ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 45 



into the government of the bishops of Kome, particularly 

 that of Pius and Sextus Quintus, who were both at their 

 entrance esteemed but pedantical friars, we shall find that 

 such popes did greater things, and proceeded upon truer 

 principles of state, than those who rose to the papacy from 

 an education in civil affairs, and the courts of princes. For 

 though men bred to learning are perhaps at a loss in points 

 of convenience, and present accommodations, called 21 reasons 

 of state, yet they are perfect in the plain grounds of relig 

 ion, justice, honor, and moral virtue, which, if well pur 

 sued, there will be as little use of reasons of state, as of 

 physic in a healthy constitution. Nor can the experience 

 of one man s life furnish examples and precedents for 

 another s: present occurrences frequently correspond to 

 ancient examples, better than to later. And lastly, the 

 genius of any single man can no more equal learning, than 

 a private purse hold way with the exchequer. 



3. As to the particular indispositions of the mind for 

 politics and government, laid to the charge of learning, if 

 they are allowed of any force, it must be remembered, that 

 learning affords more remedies than it breeds diseases; for 

 if, by a secret operation, it renders men perplexed and 

 irresolute, on the other hand, by plain precept, it teaches 

 when, and upon what grounds, to resolve, and how to carry 

 things in suspense, without prejudice: if it makes men 

 positive and stiff, it shows what things are in their nature 

 demonstrative, what conjectural; and teaches the use of 

 distinctions and exceptions, as well as the rigidness of prin 

 ciples and rules. If it misleads, by the unsuitableness of 

 examples, it shows the force of circumstances, the errors 

 of comparisons, and the cautions of application ; so that in 

 all cases, it rectifies more effectually than it perverts: and 

 these remedies it conveys into the mind much more effec 

 tually by the force and variety of examples. Let a man 

 look into the errors of Clement the Seventh, so livelily de- 



81 By the Italians &quot;Ragioni di stato.&quot; 



