6 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



deserveth to be expressed 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, bear- 

 ing a character or signature both of the power of 

 a king and the difference and perfection of such a king. 

 3. Therefore I did conclude with myself, that I could 

 not make unto your Majesty a better oblation than of 

 some treatise tending to that end, whereof the sum 

 will consist of these two parts ; the former concern- 

 ing the excellency of learning and knowledge, and the 

 excellency of the merit and true glory in the augmenta- 

 tion and propagation thereof : the latter, what the 

 particular acts and works are, which have been em- 

 braced and undertaken for the advancement of learn- 

 ing ; 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 cogitations to visit the excellent 

 treasure of your own mind, and thence to extract par- 

 ticulars for this purpose, agreeable to your magnani- 

 mity and wisdom. 



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

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

 true testimonies concerning the dignity of learning to 

 be better heard, without the interruption of tacit 

 objections ; I think good to deliver it from the dis- 

 credits and disgraces which it hath received, all from 

 ignorance ; but ignorance severally disguised ; appear- 

 ing sometimes in the zeal and jealousy of divines ; 

 sometimes in the severity and arrogancy of politiques ; 

 and sometimes in the errors and imperfections of 

 learned men themselves. 



2. 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 original temptation and sin where- 

 upon ensued the fall of man : that knowledge hath in 



