62 ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING, [BOOK L 



as these arts were a kind of elder and favourite children with 

 them. So the alchemists have made a philosophy from a few 

 experiments of the furnace, and Gilbert another out of the 

 loadstone : in like manner, Cicero, when reviewing the 

 opinions on the nature of the soul, coming to that of a 

 musician, who held the soul was but an harmony, he plea 

 santly said, &quot;This man has not gone out of his art.&quot; x But 

 of such authors Aristotle says well : &quot; Those who take in but 

 a few considerations easily decide. &quot;y 



Another error is, an impatience of doubting and a blind 

 hurry of asserting without a mature suspension of judgment. 

 For the two ways of contemplation are like the two ways of 

 action so frequently mentioned by the ancients ; the one 

 plain and easy at first, but in the end impassable ; the other 

 rough and fatiguing in the entrance, but soon after fair and 

 even : so in contemplation, if we begin with certainties, we 

 shall end in doubts ; but if we begin with doubts, and are 

 patient in them, we shall end in certainties. 



Another error lies in the manner of delivering knowledge, 

 which is generally magisterial and peremptory, not ingenuous 

 and open, but suited to gain belief without examination. 

 And in compendious treatises for practice, this form should 

 not be disallowed ; but in the true delivering of knowledge, 

 both extremes are to be avoided ; viz., that of Yelleius the 

 Epicurean, who feared nothing so much as the non-appear 

 ance of doubting;&quot; 2 and that of Socrates and the Academics, 

 who ironically doubted of all things : but the true way is to 

 propose things candidly, with more or less asseveration, as 

 they stand in a man s own judgment. 



There are other errors in the scope that men propose to 

 themselves : for whereas the more diligent professors of any 

 science ought chiefly to endeavour the making some additions 

 or improvements therein, they aspire only to certain second 

 prizes \ as to be a profound commentator, a sharp disputant, 

 (i methodical compiler, or abridger, whence the returns 

 or revenues of knowledge are sometimes increased, but not 

 the inheritance and stock. 



^&amp;gt;ut the greatest error of all is, mistaking the ultimate en(J 



* &quot;Hie ab arte sua non recessit.&quot; Tuscul Quoeat. L c. 10. 

 y Arist. De Gener. et Corrup. lib. 1. 



* tAcero, De Natura Deorum, i. c. 8, 



