178 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



fuerit virtutem quidem nosse, acquirendae autem ejus 

 modos et vias ignorare. Non enim de virtute tantum, 

 qua specie sit, quaerendum est.sedet quomodo suicopiam 

 faciat : utrumque enim volumus, et rem ipsam nosse, 

 et ejus compotes fieri : hoc autem ex voto non succedet, 

 nisi sciamus et ex quibus et quomodo.' In such full 

 words and with such iteration doth he inculcate this 

 part. So saith Cicero in great commendation of Cato 

 the second, that he had applied himself to philosophy, 

 ' Non ita disputandi causa, sed ita vivendi.' And 

 although the neglect of our times, wherein few men do 

 hold any consultations touching the reformation of 

 their life (as Seneca excellently saith, ' De partibus 

 vitae quisque deliberat, de summa nemo ' ), may make 

 this part seem superfluous ; yet I must conclude with 

 that aphorism of Hippocrates, ^ Qui gravi morbo cor- 

 repti dolores non sentiunt, iia mens aegrotat.' They 

 need medicine, not only to assuage the disease, but to 

 awake the sense. And if it be said, that the cure of 

 men's minds belongeth to sacred divinity, it is most 

 true : but yet moral philosophy may be preferred unto 

 her as a wise servant and humble handmaid. For as 

 the Psalm saith, ' That the eyes of the handmaid look 

 perpetually towards the mistress,' and yet no doubt 

 many things are left to the discretion of the handmaid, 

 to discern of the mistress' will ; so ought moral philo- 

 sophy to give a constant attention to the doctrines of 

 divinity, and yet so as it may yield of herself (within 

 due limits) many sound and profitable directions. • 



2. This part therefore, because of the excellency 

 thereof, I cannot but find exceeding strange that it is 

 not reduced to written inquiry : the rather, because 

 it consisteth of much matter, wherein both speech and 

 action is often conversant ; and such wherein the com- 

 mon talk of men (which is rare, but yet cometh some- 

 times to pass) is wiser than their books. It is reason- 

 able therefore that we propound it in the more par- 

 ticularity, both for the worthiness, and because we 

 may acquit ourselves for reporting it deficient ; which 

 seemeth almost incredible, and is otherwise conceived 



