L I B. I V. Of the Advancement of Learning. 1 1 ^ 



about the Bo^iji ^ and of Knowledges converfant about the MUkcL 



^ The Knovpledge concerning the Per/on of man, comprehends fpecial- 

 ly two things 5 namely the Contemplations of the Miferies ofAUnkjnd ; 

 and of the rrer<?^4//z^f /, or Excellencies of the Jame. But the bewailing 

 of mans mijeries hath been elegantly and copioufly fet forth by many in 

 thewritings, as well of Philofophers, as divines. And it is both a plea- * 

 fantanda profitable Contemplation. Triumphi 



§ As for that other touching Mans Prerogatives ^\t is a point may well STd/' 

 be (et down among the Deficients. Pindar when he would t%to\ Hi ero^ Summha-. 

 fpeaks (asufually he doth) moft elegantly. That he cropt of the tops, or Ht'"^'!" 

 fumntities of all virtues. For I fuppofe it would much conduce to the ""»«<«. 

 Magnanimity, and Honour of Man 5 if aCollcftion weremade of the ^"^'y^P* 

 Vltimies (as the Schools fpeak) or Summitics (as Pindar) of Humana 

 Nature, principally out of the faithful reports of Hiftory : That as i 

 tVhat is the laji and higheji pitchy to which mans Nature ofitfclfhath ever 

 reach' d in all the Perfe&ions both of Body and Mind. What a ftrange a- 

 bility was that which is reported o^C^far, that he could dictate at once suet.in 

 to five Secretaries] So the Exercitations of the Ancient Rhetoricians, i"'- 

 Protagoras i, G^rg/^/ 5 likewife of Philofophers.; Calijihenesj J'offidoni- ^^^'l^ ^. 

 ns i Carneades j who were able to difcourfe extempore upon any Subjed ri/i Qyin' 

 Prtf and C^«, with fluency and elegancy of expreffion, do much enno- '"'^.^ ^?- 

 ble the Powers of mans wit and natural endowments. And that which- phiioftr?' 

 Cicero reports of his Mafter Archias is little for ufe, but perchance great '" Ep- aiii 

 for Oftentation and Faculties ^ that he was able upon the fuddcn to al- fi^f^ p^' . 

 ledge a great number of excellent verfes pertinent to the purpofe of fuch ta. 

 Di(cour(es as were then in hand. It is a Angular commendation to ^^"^P- , 

 that faculty of the Mind, the Memory 5 that Cyrus or Scipio could call Q^lhun! 

 (b many thoulands of men by their Particular Names, But tfie Tro- ^nflxi. 

 phies of Moral virtues, are no le(s famous than thofe ofintelleftual vir- ^^'^'' 

 tues. What a great example of patience doth that common ftory of 

 Anaxatchus present unto our thoughts, who put to the Rack and Tor- 

 ture, bit out his own tongue, the hoped Inftrument of fome Difcove- 

 ry, and fpit it in the Tyrant's face? Nor is that inferiour for tolerance 

 though much for the merit and Dignity, Cwhichfell out in our time J 

 of a certain Burgundian, who had committed a Murder upon the Per- Meteran. 

 fbn of the Prince of Orange 5 this flave being fcourged with iron whips , l.'xi * ° 

 and his flefh torn with burning Pincers, gave not fb much as a groan i 

 howbeitwhena broken piece of the Scaffold fell by chance upon the 

 head ofonethatftood by, thelcorcht ftigmatiz'd varlet laught, even 

 in the midft of his torments, who a little before wept at the cutting 

 off of his curled hair. In like manner the ferenity and fecurity of Mind 

 hath appeared wonderful in many, even at the inftant approaches of 

 Death j as'that of a Centurion recorded by Tacitus --^ who being com- 

 manded by the executioner to ftretch forth his neck valiantly. Iivould *°"^'-'^' 

 ( (aith hej thou roouldjl jirike as valiantly. But John Duks of Saxonie 

 when the commtffion was brought him, as he was playing at chefs, where- Hift. 

 in his death was commanded the next day, call'd to one that ftood by, ^"°* 

 and fmiling, (aid 5 See, whether I have not the better hand of this Game , 

 He (pointing towards him with whom he playedj will boafi when I am 

 dead, that he was the fairer of thefet. And our /^/(jr^jChancellour of Eng- 

 land, when the day before he was to die, a Barber came unto him (lent 



Pa .for 



