The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

BOOK I. ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 177
potency of God, which is chiefly signed and en- precepts, to laws, to religion, sweetly touched
graven upon his works. Thus much therefore for with eloquence and persuasion of books, of serdivine testimony and evidence concerning the mons, of harangues, so long is society and peace
true dignity and value of learning. maintained; but if these instruments be silent, or
As for human proofs, it is so large a field, as, that sedition and tumult make them not audible,
in a discourse of this nature and brevity, it is fit all things dissolve into anarchy and confusion.
rather to use choice of those things which we But this appeareth more manifestly, when kings
shall produce, than to embrace the variety of them. themselves, or persons of authority under them,
First, therefore, in the degrees of human honour or other governors in commonwealths and popular
amongst the heathen, it was the highest to obtain estates, are endued with learning. For although
to a veneration and adoration as a God. This he might be thought partial to his own profession,
unto the Christians is as the forbidden fruit. But that said, 6"Then should people and estates be
we speak now separately of human testimony: happy, when either kings were philosophers, or
according to which, that which the Grecians call philosophers kings;" yet so much is verified by
" apotheosis," and the Latins, " relatio inter experience, that under learned princes and governdivos," was the supreme honour which man ors there have been ever the best times: for howsocould attribute unto man: especially when it was ever kings may have their imperfections in their
given, not by a formal decree or act of state, as it passions and customs; yet if they be illuminate
was used among the Roman emperors, but by an by learning, they have those notions of religion,
inward assent and belief. Which honour, being policy, and morality which do preserve them,
so high, had also a degree or middle term: for and refrain them from all ruinous and peremptory
there were reckoned, above human honours, ho- errors and excesses; whispering evermore in their
nours heroical and divine: in the attribution and ears, when counsellors and servants stand mute
distribution of which honours, we see, antiquity and silent. And senators or counsellors likewise,
made this difference: that whereas founders and which be learned, do proceed upon more safe and
uniters of states and cities, lawgivers, extirpers substantial principles than counsellors which are
of tyrants, fathers of the people, and other emi- only men of experience; the one sort keeping
nent persons in civil merit, were honoured but dangers afar off, whereas the other discover them
with the titles of worthies or demi-gods; such as not till they come near hand, and then trust to
were Hercules, Theseus, Minos, Romulus, and the agility of their wit to ward off or avoid them.
the like: on the other side, such as were inventors Which felicity of times under learned princes,
and authors of new arts, endowments, and cornm- (to keep still the law of brevity, by using the most
modities towards man's life, were ever consecrated eminent and selected examples,) doth best appear
amongst the gods themselves: as were Ceres, in the age which passed from the death of DomiBacchus, Mercurius, Apollo, and others: and tian emperor until the reign of Commodus; comjustly; for the merit of the former is confined prehending asuccession of six princes, all learned
within the circle of an age or a nation; and is like or singular favourers and advancers of learning,
fruitful showers, which though they be profitable which age, for temporal respects, was the most
and good, yet serve but for that season, and for a happy and flourishing that ever the Roman empire
latitude of ground where they fall; but the other (which then was a model of the world) enjoyed;
is indeed like the benefits of heaven, which are a matter revealed and prefigured unto Domitian in
permanent and universal. The former, again, is a dream the night before he was slain; for he
mixed with strife and perturbation; but the latter thought there was grown behind upon his shoalhath the true character of divine presence, coming ders a neck and a head of gold; which came
6" in aura leni," without noise or agitation. accordingly to pass in those golden times which
Neither is certainly that other merit of learning, succeeded: of which princes we will make some
in repressing the inconveniences which grow from commemoration; wherein although the matter
man to man, much inferior to the former, of reliev- will be vulgar, and may be thought fitter ior a
ing the necessities which arise from nature; which declamation than agreeable to a treatise infolded
merit was lively set forth by the ancients in that as this is, yet because it is pertinent to the point
feigned relation of Orpheus's theatre, where all in hand, 6"neque semper arcum tendit Apollo,"
beasts and birds assembled; and, forgetting their and to name them only were too naked and cursory,
several appetites, some of prey, some of game, I will not omit it altogether.
some of quarrel, stood all sociably together list- The first was Nerva; the excellent temper of
ening to the airs and accords of the harp; the whose government is by a glance in Cornelius
sound whereof no sooner ceased, or was drowned Tacitus touched to the life: " Postquam divus
by some louder noise, but every beast returned to Nerva res olim insociabiles miscuisset, impehis own nature: wherein is aptly described the rium et libertatem." And in token of his learnnature and condition of men, who are full of ing, the last act of his short reign, left to memory,
savage and unreclaimed desires of profit, of lust, was a missive to his adopted son Trajan, proceedof revenge; which as long as they give ear to ing upon some inward discontent at the ingrari
VOL. I.-23