ON THE DIGNITY AND 



ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



FIRST BOOK 



The Different Objections to Learning stated and confuted; its Dignity 

 and Merit maintained 



TO THE KING 



AS UNDER the old law, most excellent king, there 

 were daily sacrifices and free oblations 1 the one 

 arising out of ritual observance, and the other from 

 a pious generosity, so I deem that all faithful subjects owe 

 their kings a double tribute of affection and duty. In the 

 first I hope I shall never be found deficient, but as regards 

 the latter, though doubtful of the worthiness of my choice, 

 I thought it more befitting to tender to your Majesty that 

 service which rather refers to the excellence of your indi 

 vidual person than to the business of the State. 



In bearing your Majesty in mind, as is frequently my 

 custom and duty, I have been often struck with admira 

 tion, apart from your other gifts of virtue and fortune, at 

 the surprising development of that part of your nature^ 

 which philosophers call intellectual. The deep and broad 

 capacity of your mind, the grasp of your memory, the 

 quickness of your apprehension, the penetration of your 

 judgment, your lucid method of arrangement, and easy 

 facility of speech at such extraordinary endowments 1 

 am forcibly reminded of the saying of Plato, &quot;that all 

 science is but remembrance,&quot; 8 and that the human mind 



1 See Numb, xxviii. 23 ; Levit. xxii. 18. 



2 Plato s Phsedo, i. 72 (Steph.); Theaet i. 166, 191; Menon, ii. 81; and 

 Aristot. de Memor. 2. 



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