lo Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. I, 



of life, but may have many vacant times of leafure, whilfthe expefts 

 the returns and tides of bulinefs, except he be either of a very dull tem- 

 per and of no difpatch i or ambitious (little to his credit and reputation) 

 to meddle and ingige himfelf in imploymentof all natures and matters 

 above his reach. It remaincth therefore to be enquired, in what mat- 

 ter, and how, thofe fpaces and times of Leafure, (hould be filled up and 

 fpent 5 whether in pleafures or ftudy , lenfuality 5 or contemplation, 

 as was well anfwered by Dcmejihencs to Mfchitia , a man given to plea- 

 fure, who when he told him by way of reproach, that his orations did 

 Plut in ff»ell ofthe Lamp:, indeed ({^axA Demofihenes) there is great diference be- 

 Dem'oft. txveen the things tbat Tou and I do by lampJight.-Whercforc let no man fear 

 left learning (hould expnlfe bufmejs 3 nay rather it will keep and defend 

 the pofleffionsofthe mind, againft idlenefs and pleafure, which other- 

 wife, at unawares, may enter, to the prejudice both of Bufinefs and 

 Learning. 



6 Again, whereas they object. That learning ponld undermine the 

 reverence of Laws and Government^, it is a meer calumny without all 

 Ihadow of truth ; For to fay that a blind obedience (hould be a furer 

 obligation then an ocular duty, is all one to fay, that a blind man 

 may tread furer by a guide, then a feeing man can with the u(e of a light 

 and his eyes. Nay it is without all controverfie that Learning doth 

 make the mind of man, gentle, dudtile, maniable and pliant to govern- 

 ment 5 whereas ignorance makes them churlifh, thwart, and mutinous 5 

 which the Records of time do clearly manifeft, conlidering that the moft 

 unlearned, rude and barbarous times have been moft fubjeft to fediti- 

 ons, tumults and changes. As for the judgement ofC<if(?the Cenfor ^ 

 . ^ he was well punifht for his hlajphemy againji learning: For when he was 

 Cato!" * P^ft threefcore years old, he was taken with an extreme dcfire to go to 

 the fchool again, and to learn the greek. to7jgne ; which doth well de- 

 monftrate that his former cenfure of the Grecian Learning was rather 

 anaffefted gravity, than the inward (en(e of his own opinion. As for 

 VirgiH verfes, though it plea(ed him to brave the world in taking to 

 the Roffians the Art of Empire ^ and leaving to others all olh&x Arts ^ 

 as popular and fervile 5 yet fo much is manifeft, that the Romans never 

 afccndedto that hight of Empire^, till the time they hadafcended to the 

 hight of Arts. For in the time of the two firft defars^ Peitbns moft per- 

 feft in the Stare-principles of Government, there lived contemporaries, 

 the beji Poet^ I'irgilius Mara 5 The beji Hifioriographer^ Titus Livius 5 the 

 bcfi Antiquary^, Marcus Varro 5 the beji or feeond Orator Marcus Cicero 5 

 without queftion thechiefeft, everyone in their feveral faculty, that 

 to the memory of man are known. Laftly, as for the accufation of So- 

 crates^, on]y this I fay. The timemuft be remembred when it was pro- 

 fecuted, namly under the thirty Tyrants, of all mortals the bloodieft, 

 bafeft and moft unworthy of Government ; which revolution of State 

 and Time was no (boner over, but Socrates, whom they had made a 

 Perfbn Criminal, was made a Perfon Hcroical, and his Memory accu- 

 mulate with all honours divine and humane^ and thofe Difcourfes of 

 his, which were then termed Corrupting of Manners, were after cele- 

 brated by all Pofterity for moft foveraign medicines of Mind and Man- 

 ners. And let this ferve for anfwer to Politiques, which in their hu- 

 morous feverity, or in their feigned gravity . have prefumed to throw 



imputations 



> 



