Of the advancement and proficience of learning; or, The partitions of sciences· Nine books. Written in Latin by the most eminent, illustrious, and famous Lord Francis Bacon Baron of Verulam, Vicount St. Alban, Councellor of Estate, and Lord Chancellor of England. Interpreted by Gilbert Watts.

CAP. IV. I. Two Generall Appendices of the Art of Delivery, Art Criticall. II. And Pedanticall.

THere remaines two Appendices in generall, touching the Tradition of knowledge; the one Criticall; the other Pedanticall. For as the principall part of Tradition of Knowledge consisteth in writing of books; so the relative part thereof consists in reading of Books: but reading is go∣verned and directed, either by the help of Preceptors and Tutors; or perfited by every mans particular and proper en∣deavour and industry: and to this purpose conduce those two knowledges whereof we have spoken. To the Criticall part appertaines; first, an emaculate correction and amended edi∣tion of approved Auctors; Whereby both the honour of Au∣ctors themselves is vindicated, and a light given to the stu∣dious Readers. Wherein neverthelesse, the rash diligence of some writers hath done great prejudice to studies. For it

is the manner of many Critiques, when they fall upon a passage which they doe not understand, presently to pre∣sume a fault in the copy. As in that place in Tacitus, when a certain Colony in the open Senate, claimed the priviledge of an Asylum, Tacitus reports that the reasons they preferr'd were not much favour'd by the Emperour and the Lords of the Senate; wherefore the Embassadors mistrusting the issue of the businesse, gave a round summe of mony to Titus Vinius, that he would mediate their cause, and take upon him the protection of their liberties; by this means their pe∣tition was heard and granted; Tum dignitas & antiquitas Co∣loniae valuit saith Tacitus, as if the arguments that seemed light before, were now made waighty, through bribes, and corruption. But one of the Critiques, a man of no obscure note, hath expunged the word Tum, and in stead thereof, put in Tantum. And by this perverse custome of Critiques, it comes to passe (as one wisely noteth) that the most corrected copies, are commonly the least correct. Nay (to speak truth) un∣lesse the Critiques be well skill'd in the knowledges, hand∣led in the Books which they set forth, their diligence is with perill, and prejudice. Secondly there appertaines to the Critique Art, the Exposition; and Explication of Auctors, by com∣mentaries, Scholies, Notes, Spicilegies, and the like. In labours of this kind, that worst disease of Critiques hath ceas'd on many; that they blanch and wave many obscurer passages; and such as are plaine and perspicuous, those they dwell and expatiate upon, even to a fastidious tediousnesse; and it is not so much intended, that the Auctor may be illumina∣ted, as that the Critique may take occasion hereby to glorify himselfe, in his multiplicious and various learning. It could be especially wished (although this point belongs to Tradi∣tion in chiefe, and not to Appendices) that the writer which handles obscure and noble Arguments, should an∣nexe his own explications; that neither the text it selfe may be broken off, by Digressions and Explications; and that the Annotations may not depart from the mind and intention of the writer. Some such thing we conceive of Theon upon

Euclid. Thirdly it belongs to Critique Art (from whence it derives the name) to interpose a briefe censure and judgement of the Auctors which they publish, and to compare and valew them with other Auctors upon the same subject: That by such a cen∣sure the Learned and studious, may be both advertis'd of the choice of Books; and come better provided to the per∣useing of them. This last duty is, as it were, the Chaire of the Critiques, which many great and famous men in our age have ennobled; greater surely in our judgement, than for the model of Critiques.

II. For Pedanticall knowledge, it were soon said, consult the Schooles of the Iesuites, for there is nothing for the use and practice better then their Precepts: but we will according to our manner, as it were, gleaning a few eares, give some few advertisements. We doe by all means approve a Collegiat edu∣cation and Institution of Childhood and Youth; not in private houses, nor only under Schoolemasters. There is in Col∣ledges a greater emulation of Youth towards their equalls; besides, there is the sight and countenance of Grave men, which seems to command modesty; and fashions and moulds tender minds, even from their first growth to the same Patterne: in some there are many other utilities of Col∣legiat Education.

§ For the order and manner of Discipline, this I would principally advise; that Youth beware of compends and abridge∣ments, and too forward maturation of knowledge, which maks men bold and confident; and rather wants great proceeding, than caus∣eth it.

§ Further there is an indulgence to be given to the liberty and vent of nature in particulars; as if there be any which per∣formes such taskes as the discipline of the place requires; and yet withall steales some howers to bestow on other studies, to which he hath a naturall propensity; such a dis∣position by no means should be checkt or restrain'd.

§ Againe, it will be worth the paines diligently to ob∣serve (which perchance hetherto hath not bin noted) that there are two waies, and they as it were, reflexively oppo∣site

of training up of wits, and of exercising and preparing them. The one begins with the more easy precepts, and by de∣grees leads us to the more difficult; the other at first commands and presseth more difficult practises, which when they are con∣quered, the other sweetly yeeld and are won with ease. For it is one Method to practise swimming by bladders which lift up, and an other Method to practise dauncing with hea∣vy shooes, which presse down the Body; and it is not easy to expresse, how much a wise intermixtion of these Me∣thods, conduceth to the advanceing of the faculties, both of Mind and of the Body.

§ So the Application and Election of studies according to the propriety of wits, which are instructed, is a matter of singular use and judgement; a true and perfit discovery whereof, Schoolema∣sters and Tutors owe to the Parents of Children, from whom they may expect such informations, that so they may the better advise upon the particular course of life, unto which they would designe, and dedicate their sonnes. But this also is to be exactly obser∣ved, that not only exceeding great progression may be made in those studies, to which a man is swayed by a naturall proclivity; but also that there may be found, in studies pro∣perly selected for that purpose, cures and remedies to pro∣mote such kind of knowledge, to the impressions whereof, a man may, by some imperfection of nature, be most unapt and insufficient. As for example, if a man be Bird-witted, that is, quickly carried away, and hath not the patient facul∣ty of attention; the Mathematiques gives a remedy thereunto, wherein, if the wit be caught away but for a moment, the demonstration is new to beginne.

§ So of exercises in course of teaching, there is matter of great consequence: but there is a point here that hath bin noted of few, that there should be of exercises, not only a wise institution, but also a wise intermission. It hath bin excellently observed by Cicero, That in exercises it often falls out, that men practise as well their faults, as their faculties; so that an ill habit is some∣times gotten, and insinuates it selfe togither with a Good; wherefore it is a safer way to break off exercises, and after

to fall to them againe, than incessantly to pursue and presse them. But of these enough. Certainly these things at first view seem no such solemne and grave matters, yet are they in the issue found efficacious and usefull. For as in Plants, the wronging or cherishing of them while they are Young is that, that is most important to their thriving or miscarry∣ing▪ or as the immense greatnesse of the state of Rome, is by some deservedly attributed to the virtue and wisdome of those sixe Kings, which were as Tutors and Foster-fathers of that state in the Infancy thereof: so surely the culture and manurance of minds in young and tender years, hath such a forcible operation (though unseen and not obvious to every mans observation) which neither length of time, or assidui∣ty and contention of Labour in riper age afterwards, can a∣ny way countervaile. And it is not amisse to observe how small and mean faculties, if they fall into Great men, or up∣on Great matters, doe sometimes work Great and impor∣tant effects. Hereof we will set downe a memorable example, which we the rather note, because the Jesuites them∣selves seem not to despise this kind of Discipline; in our o∣pinion upon sound judgement, and it is a matter, which if it be made professory, is ignominious, if disciplinary, one of the best qualities: We mean Action upon the stage; as that which strengthens memory, moderates the tone and emphasis of voice, and Pronunciation; composes the countenance and gesture to a Decorum, procures good assurance, and likewise inureth Youth to the faces of Men. The example shall be taken out of Tacitus, of one Vibulenus, who had bin sometimes an Actor upon the stage, but at that time a common souldier in the Panno∣nian Garrisons. This fellow upon the death of Augustus had rais'd a mutiny, so that Blaesus the Livetenant, commit∣ted some of the mutiners to Prison; but the souldiers by vio∣lent impression brake open the Prisons, and set them at li∣berty; & Ʋibulenus about to make a Tribunitiall speech be∣fore the Souldiers, began in this manner,* 1.1

You have gi∣ven light and life, to these poore innocent wretches; but who restores my brother to me, or life unto my brother,

that was sent hether in message from the Legions of Ger∣many, to treate of the common cause, and he hath mur∣thered him this last night by some of his Fencers, that he hath about him for his executioners upon souldiers. An∣swer Blaesus, where hast thou thrown his body? the most mortall enimies, doe not deny buriall: when I have per∣formed my last duties unto the corpes with kisses, with tears, command me to be slaine besides him; so that these my fellowes for our good meaning, and our true hearts to the Legions, may have leave to bury us.

With which speech, he put the Army into such an infinite fury and a∣maze, that if it had not incontinently appeard, that there was no such matter, and that he never had any brother; the Souldiers would hardly have spared the Lievetenants life; for he played it merely, as if it had bin some interlude upon the Stage.

§ Now we are come to a period of our Treatise con∣cerning Rationall knowledges; wherein if we have sometimes departed from the receiv'd partitions, yet let no man think that we disallow all those Partitions which we have not u∣sed: for there is a double necessity imposed upon us, of al∣tering the Divisions; The one because these two, namely to sort togither those things which are next in nature, and to cast into one Pile those things which are next in use; are in their end and pur∣pose altogiter differing. For example; A Secretary of a Prince or of Estate, so digests his Papers, without doubt, in his stu∣dy, as he may sort togither things of like nature, as Treaties apart, Instructions apart, Forraine letters, Domestique let∣ters, all apart by themselves; on the contrary in some parti∣cular Cabinet, he sorts togither those that he were like to use togither, though of severall nature: so in this generall Cabinet of knowledge, we were to set downe Partitions ac∣cording to the nature of things themselves; whereas if any particular science were to be handled, we should have re∣spected the divisions fittest for use and practice. The other reason of changing the Division is, because the adjection of Defi∣cients to Sciences; and the reduction of them into an intire Body,

did by consequence, alter the Partition of the Sciences themselves. For say the Arts which are extant (for demonstration sake) be in number 15. and the Deficients superadded make up the number 20. I say that the Parts of 15. are not the parts of 20, for the parts of 15. are 3. and 5. but the parts of 20. are 2. 4. 5. and 10. so is it plaine these could not otherwise be. And so much of Logicall Sciences.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Annal. 1.