1 .j ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 139 



so noble, which carricth riches and commodities from place to place, 

 and consociatcth the most remote regions in participation of their 

 fruits ; how much more are letters to be magnified, which, as ships, 

 pass through the vast seas of time, and make ages so distant to par 

 ticipate of the wisdom, illuminations, and inventions, the one of the 

 other? Nay farther, we sec, some of the philosophers which were 

 least divine, and most immersed in the senses, and denied generally 

 the immortality of the soul ; yet came to this point, that whatsoever 

 motions the spirit of man could act and perform without the organg 

 of the body, they thought might remain after death, which were only 

 those of the understanding, and not of the affections ; so immortal and 

 incorruptible a thing did knowledge seem unto them to be. But we, 

 that know by divine revelation, that not only the understanding, but 

 the affections purified ; not only the spirit, but the body changed, shall 

 be advanced to immortality, do disclaim in these rudiments of the 

 senses. But it must be remembered both in this last point, and so it 

 may likewise be needful in other places, that in probation of the 

 dignity of knowledge or learning, I did in the beginning separate 

 divine testimony from human, which method I have pursued, and so 

 handled them both apart. 



Nevertheless I do not pretend, and I know it will be impossible for 

 me, by any pleading of mine, to reverse the judgment, either of yEsop s 

 cock, that preferred the barley-corn before the gem ; or of Midas, that 

 being chosen judge between Apollo, president of the muses, and Pan, 

 god of the flocks, judged for plenty ; or of Paris, that judged for beauty 

 and love, against wisdom and power ; or of Agrippina, &quot; Occidat ma- 

 trem, modo imperet,&quot; that preferred empire with any condition never 

 so detestable ; or of Ulysses, &quot;qui vctulam pnctulit immortalitati,&quot; 

 being a figure of those which prefer custom and habit before all excel 

 lency ; or of a number of the like popular judgments. For these things 

 must continue as they have been ; but so will that also continue, 

 whereupon learning hath ever relied, and which faileth not : &quot; Justi- 

 ficatn cst Sapicntia a filiis suis.&quot; 



BOOK II. 



IT might seem to have more convenience, though it come often 

 otherwise to pass, excellent king, that those, which arc fruitful in their 

 generations, and have in themselves the foresight of immortality in 

 their descendants, should likewise be more careful of the good estate of 

 future times, unto which, they know, they must transmit and commend 

 their dearest pledges. Queen Elizabeth was a sojourncr in the 

 world, in respect of her unmarried life, and was a blessing to her own 

 times ; and yet so as the impression of her good government, besides 

 her happy memory, is not without some effect which doth survive her. 

 fcut to your majesty, whom God hath already blessed with so much 



