclination and bent of those times was rather towards 

 copie than weight. 



Here therefore is the first distemper of 



\vhen_men stndjTworcTs and not matter ; whereof, though 

 I have represented an example ot late times, yet it hath 

 been and will be secundum ma/us et minus in all time. 

 And how is it possible but this should have an operation 

 to discredit learning, even with vulgar capacities, when 

 they see learned men s works like the first letter of a 

 patent, or limned book ; which though it hath large flou 

 rishes, yet it is but a letter ? It seems to me that Pygma 

 lion s frenzy is a good emblem or portraiture of this 

 vanity : for words are but the images of matter ; and 

 except they have life of reason and invention, to fall in 

 Jove with them is all one as to fall in love with a picture. 



4. gut_^et notwithstanding it isa thingngt^feasjily to 

 be condernaed, to j:JQthe ajidjujorjp^^^ 



.jikilo ni il iy il re If \\ith sensjblgLand plausible elocution. 

 For hereof we have great examples in Xenophon,&quot;Cicero^ 

 Seneca, Plutarch, and of Plato also in some degree ; ai\d 

 hereof .likewise there is great use : for surely, to the 

 severe- inquisition of -truth and the deep progress into 

 philosophy, it is some hindrance ; because it is too early 

 satisfactory to the mind of man, and quencheth the de 

 sire of further search, before we come to a just period. 

 But. then if a man be to have any use of such knowledge 

 in civil occasions, of conference, counsel, persuasion, dis 

 course, or the like, then shall he find it prepared to his 

 hands in those authors which write in that manner. But ^ 

 the excess of this is so justly contemptible, that as Her- 

 &quot;culespwnen he sa^ the image ot AdornsT^enus minion, 



