538 DE AUGMENT1S SCIENTIARUM LIB. SEC. 



inquisitio in eum curiosa, altera admonitio salutaris et libera. 

 Neque auxilio fuerit, si ilia inquisitio fiat tantum contempla- 

 tionis aut spectandi gratia, tanquam arbore conscensa, absque 

 omni animi malignitate ; neque rursus, si admonitio ilia multa 

 cum suavitate et dexteritate adhibeatur ; verum utcunque non 

 tolerant Orgya aut Pentheum aut Orpheum. Postremo, ilia 

 confusio personarum Jbvis et Bacchi ad parabolam recte traduci 

 potest ; quandoquidem res gestae nobiles et clarae, atque merita 

 insignia et gloriosa, interdum a Virtute et recta ratione et 

 magnanimitate, interdum autem a latente affectu et occulta 

 cupiditate (utcunque famae et laudis celebritate utraque res 

 pariter gaudeat) proveniant ; ut non facile sit distinguere facta 

 Dionysi a factis Jovis. 1 



Verum in theatro nimis diu moramur; transeamus ad pa- 

 latium animi; cujus limina majori cum veneratione et cura 

 ingredi convenit. 



1 It seems not improbable that Bacon was led to consider the ancient mythology 

 from the point of view which he has illustrated both here and in the Wisdom of the 

 Ancient*, by an author with many of whose writings he was familiar. Plutarch's 

 treatise De Iside et O stride is very much in the same manner. 



