238 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. ViL 



as if there had been no difference but m fortune only, between a ve- 

 ry fUry compofed of Luft and Blood, and the moft excellent fpirit 

 Chis ambition referved ) in the world. By this we fee how necef- 

 lary it iSjfor men to drink deeply Pious and Moral Knoncledges^hefoTC 

 they tafte Politicks ^ for that they who are bred up in the Courts of 

 Princesfrom tender years, and in affairs of State, commonly never 

 attain an inward and fincere Probity of Manners j how much farther 

 offfrom honefty, if to this fire of corrupt education there be admi- 

 ftred the fewel of corrupt Books ? ^igain^ even in Moral inftru(^ions 

 themfelves, or at lead in foraeof them, is there not a Caution like- 

 wife to be given, left they make men too precife, arrogant and in- 

 ProL Mu- compatible ? according to that o£cicero, touching AI. Cato, Thefe Di- 

 txm. ' vine and excellent qualities rehich xvefee^are his oven proper endovpmentSy 



but fuch as arefontetimes deficient in him^ are dllderiv'dfrom Teachers^ 

 and not from Nature. There are many other Axioms torching thofe 

 properties and effefts which Studies and Books do inftill into the 

 minds of men: for it is true that he faith , abeunt fiudia in mores ^ 

 which may likewife be affirm'd of thofe other points touching Com- 

 pany^ Fame, xhQLaxes of our Country, and the reft, which a little be- 

 fore we recited. But there is a kind of Culture of the Mind which 

 leems yet more acurate and'elaborate than the reft^and is built upon 

 this ground, That the minds of all Mortals are ntfome certain times in H 

 moreperfeUfia\e'-i at other times in amore depravedjiate. The pur- 

 pofe therefore, and direftion of this Culture is, that thofe good fea- 

 fons maybe cherifht, and the evil crofl, and expunged out of the 

 Calender. The fixation of good Times is procured by two means, 

 by vows, or d/leafl mosi conjiant Refolution of the Mind, and by 0^- 

 fervances and Exercifes, which are not to be regarded fb much in 

 themfelves, as becaufethey keep the mind in ner devoir and cor.ti- 

 nual obedience. The obliteration of evil Times may be in like man- 

 ner perfected two ways '-, by fome kind of Redemption, or expiation 

 of that which is paji 5 and by d-new courfeof life, as it were, turning 

 over a clean leaf. But this part feems wholly to appertain to Religi- 

 on, and juftly confidering that true and genuine Moral Philofophy, as 

 was faid,fupplies the place of a Hand-maid only to Divinity. Where- 

 fore we will conclude this part of the Culture of the Mind, with that 

 remedy, which of all other means is the moft compendious andfum- 

 inary : And again, the moft noble and effectual, to the reducing of 

 the mind tovertue, and the placing of it in a ftate next to perfe(3:i- 

 on, and this is , That n>e make choice of, and propound ioourfelves 5 

 right ends of life and actions, and agreeing to vertuej whichyet muji 

 be fuch at may be in a reafonahk fort within our compafs to attain. For 

 if thefe two things befuppos'd, f/wf the ends of anions be honefi and 

 good j and that the refolution of the mind, for thepurfuing and obtain- 

 ing them, befixt,confi:ant, and true unto fuch ends j it will follow that 

 the mind lliall forthwith transform and mould itfelf into all vertues 

 at once. And this indeed is an operation, which refembleth the 

 rvork^oj nature, whereas other courfcs, whereof we have fpoken, are 

 like the rvork^ of the hand. For as when a Carver cuts and carves 



an 



