280 ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING. [BOOK VIL 



able sayincf which your Majesty delivered on an important 

 point of judicature, — That kings rule by the laws of their 

 kingdoms, as God by the laws of nature, and ought as rarely 

 to exercise their prerogative, which transcends law, as God 

 exercises his power of working miracles. And in your Ma- 

 iesty's other book on a free monarchy, you give all men to 

 understand that your Majesty knows and comprehends the 

 plenitude of the regal power, as well as its limits; I, there- 

 fore, have not shrunk from citing this book as one of the 

 best treatises ever published upon particular and respective 

 duties. I can also assure your Majesty, that had the book been 

 a thousand years in existence it would not have lost any of 

 the praises I have bestowed upon it; nor am I prescribed 

 by the adage which forbids praise in presence; since this 

 rale of decorum applies only to unseasonable and excessive 

 eulogy. Surely Cicero, in his excellent oration in defence of 

 Marcellus, is only bent upon drawing a picture with singular 

 art, of Caesar's virtues, though in his presence, as the second 

 Pliny did for Trajan. But let us proceed with our subject. 



To this part of the respective duties of vocations and par- 

 ticular professions belongs another, as a doctrine relative or 

 opposite to it, viz., the doctrine of cautions, frauds, impos- 

 tures, and their vices; for corruptions and vices are opposite 

 to duties and virtues ; not but some mention is already made 

 of them in writings, though commonly but cursorily and sati- 

 rically, rather than seriously and gravely; for more labour is 

 bestowed in invidiously reprehending many good and useful 

 things in arts and exposing them to ridicule, than in sepa- 

 rating what is corrupt and vicious therein from what is 

 sound and serviceable. Solomon says excellently, " A scorner 

 seeks wisdom, and finds it not ; but knowledge is easy to hini 

 that understands ;""" for whoever comes to a science with an 

 intent to deride and despise, will doubtless find things 

 enough to cavil at, and few to improve by. But the serious 

 and prudent treatment of the subject we speak of may be 

 reckoned among the strongest bulwarks ot virtue and pro- 

 bity; for as it is fabulously related of the basilisk, that if he 

 sees a man first, the man presently dies; but if the man has 

 tiie first glance, he kills the basilisk : so frauds, impostures, 

 wid tricks do not liuit, if first discovered; but if they strike 

 ■* Prov. xiv, 0, 



