A D VANCE ME NT OF LEA RNING. 



lent a patroness ; the convenient estate of wealth and means, both of 

 ciown and subject ; the habit of obedience, and the moderation of 

 discontents ; and there be considered, on the other side, the differ 

 ences of religion, the troubles of neighbour countries, the ambition of 

 Spain, and opposition of Rome : and then, that she was solitary, and 

 of herself: these things, I say, considered ; as I could not have chosen 

 an instance so recent and so proper, so, I suppose, I could not have 

 chosen one more remarkable, or eminent, to the purpose now in hand, 

 which is concerning the conjunction of learning in the prince, with 

 felicity in the people. 



Neither hath learning an influence and operation only upon civil 

 merit and moral virtue, and the arts or temperature of peace and 

 peaceable government ; but likewise it hath no less power and efficacy 

 m cnablement towards martial and military virtue and prowess ; as 

 may be notably represented in the examples of Alexander the great, 

 and Crrsar the dictator, mentioned before, but now in fit place to be 

 resumed ; of whose virtues and acts in war there needs no note or 

 recital, having been the wonders of time in that kind : but of their affec 

 tions towards learning, and perfections in learning, it is pertinent to 

 say somewhat. 



Alexander was bred and taught under Aristotle the great philoso 

 pher, who dedicated divers of his books of philosophy unto him : he 

 was attended by Callisthenes, and divers other learned persons, that 

 followed him in camp, throughout his journeys and conquests. What 

 price and estimation he had learning in, doth notably appear in these 

 three particulars : first, in the envy he used to express that he bore 

 towards Achilles, in this, that he had so good a trumpet of his praises 

 as Homer s versus: secondly, in the judgment or solution he gave 

 touching that precious cabinet of Darius, which was found amongst 

 his jewels, whereof question was made as to what thing was worthy to 

 be put into it, and he gave his opinion for Homers works : thirdly, in 

 his letter to Aristotle, after he had set forth his books of nature, wherein 

 he expostulatcth with him for publishing the secrets or mysteries of 

 philosophy, and gave him to understand that himself esteemed it more 

 to excel other men in learning and knowledge, than in power and 

 empire. And what use he had of learning doth appear, or rather 

 shine, in all his speeches and answers, being full of science and use of 

 science, and that in all variety. 



And here again it may seem a thing scholastical,and somewhat idle, 

 to recite things that every man knowcth ; but yet, since the argument 

 I handle Icadeth me thereunto, I am glad that men shall perceive I 

 am as willing to flatter, if they will so call it, an Alexander, or a Caesar, 

 or an Antoninus, that are dead many hundred years since, as any that 

 now livcth : for it is the displaying of the glory of learning in sover 

 eignty that I propound to myself, and not an humour of declaiming 

 any man s praises. Observe then the speech he used of Diogenes, and 

 see if it tend not to the true estate of one of the greatest questions of 

 moral philosophy ; whether the enjoying of outward things, or the con 

 temning of them, be the greatest happiness : for when he saw Diogenes 



