130 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



duceth position or decree, the latter action or execution. 

 It is true that the imagination is an agent or nuncius, 

 in both provinces, both the judicial and the ministerial. 

 For sense sendeth over to imagination before reason 

 have judged : and reason sendeth over to imagination 

 before the decree can be acted. For imagination ever 

 precedeth voluntary motion. Saving that this Janus 

 of imagination hath differing faces : for the face 

 towards reason hath the print of truth, but the face 

 towards action hath the print of good ; which never 

 theless are faces, 



Quales decet esse sororum. 



Neither is the imagination simply and only a messenger ; 

 but is invested with, or at leastwise usurpeth no small 

 authority in itself, besides the duty of the message. 

 For it was well said by Aristotle, * That the mind hath 

 over the body that commandment, which the lord hath 

 over a bondman ; but that reason hath over the 

 imagination that commandment which a magistrate 

 hath over a free citizen ; who may come also to rule 

 in his turn. For we see that, in matters of faith and 

 religion, we raise our imagination above our reason ; 

 which is the cause why religion sought ever access to 

 the mind by similitudes, types, parables, visions, 

 dreams. And again, in all persuasions that are wrought 

 by eloquence, and other impressions of like nature, 

 which do paint and disguise the true appearance of 

 things, the chief recommendation unto reason is from 

 the imagination. Nevertheless, because I find not any 

 science that doth properly or fitly pertain to the 

 imagination, I see no cause to alter the former division. 

 For as for poesy, it is rather a pleasure or play of 

 imagination, than a work or duty thereof. And if it 

 be a work, we speak not now of such parts of learning 

 as the imagination produceth, but of such sciences as 

 handle and consider of the imagination. No more 

 than we shall speak now of such knowledges as reason 

 produceth (for that extendeth to all philosophy), but 

 of such knowledges as do handle and inquire of the 



