THE FIRST BOOK 9 



were but as a tinkling cymbal ; not but that it is an 

 excellent thing to speak with the tongues of men and 

 angels, but because, if it be severed from charity, and 

 not referred to the good of men and mankind, it hath 

 rather a sounding and unworthy glory, than a merit 

 ing and substantial virtue. And as for that censure 

 of Salomon, concerning the excess of writing and read 

 ing books, and the anxiety of spirit which redoundeth 

 from knowledge ; and that admonition of Saint Paul, 

 * That we be not seduced by vain philosophy ; let 

 those places be rightly understood, and they do indeed 

 excellently set forth the true bounds and limitations, 

 whereby human knowledge is confined and circum 

 scribed ; and yet without any such contracting or 

 coarctation, but that it may comprehend all the uni 

 versal nature of things ; for these limitations are three : 

 the first, That we do not so place our felicity in know 

 ledge, as we forget our mortality: the second, That we 

 make application of our knowledge, to give ourselves 

 repose and contentment, and not distaste or repining : 

 the third, That we do not presume by the contempla 

 tion of nature to attain to the mysteries of God. For 

 as touching the first of these, Salomon doth excellently 

 expound himself in another place of the same book, 

 where he saith : I saw well that knowledge recedeth 

 as far from ignorance as light doth from darkness ; 

 and that the wise man s eyes keep watch in his head, 

 whereas the fool roundeth about in darkness : but 

 withal I learned, that the same mortality involveth 

 them both. And for the second, certain it is, there is 

 no vexation or anxiety of mind which resulteth from 

 knowledge otherwise than merely by accident ; for all 

 knowledge and wonder (which is the seed of know 

 ledge) is an impression of pleasure in itself : but when 

 men fall to framing conclusions out of their know 

 ledge, applying it to their particular, and ministering 

 to themselves thereby weak fears or vast desires, there 

 groweth that carefulness and trouble of mind w r hich is 

 spoken of : for then knowledge is no more Lumen 

 siccum, whereof Heraclitus the profound said, * Lumen 



