14 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



strange thing if that, which accustom eth the mind to a 

 perpetual motion and agitation, should induce slothfulness : 

 whereas contrariwise it may be truly affirmed, that no kind 

 of men love business for itself, but those that are learned ; 

 for other persons love it for profit, as a hireling, that loves 

 the work for the wages ; or for honour, as because it beareth 

 them up in the eyes of men, and refresheth their reputation, 

 which otherwise would wear ; or because it putteth them in 

 mind of their fortune, and giveth them occasion to pleasure 



10 and displeasure ; or because it exerciseth some faculty 

 wherein they take pride, and so entertaineth them in good 

 humour and pleasing conceits toward themselves ; or because 

 it advanceth any other their ends. So that, as it is said of 

 untrue valours, that some men's valours are in the eyes of 

 them that look on ; so such men's industries are in the eyes 

 of others, or at least in regard of their own designments : 

 only learned men love business, as an action according to 

 nature, as agreeable to health of mind, as exercise is to health 

 of body, taking pleasure in the action itself, and not in the 



20 purchase : so that of all men they are the most indefatigable, 

 if it be towards any business which can hold or detain their 

 mind. 



And if any man be laborious in reading and study, and 

 yet idle in business and action, it groweth from some weak 

 ness of body, or softness of spirit ; such as Seneca speaketh 

 of : Quidam tarn sunt umbratiles, ut putent in turbido esse 

 quicquid in luce est ; [Some men live so much in the shade, 

 that whenever they are in the light they seem to be in trouble ;] 

 and not of learning : well may it be, that such a point of a 



30 man's nature may make him give himself to learning, but it 

 is not learning that breedeth any such point in his nature. 



And that learning should take up too much time or 

 leisure : I answer ; the most active or busy man that hath 

 been or can be, hath, no question, 'many vacant times of 

 leisure, while he expecteth the tides and returns of business 

 (except he be either tedious and of no despatch, or lightly 



