220 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. VU. 



Good, Vertue, Duties, Fclicit)', as the true objedis and fcopes o{ man's 

 Will and Deftres : but how to take a juft level at thefe markj Cexcellent 

 indeed, and by them well fet down) that is, by what precepts and 

 direftions, the Mind may be fubdued and framed , to purfiie and at- 

 tain ihcm--^ either they pafs it over altogether, or perform »t flightly 

 and unprofitably. It is not the difputing that Moral Vertues are in the 

 mind of Man by habit, and not by Nature ; or formally diftinguifhing 

 between generous Jpirits, and the obfcure vulgar , that thofe are rvon by 



Atiftot. the iveight ofReafons ; thefe by rcvpard and puniJJment j or the witty Pre- 



Et. Hb.2. cept, that to re&ifie the mind of man, it mufi liks ajlaff be bowed the con- 

 trary ivay to its inclination 5 and the like glances fcattered here and 

 there. Thefe and the like are far ftiort of being a juft excufe of the 

 deficienceof that thing, which* now we feek; The reafon of this neg- 

 le&, I fifppofe to be, that hidden Rocl{_, whereupon fo many Bark/ of Knorv' 

 ledges have run and been cast away 5 which is^that writers defpife to be con- 

 verfant in ordinary and common matters 5 which are neither fubtile enough 

 for Difputation, nor flourifjing enough for Ornament. Verily it cannot 

 eafily be expreffed, what calamity this thing we now fpeak of hath 

 brought upon Sciences 5 that out of an inbredpride and vain-glory, men 

 have made choice offuch fubjc&s of Difcourfe^ and offuch a manner and 

 method of handling, as may commend rather their own wit, than confult 



inEpift, the Readers profit, oewec^ faith excellently, Nocet iUis eloquent i a, qui' 

 bus non rerumfacit cupiditatem, fed fui j For Writings fliould be fuch 

 as fhould make men in love with the Lejfons , and not with the Tea- 

 chers. Therefore they take a right courfe, which can openly avouch 

 the fame of their Counfels, which Demofihenes once did, and can con- 



Dcmoft. elude with this claule , which if you put in execution, you JhalJ not only 

 commend the Orator for the infiant, but your fe Ives Ukewife, not long af- 

 ter^ in a more profperous Jiate of your affairs. As for my felf (Excellcat 

 King) tofpeak^ the truth of my felf I have often wittingly and willingly 

 negle&ed the glory of mine own Name, and Learning (if any fuch thing 

 be) both in the workj Inow publijl), and in thofe I contrive for hereafter^ 

 jxhdii ifiudy to advance the good and profit of mankind. And I, that 

 have defervd, perchance, to be an ArchiteU in Vhilofophy and Sciences, ant 

 made a Work^man and a Labourer , and at length any thing elfe whatfo- 

 ever j feeing ifuflain and work, out nty felf many things that muU needs 

 be done j and others out of a natural difdainfnft of and refufe to do. But, 

 (to return to the matter) which we were about to (ay , Thilofophersin 

 Moral Science, have chofen to themfelvcs a refplendent and luHrout mafs 

 of matter '-, wherein they may moflglorifie themfelves, forfljarpnefs of Wit, 

 orjirength of Eloquence : but fuch precepts asfpecially conduce topra^ice, 

 hccaufe they cannot be fofet out, and invented with the ornaments offpeech 5 

 they have in a manner paft'd over in filence. Neither needed men of fo 

 excellent parts, to have defpaired of a Fortune like that, which the 

 Poet Virgil^ had the confidence to promife to hirafelf^ and indeed ob- 

 tain'd 5 who got as much glory of Eloquence, Wit and Learning, in 

 the expreffingof theobfervations of husbandry ; as in delcribing the 

 Hcroical Afts oi Mneas* 



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