ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 385 



CHAPTEK III 



The Arts of Empire or State Policy omitted. Two Deficiencies alone noticed. 

 The Art of Enlarging the Bounds of Empire, and the Knowledge 

 of Universal Justice drawn from the Fountains of Law 



WE COME now to the art of empire, or the doctrine 

 of governing a state, which includes economics, 

 as a city includes a family. But here, according 

 to my former resolution, I impose silence upon myself; how 

 well qualified soever I might seem to treat the subject, from 

 the constant course of life, studies, employs, and the public 

 posts I have, for a long series of years, sustained, even to 

 the highest in the kingdom, which, through his Majesty s 

 favor, and no merit of my own, I held for four years. And 

 this I speak to posterity, not out of ostentation ; but because 

 I judge it may somewhat import the dignity of learning, to 

 have a man born for letters rather than anything else, who 

 should, by a certain fatality, and against the bent of his 

 genius, be compelled into active life, and yet be raised, by 

 a prudent king, to the greatest posts of honor, trust and 

 civil employ. And if I should hereafter have leisure to 

 write upon government, the work will probably either be 

 posthumous or abortive. But in the meantime, having now 

 seated all the sciences, each IE its proper place, lest such a 

 high chair as that of government should remain absolutely 

 vacant, we here observe, that two parts of civil doctrine, 

 though belonging not to the secrets of state, but of a more 

 open and vulgar nature, are deficient, and shall, therefore, 

 in our manner, give specimens for supplying them. 



The art of government includes the political offices; viz., 

 1, the preservation; 2, the happiness; and 3, the enlarge 

 ment of a state. The two former have, in good measure, 

 been excellently treated by some; 1 but there is nothing ex- 



1 For an account of these authors, see Morhof s &quot;Polyhist. &quot; torn. iii. De 

 Prudentise Civilis Scriptoribus ; and &quot;Stollii Introduct. in Hist. Literar. &quot; cap. 

 v. De Prudentia Politica. 

 SCIENCE Vol. 2116 



