220 OF THE ADV'ANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



philosophy, philosophy in general. And being now at 

 some pause, looking back into that I have passed 

 through, this writing seemeth to me (' si nunquam 

 fallit imago ' ), as far as a man can judge of his own 

 work, not much better than that noise or sound 

 which musicians make while they are in tuning their 

 instruments : which is nothing pleasant to hear, but 

 vet is a cause why the music is sweeter afterwards. 

 So have I been content to tune the instruments of the 

 Muses, that they may play that have better hands. 

 And surely, when I set before me the condition of these 

 times, in which learning hath made her third visitation 

 or circuit in all the qualities thereof ; as the excellency 

 and vivacity of the wits of this age ; the noble helps 

 and lights which we have by the travails of ancient 

 writers ; the art of printing, which communicateth 

 books to men of all fortunes ; the openness of the world 

 by navigation, which hath disclosed multitudes of ex- 

 periments, and a mass of natural history ; the leisure 

 wherewith these times abound, not employing men so 

 generally in civil business, as the states of Grecia did, 

 in respect of their popularity, and the state of Rome, 

 in respect of the greatness of their monarchy ; the 

 present disposition of these times at this instant to 

 peace ; the consumption of all that ever can be said in 

 controversies of religion, which have so much diverted 

 men from other sciences ; the perfection of your 

 Majesty's learning, which as a phoenix may call whole 

 vollies of wits to follow you ; and the inseparable pro- 

 priety of time, which is ever more and more to disclose 

 truth ; I cannot but be raised to this persuasion that 

 this third period of time will far surpass that of the 

 Grecian and Roman learning : only if men will know 

 their own strength, and their own weakness both ; and 

 take, one from the other, light of invention, and not fire 

 of contradiction ; and esteem of the inquisition of truth 

 as of an enterprise, and not as of a quality or ornament ; 

 and employ wit and magnificence to things of worth 

 and excellency, and not to things vulgar and of popular 

 estimation. As for my labours, if any man shall please 



