1 60 The Advancement of Learning 



Cogita quamdiu eadem feceris ; cibus, somnus, Indus ; per 

 hunc circulum curritur ; mori velle non tantum fortis, aut 

 miser, aut prudens, sed etiam fastidiosus potest} But in 

 enterprises, pursuits, and purposes of life, there is much 

 variety; whereof men are sensible with pleasure in their 

 inceptions, progressions, recoils, reintegrations, approaches 

 and attainings to their ends: so as it was well said Vita 

 sine proposito languida et vaga est}' Neither hath this 

 active good any identity with the good of society, though in 

 some case it hath an incidence into it; for although it do 

 many times bring forth acts of beneficence, yet it is with 

 a respect private to a man's own power, glory, amplifica- 

 tion, continuance ; as appeareth plainly, when it findeth a 

 contrary subject. For that gigantine state of mind which 

 possesseth the troublers of the world, such as was Lucius 

 Sylla, and infinite other in smaller model, who would have 

 all men happy or unhappy as they were their friends or 

 enemies, and would give form to the world, according to 

 their own humours, (which is the true Theomachy,) pre- 

 tendeth and aspireth to active good, though it recedeth 

 farthest from good of society, which we have determined 

 to be the greater. 

 2. To resume passive good, it receiveth a subdivision of 

 conservative and perfective. For let us take a brief review 

 of that which we have said : we have spoken first of the good 

 of society, the intention whereof embraceth the form of 

 human nature, whereof we are members and portions, 

 and not our own proper and individual form: we have 

 spoken of active good, and supposed it as a part of private 

 and particular good: and rightly, for there is impressed 

 upon all things a triple desire or appetite proceeding from 

 love to themselves; one of preserving and continuing their 

 form; another of advancing and perfecting their form; 

 and a third of multiplying and extending their form upon 

 other things; whereof the multiplying, or signature of it 

 upon other things, is that which we handled by the name 

 of active good. So as there remaineth the conserving of 

 it, and perfecting or raising of it ; which latter is the highest 

 degree of passive good. For to preserve in state is the less, 



* Sen. ad Lucil. Epist. 77. 



• Sen. ad Lucil. Epist. 95, where the words " languida ct " are 

 wanting. 



