THE SECOND BOOK 75 



tary endeavours. Wherein nevertheless my purpose 

 is at this time to note only omissions and deficiencies, 

 and not to make any redargution of errors or incomplete 

 prosecutions. For it is one thing to set forth what 

 ground lieth unmanured, and another thing to correct 

 ill husbandry in that which is manured. 



In the handling and undertaking of which work I am 

 not ignorant what it is that I do now move and attempt, 

 nor insensible of mine own weakness to sustain my 

 purpose. But my hope is, that if my extreme love to 

 learning carry me too far, I may obtain the excuse of 

 affection ; for that ' It is not granted to man to love 

 and to be wise.' But I know well I can use no other 

 liberty of judgement than I must leave to others ; and 

 I for my part shall be indifferently glad either to per- 

 form myself, or accept from another, that duty of 

 humanity; 'Nam qui erranti comiter monstrat viam,' 

 &c. I do foresee likewise that of those things which 

 I shall enter and register as deficiencies and omissions, 

 many will conceive and censure that some of them are 

 already done and extant ; others to be but curiosities, 

 and things of no great use ; and others to be of too 

 great difficulty, and almost impossibility to be com- 

 passed and effected. But for the two first, I refer 

 myself to the particulars. For the last, touching 

 impossibility, I take it those things are to be held 

 possible which may be done by some person, though 

 not by every one ; and which may be done by many, 

 though not by any one ; and which may be done in 

 succession of ages, though not within the hourglass of 

 one man's life ; and which may be done by public 

 designation, though not by private endeavour. Bub 

 notwithstanding, if any man will take to himself rather 

 that of Salomon, ' Dicit piger, Leo est in via,' than that 

 of Virgil, ' Possunt quia posse videntur,' I shall be con- 

 tent that my labours be esteemed but as the better 

 sort of wishes : for as it asketh some knowledge to 

 demand a question not impertinent, so it requireth 

 some sense to make a wish not absurd. 



I. 1. The parts of human learning have reference 



