174 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XVII. 10. 



10. Another diversity of judgement in the delivery and 

 teaching of knowledge is, according unto the light and 

 presuppositions of that which is delivered. For that know 

 ledge which is new, and foreign from opinions received, 

 is to be delivered in another form than that that is agree 

 able and familiar ; and therefore Aristotle, when he thinks 

 to tax Democritus, doth in truth commend him, where he 

 saith, If we shall indeed dispute, and not follow after simili 

 tudes, &c. For those whose conceits are seated in popular 

 opinions, need only but to prove or dispute ; but those 

 whose conceits are beyond popular opinions, have a 

 double labour; the one to make themselves conceived, 

 and the other to prove and demonstrate. So that it is 

 of necessity with them to have recourse to similitudes and 

 translations to express themselves. And therefore in the 

 infancy of learning, and in rude times, when those con 

 ceits which are now trivial were then new, the world was 

 full of parables and similitudes ; for else would men either 

 have passed over without mark, or else rejected for para 

 doxes that which was offered, before they had understood 

 or judged. So in divine learning, we see how frequent 

 parables and tropes are : for it is a rule, that whatsoever 

 science is not consonant to presuppositions, must pray in 

 aid of similitudes. 



n. There be also other diversities of methods vulgar 

 and received : as that of resolution or analysis, of con 

 stitution or systasis, of concealment or cryptic &c., which 

 I do allow well of, though I have stood upon those which 

 Deprnden- are least handled and observed. All which 

 tia tradi- I have remembered to this purpose, because 

 ttonis. i would erect and constitute one general in 



quiry (which seems to me deficient) touching the wisdom 

 of tradition. 



