68 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. LOOK I. 



for the illiterate person knows not what it is to descend into 

 liimselfj or call himself to an account;, nor the agreeableness 

 of that life which is daily sensible of its own improvement ; 

 lie may perhaps learn to show and employ his natural talents, 

 but not increase them; he will learn to hide anrl colour his 

 faults, but not to amend them, like an unskilful mower, who 

 continues to mow on without Avhetting his scythe. The man 

 of learning, on the contrary, always joins the correction and 

 improvement c* »iis mind with the use and employment 

 thereof To con chide, truth and goodness differ but as the 

 seal and the impression ; for truth imprints goodness, whilst 

 the storms of vice and perturbation break from the clouds of 

 error and falsehood. 



From moral virtue we proceed to examine whether any 

 power be equal to that afforded by knowledge. Dignity of 

 command is always proportionable to the dignity of the com- 

 manded. To have command over brutes as a herdsman is a 

 mean thing; to have command over children as a school- 

 master is a matter of small honour ; and to have command 

 over slaves is rather a disgrace than an honour. Nor is the 

 command of a tyrant much better over a servile and dege- 

 nerate people ; Avhence honours in free monarchies and re- 

 publics have ever been more esteemed than in tyrannical 

 governments, because to rule a willing people is more honour- 

 able than to compel. But the command of knowledge is 

 higher than the command over a free people, as being a com- 

 mand over the reason, opinion, and understanding of men, 

 which are the noblest faculties of the mind that govern the 

 will itself; for there is no power on earth that can set up a 

 throne in the spirits of men but knowledge and learning; 

 whence the detestable and extreme pleasure wheremth arch-^ 

 heretics, false prophets, and impostors are transported upon 

 finding they have a dominion over the faith and consciences of 

 men, a j^leasure so great, that if once tasted scarce any tor- 

 ture or persecution can make them forego it. But as this is 

 what the Apocalypse calls the depths of Satan,*! gQ i]^q j^g^ 

 «vjd lawful rule over men's understanding by the evidence of 

 irutn and gentle persuaciion, is what approaches nearest to 

 i,i;ie Uivme sovereignty. 



With regard to honours and private {(U'tune, the benefit 

 * Bev. ii. 24, 



