THE SECOND BOOK 285 



continual custom, which is soon prescribed ; which though it 

 be not true, yet I forbear to note any deficiences ; for the 

 Olympian Games are down long since, and the mediocrity 

 of these things is for use ; as for the excellency of them, it 

 serveth for the most part but for mercenary ostentation. 



For Arts of Pleasure Sensual, the chief deficience in them 

 is of laws to repress them. For as it hath been well 

 observed that the arts which flourish in times while virtue 

 is in growth, are military ; and while virtue is in state, are 

 liberal ; and while virtue is in declination, are voluptuary ; 

 so I doubt that this age of the world is somewhat upon the ._ 

 descent of the wheel. With arts voluptuary I couple 

 practices joculary ; for the deceiving of the senses is one of 

 the pleasures of the senses. As for games of recreation, I 

 hold them to belong to civil life and education. And thus 

 much of that particular Human Philosophy which concerns 

 the Body, which is but the tabernacle of the mind. 



For Human Knowledge which concerns the Mind, it 

 hath two parts ; the one that enquireth of the substance or 

 nature of the soul or mind, the other that enquireth of the 

 faculties or functions thereof. Unto the first of these, the 

 considerations of the original of the soul, whether it be 

 native or adventive, and how far it is exempted from laws 

 of matter, and of the immortality thereof, and many other 

 points, do appertain : which have been not more laboriously 

 enquired than variously reported ; so as the travail therein 

 taken seemeth to have been rather in a maze than in a 

 way. But although I am of opinion that this knowledge 

 may be more really and soundly enquired, even in nature, 

 than it hath been ; yet I hold that in the end it must be ^ 

 bounded by religion, or else it will be subject to deceit and 

 delusion ; for as the substance of the soul in the creation 

 was not extracted out of the mass of heaven and earth by 

 the benediction of a producat, but was immediately inspired 

 from God ; so it is not possible that it should be (otherwise 

 than by accident) subject to the laws of heaven and earth, 

 which are the subject of philosophy; and therefore the 

 true knowledge of the nature and state of the soul, must 



