A ril/L A L IM ROD UC TIOX. 



feeling, and aspiration. So also Bacon was not in advance of his 

 times in his attitude towards heretics. In his views on the div. ne 

 right and even divinity of kings, Bacon outdoes almost every one. 

 &quot; A king is a mortal god on earth,&quot; he begins ; and concludes, 

 &quot; He then that honourcth him not is next an atheist, wanting the 

 fear of (Jod in his heart/ 



Each reader for himself must appropriate the value of these 

 Kssays. Their excellences need no pointing out. Those who 

 think to read a dozen at a sitting will find it quite sufficient exer 

 cise of their thoughts to consider only one or two. 



No translations of the frequent Ixitin quotations are here given ; 

 in most cases the essence of them is given in the sentence pre 

 ceding or following them. 



The &quot;Advancement of Learning&quot; stands in the front rank 

 among books of suggestion, books which stimulate thought, books 

 which educate. The masterly defence of true learning and of its 

 advancement and propagation in Book I. destroyed many ill- 

 founded objections. How happy a thing it would be for manv 

 men of science if they could, as Bacon recommends, give up 

 making imre knowledge the be-all and end-all of life ! How 

 fortunate we should all be if we could use our knowledge to give 

 ourselves repose and contentment and not distaste or repining ! 

 Hut Bacon sets no limits to our search into God s works, and he 

 recommends every one to take up some study ; all men, he savs, 

 have leisure for some learning. In pointing out abuses of learn 

 ing, Bacon discusses things still applicable. We have not yet lost 

 sight of vain and contentious learning, the multiplication of new 

 and difficult terms, the bowing down to certain authors as 

 dictators. 



Bacon s panegyric on the dignity of knowledge is scarcely 

 unproved by his reference to Adam s learning in the garden of 

 Kden, or his running catalogue of celebrated men or potentates 

 who acquired or favoured learning. 



The Second Book grapples with the main question-How 

 &amp;gt;mg is to be advanced. The foundation of colleges endow 

 ment of professors chairs, which ought to be well paid the 

 wmcnt of research which cannot be adequately carried on by 



