128 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARX1XG. [Book 



people and estates be happy, when either kings were philosophers, or 

 philosophers kings ;&quot; yet so much is verified by experience, that under 

 wise and learned princes and governors there have been ever the best 

 times : for howsoever kings may have their imperfections in their 

 passions and customs ; yet if they be illuminate by learning, they have 

 those notions of religion, policy, and morality, which do preserve them; 

 and refrain them from all ruinous and peremptory errors and excesses, 

 whispering evermore in their ears, when counsellors and servants stand 

 mute and silent. And senators, or counsellors likewise, which be 

 learned, do proceed upon more safe and substantial principles, than 

 counsellors which are only men of experience ; the one sort keeping 

 dangers afar off, whereas the other them discover not till they come near 

 hand, and then trust to the agility of their wit to ward or avoid them. 



Which felicity of times under learned princes, to keep still the law 

 of brevity, by using the most eminent and selected examples, doth best 

 appear in the age which passed from the death of Domitianus the 

 emperor, until the reign of Commodus ; comprehending a succession 

 of six princes, all learned, or singular favourers and advancers of 

 learning ; which age, for temporal respects, was the most happy and 

 flourishing that ever the Roman empire, which then was a model of 

 the world, enjoyed ; a matter revealed and prefigured unto Domitian 

 in a dream the night before he was slain ; for he thought there was 

 grown behind upon his shoulders a neck and a head of gold ; which 

 came accordingly to pass in those golden times which succeeded ; of 

 which princes we will make some commemoration : wherein although 

 the matter will be vulgar, and may be thought fitter for a declamation, 

 than agreeable to a treatise enfolded as this is ; yet because it is perti 

 nent to the point in hand, &quot; neque semper arcum tendit Apollo,&quot; and 

 to name them only were too naked and cursory, I will not omit it 

 altogether. 



The first was Nerva, the excellent temper of whose government, is 

 by a glance in Cornelius Tacitus touched to the life : &quot; Postquam divus 

 Nerva res olim insociabiles miscuisset, imperium ct libertatem.&quot; And 

 in token of his learning, the last act of his short reign, left to memory, 

 was a missive to his adopted son Trajan, proceeding upon some 

 inward discontent at the ingratitude of the times, comprehended in a 

 verse of Homer s. 



Tells, Phoebe, tuis lacrymas ulcisccre nostros. 



Trajan, who succeeded, was for his person not learned : but if we 

 will hearken to the speech of our Saviour, that saith, &quot;He that 

 receivcth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall have a prophet s 

 reward,&quot; he deserveth to be placed amongst the most learned princes ; 

 for there was not a greater admirer of learning, or benefactor of 

 learning ; a founder of famous libraries, a perpetual advancer of 

 learned men to office, and a familiar converser with learned professors 

 and preceptors, who were noted to have then most credit in court. On 

 the other side, how much Trajan s virtue and government was 

 admired and renowned, surely no testimony of grave and faithful 



