6 Of the Advancement of Learning. Lib. L 



theifm'-^hwt a full draught thereof brings the Mind back again to Religion. 

 For in the entrance of PhilofophyjWhen the fecond Caufes, which are next 

 unto the Senfes, do offer themfelves to the mind of man, and the mind it 

 felf cleaves unto them and dwells there^an oblivion of the higheft Caufe 

 may creep in •-, but when a man paffeth on farther and beholds the de- 

 pendency, continuation and confederacy of Caufes, and the works of 

 Providence, then according to the Allegory of the Poets, he will eafily 

 believe that the highejl linl^of Natures chain mnii needs be tied to the foot 

 SJ <?/" Jupiter's chair. To clofe in a word 3 Let no man, upon a weak con- 

 ceit of fobriety or ill applied moderation, think or maintain that a man 

 can (earch too far, or be too well ftudied in the Book,of God's word, or in 

 the Book^of God's workj'-) Divinity ox Philofophj/ j but rather let men a- 

 wake themfelves and chearfully endeavour, and purfue an endlefs pro- 

 greft or proficiency in both : only let them beware left they apply Know- 

 ledge to fivel/ing, not to charity j to ojientation not lotife : andagain,that 

 they do not unwifely mingle and confound thefe diftindt Learnings of 

 Theology 2indi Philofophy, and their feveral waters together. 



Chap. II. 



Ji Difcredits of Learning from the objeftions of Politicks, That Learn^ 

 ingfoftens mens Natures, and makes men unfit for the exercife of Arms, 

 That it perverts mens diffofltions for matter of Government. § Other 

 particular indifpofitions pretended. IL The Solution. Learning 

 Mal{es not men unapt for Arms. IIL Learning enables men for Civil 

 affairs. IV. Particular (educements imputed to Learning ; As, C«ri* 

 ous Vncertainty, § Pertinacious Regularity, § Mijleading Precedents^ 

 § Retired fiotbfulnefs, § Relaxation of Difcipline^zxed\\r2ilh.tx cwxed 

 than caufed by Learning. 



Ow let us delcend to the Di/graces whereby Politicks de- 

 fame Learning 5 They be thefe. That Learning doth foften 

 mens manners, and makes them more unapt for the honour 

 and exercife of Arms : That it doth marr and pervert mens 

 difpofitions for matter of Govelrnfftent and Policy ; which 

 the ftudy of Arts makes either too Curious by vanity of Reading'-^ Or too 

 peremptory by the jlriSt rigour of Rules 5 Or too overweening, by reafon of 

 the greatnefs of examples 5 Or too incompatible with the times, by reafon of 

 the dtjfimilitude of examples j Or at leaji it doth divert and alienate mens 

 minds from bufinefs and aUion^ infilling into them a love of leifure and 

 frivatenefs. 



§ And that it doth bring into States a relaxation of Difcipline, whileji e^ 

 very man k more ready to argue than obey. Out of this conceit Cato fur- 

 named the Cenfor, one of the wifeft rhen indeed that ever liv'd, when 

 'Carneades the Philofopher came in Embaflage to Rome, and that the young 

 men of Rome began to flock about him, being allured with the fweetnefs 

 ^ and Majefty of his eloquence, gave counfel in open Senate, That they 

 MoGato. Jhouldgive him his difpatch rvith allfpeedjeji he fiouldinfe& and inchant the 



minds 



Plato in 



