4 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



individual attribute in your Majesty, deserveth to be ex 

 pressed not only in the fame and admiration of the present 

 time, nor in the history or tradition of the ages succeeding, 

 but also in some solid work, fixed memorial, and immortal 

 monument, bearing a character or signature both of the 

 power of a king, and the difference and perfection of such 

 a king. 



Therefore I did conclude with myself, that I could not 

 make unto your Majesty a better oblation than of some 



10 treatise tending to that end, whereof the sum will consist of 

 these two parts ; the former, concerning the excellency of 

 learning and knowledge, and the excellency of the merit and 

 true glory in the augmentation and propagation thereof : the 

 latter, what the particular acts and works are, which have 

 been embraced and undertaken for the advancement of 

 learning ; and again, what defects and undervalues I find 

 in such particular acts : to the end that though I cannot 

 positively or affirmatively advise your Majesty, or propound 

 unto you framed particulars, yet I may excite your princely 



20 cogitations to visit the excellent treasure of your own mind, 

 and thence to extract particulars for this purpose, agreeable 

 to your magnanimity and wisdom. 



In the entrance to the former of these, to clear the 

 way, and as it were, to make silence, to have the true testi 

 monies concerning the dignity of learning to be better heard, 

 without the interruption of tacit objections ; I think good to 

 deliver it from the discredits and disgraces which it hath 

 received, all from ignorance ; but ignorance severally dis 

 guised ; appearing sometimes in the zeal and jealousy of 

 30 divines ; sometimes in the severity and arrogancy of poli 

 ticians ; and sometimes in the errors and imperfections of 

 learned men themselves. 



I hear the former sort say, that knowledge is of those 

 things which are to be accepted of with great limitation and 

 caution ; that the aspiring to overmuch knowledge was the 



