CHAP. I.] IK WHAT RESPECTS WORKS ARE POSSIBLE. 77 



])rivatc individual, it is my intention to make the cir !uit of 

 know](^dge, noticing what parts lie waste and uncultivatovl. 

 and abandoned by the industry of man, with a view to engage, 

 by a faithful mapping out of the deserted tracks, the energies 

 of public and private persons in their improvement. My 

 attention, however, is alone confined to the discovery, not to 

 the correction of errors. For it is one thing to point out 

 what land lies uncultivated, and another thing to improve 

 im])erfect husbandry. 



In completing this design, I am ignorant neither of the 

 greatness of the work nor my own incapacity. My hope, 

 however, is, chat, if the extreme love of my subject carry me 

 too far, I may at least obtain the excuse of affection. It is 

 not granted to man to love and be wise : " amare et sapere." 

 On such topics opinion is free, and that liberty of judgment 

 which I exercise myself lies equally at the disposition of all. 

 And I for my part shall be as glad to receive correction from 

 others as I am ready to point out defects myself. It is the 

 common duty of humanity : " nam qui erranti comiter mon- 

 strat viam."'' I, indeed, foresee that many of the defects and 

 omissions I shall point out will be much censured, some as 

 being already comj)leted, and others as too difficult to be 

 effected. For the first objection I must refer to the details 

 of my subject ; with regard to the last, 1 take it for granted 

 that those works are possible which may be accomplished by 

 some person, though not by ev^ery one ; which may be done 

 by many, though not by one ; Avhicli may be completed in the 

 succession of ages, though not within the hour-glass of one 

 man's life ; and which may reached by public effort, though 

 not by private endeavour. Nevertheless, if any man prefer 

 the sentence of Solomon — " Dicit piger, Leo est in via ;" * to 

 that of Virgil, " possunt, quia posse videntur""' — I shall be 

 i-ontent to hav^c my labours received but as the better kind 

 of wishes. For as it requires some knowledge to ask an 

 apposite question, he also cannot be deemed foolish who 

 entertains sensible desires. » 



The justest division of human learning is that derived - 

 from the three different faculties of the soul, the seat of i 

 learning : history being relative to the memory, poetry to the I 



i 

 k Cic. de Og. i. 19, ' ^rov. xxii. 13. •" Virg. /En. v. 2S1. 



