30 The Advancement of Learning 



have sought to veil over and conceal by enigmatical writ- 

 ings, and referring themselves to auricular traditions and 

 such other devices, to save the credit of impostures: and 

 yet surely to alchemy this right is due, that it may be com- 

 pared to the husbandman whereof Msop makes the fable; 

 that, when he died, told his sons that he had left unto them 

 gold buried under ground in his vineyard ; and they digged 

 over all the ground, and gold they found none; but by 

 reason of their stirring and digging the mould about the 

 roots of their vines, they had a great vintage the year follow- 

 ing: so assuredly the search and stir to make gold hath 

 brought to hght a great number of good and fruitful inven- 

 tions and experiments, as well for the disclosing of nature as 

 for the use of man's life. 

 12. And as for the overmuch credit that hath been given unto 

 authors in sciences, in making them dictators, that their 

 words should stand, and not counsellors ^ to give advice; 

 the damage is infinite that sciences have received thereby, 

 as the principal cause that hath kept them low at a stay 

 without growth or advancement. For hence it hath come, 

 that in arts mechanical the first deviser comes shortest, and 

 time addeth and perfecteth ; but in sciences the first author 

 goeth farthest, and time leeseth and corrupteth. So we see, 

 artillery, sailing, printing, and the like, were grossly man- 

 aged at the first, and by time accommodated and refined: 

 but contrariwise, the philosophies and sciences of Aristotle, 

 Plato, Democritus, Hippocrates, Euclides, Archimedes, of 

 most vigour at the first andby time degenerate and imbased ; 

 whereof the reason is no other, but that in the former many 

 wits and industries have contributed in one; and in the 

 latter many wits and industries have been spent about 

 the wit of some one, whom many times they have rather 

 depraved than illustrated. For as water will not ascend 

 higher than the level of the first springhead from whence it 

 descendeth, so knowledge derived from Aristotle, and 

 I exempted from liberty of examination, will not rise again 

 I higher than the knowledge of Aristotle. And therefore 

 although the position be good, Oportet discentem credere,'^' 



1 Editions 1629 and 1633 have consuls. De Augm. : " Dictatoria 

 quadam potestate munivit ut edicant, non senatoria ut consulant." 

 Ellis suggests that Bacon wrote counsellrs. It clearly should be 

 counsellors. • Arist. Soph. El. 2. 



