THE FIRST BOOK. 7 



tongues of men and angels, and had not charity, it were but 

 as a tinkling cymbal ; not but that it is an excellent thing 

 to speak with the tongues of men and angels, but because, 

 if it_be_severed from charity, and not referred to the good of Vet 

 men and mankind, it hath rather a sounding and unworthy j , " 

 glory, than a meriting and substanial virtue. And as for ~ f 

 that censure of Solomon, concerning the excess of writing 

 and reading books, and the anxiety of spirit which redound- 

 eth from knowledge ; and that admonition of St. Paul, That 

 we be not seduced by vain philosophy; let those places be 10 

 rightly understood, and they do indeed excellently set forth 

 the true bounds and limitations, whereby human knowledge 

 is confined and circumscribed ; and yet without any such 

 contracting or coarctation, but that it may comprehend all 

 the universal nature of things ; for these limitations are 

 three : the first, That we do not so place our felicity in know 

 ledge, as we forget our mortality : the second, That we make 

 application of our knowledge, to give ourselves repose and r 

 contentment, and not distaste or repining : the third, That we 

 do not presume by the contemplation of nature to attain to 20 

 the mysteries of God. For as touching the first of these, 

 Solomon doth excellently expound himself in another place 

 of the same book, where he saith : / saw well that knowledge 

 recedeth as far from ignorance as light doth from darkness ; 

 and that the wise man's eyes keep watch in his head, whereas 

 the fool roundeth about in darkness : but withal I learned, that 

 the same mortality involveth them both. And for the second, 

 certain it is, there is no vexation or anxiety of mind which 

 resulteth from knowledge, otherwise than merely by acci 

 dent ; for all knowledge and wonder (which is the seed of 30 

 knowledge) is an impression of pleasure in itself : but when 

 men fall to framing conclusions out of their knowledge, 

 applying it to their particular, and ministering to themselves 

 thereby weak fears or vast desires, there groweth that 

 carefulness and trouble of mind which is spoken of : for then 

 knowledge is no more Lumen siccum, [a dry light,] whoreof 



