I.J ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 1 19 



and the like, were grossly managed at the first, and by time accom 

 modated and refined : but contrariwise the philosophies and sciences 

 of Aristotle, Plato, Democritus, Hippocrates, Kuclidcs, Archimedes, of 

 most vigour at the first, and by time degenerate and cmbascd ; 

 whereof the reason is no other, but that in the former many wits and 

 industries have contributed in one ; and in the latter, many wits and 

 industries have been spent about the wit of some one, whom many 

 limes they have rather depraved than illustrated. For as water will 

 not ascend higher than the level of the first spring-head from whence. 

 it desccndethjso knowledge derived from Aristotle, and exempted from 

 liberty of examination, will not rise again higher than the knowledge 

 of Aristotle. And therefore, although the position be good, &quot; Oportct 

 discentem credere ; &quot; yet it must be coupled with this, &quot; Oportct 

 eductum judicarc : &quot; for disciples do owe unto masters only a tempo 

 rary belief, and a suspension of their own judgment till they be fully 

 instructed, and not an absolute resignation, or perpetual captivity : 

 and, therefore, to conclude this point, I will say no more ; but so let 

 great authors have their due, as time, which is the author of authors, 

 be not deprived of his due, which is, farther and farther to discover 

 truth. Thus I have gone over these three diseases of learning ; 

 besides the which, there are some other rather peccant humours than 

 formed diseases, which nevertheless are not so secret and intrinsic, 

 but that they fall under a popular observation and Inducement, and 

 therefore arc not to be passed over. 



The first of these is the extreme affecting of two extremities : the 

 one antiquity, the other novelty ; wherein it scemeth the children of 

 time do take after the nature and malice of the father. For as he 

 devourcth his children, so one of them scckcth to devour and suppress 

 the other, while antiquity envieth there should be new additions, and 

 novelty cannot be content to add, but it must deface ; surely, the 

 advice of the prophet is the true direction in this matter, &quot; State super 

 vias antiqnas, ct vidcte quajnam sit via recta et bona, et ambulate in 

 ea.&quot; Antiquity dcserveth that reverence, that men should make a 

 stand thereupon, and discover what is the best way ; but when the 

 discovery is well taken, then to make progression. And to speak 

 truly, &quot;Antiquitas scculi, juventus muncli.&quot; These times arc the 

 ancient times, when the world is ancient, and not those which we 

 account ancient ordinc rctrogrado, by a computation backward 

 from ourselves. 



Another error, induced by the former, is a distrust that anything 

 should be now to be found out, which the world should have missed 

 and passed over so long time ; as if the same objection were to be 

 made to time, that Lucian makcth to Jupiter and other the heathen 

 gods, of which he wondercth, that they begot so many children 

 in old time, and begot none in his time ; and askcth, whether 

 they were become septuagenary, or whether the law Papia, made 

 against old men s marriages, had restrained them. So it scemeth men 

 doubt, lest time is become past children and generation ; wherein, 

 contrariwise, we see commonly the levity and uncoiibtancy of men s 



