ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 387 



be deemed the true extent of kingdoms and republics, and 

 by what means this may be procured a subject well de 

 serving to lie continually before princes, for their diligent 

 meditation; lest, by overrating their own strength, they 

 should rashly engage in too difficult and vain enterprises, 

 or, thinking too meanly of their power, submit to timorous 

 and effeminate counsels. 



The greatness of an empire, in point of bulk and terri 

 tory, is subject to mensuration, and for its revenue, to cal 

 culation. The number of inhabitants may be known by 

 valuation or tax, and the number and extent of cities and 

 towns, by survey and maps; yet in all civil affairs there is 

 not a thing more liable to error than the making a true and 

 intrinsic estimate of the strength and riches of a state. The 

 kingdom of heaven is compared, not to an acorn, or any 

 large nut, but to a grain of mustard- seed; which, though 

 one of the least grains, has in it a certain quick property, 

 and native spirit, whereby it rises soon, and spreads itself 

 wide: so some states of very large compass are little suited 

 to extend their limits, or procure a wider command, while 

 others of small dimension prove the foundations of the 

 greatest monarchies. 



Fortified towns, well-stored arsenals, noble breeds of 

 war-horses, armed chariots, elephants, engines, all kinds 

 of artillery, arms, and the like, are nothing more than a 

 sheep in a lion s skin, unless the nation itself be, from its 

 origin and temper, stout and warlike. Nor is number 

 of troops itself of any great service, where the soldiers are 

 weak and enervate: for, as Virgil well observes, &quot;The wolf 

 cares not how large the flock is. &quot; 3 The Persian army in 

 the plains of Arbela, appeared to the eyes of the Mace 

 donians as an immense ocean of people; insomuch that 

 Alexander s leaders, being struck at the sight, counselled 

 their general to fall upon them by night; but he replied, 

 &quot;1 will not steal the victory&quot;;* and it was found an easier 

 conquest than he expected. Tigranes, encamped upon a 



3 Eclog. vii. 52. 4 Quintus Curtius, iv. 15, and Plutarch. 



