the advancement of learning-第3部分

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3。　And　for　matter　of　Policy　and　Government；　that　learning　should　rather　hurt；　than　enable　thereunto；　is　a　thing　very　improbable：　we　see　it　is　accounted　an　error　to　commit　a　natural　body　to　empiric　physicians；　which　commonly　have　a　few　pleasing　receipts　whereupon　they　are　confident　and　adventurous；　but　know　neither　the　causes　of　diseases；　nor　the　complexions　of　patients；　nor　peril　of　accidents；　nor　the　true　method　of　cures：　we　see　it　is　a　like　error　to　rely　upon　advocates　or　lawyers；　which　are　only　men　of　practice　and　not　grounded　in　their　books；　who　are　many　times　easily　surprised　when　matter　falleth　out　besides　their　experience；　to　the　prejudice　of　the　causes　they　handle：　so　by　like　reason　it　cannot　be　but　a　matter　of　doubtful　consequence　if　states　be　managed　by　empiric　Statesmen；　not　well　mingled　with　men　grounded　in　learning。　But　contrariwise；　it　is　almost　without　instance　contradictory　that　ever　any　government　was　disastrous　that　was　in　the　hands　of　learned　governors。　For　howsoever　it　hath　been　ordinary　with　politic　men　to　extenuate　and　disable　learned　men　by　the　names　of　PEDANTES；　yet　in　the　records　of　time　it　appeareth；　in　many　particulars；　that　the　governments　of　princes　in　minority　（notwithstanding　the　infinite　disadvantage　of　that　kind　of　state）　have　nevertheless　excelled　the　government　of　princes　of　mature　age；　even　for　that　reason　which　they　seek　to　traduce；　which　is；　that　by　that　occasion　the　state　hath　been　in　the　hands　of　PEDANTES；　for　so　was　the　state　of　Rome　for　the　first　five　years；　which　are　so　much　magnified；　during　the　minority　of　Nero；　in　the　hands　of　Seneca；　A　PEDANTI；　so　it　was　again；　for　ten　years'　space　or　more；　during　the　minority　of　Gordianus　the　younger；　with　great　applause　and　contentation　in　the　hands　of　Mistheus；　A　PEDANTI：　so　was　it　before　that；　in　the　minority　of　Alexander　Severus；　in　like　happiness；　in　hands　not　much　unlike；　by　reason　of　the　rule　of　the　women；　who　were　aided　by　the　teachers　and　preceptors。　Nay；　let　a　man　look　into　the　government　of　the　bishops　of　Rome；　＇5＇　as；　by　name；　into　the　government　of　Pius　Quintus；　and　Sextus　Quintus；　in　our　times；　who　were　both　at　their　entrance　esteemed　but　as　pedantical　　friars；　and　he　shall　find　that　such　popes　do　greater　things；　and　proceed　upon　truer　principles　of　estate；　than　those　which　have　ascended　to　the　papacy　from　an　education　and　breeding　in　affairs　of　estate　and　courts　of　princes；　for　although　men　bred　in　learning　are　perhaps　to　seek　in　points　of　convenience　and　accommodating　for　the　present；　which　the　Italians　call　RAGIONI　DI　STATO；　whereof　the　same　Pius　Quintus　could　not　hear　spoken　with　patience；　terming　them　inventions　against　religion　and　the　moral　virtues；　yet　on　the　other　side；　to　recompense　that；　they　are　perfect　in　those　same　plain　grounds　of　religion；　justice；　honour；　and　moral　virtue；　which　if　they　be　well　and　watchfully　pursued；　there　will　be　seldom　use　of　those　other；　no　more　than　of　physic　in　a　sound　or　well　dieted　body。　Neither　can　the　experience　of　one　man's　life　furnish　examples　and　precedents　for　the　events　of　one　man's　life：　for；　as　it　happeneth　sometimes　that　the　grandchild；　or　other　descendants；　resembleth　the　ancestor　more　than　the　son；　so　many　times　occurrences　of　present　times　may　sort　better　with　ancient　examples　than　with　those　of　the　latter　or　immediate　times；　and　lastly；　the　wit　of　one　man　can　no　more　countervail　learning　than　one　man's　means　can　hold　way　with　a　common　purse。

4。　And　as　for　those　particular　seducements；　or　indispositions　of　the　mind　for　policy　and　government；　which　Learning　is　pretended　to　insinuate；　if　it　be　granted　that　any　such　thing　be；　it　must　be　remembered　withal；　that　Learning　ministereth　in　every　of　them　greater　strength　of　medicine　or　remedy　than　it　offereth　cause　of　indisposition　or　infirmity。　For　if　by　a　secret　operation　it　make　men　perplexed　and　irresolute；　on　the　other　side　by　plain　precept　it　teacheth　them　when　and　upon　what　ground　to　resolve；　yea；　and　how　to　carry　things　in　suspense　without　prejudice；　till　they　resolve；　if　it　make　men　positive　and　regular；　it　teacheth　them　what　things　are　in　their　nature　demonstrative；　and　what　are　conjectural；　and　as　well　the　use　of　distinctions　and　exceptions；　as　the　latitude　of　principles　and　rules。　If　it　mislead　by　disproportion　or　dissimilitude　of　examples；　it　teacheth　men　the　force　of　circumstances；　the　errors　of　comparisons；　and　all　the　cautions　of　application；　so　that　in　all　these　it　doth　rectify　more　effectually　than　it　can　pervert。　And　these　medicines　it　conveyeth　into　men's　minds　much　more　forcibly　by　the　quickness　and　penetration　of　examples。　For　let　a　man　look　into　the　errors　of　Clement　the　seventh；　so　lively　described　by　Guicciardine；　who　served　under　him；　or　into　the　errors　of　Cicero；　painted　out　by　his　own　pencil　in　his　Epistles　to　Atticus；　and　he　will　fly　apace　from　being　irresolute。　Let　him　look　into　the　errors　of　Phocion；　and　he　will　beware　how　he　be　obstinate　or　inflexible。　Let　him　but　read　the　fable　of　Ixion；　and　it　will　hold　him　from　being　vaporous　or　imaginative。　Let　him　look　into　the　errors　of　Cato　the　second；　and　he　will　never　be　one　of　the　ANTIPODES；　to　tread　opposite　to　the　present　world。

5。　And　for　the　conceit　that　Learning　should　dispose　men　to　leisure　and　privateness；　and　make　men　slothful；　it　were　a　strange　thing　if　that　which　accustometh　the　mind　to　a　perpetual　motion　and　agitation　should　induce　slothfulness：　whereas　contrariwise　it　may　be　truly　affirmed；　that　no　kind　of　men　love　business　for　itself　but　those　that　are　learned：　for　other　persons　love　it　for　profit；　as　a　hireling；　that　loves　the　work　for　the　wages；　or　for　honour；　as　because　it　beareth　them　up　in　the　eyes　of　men；　and　refresheth　their　reputation；　which　otherwise　would　wear；　or　because　it　putteth　them　in　mind　of　their　fortune；　and　giveth　them　occasion　to　pleasure　and　displeasure；　or　because　it　exerciseth　some　faculty　wherein　they　take　pride；　and　so　entertaineth　them　in　good　humour　and　pleasing　conceits　towards　themselves；　or　because　it　advanceth　any　other　their　ends。　So　that；　as　it　is　said　of　untrue　valours；　that　some　men's　valours　are　in　the　eyes　of　them　that　look　on；　so　such　men's　industries　are　in　the　eyes　of　others；　or　at　least　in　regard　of　their　own　designments：　only　learned　men　love　business　as　an　action　according　to　nature；　as　agreeable　to　health　of　mind　as　exercise　is　to　health　of　body；　taking　pleasure　in　the　action　itself；　and　not　in　the　purchase：　for　that　of　all　men　they　are　the　most　indefatigable；　if　it　be　towards　any　business　which　can　hold　or　detain　their　mind。

6。　And　if　any　man　be　laborious　in　reading　and　study　and　yet　idle　in　business　and　action；　it　groweth　from　some　weakness　of　body　or　softness　of　spirit；　such　as　Seneca　speaketh　of：　QUIDAM　TAM　SUNT　UMBRATILES；　UT　PUTENT　IN　TURBIDO　ESSE　QUICQUID　IN　LUCE　EST；　and　not　of　Learning：　well　may　it　be　that　such　a　point　of　a　man's　nature　may　make　him　give　himself　to　Learning；　but　it　is　not　learning　that　breedeth　any　such　point　in　his　nature。

7。　And　that　Learning　should　take　up　too　much　time　or　leisure；　I　answer；　the　most　active　or　busy　man　that　hath　been　or　can　be；　hath；　no　question；　many　vacant　times　of　leisure；　while　he　expecteth　the　times　and　returns　of　business　（except　he　be　either　tedious　and　of　no　dispatch；　or　lightly　and　unworthily　ambitious　to　meddle　in　things　that　may　be　better　done　by　others：）　and　then　the　question　is；　but　how　these　spaces　and　times　of　leisure　shall　be　filled　and　spent；　whether　in　pleasures　or　in　studies；　as　was　well　answered　by　Demosthenes　to　his　adversary　Aeschines；　that　was　a　man　given　to　pleasure；　and　told　him；　THAT　HIS　ORATIONS　DID　SMELL　OF　THE　LAMP：　INDEED　（said　Demosthenes）　THERE　IS　A　GREAT　DIFFERENCE　BETWEEN　THE　THINGS　THAT　YOU　AND　I　DO　BY　LAMPLIGHT。　So　as　no　man　need　doubt　that　learning　will　expulse　business；　but　rather　it　will　keep　and　defend　the　possession　of　the　mind　against　idleness　and　pleasure；　which　otherwise　at　unawares　may　enter　to　the　prejudice　of　both。

8。　Again；　for　that　other　conceit　that　Learning　should　undermine　the　reverence　of　laws　and　government；　it　is　assuredly　a　mere　depravation　and　calumny；　without　all　shadow　of　truth。　For　to　say　that　a　blind　custom　of　obedience　should　be　a　surer　obligation　than　duty　taught　and　understood；　it　is　to　affirm；　that　a　blind　man　may　tread　surer　by　a　guide　than　a　seeing　man　can　by　a　light。　And　it　is　without　all　controversy；　that　learning　doth　make　the　minds　of　men　＇6＇　gentle；　generous；　maniable；　and　pliant　to　government；　whereas　ignorance　makes　them　churlish；　thwart；　and　mutinous：　and　the　evidence　of　time　doth　clear　this　assertion；　considering　that　the　most　barbarous；　rude；　and　unlearned　times　have　been　most　subject　to　tumults；　seditions；　and　changes。

9。　And　as　to　the　judgment　of　Cato　the　Censor；　he　was　well　punished　for　his　blasphemy　against　Learning；　in　the　same　kind　wherein　he　offended；　for　when　he　was　past　threescore　years　old；　he　was　taken　with　an　extreme　desire　to　go　to　school　again；　and　to　learn　the　Greek　tongue；　to　the　end　to　peruse　the　Greek　authors；　which　doth　well　demonstrate　that　his　former　censure　of　the　Grecian　learning　was　rather　an　affected　gravity；　than　according　to　the　inward　sense　of　his　own　opinion。　And　as　for　Virgil's　verses；　though　it　pleased　him　to　brave　the　world　in　taking　to　the　Romans　the　art　of　empire；　and　leaving　to　others　the　art　of　subjects；　yet　so　much　is　manifest　that　the　Romans　never　ascended　to　that　height　of　empire；　till　the　time　they　had　ascended　to　the　height　of　other　arts。　For　in　the　time　of　the　two　first　Caesars；　which　had　the　art　of　government　in　greatest　perfection；　there　lived　the　best　poet；　Virgilius　Maro；　the　best　historiographer；　Titus　Livius；　the　best　antiquary；　Marcus　Varro；　and　the　best；　or　second　orator；　Marcus　Cicero；　that　to　the　memory　of　man　are　known。　As　for　the　accusation　of　Socrates；　the　time　must　be　remembered　when　it　was　prosecuted；　which　was　under　the　Thirty　Tyrants；　the　most　base；　bloody；　and　envious　persons　that　have　governed；　which　revolution　of　state　was　no　sooner　over；　but　Socrates；　whom　they　had　made　a　person　criminal；　was　made　a　person　heroical；　and　his　memory　accumulate　with　honours　divine　and　human；　and　those　discourses　of　his　which　were　then　termed　corrupting　of　manners；　were　after　acknowledged　for　sovereign　medicines　of　the　mind　and　manners；　and