L I B. I. Of the Advancement of Learning. 23 



then Gods, For he wonders that they begat fo many children in oldtime^ 

 , and begot none in his time .<? and asks in fcoffing manner , rvhether they 

 jpere now become Septriagenary, or rvhether the Larv Papia ^ made againji 

 eld mens marriages, had rejirained tliem ? So it feems men doubt lead 

 time is become pad children and generation. Nay rqther the levity and 

 inconftancy of mens judgements, is hence plainly difcovered, which 

 until a matter be done, wonder it can be done. So Alexander's expe- 

 dition into y?/?4 was prejudg'd as a vaft impoffible enterprize j yet after- 

 wards it pleaTed Livie, Co to flight it as to fay of Alexander , Nil aliud •^' 

 quam bene anjus eji vana contemnere : The fame hapned unto Columbus 

 in the weflern Navigation. But in intelled:ual matters it is much more 

 common, as may be feen in many propofitions in Euclid, which till 

 they be demonftrate, they feera ftrange to our afTent '-, but being De- 

 monftrate, our mind accepteth of them by a kind of Recognifance or 

 RetraQ:ation,(a8 the Lawyers fpeak)as if we had underflood and known 

 them before. 



in. An other error which hath fbme affinity with the former is, a 

 conceit That all feQs and ancient opinions, after they have been difcuffed 

 and ventilated 5 the bestjiill prevail' d andfuppreji the reji: Wherefore 

 they think that if a man (hould begin the labour of a new fearch and 

 examination, he muft needs light upon fomewhat formerly rejefted, 

 and after rejection, loft, and brought into oblivion : as if the multitudey 

 or the wifeft, to gratifie the multitude, were not more ready to give paf- 

 fage to that which is popular and fuperficial ; than to that which is fub- 

 f^antial and profound. For Time feemeth to be of the nature of a River, 

 which carrieth down to us that which is light and blown up, and fink- 

 eth and drowneth that which is waighty and folid. 



IV. Another error of divers nature from the former is. The over* 

 early and Peremptory reduQion of Knowledge into Arts and Methods 5 

 which once done, commonly Sciences receive fmall or no augmentation. Foe i 

 as young men, when they knit and Ihape perfedly, do feldom grow to 

 a farther ftature : fb knowledge while itisdifperft into Aphorifms, and 

 Objervations, mdiy gxov} znd (hoot up 5 but once inclofed and compre- 

 hended in Methods, it may perchance be farther polifhtand illuftrate , 

 and accommodated for ule and praftice, but it increafeth no more in 

 bulk and fubftance. 



V". Another error which doth fucceed that which we lafl noted, is, 

 that after dijiribution of particular Arts and Sciences into their fever al 

 places, many men have prefently abandoned the univerfal notion of things, 

 or Philofophia Prima, which is a deadly enemy to all ProgreJJion. Profpeds 

 are made from Turrets and high places ; and it is impoffible to difco- 

 ver the more remote and deeper parts of any Science, if you fland but 

 upon the flat and level of the fame Science, and afcend not as into a 

 watch-Town to a higher Science. 



VI. Another error hath proceeded from too great a reverence, and 

 a. kjnd of Adoration of the mind and underftandmg of man , by means 

 whereof men have withdrawn themfelves, too much, from the contemplati- 

 on of Nature, and the obfcrvations of experience 5 and have tuffibledvp and 

 down in their own fpeculations and conceits 5 bur of thefe furpairing Opt' 

 »^/tfr/,and(if I may fo fpeak)/«/c/i'efi^»d//i?/,(vvhich are notwithftanding, 

 taken for the moft fublime and divine Philofophers) Herxclitus gave a 



;uft 



