236 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



that 'it is not granted to man to love and to be wise/ But 

 I know well I can use no other liberty of judgment than I 

 must leave to others ; and I for my part shall be in- 

 differently glad either to perform myself or accept from 

 another that duty of humanity, Nam qui erranti comiter 

 monstrat viam, etc. I do foresee likewise that of those 

 things which I shall enter and register as deficiencies and 

 omissions, many will conceive and censure that some of 

 them are already done and extant ; others to be but 

 curiosities, and things of no great use ; and others to be of 

 too great difficulty and almost impossibility to be com- 

 passed and effected. But for the two first, I refer myself 

 to the particulars. For the last, touching impossibility, I 

 take it those things are to be held possible which may be 

 done by some person, though not by every one ; and 

 which may be done by many, though not by any one ; 

 and which may be done in succession of ages, though not 

 within the hour-glass of one man's life ; and which may 

 be done by public designation, though not by private 

 endeavour. But notwithstanding, if any man will take to 

 himself rather that of Solomon, Dicit piger, Leo est in via, 

 than that of Virgil, Possunt quia posse videntur, I shall be 

 content that my labours be esteemed but as the better sort 

 of wishes ; for as it asketh some knowledge to demand a 

 question not impertinent, so it requireth some sense to 

 make a wish not absurd. 



The parts of human learning have reference to the 

 three parts of Man's Understanding, which is the seat of 

 learning : History to his Memory, Poesy to his Imagin- 

 ation, and Philosophy to his Reason. Divine learning 

 receiveth the same distribution ; for the spirit of man is 

 the same, though the revelation of oracle and sense be 

 diverse : so as theology consisteth also of History of the 

 Church ; of Parables, which is divine poesy ; and of holy 

 Doctrine or precept. For as for that part which seemeth 

 supernumerary, which is Prophecy, it is but divine history ; 

 which hath that prerogative over human, as the narration 

 may be before the fact as well as after. 



