72 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING 



about experiments ; whether they be experiments 

 appertaining to Vulcanus or Daedalus, furnace or 

 engine, or any other kind. And therefore as secre- 

 taries and spials of princes and states bring in bills 

 for intelligence, so you must allow the spials and in- 

 telligencers of nature to bring in their bills ; or else 

 you shall be ill advertised. 



11. And if Alexander made such a liberal assignation 

 to Aristotle of treasure for the allowance of hunters, 

 fowlers, fishers, and the like, that he mought compile 

 an history of nature, much better do they deserve it 

 that travail in arts of nature. 



12. Another defect which I note, is an intermission 

 or neglect, in those which are governors in universities, 

 of consultation, and in princes or superior persons, of 

 visitation : to enter into account and consideration, 

 whether the readings, exercises, and other customs 

 appertaining unto learning, anciently began and since 

 continued, be well instituted or no ; and thereupon to 

 ground an amendment or reformation in that which 

 shall be found inconvenient. For it is one of your 

 Majesty's own most wise and princely maxims, ' That 

 in all usages and precedents, the times be considered 

 wherein they first began ; which if they were weak or 

 ignorant, it derogate th from the authority of the usage, 

 and leaveth it for suspect.' And therefore inasmuch 

 as most of the usages and orders of the universities 

 were derived from more obscure times, it is the more 

 requisite they be re-examined. In this kind I will give 

 an instance or two, for example sake, of things that are 

 the most obvious and familiar. The one is a matter, 

 which though it be ancient and general, yet I hold 

 to be an error ; which is, that scholars in universities 

 come too soon and too unripe to logic and rhetoric, 

 arts fitter for graduates than children and novices. 

 For these two, rightly taken, are the gravest of sciences, 

 being the arts of arts ; the one for judgement, the other 

 for ornament. And they be the rules and directions 

 how to set forth and dispose matter : and therefore 

 for minds empty and unfrau^t with matter, and which 



