

VII. 2.] THE FIRST BOOK. 53 



to religion, sweetly touched with eloquence arid persuasion 

 of books, of sermons, of harangues, so long is society and 

 peace maintained ; but if these instruments be silent, or 

 that sedition and tumult make them not audible, all things 

 dissolve into anarchy and confusion. 



3. But this appeareth more manifestly, when kings 

 themselves, or persons of authority under them, or other 

 governors in commonwealths and popular estates, are en 

 dued with learning. For although he might be thought 

 partial to his own profession, that said Then should people 

 and estates be happy, when either kings were philosophers, or 

 philosophers kings ; yet so much is verified by experience, 

 that under learned princes and governors there have been 

 ever the best times : for howsoever kings may have their 

 imperfections in their passions and customs; yet ijhe^be_ 

 illuminate by learning, they have those notions of religion, 

 policy. ancT morality, which do preserve them and refrain 

 tfiem iromall ruinous and peremptory errors and ex 

 cesses; wnTspering evermore in their ears, when coun 

 sellors and servants stand mute and silent. And senators 

 or counsellors likewise, which be learned, do proceed upon 

 more safe and substantial principles, than counsellors 

 which are only men of experience : the one sort keeping 

 dangers afar off, whereas the other discover them not till 

 they come near hand, and then trust to the agility of 

 their wit to ward or avoid them. 



4. Which felicity of times under learned princes (to 

 keep still the law of brevity, by using the most eminent 

 and selected examples) doth best appear in the age which 

 passed from the death of Domitianus the emperor until the 

 reign of Commodus ; comprehending a succession of six 

 princes, all learned, or singular favourers and advancers of 

 learning, which age for temporal respects was the most 



