5 8 The Advancement of Learning 



Homer hath given more men their livings, than either Sylla, 

 or Caesar, or Augustus ever did, notwithstanding their great 

 largesses and donatives, and distributions of lands to so 

 many legions. And no doubt it is hard to say. whether 

 arms or learning have advanced greater numbers. And in 

 case of sovereignty we see, that if aims or descent have 

 carried away the kingdom, yet learning hath carried the 

 priesthood, which ever hath been in some competition with 

 empire.^ 



5. Again, for the pleasure and delight of knowledge and 

 learning, it far surpasseth all other in nature : for, shall the 

 pleasures of the affections so exceed the senses, as much as 

 the obtaining of desire or victory exceedeth a song or a 

 dinner; and must not, of consequence, the pleasures of the 

 intellect or understanding exceed the pleasures of the 

 affections? We see in all other pleasures there is satiety, 

 and after they be used, their verdure depart eth; which 

 showeth well they be but deceits of pleasure, and not 

 pleasures : and that it was the novelty which pleased, and 

 not the quality ; and therefore we see that voluptuous men 

 turn friars, and ambitious princes turn melancholy. But - 

 of knowledge there is no satiety, but satisfaction and appe- 

 tite are perpetually interchangeable ; and therefore appear- ^ 

 eth to be good in itself simply, without fallacy or accident. 

 Neither is that pleasure of small efficacy and contentment 

 to the mind of man which the poet Lucretius describeth 

 elegantly, 



Suave mari magno, turbantibus aequora ventis, etc.* 

 // IS a view of delight, saith he, to stand or walk upon the 

 shore side, and to see a ship tossed with tempest upon the sea ; 

 or to he in a fortified tower, and to see two battles join upon a 

 plain ; hut it is a pleasure incomparahle, for the mind of man 

 to he settled, landed, and fortified in the certainty of truth ; 

 and from thence to descry and behold the errors, perturbations, 

 labours, and wanderings up and down of other men. 



6. Lastly, leaving the vulgar arguments, that by learning 

 man excelleth man in that wherein man excelleth beasts; 

 that by learning man ascendeth to the heavens and their 

 motions, where in body he cannot come, and the like; let 

 us conclude with the dignity and excellency of knowledge -« 



* Cf. Herod, ii. 141, for the ascendency of the Priesthood in 

 Egypt, * De Eer. Nat. ii. i-io. 



