34 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



compared to the husbandman whereof Aesop makes 

 the fable ; that, when he died, told his sons that he 

 had left unto them gold buried under ground in his 

 vineyard ; and they digged over all the ground, and 

 gold they found none ; but by reason of their stirring 

 and digging the mould about the roots of their vines, 

 they had a great vintage the year following : so as- 

 suredly the search and stir to make gold hath brought 

 to light a great number of good and fruitful inventions 

 and experiments, as well for the disclosing of nature as 

 for the use of man's life. 



12. And as for the overmuch credit that hath been 

 given unto authors in sciences, in making them dic- 

 tators, that their words should stand, and not' consuls 

 to give advice ; the damage is infinite that sciences 

 have received thereby, as the principal cause that hath 

 kept them low at a stay without growth or advance- 

 ment. For hence it hath comen, that in arts mechanical 

 the first deviser comes shortest, and time addeth and 

 perfeoteth ; but in sciences the first author goeth 

 furthest, and time leeseth and corrupteth. So we see, 

 artillery, sailing, printing, and the like, were grossly 

 managed at the first, and by time accommodated and 

 refined : but contrariwise, the philosophies and sciences 

 of Aristotle, Plato, Democritus, Hippocrates, Euclides, 

 Archimedes, of most vigour at the first and by time 

 degenerate and imbased ; whereof the reason is no other, 

 but that in the former many wits and industries have 

 contributed in one ; and in the latter many wits and 

 industries have been spent about the wit of some one, 

 whom many times they have rather depraved than 

 illustrated. For as water will not ascend higher than 

 the level of the first springhead from whence it des- 

 cendeth, so knowledge derived from Aristotle, and 

 exempted from liberty of examination, will not rise 

 again higher than the knowledge of Aristotle. And 

 therefore although the position be good, ' Oportet 

 discentem credere,' yet it must be coupled with this, 

 ' Oportet edoctum judicare ' ; for disciples do owe 

 uuto masters only a temporary belief and a suspension 



