4 BACON 



for nothing fills, much less distends the soul, but God. Whence 

 as Solomon declares : " That the eye is not satisfied with seeing, 

 nor the ear with hearing ; "* so of knowledge itself he says, 

 " God hath made all things beautiful in their seasons ; also he 

 hath placed the world in man's heart ; yet cannot man find out 

 the work which God worketh from the beginning to the end ; "* 

 hereby declaring plainly that God has framed the mind like a 

 glass, capable of the image of the universe, and desirous to re- 

 ceive it as the eye to receive the light ; and thus it is not only 

 pleased with the variety and vicissitudes of things, but also en- 

 deavors to find out the laws they observe in their changes and 

 alterations. And if such be the extent of the mind, there is no 

 danger of filling it with any quantity of knowledge. But it is 

 merely from its quality when taken without the true corrective, 

 that knowledge has somewhat of venom or malignity. The 

 corrective which renders it sovereign is charity, for, according 

 to St. Paul, " Knowledge puffeth up, but charity buildeth." 

 3. For the excess of writing and reading books, the anxiety of 

 spirit proceeding from knowledge, and the admonition, that we 

 be not seduced by vain philosophy; when these passages are 

 rightly understood, they mark out the boundaries of human 

 knowledge, so as to comprehend the universal nature of things. 

 These limitations are three : the first, that we should not place 

 our felicity in knowledge, so as to forget mortality ; the second, 

 that we use knowledge so as to give ourselves ease and content, 

 not distaste and repining; and the third, that we presume 

 not by the contemplation of nature, to attain to the mysteries 

 of God. As to the first, Solomon excellently says; " I 

 saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth 

 darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the 

 fool walketh in darkness ; and I myself perceived also that 

 one event happeneth to them all."/ And for the second, it is 

 certain that no vexation or anxiety of mind results from knowl- 

 edge, but merely by accident ; all knowledge, and admiration, 

 which is the seed of knowledge, being pleasant in itself; but 

 when we frame conclusions from our knowledge, apply them 

 to our own particular, and thence minister to ourselves weak 

 fears or vast desires ; then comes on that anxiety and trouble of 

 mind which is here meant when knowledge is no longer the 

 dry light of Heraclitus, but the drenched one, steeped in the 

 humors of the affections. 4. The third point deserves to be 



