1 20 Of the Advancement of Learning. Lib. IV". 



nient, eafie to be diftemper'd 5 therefore the Poets did well to conjoytt 

 Paufan.in Mnflck^ and Medicine in Apollo 3 becaufe the Genius of both thefe Arts jp 

 oi'Met I ^^"'^'ll^ the fame 5 and the office of a Phyfician confifteth meerly id this, 

 '" ' ' to know how to tune, and finger this Lyre of mans body, that the 

 Harmony rtiay not beeome difcordant and harlh. So then this incbn- 

 ftancy, and variety of the fubjedt, hath made the Art more eonjeftu-' 

 ral I And the Art being fo corijedlural had given more large (cope, hot 

 only to error , but even to impofture. For almoU all other Arts atid 

 Sciences dhj'udgd by their potver and operation 5 and not by their fttceefjt 

 and rporl{. The Lawyer isjndgd by the virtue of hit pleading-^ and not 

 by the ifue df the Caufe j the Majier in the Ship approves his Art, by thd 

 dire&ing his tonrfe aright, and not by the fortune of the voyage :■ But the 

 rhyjician, and perhaps the Politick, hardly havt any porper partieulAf- ASs^ 

 whereby they may tftdke a clear demonstration of their Art and abilities 5 

 but bear away honour or dijgrace principally from the event which is ever an 

 unequal judicature. For who can tell, if a Patient dye ortedoVer; ot 

 if a State bepreferved or ruin'd 3 whether it be by Art 6f Atcident > 

 Therefore it often falls out, that the Impoftor bears away the Prize ^ 

 Virtue the Cenfure. Nay, the weaknefs and credulity of men is fuch, As 

 they often prefer a Monntebank^^or Witch^before a Lekt'n^d Phyfician. There- 

 fore the Poets were cleat and quick-fighted, when they made jSfcida- 

 fi«x and CzVce, Brother and Sifter; both children of the Sun, asinth^ 

 Verfes ; of JEfculapius the Suns Son, 



^i^. ifeir; lUerepertorim Medicine talis, ^Artis,' 



'• FulminePhKbigenamStygeas detrufitad'tindas'j 



And likewife of Circe the Suns Daughter, 



j{,;j^ Dives inaccejfosubi folis filialucos " '' ■•:•.«,.. 



Ajfiduo refonat cantu : teSifq'i fuperbis 

 Vrit odoratam noCfurna in Urmitia Cedrnm. 



For in all times in the reputation' and opinion of the Multitti(!^3 

 Witches, and old Women, and Irtipoftors have been rival Conipeti- 

 tors with Phyficians ^and have even contended with them for the fanic 

 of Cures. And what I pray you follows ? Even this,that Phyfitians fay to 

 themfelves, as i'fl/fj^rdj^ exprefleth it upon a higher occafion, Ifiibefah 



Ecclef.2. fo ffte^ as it befals to the fool, why f})ould I labour to be more wife .<* And 



therefore I cannot much blame Phyficians , if they ufe commohly to 



intend fome other Art, or Prafticc, which they fancy more than theit 



Profeffion; For you (hall have of them Poets, Antiquaries, Criticks, 



. jg Rhetoricians, Politicks, Divines, and in thefe Arts better fecn, than m. 



7an.icien. their own profeffion. Nor doth this come to pals, as I fuppofe, be- 

 caufe (as a certain Declaimor againft Sciences , objects againft Phyfici- 

 ans) they have ever Converfant before their eyes fuch loathfome and 

 fad fpeftacles, that they mult needs retire their minds from thefe ob- 

 )ed:s, to fome other contemplations -, for as they are men , Uihil Hu- 

 mani afe alienum putent, but for this reafon, whereof we now fpeak 5 

 Namely, that they find, that Mediocrity, and excellency in their Art, 

 m&ksth no difference in profit or reputation towards their Perfons or For' 



tunes. 



