100 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



person Aristotle, I will think of him that he learned 

 that humour of his scholar, with whom it seemeth he 

 did emulate ; the one to conquer all opinions, as the 

 other to conquer all nations. Wherein nevertheless, 

 it may be, he may at some men's hands, that are of 

 a bitter disposition, get a like title as his scholar did : 



Felix terrarum praedo, non utile mundo 

 Editus exemplum, &c. 

 So, 



Felix doctrinae praedo. 



But to me on the other side that do desire as much as 

 Ueth in my pen to ground a sociable intercourse between 

 antiquity and proficience, it seemeth best to keep way 

 with antiquity usque ad aras ; and therefore to retain 

 the ancient terms, though I sometimes alter the uses 

 and definitions, according to the moderate proceeding 

 in civil government ; where although there be some 

 alteration, yet that holdeth which Tacitus wisely 

 noteth, ' eadem magistratuum vocabula.' 



3. To return therefore to the use and acception of 

 the term metaphysic, as I do now understand the 

 word ; it appeareth, by that which hath been already 

 said, that I intend phUosophia prima, summary philo- 

 sophy and metaphysic, which heretofore have been 

 confounded as one, to be two distinct things. For the 

 one I have made as a parent or common ancestor to all 

 loiowledge ; and the other I have now brought in as 

 a branch or descendant of natural science. It appeareth 

 likewise that I have assigned to summary philosophy 

 the common principles and axioms which are pro- 

 miscuous and indifferent to several sciences : I have 

 assigned unto it likewise the inquiry touching the 

 operation of the relative and adventive characters of 

 essences, as quantity, similitude, diversity, possibihty, 

 and the rest : with this distinction and provision ; that 

 they be handled as they have efficacy in nature, and 

 not logically. It appeareth Ukewise that natural theo- 

 logy, which heretofore hath been handled confusedly 

 with metaphysic, I have inclosed and bounded by 



