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the advancement of learning-第15部分
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ther of intermixtures of premeditation and invention; notes and memory; so as the exercise fitteth not the practice; nor the image the life; and it is ever a true rule in exercises; that they be framed as near as may be to the life of practice; for otherwise they do pervert the motions and faculties of the mind; and not prepare them。 The truth whereof is not obscure; when scholars come to the practices of professions; or other actions of civil life; which when they set into; this want is soon found by themselves; and sooner by others。 But this part; touching the amendment of the institutions and orders of Universities; I will conclude with the clause of Caesar's letter to Oppius and Balbus; HOC QMEMADMODUM FIERI POSSIT; NONNULLA MIHI IN MENTEM VENIUNT; ET MULTA REPERIRI POSSUNT; DE IIS REBUS ROGO VOS UT COGITATIONEM SUSCIPIATIS。
13。 Another defect which I note; ascendeth a little higher than the precedent: for as the proficience of learning consisteth much in the orders and institutions of Universities in the same states and kingdoms; so it would be yet more advanced; if there were more intelligence mutual between the Universities of Europe than now there is。 We see there may be many orders and foundations; which though they be divided under several sovereignties and territories; yet they take themselves to have a kind of contract; fraternity; and correspondence one with the other; insomuch as they have provincials and generals。 And surely; as nature createth brotherhood in families; and arts mechanical contract brotherhoods in commonalties; and the anointment of God superinduceth a brotherhood in kings and bishops; so in like manner there cannot but be a fraternity in learning and illumination; relating to that paternity which is attributed to God; who is called the Father of illuminations or lights。
14。 The last defect which I will note is; that there hath not been; or very rarely been; any public designation of writers or inquirers concerning such parts of knowledge as may appear not to have been already sufficiently laboured or undertaken; unto which point it is an inducement to enter into a view and examination what parts of learning have been prosecuted; and what omitted: for the opinion of plenty is among the causes of want; and the great quantity of books maketh a show rather of superfluity than lack; which surcharge; nevertheless; is not to be remedied by making no more books; but by making more good books; which; as the serpent of Moses; might devour the serpents of the enchanters。
15。 The removing of all the defects formerly enumerated; except the last; and of the active part also of the last (which is the designation of writers); are OPERA BASILICA; towards which the endeavours of a private man may be but as an image in a crossway; that may point at the way; but cannot go it: but the inducing part of the latter; which is the survey of learning; may be set forward by private travail。 Wherefore I will now attempt to make a general and faithful perambulation of learning; with an inquiry what parts thereof lie fresh and waste; and not improved and converted by the industry of man; to the end that such a plot made and recorded to memory; may both minister light to any public designation; and also serve to excite voluntary endeavours: wherein; nevertheless; my purpose is at this time to note only omissions and deficiencies; and not to make '25' any redargution of errors or incomplete prosecutions; for it is one thing to set forth what ground lieth unmanured; and another thing to correct ill husbandry in that which is manured。
In the handling and undertaking of which work I am not ignorant what it is that I do now move and attempt; nor insensible of mine own weakness to sustain my purpose; but my hope is; that if my extreme love to learning carry me too far; I may obtain the excuse of affection; for that IT IS NOT GRANTED TO MAN TO LOVE AND TO BE WISE。 But I know well I can use no other liberty of judgment than I must leave to others; and I for my part shall be indifferently glad either to perform myself; or accept from another; that duty of humanity; NAM QUI ERRANTI COMITER MONSTRAT VIAM; ETC。 I do foresee likewise that of those things which I shall enter and register as deficiencies and omissions; many will conceive and censure that some of them are already done and extant; others to be but curiosities; and things of no great use; and others to be of too great difficulty; and almost impossibility to be compassed and effected。 But for the two first; I refer myself to the particulars; for the last; touching impossibility; I take it those things are to be held possible which may be done by some person; though not by every one; and which may be done by many; though not by any one; and which may be done in the succession of ages; though not within the hour…glass of one man's life; and which may be done by public designation; though not by private endeavour。 '' But; notwithstanding; if any man will take to himself rather that of Salomon; DICIT PIGER; LEO EST IN VIA; than that of Virgil; POSSUNT QUIA POSSE VIDENTUR; I shall be content that my labours be esteemed but as the better sort of wishes: for as it asketh some knowledge to demand a question not impertinent; so it required some sense to make a wish not absurd。
I。 1。 THE parts of human learning have reference to the three parts of man's understanding; which is the seat of learning: history to his memory; poesy to his imagination; and philosophy to his reason。 Divine learning receiveth the same distribution; for the spirit of man is the same; though the revelation of oracle and sense be diverse: so as theology consisteth also of the history of the church; of parables; which is divine poesy; and of holy doctrine or precept: for as for that part which seemeth supernumerary; which is prophecy; it is but Divine History; which hath that prerogative over human; as the narration may be before the fact as well as after。
'Pp。 25…27:Tables: THE GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE。 MEMORY。 IMAGINATION。 REASON。'
'28' History is natural; civil; ecclesiastical; and literary; whereof the first three I allow as extant; the fourth I note as deficient。 For no man hath propounded to himself the general state of learning to be described and represented from age to age; as many have done the works of nature; and the state civil and ecclesiastical; without which the history of the world seemeth to me to be as the statua of Polyphemus with his eye out; that part being wanting which doth most show the spirit and life of the person: and yet I am not ignorant that in divers particular sciences; as of the jurisconsults; the mathematicians; the rhetoricians; the philosophers; there are set down some small memorials of the schools; authors; and books; and so likewise some barren relations touching the invention of arts or usages。
2。 But a just story of learning; containing the antiquities and originals of knowledges and their sects; their inventions; their traditions; their diverse administrations and managings; their flourishings; their oppositions; decays; depressions; oblivions; removes; with the causes and occasions of them; and all other events concerning learning; throughout the ages of the world; I may truly affirm to be wanting。 '' The use and end of which work I do not so much design for curiosity or satisfaction of those that are the lovers of learning; but chiefly for a more serious and grave purpose; which is this in few words; that it will make learned men wise in the use and administration of learning。 For it is not St。 Augustine's nor St。 Ambrose's works that will make so wise a divine; as ecclesiastical history; thoroughly read and observed; and the same reason is of learning。
3。 History of nature is of three sorts; of nature in course; of nature erring or varying; and of nature altered or wrought; that is; history of creatures; history of marvels; and history of arts。 '' The first of these; no doubt; is extant; and that in good perfection; the two latter are handled so weakly and unprofitably; as I am moved to note them as deficient。 '' For I find no sufficient or competent collection of the works of nature which have a digression and deflection from the ordinary course of generations; productions; and motions; whether they be singularities of place and region; or the strange events of time and chance; or the effects of yet unknown properties; or the instances of exception to general kinds。 It is true; I find a number of books of fabulous experiments and secrets; and frivolous impostures for pleasure and strangeness; but a substantial and severe collection of the heteroclites or irregulars of nature; well examined and described; I find not: especially not with due rejection of fables and popular errors: for as things now are; if an untruth in nature be once on foot; what by reason of the neglect of examination and countenance of antiquity; and what by reason of the use of the opinion in similitudes and ornaments of speech; it is never called down。
4。 The use of this work; honoured with a precedent in Aristotle; is nothing less than to give contentment to the appetite of curious and vain wits; as the manner of Mirabilaries is to do; but for two reasons; both of great weight; the one to correct the partiality of axioms and opinions; which are commonly framed only upon common and familiar examples; the other because from the wonders of nature is the nearest intelligence and passage towards the wonders of art: for it is no more but by following; and as it were hounding nature in her wanderings; to be able to lead her afterwards to the same place again。 '' Neither am I of opinion; in this history of marvels; that superstitious narrations of sorceries; witchcrafts; dreams; divinations; and the like; where there is an assurance and clear evidence of the fact; be altogether excluded。 For it is not yet known in what cases and how far effects attributed to superstition do participate of natural causes: and therefore howsoever the practice of such things is to be condemned; yet from the speculation and consideration of them light may be taken; not only for the discerning of the offences; but for the further disclosing of nature。 Neither ought a man to make scruple of entering
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