70 ADVANCEMENT OP LK.vnNINQ. [BOOK I. 



hires or statues of Cyrus, Alexander, Csesai or tlie gi'eat 

 personages of much later date, for the originals cannot last, 

 and the copies must lose life and truth; but the images of 

 men's knowledge remain in books, exempt from the injuries 

 of time, and capable of perpetual renovation. Nor are these 

 properly called images ; because they generate still, and sow 

 their seed in the minds of others, so as to cause infinite 

 actions and opinions in succeeding ages. If, therefore, the 

 invention of a ship was thought so noble, which carries com- 

 modities from place to place and consociateth the remotest 

 regions in participation of their fruits, how inuch more are 

 letters to be valued, which, like ships, pass through the vast 

 ocean of time, and convey knowledge and inventions to the 

 remotest ages'? Nay, some of the philosophers who were 

 most immersed in tlie senses, and denied the immortality of 

 tlie soul, yet allowed that whatever motions the si)irit of 

 man could perform without the organs of the body might 

 remain after death, which are only those of the understanding, 

 and not of the affections, so immortal and incorruptible a 

 thing did knowledge appear to them,^ And thus having en- 

 deavoured to do justice to the cause of knowledge, divine 

 and human, we shall leave Wisdom to be justified of her 

 children, s 



f The merits of learning have been incidentally shown by many, but 

 expressly by few. Among the latter may be included Johannes 

 AVouweiius de Polymathia, Gulielmus Budaeus de Philologia, Morhof 

 in " Hist. Polyhister," and Stollius in " Introduct. in Historiam Lite- 

 rariani." To these may be added, Baron Spanheim, M. Perault, .Sii 

 VYilliani Temple, Gibbon, and Miitoa. id, 



t Matt, lu ly, 



