1 1.] AD VANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 14 1 



Principle sedes apibus statioque petenda, 

 Quo ncque sit ventis aditus, etc. 



The works touching books are two ; first, libraries, which are as 

 the shrines where all the relicks of the ancient saints, full of true virtue, 

 and that without delusion or imposture, are preserved and reposed : 

 secondly, new editions of authors, with more correct impressions, more 

 faithful translations, more profitable glosses, more diligent annotations, 

 and the like. 



The works pertaining to the persons of learned men, besides the 

 advancement and countenancing of them., in general, are two : the 

 reward and designation of readers in sciences already extant and 

 invented ; and the reward and designation of writers and inquirers 

 concerning any parts of learning not sufficiently laboured and pro 

 secuted. 



These are summarily the works and acts, wherein the merits of 

 many excellent princes and other worthy personages have been con 

 versant. As for any particular commemorations, I call to mind what 

 Cicero said, when he gave the general thanks : &quot; Difficile non aliquem, 

 ingratum quenquam praeterire.&quot; Let us rather, according to the Scrip 

 tures, look unto the part of the race which is before us, than look back 

 to that which is already attained. 



First therefore, amongst so many great foundations of colleges in 

 Europe, I find strange that they are all dedicated to professions, and 

 none left free to arts and sciences at large. For if men judge that 

 learning should be referred to action, they judge well ; but in this they 

 f?.ll into the error described in the ancient fable, in which the other 

 parts of the body did suppose the stomach had been idle, because it 

 neither performed the office of motion, as the limbs do, nor of sense, 

 as the head doth ; but yet, notwithstanding, it is the stomach that 

 digesteth and distributcth to all the rest : so if any man think philo- 

 sophy and universality to be idle studies, he doth not consider that all 

 professions are from thence served and supplied. And this I take to 

 be a great cause that hath hindered the progression of learning, because 

 these fundamental knowledges have been studied but in passage. For 

 if you will have a tree bear more fruit than it hath used to do, it is not 

 anything you can do to the boughs, but it is the stirring of the earth, 

 and putting new mould about the roots, that must work it. Neither 

 is it to be forgotten, that this dedicating of foundations and dotations 

 to profcssory learning, hath not only had a malign aspect and influence 

 upon the growth of sciences, but hath also been prejudicial to states 

 and governments. For hence it procccdeth that princes find a soli 

 tude in regard of able men to serve them in causes of estate, because 

 there is no education collegiate which is free, where such as were so 

 disposed might give themselves to histories, modern languages, books 

 of policy and civil discourse, and other the like cnablcments unto scr- 

 v .-.c of state. 



And because founders of colleges do plant, and founders of lectures 

 cio water, it followeth well in order, to speak of the defect which is in 

 public lectures ; namely, in the smallness and meanness of the salary 



