74 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [PAGES 



ledge of the l summary law of nature.'' It is never by knowledge 

 that the mind is corrupted, but by a wrong use of knowledge. 

 Knowledge is to be used to improve the condition of men, not to 

 flatter our own vanity, nor to raise extravagant hopes and fears, 

 nor to lead us to attempt to understand God, who is incompre 

 hensible. If these cautions be observed, knowledge is an 

 unmixed good. In reply to the assertion that knowledge draws 

 men away from God, Bacon says that the truths of science are 

 indisputable, and that therefore the cause of true religion cannot 

 be served by denying them: (will you lie for God to gratify 

 him ?) and, as a matter of fact, the wider and more profound 

 a man's knowledge is, the deeper will be his conviction of the 

 truths of religion. Cf. Bk. 2, p. 44. 



? In this passage Bacon gives his conception of the scope and 



jobject of science. The scope of science is 'nature and univer- 

 . sality ' : i.e. , a complete understanding of all natural phenomena. 

 I The object of science, as he says elsewhere, is the glory of God, 



and the relief of man's estate. 

 1 1. 23. the former of these, i.e., the first half of the present 



treatise : see above, 1. 11. 



1. 24. to have, etc. , so as to secure a favourable hearing for. 



1. 28. ignorance severally disguised, i.e., concealing itself under 

 different forms, such for example, as zeal for religion or for the 

 state. 



1. 30. divines, theologians ; for arrogancy we write arrogance. 



1. 33. the former sort, i.e., theologians, is of, i.e., is one of. 



1. 34. accepted of, the of is redundant. 



Page 5, 1. 2. knowledge hath, the Latin translation adds, ' even 

 at the present day.' 



1. 5. a censure, an opinion. Ecclesiast. xii. 12 and i. 18. 



1. 7. contristation, sadness. 



1. 9. a caveat, a warning. Coloss. ii. 8. 



1. 11. how learned times, etc. Amongst the causes of Atheism, 

 Bacon, in his 16th Essay, mentions " Learned times, specially 

 with peace and prosperity : for troubles and adversities do more 

 bow men's minds to religion." 



1. 12. second causes, what we call 'physical causes.' The 

 attraction of the earth is the second or physical cause of an un 

 supported body falling to the ground. Second causes are opposed 

 to the first or efficient cause, viz., God. Cf. p. 8. 



1. 15. To discover, to show. The literal meaning of the word 

 is to uncover. 



1. 16. it may well appear, it is obvious. 



