L I B. I. Of the Advancement of Learning. ^ i 



Tyrants ; Fathers of their Country, and other eminent Perfbns in Ci- 

 vil Merit, were honour'd with the title of Worthies only, or Demi- 

 Gods ; fuch as were Thefeuf, Minos^ Romulus, and the like ; on the o- 

 therfide (lichas were Inventors and Authors of new Arts t^ and jitch as 

 endowed mans life with nciv Commodities.., and acccjjions^ were ever confc' 

 crated among the Greater and Entire Gods 5 which hapned to Ceres, Bac- 

 chus, Mercury^ Apollo, and others, which indeed was done juftly and 

 upon (bund judgment : For the merits of the former, are commonly con- 

 fined within the circle of an Age, or a Nation, and are not unlike fea- 

 (bnable and favouring Qiowers, which though they be profitable and 

 defirable, yetferve but for that leafon only wherein they fall, and for 

 a Latitude of ground which they water: but the benefices of the latter^ 

 like the influences of the Sun, and the heavenly bodies^ are for time, 

 permanent, for place, univerfal ; thole again are commonly mixt with 

 ftrife and perturbation j but thefe have the true charafter of Divine 

 prefence, and come in Aura lent without noife or agitation. 



If. Neither certainly is the Alerit of Learningin Civil affairs, and in 

 reprejfing the inconveniences which grow from man to man, much infericitr 

 to the other,which relieve mans nccejfities, which arife from Nature. And orph. "' 

 this kind of merit was lively fet forth in that feigned relation oiOrpheus 

 his Theatre, where all beafts and birds affembled, which forgetting their 

 proper natural appetites of Prey, of Game, of Quarrel, ftood all foci- 

 ably and lovingly together liftening unto the Airs and accords of the 

 harp, the found whereof no fooner ceafed, or was drown'd by fome 

 louder noife, but every beaft returned to his own nature. In which 

 Fable is elegantly defcribed, the nature and condition of men, who are 

 tofled and diforderedwith fiindry (avage and unreclaim'd defires, of 

 Profit, of Lull, of Revenge^ which yet as long as they give ear to 

 precepts, to the perfwafion of Religion, Laws, and Magiftrates, elo- 

 quently and fweetly coucht in Books, to Sermons and Harangues ^ fo 

 long is fociety and peace maintain'd, but if thefe inftrumentsbe filent, 

 or that (editions and tumults make them not audible, all things diflblve 

 and fall back into Anarchy and Confufion. 



§ But this appeareth more manifeftly, when Kings or Terfons oj An- 

 ihority under them, or Govern ours in States, are endowed with Learning .• . 

 For although he might be thought partial to his own profeffion that laid, ^g^*'/' 

 Then pould People or States be happy when either Kings were Chilofophers 

 fir rhilofophers Kings 'j yet fo much is verified by experience, that under 

 vpjfe and Learned Princes and GovernoUrs of State, there hath been ever 

 the beji aud happieji times. For howfbever Kings may have their errors 

 pnd imperfeftions ; that is, be liable to Paflions and depraved cuftoms, 

 like other men,yet if they be illuminated by Learning,they have certain 

 anticipate notions of Religion, PoHcy, and Morality, which preferveand 

 refrain them from all ruinous and peremptory errors and excclles, 

 whifpering evermore in their ears, when Councellours, and Servants 

 ftand mute and filent. So likewile Senators and Councelloitrs which be 

 ^.earned, do proceed upon more fafe and jubjlantial principles than Coun- 

 cellours which are only men of experience : Thofe feeing dangers a farre 

 off, and repulfing them betimes; whereas thefe are wife only near at 

 hand, feeing nothing, but what is imminent and ready to fall upon 

 them, and then truft to the agility of their wit, in the point of dangers, 

 toward and avoid them, § Which 



