84 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [15. 



and waste, and not improved and converted by the 

 industry of man ; to the end that such a plot made and 

 recorded to memory, may both minister light to any 

 public designation, and also serve to excite voluntary 

 endeavours. Wherein nevertheless my purpose is at this 

 time to note only omissions and deficiences, and not to 

 make any redargution of errors or incomplete prosecu 

 tions. For it is one thing to set forth what ground lieth 

 unmanured, and another thing to correct ill husbandry in 

 that which is manured. 



In the handling and undertaking of which work I am 

 not ignorant what it is that I do now move and attempt, 

 nor insensible of mine own weakness to sustain my pur 

 pose. But my hope is, that if my extreme love to learning 

 carry me too far, I may obtain the excuse of affection ; 

 for that // is not granted to man to love and to be wise. 

 But I know well I can use no other liberty of judgement 

 than I must leave to others ; and I for my part shall be 

 indifferently glad either to perform myself, or accept from 

 another, that duty of humanity ; Nam qui erranti comiter 

 monstrat viam, &c. I do foresee likewise that of those 

 things which I shall enter and register as deficiences and 

 omissions, many will conceive and censure that some 

 of them are already done and extant ; others to be but 

 curiosities, and things of no great use ; and others to be 

 of too great difficulty, and almost impossibility to be com 

 passed and effected. But for the two first, I refer myself 

 to the particulars. For the last, touching impossibility, I 

 take it those things are to be held possible which may be 

 done by some person, though not by every one ; and 

 which may be done by many, though not by any one ; 

 and which may be done in succession of ages, though 

 not within the hourglass of one man s life; and which 



