L I B. Vill. Of the Advancement of Learning, 260 



ever imprinted in the greateft Minds, fb fenfibly, as fometimes they 

 can fcarce diliemble fuch cogitations. For r»e fee Atigitftus Ccefur (who 

 compared with his uncle, was rather diverfe, than infcriour, but 

 certainly a perfon more ftaid and fbleran) when he died, defired of 

 his friends that Rood about his Bed, that when he expired they would Suef.m ^u. 

 give him a Plaudite 5 as if he were cpnfcient to himfelf, that he had ^" ° 

 plaid his part well upon the ftage. This portiofi al(b of knowledge is 

 to be fumm'd up amongft Deficients •■, not but that it hath been ufurped 

 and frequented in Prai2:ice, far more exceffively than isfittting j but 

 becaufe books concerning this Argument are filent. Wherefore accord- 

 ing to our cuftom, as we did in the former; we will fet down fome 

 heads or palFages of it j and we will call it FabrumFortnM£^ or as we 



have faid, Do&rinam de Ambitu «;;7^.— —i. Wherein j at the firft 



view, I may (eem to handle a new and ftrange Argument, in teach- 

 ing men how they may be raifers and makers of their onm fortune 5 a 

 dodtrine certainly to which every man will willingly yield himfelfa 

 Dilciple, till he throughly conceives the difficulty thereof. For the 

 conditions are neither lighter, or fewer, oriels difficult to the Pur- 

 chafe of Fortune, than to the purchafe c^ virtue 5 and it is as hard and 

 fevereaThing to be a true Politick., as to be truly A/oral. But the 

 handling hereofconcerns learning greatly, both in Honour and iasub- 

 iiance. For it is a principal point which nearly concerns the Honour 

 of Learning, that Pragraatick men may know, that Learning is not li^s 

 fomefmall Bird, as the Lark,, tf'*^ can mount and fing, and pleafe her 

 felf and nothing elfe ^ but that flie holds as well of the Hawk., that can 

 Joar aloft, and after that when JJ)e fees her time, can (loop andfeize upon 

 her prey. Again this kind ofwiJdomTnuch refpefts the Perfection of 

 Learnings becaufe it is the right rule of a perfect enquiry, that nothing 

 he found in the Globe of Matter, th'af hath not a pt^rallel in the Chrijial- 

 line Globe, or thelntcUtcf : That ip, that there be not any thing iti 

 Being and Adtion, that fhould not be drawn and collefted into contem- 

 plation and Dodrine. Neither doth learning otherwile admire or 

 •efteem this Archite&urc ofFortunp, than as a work of an inferiour kind : 

 for no mans proper fortune can be a retribution any way worthy the 

 donation of hisEffence and Being granted hifn fro/p^God ^ nay it often 

 comes to pals, that men of excellent gifts abandon their Fortunes 

 willingly, that their minds may be vacant for more (ublime refped:s : 

 yet neverthelefi Fortune, as an Organ of virtue and merit, deferves 

 likewife her fpeculation and Doftrine. 



§ Z^»/£'//j7i'/^«orp/e<:/ge appertain precepts, (bme////^/w4>;i' and Prin- 

 cipal j (omefpars'd and various. Precepts .S'«A*^/w<?r>' are converfant a* 

 boat the true knowledge both of others 5 and ofhimfclf. The fir ^ Pre- 

 cept, wherein the principal point ot the k.»owledge of others doth con- 

 fift, may be determined this 5 that we procure to our felves, (b fir as 

 may be, that window which Jlfomus once required. He, when he fa w 

 in the frame of Mans hear t,fo many Angles and Keceffcs/ound fault that pj.^^ ^^ - 

 there was not a window, through which a man might look into thofe obfcure 

 and crooked windings. This 2)'?W^n' we (hall obtain, if with all diligent 

 circumfpedtion we purchafe and procure unto our felves good informa- 

 tion touching particular Pcrfons, with whom we negotiate and have 



to" 



