Pedagogicall THE SEVENTH BOOK CAP. I. I. THe Partition of Morall Philosophy into the knowledge of the Exemplar or Platforme and into the Georgiques or Culture of the Mind § The division of the Exemplar namely of Good into Good Simple and Good Compared II. The Partition of Good Simple into Jndividuall Good and Good of Communion CAP. II. I. The Partition of Individuall or Private Good into Good Active and Good Passive II. The Partition of Passive Good into Conservative Good and Perfective Good III. The Partition of the Good of Communion into Generall § And into Respective Duties CAP. III. I. The Partition of the Doctrine of the Culture of the Mind into the knowledge of the Characters of the Mind II. Of the Affections III. Of the Remedies and Cures thereof IV. An Appendix to the same Doctrine touching the Congruity between the Good of the Mind and the Good of the Body THE EIGHT BOOK CHAP. I. THe Partition of Civile knowledge § Into the knowledge of Conversation § The knowladge of Negociation § And the knowledge of Empire or State-Goverment CAP. II. I. The Partition of the knowledge of Negociation into the knowledge of dispersed Occasions II. And into the knowledge of the Advancement of life § Examples of the knowledge of scattered Occasions from some of Solomons Parables § Precepts concerning the Advancement of Fortune CAP. III. The Partition of the Art of Empiry or Goverment is omitted only accesse is made to two Deficients I. The knowledge of enlarging the Bounds of Empire II. And the knowledge of universall Iustice or of the Fountains of Law THE NINTH BOOK CAP. I. The Partitions of inspired Theology are omitted only way is made unto three Desiderats I. The knowledge of the right Vse of Human Reason in matters Divine II. The knowledge of the degrees of unity in the Citty of God III. The Emanations of SS Scripture FRANCISCI DE VERVLAMIO ARCHITECTVRA SCIENTIARVM THE GENERALE IDEA AND PROIECT OF THE LO VERVLAM'S INSTAVRATIO MAGNA Represented in the PLATFORM OF THE DESIGNE OF THE I PART thereof As it was Conceav'd in the mind of the Author and is expressed in the Modell of the VVork DEUS OMNIA IN MENSVRA ET NVMERO ET ORDINE DISPOSVIT THE PLATFORME OF THE DESJGNE LIB I. THE DIGNITY OF LEARNING Reporting the Dishonors and Derogations of Learning in the Discredites from Divines Cap. 1. Desire of Knowledge the first sinne Knowledge an Infinite an Anxious thing Learning the cause of Eresy and Atheisme Objected Answered Politiques C. 2. Learning makes men unapt for Armes Disables men for Civile affaires Particular indispositions pretended Objected Answered Learned Mens Cap. 3. Fortunes Scarcity of means Privatenesse of life Meannesse of imployment Māners Too incompatible with the times Too sensible of the common good Not applying to Persons of quality A failing in points of behaviour Grosse flattery practised by some Studies in some impertinents Distempers in studies Cap 4. Phantasticall Learning Contentious Learning Delicate Learning Peccant Humors Cap. 5. Affection to two extremes Antiquity Novelty A distrust that any thing New should now be found out A conceit that the best Opinions still prevaile A too peremptory reduction of Sciences into Methods A neglect of Primitive Philosophy A divorce of the Intellect from the Object A contagion of Knowledge frō particular inclinations An impatience of suspense hast to Positive Assertion A Magistrall manner of Tradition of Knowledge Aime of Writers Illustration not Propagation End of studies Curiosity Pleasure Profit Promotiō c. Honors and Prerogatives of Learning from Arguments Divine Cap. 6. Wisdome of God § Angels of Illumination First light § Adams § Abels Contēplations c. The learning of Moses Iob Solomon c. Humane cap. 7. 8. Inventors of Arts consecrate as Gods Civile Estates advanc'd by learning The concurrency of Armes and Letters The Dominion § Donations of Learning LIB II. THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING Personall in Proem lib. Generall by the Amplitude of Reward Wisdome of Direction Conjunction of Labours Speciall Promoted by Places as Buildings § Revenewes Priviledges § Discipline Books as Libraries Good Editions Persons as Lectures for Arts extant Inquirers into Arts non-extant Prejudiced for Want of foundations for Arts at large Want of sufficient Salarie to Lecturers Want of allowance for Experiments Want of a right course of proceeding in studies Want of Intelligence between Vniversities Want of Inquiries into Arts Deficient Reall by a right Partition of Learning Jnto Cap. 1. 1 History referr'd to Memory Naturall the Subject Cap. 2. Generations Heavens § Meteors Earth § Sea Elements § Specifiques Preter Gener. Monsters § Marvels Magique c. Arts mechanique Agriculture Alchimy c. Vse and end Cap. 3. Narrative Inductive Civile into Civil in speciall C. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1 Memorialls Antiquities Perfect History Chronicles Lives Relations 2 Pure § Mixt. Ecclesiasticall Cap. 11. Generall of the Church Speciall Prophesy Providence Literary cap. 4. Ages § Climates § Declinations Instaurations c. of Learning Append. to History Orations § Epistles § Apophthegmes Cap. 12. 2 Poesy referred to the Imagination Cap. 13. Narrative or Historicall Drammaticall or Representative Parabolicall or Allusive 3 Philosophy referring to Reason and the will Lib. seqq LIB III. THE PARTITION OF KNOWLEDGES IN GENERALL INTO PHILOSOPHY Cap. 1. Summary or Primitive Axioms of universality Transcendents of Entity Speciall respecting three Objects 1 God hence Divine Philosophy or Cap. 1. Naturall Theology Appen Angels Spirits 2 Nature So Naturall Philosophy Cap. 3. Speculative cap. 4. Physique into the Principles of Things Fabrique of things or of the world variety of things Concrets Generations Heavens Meteors Earth Sea Elements Specifiques Preter-Generations Abstracts of Matter Hot. § Cold. Dense § Grave § Light c. Motions Simple motiōs Summs of moti Measurs of mot Append. Problems Placits Metaphysiques Formes Finall causes Operative Mechanique subservient to Metaphysique Metaphysique Magique Apend Cap. 5. An Inventary of the estate of man A Catalogue of Polychrestes Append. Mathematiques Cap. 6. Arithmetique Geometry 3 Man Hence the Emanations of Humane Philosophy Lib. seq Civile Philosophy Lib. seq THEOLOGY inspired Lib. ult LIB IV. THE PARTITION OF HUMANE KNOWLEDGE OR THE KNOWLEDGE OF HVMANITY Generall of the nature and state of man in respect of Cap. 1. His Person his Miseries Prerogatives Intellectuall And Morall The league of soule Body by Indication of the Mind by the Body Body by the mind Appendices Physiognomy Interpret of dreams Impression of the Body upon the Mind Mind upon the Body Speciall divided into Philosophy Humane properly so called which referr's to mans Body into Art Cap. 2. Medicinall Conservation of Health Cure of Diseases Prolongation of life Cosmeteque or of Decoration Athletique or of Activity Voluptuary as Pictures Musique c. Soule the Cap. 3. Substance Rationall whether Native or advētive Separable or insep Mortall or immor Passible or impassi Sensible A corporall Fiery Aeriall substance Faculties Rationall Intellect § Reason
generale Axioms III. Derivative Divine or Natur. Theol. III. Naturale Speculative Physicks III. Metaph. III. Operative Mechanick III. Magick III. Humane Generale of the nature of man c IV. Speciale into Philosophy A. IV. A. Humane so called of Body into Arts Medicinale against diseases § Cosmetick or of Decoration IV. Athletick or of Activity § Voluptuary or Sensuale IV. Soule the Substance Spirituale Native or Adventive c. IV. Sensuale Fiery Aëriall substance c. IV. Foculties Rationale Jntellect reason Imagination c. IV. Sensuale Voluntary motion Sense c. IV. Vse of Faculties LOGICK Invnetion or Inquisition V. Iudgement or Examination V. Memory or Custody V. Elocution or Tradition Grāmar VI. Method VI. Rhetorick VI. ETHICKS Platform of good Kinds of Good VII Degrees of Good VII Culture of the Mind Tempers VII Distempers Cures VII Civile of Conversation Negociation Government of States Art of enlarging a State VIII Fountainee of Laws VIII Inspir'd Divinity is here separat from Philosophy yet Reason receives the signet of Faith DEFICIENTS Vse of Reason in Divinity IX Degrees of unity in Rligion IX Dirivations frō Scripture IX The Preparation to these Books is populare not Acroamatique Relates the Prerogatives Derrgations of Learning LIB I. FRANCIS LO VERVLAM VICOVNT St ALBAN OF THE DIGNITY AND ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. The Consecration of this work unto the most learned of PRINCES K. IAMES who in high but just conceptions is here admired § The Distribution into the DIGNITY and the PROFICIENCY of LEARNING I. Discredites of Learning from the objections of Divines That the aspiring unto knowledge was the first sinne That Learning is a thing infinite and full of anxiety That knowledge inclines the Mind to Heresy and Atheisme II. The solution Originall Guilt was not in the Quantity but in the Quality of Knowledge § The Corrective hereof Charity III. Against Infinity Anxiety and seducements of Sciences three preservatives That we forget not our Mortality § That Learning give us content § That it soare not too high § And so Philosophy leads the mind by the Links of second Causes unto the First THERE were under the Old Law Excellent KING both Free-will Offerings and Daily Sacrifices the one proceeding upon ordinary observance the other upon a Devout Cheerfulnesse Certainly in my opinion some such kind of Homage belongs to KINGS from their servants namely that every one should tender not only Tributes of his Duty but Presents of Affection In the former of these I hope I shall not be wanting for the latter I was in suspense what I should most principally undertake and in conclusion I thought it more respective to make choice of some oblation which might referre rather to the propriety and excellency of Your individuall person than to the businesse of Your Crowne and State § Representing Your Majesty as my duty is many times unto my mind leaving aside the other parts whether of Your Vertue or of Your Fortune I have been possest with extream wonder when I consider the excellency of those vertues and faculties in You which the Philosophers call intellectuall the capacity of Your mind comprehending so many and so great Notions the faithfulnesse of Your memory the swiftnesse of Your apprehension the penetration of Your judgement the order and facility of Your elocution In truth Plato's opinion sometimes comes into my mind which maintaines That knowledge is nothing else but remembrance In Phaedo and that the mind of man by nature knowes all things once redimed and restored to her own native light which the cloudy vault or gloomy Tabernacle of the body had or e-spread with darknesse For certainly the best and clearest instance for this assertion shines in Your Majesty whose mind is so ready to take flame from the least occasion presented or the least spark of anothers knowledge delivered Wherefore as the sacred Scripture saith of the wisest King That his heart was as the sands of the sea 1. Reg. 4. which though it be one of the largest bodies yet it consisteth of the smallest portions so hath God given Your Majesty a composition of understanding exceeding admirable being able to compasse and comprehend the greatest matters and neverthelesse to apprehend the least and not to suffer them to escape Your observation whereas it should seem very difficult or rather an impossibility in nature for the same instrument to make it selfe fit for great and small works And for Your gift of Speech I call to mind what Cornelius Tacitus saith of Augustus Caesar Annal. 13 Augusto saith he prompta ac profluens qúae deceret principem eloquentia fuit In truth if we note it well speech that is Elaborate or Affectate or Jmitating although otherwise excellent hath somewhat servile in it and holding of the subject but Your Majesties manner of speech is indeed Prince-like flowing as from a fountaine and yet streaming and branching it selfe into natures order full of facility and felicity Imitating none Inimitable of any And as in Your Civill estate respecting as well Your Kingdome as Your Court there apeareth to be an Emulation and Contention of Your Majesties Vertue with Your Fortune namely excellent Morall endowments with a fortunate Regiment a Pious and Patient expectation when time was of Your greater fortune with a prosperous and seasonable possession of what was expected a Holy observation of the lawes of Marriage with a blessed and happy fruit of Marriage in a most faire Progeny a Godly propension and most beseeming a Christian Prince to Peace with a fortunate concurrence of the like inclination in Your neighbour Princes so likewise in Your intellectuall abilities there seemeth to be no lesse Contention and Emulation if we compare Your Majesties gifts of Nature with the rich treasury of multiplicious Erudition and the knowledge of many Arts. Neither is it easy to finde any KING since Christs time which may be compared with Your Majesty for variety and improvement of all kind of learning Divine and Humane let who will revolve and peruse the succession of Kings and Emperours and he shall finde this judgement is truly made For indeed it seemeth much in Kings if by the compendious extraction of other mens wits and Labours they can take hold of knowledge or attain any superficiall ornaments or shewes of learning or if they countenance and preferre learned men but for a King and a King borne to drink indeed the true fountaines of Learning nay to be himselfe a fountaine of Learning is almost a Miracle And this also is an accesse to Your Majesty that in the same closet of your Mind there are treasured up as well Divine and Sacred Literature as Prophane and Humane so that Your Majesty stands invested with that triplicity of Glory which was ascribed to that famous Hermes Trismegistus The Power of a King The Jllumination of a Priest The Learning of a Philosopher Wherefore since in these glorious attributes of Learning so
of State to Diaries Acts and Accidents of a meaner nature And in my judgment a Discipline of Heraldry would be to purpose in the disposing of the merits of Books as of the merits of Persons For as nothing doth more derogate from Civile Affaires than the confusion of Orders and Degrees so it doth not a litle embase the authority of a grave History to intermingle matters of triviall consequence with matters of State such as are Triumphs and Ceremonies Shews and Pageants and the like And surely it could be wisht that this distinction would come into Custome In our Times Iournals are in use only in Navigations and Expeditions of warre Amongst the Ancients it was a point of Honour to Princes to have the Acts of their Court referr'd to Iournals Lib. Esth Cap. 6. Which we see was preserv'd in the raign of Ahasuerus King of Persia who when he could not take rest call'd for the Chronicles wherein hee reviewed the Treason of the Evnuches past in his owne time Plutarch Symp. 1. But in the Diaries of Alexander the Great such small Particularities were contained that if he chanc'd but to sleepe at the Table it was Registred For neither have Annals only compriz'd grave matters and Iournals only light but all were promiscuously cursorily taken in Diaries whether of greater or of lesser Importance CAP. X. A Second Partition of History Civile into Simple and Mixt. § Cosmographic a mixt History THE last Partition of Civile History may be this History Simple and Mixt. The Commune Mixtures are two the one from Civile Knowledge the other specially from Naturall For there is a kind of writing introduc'd by some to set down their Relations not continued according to the Series of the History but pickt out according to the choice of the Author which he after re-examines and ruminates upon and taking occasion from those selected pieces discourses of Civile Matters Which kind of Ruminated History we doe exceeding well allow of so such a Writer doe it indeed and professe himselfe so to doe But for a man resolvedly writeing a Just History every where to ingest Politique inter-laceings and so to break off the thread of the story is unseasonable and tedious For although every wise History be full and as it were impregnate with Politicall Precepts and Counsils yet the Writer himselfe should not be his own Mid-wife at the delivery § Cosmography likewise is a mixt-History for it hath from Naturall History the Regions themselves and their site and commodities from Ciuile History Habitations Regiments and Manners from the Mathematiques Climates and the Configurations of the Heavens under which the Coasts and Quarters of the World doe lye In which kind of History or Knowledge we have cause to Congratulate our Times for the world in this our age hath through-lights made in it after a wonderfull manner The Ancients certainly had knowledge of the Zones and of the Anti-podes Virg. Geor. 1. Nosque ubi Primus Equis Oriens afflavit anhelis Jllic sera Rubens accendit Lumina vesper and rather by Demonstrations than by Travels But for some small keele to emulate Heaven it selfe and to Circle the whole Globe of the Earth with a more oblique and winding Course than the Heavens doe this is the glory and prerogative of our Age. So that these Times may justly bear in their word not only Plus ultra whereas the Ancients used non ultra and also imitabile fulmen for the Ancients non imitabile fulmen Demens qui Nimbos non imitabile Fulmen Virg. Aen. 6 But likewise that which exceeds all admiration imitabile Coelum our voyages to whom it hath bin often granted to wheele and role about the whole compasse of the Earth after the manner of Heavenly Bodies And this excellent felicity in Nauticall Art and environing the world may plant also an expectation of farther PROFICIENCIES AND AUGMENTATIONS OF SCIENCES specially seeing it seems to be decreed by the divine Counsill that these two should be Coaevals for so the Prophet Daniel speaking of the latter times foretells Plurimi pertransibunt augebitur Scientia Cap. 12. as if the through Passage or Perlustration of the World and the various propagation of knowledge were appointed to be in the same Ages as we see it is already performed in great part seeing our times doe not much give place for Learning to the former two Periods or Returnes of Learning the one of the Graecians the other of the Romans and in some kinds farre exceed them CAP. XI I. The Partition of Ecclesiasticall History into the Generall History of the Church II. History of Prophesy III. History of Providence HIstory Ecclesiasticall falls under the same division commonly with Civile History for there are Ecclesiasticall Chronicles there are Lives of Fathers there are Relations of Synods and the like pertaining to the Church In proper expression this kind of History is divided into the History of the Church by a generall name History of Prophesy and History of Providence The first recordeth the times and different state of the Church Militant whether she flote as the Arke in the Deluge or sojourne as the Arke in the Wildernesse or be at rest as the Arke in the Temple that is the State of the Church in Persecution in Remove and in Peace In this Part I find no Deficience but rather more things abound therein than are wanting only this I could wish that the virtue and syncerity of the Narrations were answerable to the greatnesse of the Masse II The Second Part which is the History of Prophesie consisteth of two Relatives the Prophesy it selfe and the accomplishment thereof wherefore the designe of this worke ought to be that every Prophesy of Scripture be sorted with the truth of the event and that throughout all the ages of the world both for Confirmation of Faith as also to plant a Discipline skill in the Interpretation of Prophesies which are not yet accomplish't But in this work that latitude must be allowed which is proper and familiar unto Divine Prophesies that their accomplishments may be both perpetuall and punctual For they resemble the nature of their Auctor to whom one day is as a thousand yeares Psal 90 and a thousand yeares are but as one day And though the fulnesse and height of their complement be many times assigned to some certaine age or certaine point of time yet they have neverthelesse many staires and scales of Accomplishment throughout diverse Ages of the world This worke I set down as DEFICIENT ✿ but it is of that nature as must be handled with great wisdome sobriety and reverence or not at all III The third Part which is the History of Providence hath fallen indeed upon the Pens of many pious Writers but not without siding of Partiaries and it is imployed in the observation of that divine Correspondence which often interveneth betweene Gods revealed Will and his secret Will For though the
Argument which they have in hand but a complete body of such Maximes which have a Primitive and Summary force and efficacy in all Sciences none yet have composed being notwithstanding a matter of such consequence as doth notably conduce to the unity of Nature which we conceive to be the office and use of Philosophia Prima § There is also an other Part of this Primitive Ppilosophy which if you respect termes is Ancient but if the matter which we designe is new and of an other kind and it is an Inquiry concerning the Accessory Conditions of Entities which we may call Transcendents as Multitude Paucity Similitude Diversity Possible and Jmpossible Entity Non-Entity and the like For being Transcendents doe not properly fall within the compasse of Naturall Philosophy and that Dialecticall dissertation about them is rather accommodated to the Formes of Argumentation than the Nature of things it is very convenient that this Contemplation wherein there is so much dignity and profit should not be altogither deserted but find at least some roome in the Partitions of Sciences but this we understand to be perform'd farre after an other manner than usually it hath bin handled For example no man who hath treated of Paucity or Multitude hath endevour'd to give a reason Why some things in Nature are and may be so numerous and large others so few and litle For certainly it cannot be that there should be in nature as great store of Gold as of Iron as great plenty of Roses as of Grasse as great variety of determin'd and specifique Natures as of imperfects and non-specificates So none in handling Similitude and Diversity hath sufficiently discovered the Cause why betwixt diverse species there should as it were perpetually be interposed Participles of Nature which are of a doubtfull kind and referrence as Mosse betwixt Putrefaction and a Plant Fishes which adhere and move not betwixt a Plant and a living Creature Rats and Mise and other vermine between living Creatures generated of Putrefaction and of seed Bats or Flitter-mise between Birds and Beasts Flying Fishes now commonly knowne between Fowles and Fish Sea-Calfes between Fishes and four-footed Beasts and the like Neither hath any made diligent inquiry of the Reason how it should come to passe being like delights to unite to like that Iron drawes not Iron as the Loadstone doth nor Gold allures and attracts unto it Gold as it doth Quicksilver Concerning these and the like adjuncts of things there is in the common Disceptation about Transcendents a deepe silence For men have pursued Niceties of Termes and not subtleties of things Wherefore we would have this Primitive Philosophy to containe a substantiall and solid inquiry of these Transcendents or Adventitious Conditions of Entities according to the Lawes of Nature and not according to the Laws of Words So much touching Primitive Philosophy or Sapience which we have justly referr'd to the Catalogue of DEFICIENTS ✿ CAP. II. I Of Naturall Theologie § Of the Knowledge of Angels and of Spirits which are an Appendix thereof THE Commune Parent of Sciences being first placed in its proper throne like unto Berecynthia which had so much heavenly Issue Omnes Coelicolae omnes supera alta tenentes Virg. Aen. 6 We may returne to the former Division of the three Philosophies Divine Naturall and Humane I For Naturall Theology is truly called Divine Philosophy And this is defined to be a Knowledge or rather a spark and rudiment of that Knowledge concerning God such as may be had by the light of Nature and the Contemplation of the Creature which Knowledge may be truly termed Divine in respect of the Object and Naturall in respect of the Light The Bounds of this Knowledge are truly set forth that they may extend to the Confutation and Conviction of Atheisme the Information of the Law of Nature but may not be drawne out to the Confirmation of Religion Therefore there was never Miracle wrought by God to convert an Atheist because the light of Nature might have led him to confesse a God but Miracles are designed to convert Idolaters and the Superstitious who have acknowledged a Deity but erred in his Adoration because no light of Nature extends to declare the will and true Worship of God For as workes doe shew forth the power and skill of the workman but not his Image So the workes of God doe shew the Omnipotency and Wisdome of the Maker but no way expresse his Jmage And in this the Heathen opinion differs from the sacred Truth For they defined the world to be the Image of God man the Image of the World but Sacred Scriptures never vouchsafed the world that honour as any where to be stiled the Jmage of God but only Psal 8. Gen. 1. the workes of his hands but they substitute man the immediate Jmage of God Wherefore that there is a God that hee raines and rules the world that he is most potent wise and provident that he is a Rewarder a Revenger that he is to be adored may be demonstrated and evinced even from his workes and many wonderfull secrets touching his attributes and much more touching his Regiment and dispensation over the world may likewise with sobriety be extracted and manifested out of the same workes and is an Argument hath bin profitably handled by diverse But out of the contemplation of Nature and out of the Principles of Human Reason to discourse or earnestly to urge a point touching the Mysteries of faith and againe to be curiously speculative into those secrets to ventilate them and to be-inquisitive into the manner of the Mystery is in my judgement not safe Da Fidei quae Fidei sunt For the Heathens themselves conclude as much in that excellent and divine Fable of the golden Chaine Homer Iliad 9. That Men and Gods were not able to draw Iupiter down to the Earth but contrariwise Iupiter was able to draw them up to Heaven Wherefore he laboureth in vaine who shall attempt to draw downe heavenly Mysteries to our reason it rather becomes us to raise and advance our reason to the adored Throne of Divine Truth And in this part of Naturall Theology I am so farre from noteing any deficience as I rather finde an excesse which to observe I have somewhat digressed because of the extreme prejudice which both Religion and Philosophy have received thereby as that which will fashion and forge a hereticall Religion and an imaginary and fabulous Philosophy § But as concerning the nature of Angels and Spirits the matter is otherwise to be conceived which neither is inscrutable nor interdicted to which knowledge from the affinity it hath with mans soule there is a passage opened The Scripture indeed commands Coloss 2. let no man deceive you with sublime discourse touching the worship of Angels pressing into that he knowes not yet notwithstanding if you observe well that precept you shall finde there only two things forbidden namely Adorotion of Angels such
but the Cat one speciall one that will help at a dead lift And in the Morall of this Fable it comes likewise to passe that a potent and faithfull friend is a surer card at a pinch then all the Plots and Policies of a mans own wit And these shall suffice for example we have an infinite number more of Colours of this nature which we collected in our youth but without their Jllustrations and Reprehensions which at this time we have no leasure to perfect and digest wherefore we thought it incongruous to expose those Colours naked without their Illustrations seeing these other come abroad attired Yet thus much in the mean we admonish that this branch of knowledge in our judgement whatsoever it may seem is of no contemptible consequence but a matter of high price and use as that which participates both of Primitive Philosophy of Policy and of Rhethorique Thus much of Popular markes or of the Colours of Good and Evill in apparance as well simple as comparative III. A second collection which appertaines to a ready Provision or Preparatory store ✿ ANTITHETA RERVM Cicero is that which Cicero intimates as we have noted before in Logique where he gives it in precept that we have Common-places in ready preparation argued and handled Pro and Contra such as are For the words and letters of Law for the sence and mind of Law and the like And we extend this Precept to other things also as that it may be applied not only to Judiciall Formes but to Deliberative and Demonstrative also Generally this is it we would have done namely that we have all Places whereof there is more frequent use whether we respect Probations and Confutations or Perswasions and Disswasions or Praises and Vituperations studied and meditated before-hand and the same extoll'd and depressed by the highest straines of wit and invention and perversely wrested as it were of purpose utterly beyond Truth And in our opinion the manner of this Collection as well for use as for brevity would be the best of such common-places and seeds of severall Arguments were abridg'd and cast up into some briefe and acute sentences as into skaines or bottomes of Thread to be drawn out and unwinded into larger Discourses as occasion should be presented Sen. Contro A collection of this nature we find in Seneca but in suppositions only or Cases Of this sort in regard we have many ready prepared we thought good to set down some of them for example These we call Antitheta Rerum EXAMPLES OF THE ANTITHETA NOBILITY I. Pro. THey whose virtue is altogether deriv'd from the stock these not only have not a will but want a power to be wicked Nobility is a Garland of Bayes wherewith time Crownes men We reverence Antiquity even in dead Monuments how much more in living If you regard not the honour of an ancient House Then what difference will there be between the Race of Men and the Race of Beasts Nobility removes virtue from Envy recommends it to Grace and Favour Contra. NObility seldome springs from Virtue Virtue more seldome from Nobility Nobles by birth more often use the intercession of their Ancestors for Pardon than their suffrage for Honors The industry of new riseing men is oftentimes such as Nobles compar'd with them are but Statues Nobles by blood look too often back in the course which is the quality of an ill Racer BEAUTY II. Pro. Deformed persons commonly have their revenge of Nature Virtue is nothing else but inward Beauty and Beauty nothing else but an outward virtue Deformed Persons seek to rescue themselves from scorne by malice and boldnesse Beauty makes virtues shine vices blush Contra Virtue is like a rich stone best plain set What a faire vestment is to a deformed body the same is a comely Body to a deformed Mind They usually are of no great parts whom Beauty commendeth or moveth YOUTH III. Pro. Our first cogitations and the counsils of Youth stream more divinely Old men are more wise for themselves then they are for others and the Repub. If it could be made visible Old age doth more deforme the mind then the Body Old men fear all things save the Gods Contra Youth is the field of Repentance There is in Youth an imbred disestime of the Authority of Age that every one may grow wise at his own Perill Those counsils to which Time was not call'd Time will not ratify Jn old men Venus is changed into the Graces HEALTH IV. Pro. The regard of Health makes the mind humble and obsequious to the Body A sound body is the Soules Host but a sickly her Jalour Nothing so promotes the summe of Businesse as a prosperous state of Body but on the contrary a sickly constitution makes too many Holy-Daies Contra. Often to recover health is often to grow young againe Indisposition of Health is a common excuse hither we fly even when we are well Health unites the Soule and the body in too strict a league The Couch hath govern'd mighty Empires and the Litter mighty Armies WIFE AND CHILDREN Pro. Charity to the Common-wealth begins at a private Family Wife and Children are a kind of Discipline of Humanity but unmarried men are cruell and hard-hearted Single life and a Childlesse state are good for nothing but for flight He that procreates no Children sacrificeth to Death They that are happy in all other things are commonly unfortunate in their Children least being men they should approach too neere to a condition Divine Contra. He that hath Wife and Children hath given Hostages to Fortune Generation and issue are Human Acts Creation and its works are Acts Divine Issue is the Eternity of Beasts Fame merit and wholsome Precepts the eternity of Men. Oeconomicall respects many times supplant Politicall Duties To some natures the Fortune of Priamus is acceptable who surviv'd his whole Posterity RICHES VI. Pro. They despise Riches that despaire of them An envy conceiv'd against Riches hath extolled virtue to a Deity Whilest Philosophers call in doubt whether all things are to be referr'd to virtue or Pleasure survay the instruments of them both Virtue by means of Riches is converted into a common good All other kinds of Good have a Provinciall Command only Riches a Generall Contra. Of great Riches there is either a Custody or a dispensation or a fame but no solid Vse Doe you not see what fained Prises are set upon litle stones and such kind of Rarities that there may be some use made of great Riches Many whilest they have entertain'd an opinion that all things might be bought with their mony have in this conceit first sold themselves J can not call Riches better then the Baggage of virtue for they are both necessary to virtue and yet combersome hindering the March Riches are a good Hand-maid but the worst Maistresse HONOURS VII Pro. Honours are not the suffrage of Tyranns but of Divine Providence Honours make both virtues and vices conspicuous
unlockt and open'd De Pet. Cons Ianua quaedam animi the gate of the minde Who more close then Tiberius Caesar But Tacitus noteing the Character and different manner of speaking which Tiberius us'd in commending in the Senate the great services done by Germanicus and Drusus of the commendations given of Germanicus he saith thus Magis in speciem verbis adornata quam ut penitùs sentire crederetur Annal. I. of the commendations given of Drusus thus Paucioribus sed intentior fidâ oratione Againe Tacitus noteing the same Tiberius at other times somewhat more cleare and legible Saith Quin ipse compositus aliàs velut a Orl. velut elector anxius eluctantium verborum Annal. IV. solutius promptiusque loquebatur quoties subveniret Certainly there can hardly be found any Artificer of Dissimulation so cunning and excellent or a Countenance so forced or as he saith vultus jussus so commanded that can sever from an artificious and fained speech these Notes but that the speech is either more slight and carelesse or more set and Formall or more Tedious and Wandring or more Drye and Reluctant than usuall § As for Mens words they are as Physitians say of waters full of flattery and uncertainty yet these counterfeit Colours are two wayes excellently discover'd namely when words are uttered either upon the sodaine or else in Passion So Tiberius being sodainly moved and somewhat incens'd upon a stinging speech of Agrippina Annal. IV. came a step forth of his imbred dissimulation These words saith Tacitus heard by Tiberius drew from his darke couvert Breast such words as he us'd seldome to let fall and takeing her up sharpely told her her own in a Greeke verse That she was therefore hurt because she did not raigne Therefore the Poet doth not improperly call such Passions Tortures because they urge men to confesse and betray their secrets Hor. Epist I. Vino tortus Ira. Experience indeed shewes that there are few men so true to themselves and so setled in their Resolves but that sometimes upon heat sometimes upon bravery sometimes upon intimate good will to a Friend sometimes upon weaknesse and trouble of mind that can no longer hold out under the weight of griefes some times from some other Affection or Passion they reveale and communicate their inward Thoughts but above all it sounds the mind to the bottome and searcheth it to the quick when Simulation is put to it by a counter-Dissimulation according to the proverb of Spaine Di Mentira y sacaras verdad Tell a lye and finde a Truth § Neither are Deeds thoe they be the surest pledges of mens minds altogither to be trusted without a diligent and judicious consideration of their Magnitude and Nature For the saying is most true That fraude erects it selfe a countremure of credit in smaller matters that it may cheat with better Advantage afterwards The Italian thinks himselfe upon the Crosse with the Crier and upon the point to be bought and sould when he is better used than he was wont to be without manifest cause for small favours they doe but lull men a sleepe both as to Caution and as to Industry and are rightly called by Demosthenes Alimenta socordiae Demost Againe we may plainly see the false and inconstant propriety and nature of some Deeds even of such as are accounted Benefits from that particular which Mutianus practis'd upon Antonius primus who upon that hollow and unfaithfull reconcilement made between them advanced many of the Friends of Antonius and bestowed upon them Tribuneships and Captaineships liberally Tacitus Hist IV. by this subtle pretence of Demerit he did not strengthen but altogether disarme and desolate Antonius and winne from him his Dependances and made them his own creatures § But the surest kay to unlock the minds of Men consists in searching and discloseing either their Natures and dispositions or their ends and intentions And certainly the weakest and simplest sort of men are best interpreted by their Natures but the wisest and more reserved are best expounded by their Ends. For it was wisely and pleasantly said thoe in my judgement very untruly by a Nuncio of the Popes returning from a certain Nation where he served as Leidger whose opinion being askt touching the appointment of one to goe in his place gave Counsil that in any case his Ho would not send one too wise because saith he no wise man would ever imagine what they in that countrey were like to doe Certainly it is a frequent error and very familiar with wise men to measure other men by the Module of their own abilities and therefore often shoote over the marke supposing men to project and designe to themselves deeper ends and to practise more subtile Arts and compast reahces than indeed ever came into their heads which the Italian Proverbe elegantly noteth saying Dì Denári dì Sénno e dì Féde C'n'è Mánco ché non Créde There is commonly lesse Mony lesse Wisdome and lesse good Faith than men doe accompt upon Wherefore if we be to deale with men of a meane and shallow capacity because they doe many things absurdly the conjecture must be taken rather from the proclivity of their Natures than the designes of their ends Furthermore Princes but upon a farre other reason are best interpreted by their Natures and private persons by their ends For Princes being at the toppe of humane Desires they have for the most part no particular ends propounded to themselves whereto they aspire specially with vehemency and perseverance by the site and distance of which ends a man might take measure and scale of the rest of their Actions and Desires which is one of the chiefe causes that their Hearts as the Scripture pronounceth are inscrutable Prov. 25. But private persons are like Travellers which intentively goe on aiming at some end in their journey where they may stay and rest so that a man may make a probable conjecture and presage upon them what they would or would not Doe for if any thing conduce unto their ends it is probable they will put the same in execution but if it crosse their designes they will not Neither is the information touching the diversity of mens ends and natures to be taken only simply but comparatively also as namely what affection and humor have the predominancy and command of the rest So we see when Tigellinus saw himselfe outstript by Petronius Turpilianus in administring and suggesting pleasures to Neroes humor Metus ejus rimatur saith Tacitus Annal. XIV he wrought upon Neroes Feares and by this meanes brake the necke of his Concurrent § As for the knowing of mens minds at second hand from Reports of other it shall suffice to touch it briefly Weaknesses and faults you shall best learne from Enimies virtues and abilities from friends Customes and times from servants cogitations and opinions from intimate confidents with whom you frequently and familiarly discourse
Experiments of Light and Discovery not imitating the divine method which created the first day Light only and allowed it one entire Day produceing no Materiate work the same day but descended to their Creation the daies following § As for those who have given the preeminence unto Logique and are of opinion that the surest Guards for Sciences must be procur'd from thence they have truly and wisely discerned that the mind of man and Intellective Faculty left unto it self may deservedly be suspected But the remedy is too weak for the disease and is it self not exempt from Distemperature for the Logique in force though it may be rightly accommodated unto matters Civile and Populare Sciences which consist in Discourse and Opinion yet it comes farre short of penetrating the subtlety of Nature and undertaking more than it can master seemes rather to stablish and fixe Errors than to open a way to Truth § Wherefore to recollect what hath bin said it seemes that neither Information from others nor mens own Inquiries touching Sciences hath hetherto successefully shined forth especially seeing there is so litle certainty in Demonstration and Infallibility of Experiments thus farre discovered And the Fabrique of the Vniverse to the contemplative eye of the Mind for the frame thereof is like some Labyrinth or intricate Maze where so many doubtfull passages such deceivable resemblances of Things and Signes such oblique and serpentine windings and implicite knots of Nature every where present themselves as confounds the understanding And withall we must continually make our way through the woods of Experiences and particular Natures by the incertain Light of Sense sometimes shining sometimes shadowed yea and the guides which as hath bin toucht offer their assistance they likewise are entangled and help to make up the number of Errors and of those that Erre In matters of such perplext difficulty there is no relying upon the Iudgement of men from their own abilities or upon the Casuall Felicity of Particular events for neither the capacity of Man how excellent soever nor the chance of Experience never so often iterated and essayed is of force to conquer these mysteries we must march by line and levell and all the way even from the first perception of Senses must be secured and fortified by a certain Rule and constant Method of proceeding § Yet are not these things so to be understood as if in so many Ages and so much Industry nothing at all hath bin performed to purpose nor is there any cause why it should repent us of the Discoveries already made for certainly the Ancients in those speculations which consist in strength of wit and abstract meditation have approved themselves men of admirable comprehensions But as in the Art of Navigation the men of former Ages directing their course by obseruation of starres only could edge along the coast of the known Continent and it may be crosse some narrow Seas or the Mediterranean but before the Ocean could be thus commanded and the Regions of the new world discovered it was requisite that the use of the Mariners needle as a more sure and certain guide should be first found out even so what discoveries soever have bin hetherto made in Arts and Sciences they are of that quality as might have bin brought to light by Practice Meditation Observation and Discourse as things neerer the senses and for most part under the command of common Notions but before we can make our approaches to the remote and hidden secrets of Nature it is necessarily requisite that a better and more perfect use and practique-operation of the Mind and understanding Faculty be introduc't § As for us surely we vanquisht with an immortall love of Truth have expos'd our selves to doubtfull difficult and desert Pathes and by the protection and assistance of the Divine power have borne up and encouraged our selves against the violent Assaults and prepared Armies as it were of Opinions and against our own private and inward hesitations and scruples and against the cloudes and darknesse of Nature and euery where flying fancies that so we might procure the present and future Age more safe and sound Jndications and Impressions of Truth If in this high and arduous attempt we have made any Proficience surely by no other means have we cleered our selves a way than by a sincere and just humiliation of the spirit of Man to the lawes and operations of Nature For all they that went before us who applied themselves to the finding out of Arts casting a transient eye upon Things examples and experience have presently as if Jnvention were nothing else but a meere Agitation of Braine invoked in a manner their own spirits to divine and utter Oracles unto them but we being chastly and perpetually conversant with the operations of Nature divorce not the Jntellect from the Object farther than that the Images and beams of things as in sense may meet and concentrate by which manner of proceeding there is not much left to the strength and excellency of wit The same submission of spirit we have practised in discovery we have followed in Delivery Nor have we endeavour'd to set off ourselves with Glory or draw a Majesty upon our inventions either by Triumphs of Confutations or Depositions of Antiquity or an usurpation of Authority or the vaile of Obscurity which are Arts he may easily find out whose study is not so much the Profit of others as Applause to himselfe I say we neither have practised nor goe we about by force or fraud to circumvent mens Judgements but conduct them to the things themselves and to the league and confederacy of Things that they may see what they have what they reprehend what they adde and contribute to the Publique And if we have bin too credulous or too dormant and not so intentive upon the matter or languisht in the way or broken off the thread of the Inquiry yet notwithstanding we present things after such a manner open and naked that our Errors may be detected and separated before they can spread themselves or insinuate their Contagion into the masse of Sciences and after such a Method as the continuation of our labours is a matter facile and expedite By this means we presume we have establisht for ever a true and legitimate Marriage between the Empiricall and Rationall faculty whose fastidious and unfortunate Divorce and Separation hath troubled and disordered the whole Race and Generation of Man-kind § And seeing these performances are not within the compasse of our meere naturall Power and command we doe heere in the Accesse to this work Powre forth humblest and most ardent supplications to God the Father God the Word God the Spirit that they being mindfulll of the Miseries of Mankind and of the Pilgrimage of this life wherein we weare out few evill daies they would vouchsafe to endow mankind by my hand with new Donatives And moreover we humbly pray that Humane knowledges may no way impeach or prejudice
Divine Truths nor that from the disclosing of the waies of sense and the letting in of a more plentifull Naturall Light any mists of Incredulity or clouds of Darknesse arise in our minds touching Divine Mysteries but rather that from a purified Intellect purged from Fancies and Vanity and yet yeelded and absolutely rendred up to Divine oracles the tributes of Faith may be rendred to Faith In the last place that the venome of knowledge infused by the Serpent whereby the mind of man is swelled and blown up being voided we may not be too aspireingly wise or above sobriety but that we may improve and propagate Verity in Charity § Now we have performed our vowes to heaven converting our selves to men we admonish them somethings that are Profitable and request of them some things that are equall First we admonish which thing we have also prayed for that we keep human Reason within due Limits in matters Divine and Sense within compasse For sense like the Sunne Philo. Iud. opens and reveales the face of the Terrestriall Globe but shuts up and conceales the face of the Celestiall Again that men beware that in flight from this error they fall not upon a contrary extreme of too much abasing Naturall Power which certainly will come to passe if they once entertain a conceit that there are some secrets of nature seperate and exempt as it were by iniunction from Humane Inquisition For it was not that pure and immaculate Naturall knowledge by the light whereof Adam gave names unto the Creatures according to the propriety of their natures which gave the first motion and occasion to the Fall but it was that proud and Imperative Appetite of Morall knowledge defineing the lawes and limits of Good and Evill with an intent in man to revolt from God and to give lawes unto himselfe which was indeed the proiect of the Primitive Temptation For of the knowledges which contemplate the works of Nature the holy Philosopher hath said expressely Prov. 25. that the glory of God is to conceale a thing but the glory of the King is to find it out as if the Divine Nature according to the innocent and sweet play of children which hide themselves to the end they may be found took delight to hide his works to the end they might be found out and of his indulgence and goodnesse to man-kind had chosen the Soule of man to be his Play-fellow in this game § In summe I would advise all in generall that they would take into serious consideration the true and Genuine ends of knowledge that they seek it not either for Pleasure or Contention or contempt of others or for Profit or Fame or for Honor and Promotion or such like adulterate or inferior ends but for the merit and emolument of Life and that they regulate and perfect the same in charity For the desire of Power was the Fall of Angels the desire of knowledge the fall of Man but in charity there is no excesse neither men nor Angels ever incurred danger by it § The Requests we make are these To say nothing of our selves touching the matter in hand we Request thus much That men would not think of it as an opinion but as a work and take it for Truth that our aime and end is not to lay the foundation of a Sect or Placit but of Humane Profit and Proficience § Again that respecting their own Benefit and putting off Partialities and Prejudices they would all contribute in one for the publique Good and that being freed and fortified by our Preparations and Aids against the Errors and Impediments of the waies they likewise may come in and bear a part in the burden and inherit a portion of the Labours that yet remaine behind § Moreover that they cheere up themselves and conceive well of the enterprise and not figure unto themselves a conceit and fancy that this Our Instauration is a matter infinite and beyond the power and compasse of Mortality seeing it is in truth the right and legitimate end and period of Infinite Errors and not unmindfull of Mortality and Humane Condition being it doth not promise that the Designe may be accomplisht within the Revolution of an Age only but delivers it over to Posterity to Perfect Jn a word it seeks not Sciences arrogantly in the cells of mans wit but submissively in the greater world And commonly Empty things are vast and boundlesse but Solids are contracted and determined within a narrow compasse § To conclude we thought good to make it our last suit lest peradventure through the difficulty of the Attempt any should become unequall Iudges of our Labours that men see to it how they doe from that which we must of necessity lay down as a ground if we will be true to our own ends assume a liberty to censure and passe sentence upon our labours seeing we reject all this premature and Anticipated humane Reason rashly and too suddenly departed from Things as touching the Inquisition of Nature as a thing various disordered and ill-built Neither in equity can it be required of us to stand to the Iudgement of that Reason which stands it selfe at the barre of Iudicature THE DISTRIBVTION OF THE WORK INTO SIX PARTS P. I. PARTITIONES SCIENTIARVM OR a summary Survay and partition of Sciences P. II. NOVVM ORGANVM OR True Directions for the Interpretation of Nature P. III. PHAENOMENA VNIVERSI OR History Naturall and Experimentall for the building up Philosophy P. IV. SCALA INTELLECTVS OR the Intellectuall Sphere rectified to the Globe of the World P. V. PRODROMI OR The Anticipations of second Philosophy emergent upon Practice P. VI. SECVNDA PHILOSOPHIA OR Active Philosophy from intimate Converse with Nature THE ARGUMENT OF THE SEVERALL PARTS IT is one point of the Designe we have in hand that every thing be delivered with all possible Plainesse and Perspicuity for the nakednesse of the Mind as once of the Body is the companion of Innocence and Simplicity First therefore the order and Distribution of the work with the reason thereof must be made manifest The Parts of the work are by us assigned Six P. I ¶ The First Part exhibits the summe or universall description of that Learning and Knowledges in the possession whereof men have hetherto bin estated For we thought good to make some stay even upon Sciences received and that for this consideration that we might give more advantage to the Parfection of ancient knowledges and to the introduction of new For we are carried in some degree with an equall temper of Desire both to improve the labours of the Ancients and to make farther progresse And this makes for the faith and sincerity of our meaning according to that of the wise Prov. 18. The unlearned Man receives not the words of knowledge unlesse you first interpret unto him the conceptions of his heart Wherefore we will not neglect to side along as it were in passage the Coasts of accepted
Jnfinity Anxiety and Seducement of Knowledge Three preservatives § That it instruct us our Mortality § That it give us content § That it soare not too high § And so Philosophy leads the Mind by the Linkes of Second Causes unto the First CAP. II. I. Discredits cast upon Learning from the objections of Politiques That Learning softens Mens natures and makes them unfit for Exercise of Armes That Learning perverts mens minds for matter of Goverment Other particular indispositions pretended II. The solution Learning makes not men unapt for Armes III. Learning inables men for Civile affaires IV. Particular seducements imputed to Learning As curious incertainty § Pertinacious Regularity § Misleading Book-Presidents § Retired slothfulnesse § Relaxation of Discipline are rather cured than caused by Learning CAP. III. I. Discredits of Learning from Learned mens Fortunes Manners Nature of studies II. Derogations derived from Fortune are these Scarcity of Means § Privatenesse of life § Meannesse of imployment III. From their Manners these too Regular for the times § Too sensible of the good of others and too neglective of their own § A defailance in applying themselves to Persons of Quality § A Failing in some lesser Ceremonies of demeanure § Grosse Flattery practised by some Learned men § Instanced in the Moderne Dedication of Bookes § Discreet Morigeration allowed CAP. IV. I. Distempers of Learning from Learned mens studies are of three sorts Phantasticall Learning Contentious Learning Delicate Learning II. Delicate Learning a curiosity in words through profusenesse of speech § Decent expression commended § Affected brevity censured III. Contentious Learning a curiosity in matter through Novelty of Termes or strictnesse of Positions § A vanity either in Matter or in Method IV. Phantasticall Learning hath two branches Imposture Credulity § Credulity a Belief of History or a Beliefe of Art or Opinion and that either Reall in the Art it selfe § Or Personall in the Author of such an Art or Science CAP. V. Peccant Humors in Learning I. Extreme affection to two extremes Antiquity Novelty II. A distrust that any thing New should now be found out III. That of all Sects and Opinions the best hath still prevailed IV. An over-early reduction of Knowledge into Arts and Methods V. A neglect of PRIMITIVE PHILOSOPHY VI. A Divorce of the Jntellect from the Object VII A contagion of Knowledge in Generall from Particular inclinations and tempers VIII An impatience of suspense hast to positive assertion IX A Magistrall manner of Tradition of Knowledge X. Aime of Writers Illustration not Propagation of Knowledge XI End of studies Curiosity Pleasure Profit Preferment c. CPA VI. The Dignity of Learning from Divine Arguments and Testimonies I. From Gods Wisdome § Angels of Illumination § The first Light § The first Sabbath § Mans imployment in the Garden § Abels contemplation § The Invention of Musique § Confusion of Tongues II. The excellent Learning of Moses § Job § Salomon § Christ § St Paul § The Ancient Doctors of the Church § Learning exalts the Mind to the Celebration of Gods glory and is a preservative against Error and unbeliefe CAP. VII The Dignity of Learning from human Arguments and Testimonies I. Naturall Inventors of new Arts for the Commodity of Mans life consecrated as Gods II. Politicall Civile Estates and Affaires advanced by Learning § The best and the happiest times under Learned Princes and others § Exemplified in six continued succeeding Emperors from the death of Domitian III. Military The Concurrence of Armes and Learning § Exemplified in Alexander the Great § Julius Caesar the Dictator § Xenophon the Philosopher CAP. VIII The Merit of Learning from the influence it hath upon Morall virtues § Learning a Soveraign remedy for all the diseases of the Mind § The domininion thereof greater than any Temporall Power being a Power over Reason and Beliefe § Learning gives Fortunes Honours and Delights excelling all other as the soule the sense § Durable monuments of Fame § A prospect of the Immortality of a future world THE SECOND BOOK THE PROEM THe Advancement of Learning commended to the Care of Kings I. The Acts thereof in generall three Reward Direction Assistance II In speciall about three Objects Places Books Persons § In Places foure Circumstances Buildings Revenues Priviledges Lawes of Discipline § In Books two Libraries good Editions § In Persons two Readers of Sciences extant Jnquiries into Parts non-extant III. Deficients in the Acts of Advancement six want of Foundations for Arts at large § Meannesse of Salary to Readers § Want of allowance for experiments § Preposterous Institutions unadvised practises in Academicall studies § Want of Intelligence between the Vniversities of Europe § Want of Enquirers into the Defects of Arts. § The Authors particular designe § Modest defence CAP. I I. An Vniversall Partition of Human Learning into § History II. Poesy III. Philosophy § This Partition is drawn from the three Intellective Faculties Memory Imagination Reason § The same distribution is agreeable unto Divine Learning CAP. II. I. The Partition of History into Naturall and Civile Ecclesiasticall and Literary comprehended under Civile II. The Partition of Naturall History into the History of Generations III. Of Preter-Generations IV. Of Arts. CAP. III. I. A Second Partition of Naturall History from the Vse and End thereof into Narrative and Jnductive And that the most noble end of Naturall History is that it Minister and Conduce to the building up of Philosophy which end Inductive History respecteth II. The Partition of the History of Generations into the History of the Heavens The History of the Meteors The History of the Earth and Sea The History of Massive Bodies or of the greater Collegiats The History of Kinds or of the Lesser Collegiats CAP. IV. I. The Partition of History Civile into Ecclesiasticall and Literary and which retaines the generall name Civile II. Literary Deficient § Precepts how to compile it CAP. V. Of the Dignity and Difficulty of Civile History CAP. VI. The first Partition of Civile History into § Memorials § Antiquities § Perfect History CAP. VII The Partition of Perfect History into Chronicles of Times Lives of Persons Relation of Acts. § The explication of the History of Lives § Of Relations CAP. VIII The Partition of the History of Times into universall and particular History The advantages and disadvantages of both CAP. IX The Second Partition of the History of Times into Annals and Iournals CAP. X. A Second Partition of Speciall-Civile History in History Simple and Mixt. CAP. XI I. The Partition of Ecclesiasticall History into the Generall History of the Church II. History of Prophecy III. History of Providence CAP. XII The Appendices of History Conversant about the words of Men as History it selfe about Mens Acts. The partition of them into Speeches Letters and Apophthegmes CAP. XIII The Second Principall part of Human Learning Poesy I. The Partition of Poesy into Narrative II. Drammaticall III. Parabolicall § Three Examples of Parabolicall Poesy propounded IV.
Naturall V. Politicall VI. Morall THE THIRD BOOK CAP. I. I. The Partition of Sciences into Theology and Philosophy II. The Partition of Philosophy into three Knowledges of God of Nature of Man III. The Constitution of Philosophia Prima as the Commune Parent of All. CAP. II. Of Naturall Theology § Of the Knowledge of Angels and Spirits an Appendix thereof CAP. III. The Partition of Naturall Philosophy into Speculative and Operative § These two both in the Intention of the Writer and Body of the Treatise ought to be separate CAP. IV. I. The Partition of speculative Science concerning Nature into Physique speciall and Metaphysique whereof Physique inquires the Efficient Cause and the Matter Metaphysique the Finall cause of the Forme II. The Partition of Physique into the knowledges of the Principles of things of the Fabrique of things or of the World and of the variety of things III. The Partition of Physique respecting the variety of Things into the Doctrine of Concretes and into the Doctrine of Abstracts The Partition of Concretes is the same with the Distribution of Naturall History IV. The Partition of of the Doctrine of Abstracts into the knowledge of the Schemes of Matter and into the knowledge of Motions V. Two Appendices of Speculative Physique Naturall Problems And the Placits of Ancient Philosophers VI. The Partition of Metaphysique into the Doctrine of Formes and into the Doctrine of Finall Causes CAP. V. I. The Partition of Operative Knowledge concerning Nature into Mechanique and Magique respondent to the Parts of Speculative knowledge Mechanique to Physique Magique to Metaphysique § A purging of the word Magia II. Two Appendices to Operative knowledge An Inventary of the estate of Man § A Catalogue of Polychrests or things of multifarious use CAP. VI. Of the great Appendix of Naturall Philosophy as well Speculative as Operative Mathematique knowledge and that it ought to be placed rather amongst Appendices than amongst substantiall Sciences § The Partition of Mathematiques into Pure and Mixt. THE FOVRTH BOOK CHAP. I. I. THe Partition of the Knowledge of Man into the Philosophy of Humanity and Civile § The partition of the knowledge of Humanity into the knowledge touching the Body of Man and into the knowledge touching the Soule of Man II. The constitution of a generall knowledge touching the Nature and Estate of Man § The partition of the knowledge concerning the Estate of Man into the knowledge touching the Person of Man and into the knowledge touching the League of Soule and Body § The partition of the knowledge touching the Person of Man into the knowledge of Mans miseries § And of Mans prerogatives III. The partition of the knowledge touching the League into the knowledge of Jndications § And of Impressions § The assignement of Physiognomy § And of Interpretation of Naturall Dreams unto the Doctrine of Jndications CAP. II. I. The partition of the knowledge respecting the Body of Man into Art Medicinall § Cosmetique § Athletique § And Voluptuary II. The partition of Medicine into three duties § Conservation of Health III. Cure of Diseases IV. And Prolongation of life and that the last Part Prolongation of life should be seperate from the other two CAP. III. I. The partition of Human Philosophy touching the soule into the knowledge of the Inspired Essence and into the knowledge of the sensible or traduced soule § The second partition of the same Philosophy into the knowledge of the Substance and Faculties of the Soule And into the knowledge of the Vse and Objects of the Faculties II. Two Appendices of the knowledge concerning the Faculties of the soule the knowledge of Naturall Divination § And the knowledge of Fascination III. The Distribution of the Faculties of the sensible soule into Motion and Sense THE FIFTH BOOK CAP. I. I. THE partition of the knowledge which respecteth the use and objects of the Faculties of the Mind of Man into Logique and Ethique II. The Division of Logique into the Arts of Invention of Iudgement of Memory and of Tradition CAP. II. I. The partition of the Art of Jnvention into the Inventive of Arts and of Arguments § The former of these which is the more eminent is Deficient II. The partition of the Jnventive Art of Arts into Literate Experience § And a New Organ III. A delineation of Literate Experience CAP. III. I. The partition of the Inventive Art of Arguments into Promptuary or Places of Preparation And Topique or Places of Suggestion II. The partition of Topiques into Generall § And Particular Topiques III. An Example of Particular Topique in the Inquiry De Gravi Levi. CAP. IV. I. The partition of the Art of Iudging into Iudgement by Induction § And by Syllogisme Of the first a Collection is made in the Novum Organum § The first partition of Iudgement by Syllogisme into Reduction Direct and Inverst § The second partition thereof into Analytique Art and the knowledge of Elenches II. The division of the knowledge of Elenches into Elenches of Sophismes § Into Elenches of Interpretation of Termes § And into Elenches of Images or Idolaes III. The division of Idolaes § Into Impression from the generall nature of Man or Idola Tribus § Into Impressions from the Jndividuall temper of Particulars or Jdola specûs § Into Impressions by words and Communicative nature or Jdola Fori IV. An Appendix to the Art of Iudging namely of the Analogy of Demonstration according to the nature of the subject CAP. V. I. The Partition of Art Retentive or of Memory into the knowledge of the Helps of Memory § And the Knowledge of Memory it selfe II. The Divivision of the Doctrine of Memory into Prenotion and Embleme THE SIXTH BOOK CAP. I. I. THE Partition of the Art of Tradition into the Doctrine of the Organ of Speech The Doctrine of the Method of Speech and the Doctrine of the Illustration of Speech § The partition of the Doctrine of the Organ of Speech into the knowledge of the Notes of things of Speaking and of Writing Of which the two last constitute Grammer and the Partitions thereof § The Partition of the knowledge of the Notes of Things into Hieroglyphiques and into Characters Reall II. A second Partition of Grammer into Literary and Philosophicall III. The aggregation of Poesy referring to Measure to the knowledge of Speech § An aggregation of the knowledge of Ciphers to the knowledge of Scripture CAP. II. I The Doctrine of the Method of speech is assigned a substantiall and Principall Part of Traditive knowledge it is stiled the Wisdome of Delivery II The divers kinds of Methods are enumerated their Profits and Disprofits annext § The Parts of Method CAP. III. I. The Grounds and Office of Rhetorique II. Three Appendices which appertain only to the preparatory Part. The Colours of Good and Evill as well simple as compared III. The Anti-theta of Things IV. Lesser stiles or usuall Formes of Speech CAP. IV. I Two generall Appendices of Traditive knowledge Art Criticall II. And
redargution neverthelesse save that we know not whether our labours may extend to other ages seems not so needfull for the present seeing the aspect and favour of two most learned Princes Queene ELIZABETH Your Majesty being as Castor and Pollux Lucida Sidera starres of a most benigne influence hath wrought in us of Britaine so much love and reverence towards Learning CAP. III. I Discredits of Learning from Learned mens Fortunes Manners Nature of studies II. In their Fortunes scarcity of Meanes § Obscurity of life § Meanesse of Imployment III. In their Manners Too Regular for the times § Too sensible of the good of others and neglective of their own § They faile in applying themselves to Particular Persons § They faile in some points of Behaviour § Grosse Flattery practis'd by some Learned § Instanced in the Moderne Dedication of Bookes § Discreet Morigeration allowed I NOw come we to the third sort of Discredit or Diminution of Credit that redoundes upon Learning from learned men themselves which commonly cleaveth fastest It is derived either from their Fortune or from their Manners or from the Nature of their studies whereof the first is not in their power the second is not to the point so as the third alone seemeth properly to fall into enquiry but because we are not in hand with the true valew of things but with popular estimation it will not be amisse to insinuate somewhat also of the two former II The Derogations therefore or Diminutions of Credit which grow to Learning from the fortune of Learned men are taken either from their Poverty and scarcity of Meanes or from their obscure and private course of Life or from the meannesse of imployment wherein they are conversant § As concerning Want and that usually is the case of Learned men that they are poore and commonly begin with litle and grow not rich so fast as other men which convert their labours chiefly to lucre and encrease it were good to leave the common Place in Commendation of Poverty to some Frier Mendicant to handle if by their leaves I may be so bold to whom much was attributed by Machiavell in this point Dell. Hist Fior. lib. 1. when he said that the Kingdome of the clergie had bin long before at an end if the reputation and reverence towards the Poverty of Friers and Monkes had not borne out the scandalls of the superfluities and excesses of Bishops and Praelates so a man might say that the felicity and magnificence of Princes and great Persons had long since turned to Barbarisme and Rudenesse if the Poverty of Learning had not kept up civility and honor of life But without such advantages of hunting after the praise thereof it is worthy observation what a sacred and reverend thing Poverty of Fortune was for some ages in the Roman State which yet was a State without Paradoxes For thus saith Titus Livius in his introduction Praef. lib. 1. Either my affection to the worke I have undertaken deceaves me or there was never State more great more religious more richly furnish't with good presidents nor which avarice and riot conquered so late nor where so great reverence to Poverty and Parcimony continued so long So likewise after the State of Rome was now degenerate we read that when Caesar the Dictator took upon him a Restauration of the collapsed state one of his confidents gave him this counsill That of all Points the most summary to such a designement as he went about was by all meanes to take away the estimation of wealth For saith he these and all other evills Orat. ad C. Caesar Salust imputata together with the reputation of mony shall cease if neither publique Offices nor any other Dignity which commonly are so coveted were exposed to sale To conclude this point as it was truly said that Rubor est virtutis Color though sometimes it come from vice Laert. in Diog. Cyn. so you may truly say Paupertas est virtutis fortuna though sometimes it may proceed from misgovernment and improvidence Surely this is Solomons Censure Prov. 28. Qui festinat ad divitias non erit insons and Precept Prov. 23. Buy the truth and sell it not So wisdome and knowledge judging it right and equall that meanes should be imployed to get Learning and not Learning be applied to gather up meanes § To what purpose should we speake of the privatenesse and obscurenesse of life which is objected to learned men It is a Theme so common and so frequently handled by all to extoll Leasure and retirednesse not taxed with sensuality and sloth before a Civile and Active life for safety liberty sweetnesse dignity or at least freedome from indignities as no man handles this subject but handles it well such a consonancy it hath to mens conceptions in the expressing and to mens consent in the allowing This only I will adde that Learned men forgotten in States are like the Images of Cassius and Brutus in the funeralls of Iunia of which not to be represented as others were Tacitus saith Annal. 3. Eo ipso praefulgebant quod non visebantur § For Meannesse of imployment assigned to Learned men that which is most traduced to contempt is That the government of childhood and youth is commonly allotted to them the contempt of which age is transferred upon the Preceptors or Tutors But how unjust this traducement is if you will reduce things from popularity of opinion to measure of reason may appeare in that we see men are more carefull what they put into new vessels then into a vessell season'd and more curious what mould they lay about a young plant then a plant corroborate So as it is manifest that the weakest termes and times of all things use to have the best applications and helps Harken if you please to the Hebrew Rabbins Ioel. 2. Your young men shall see visions your old men shall dreame dreams from this Text they collect that youth is the worthier age by so much as Revelation is more cleare by visions then by dreames And it is worth the noteing that however Pedants have bin the derision and scorne of Theaters as the Apes of Tyranny and that the moderne loosenesse or negligence hath taken no due regard to the choice of Schoolemasters and Tutors yet it hath bin an ancient complaint drawn down from the best and wisest times even to our age that States were too busie with their Lawes and too negligent in point of Education Which excellent part of Ancient Discipline hath bin in some sort revived of late times by the Colledges of the Iesuits whose paines and diligence when I consider as well in the culture of knowledge as information of manners the saying of Agesilaus touching Pharnabazus comes into my mind Plut. in Agesil Talis cum sis utinam noster esses And thus much concerning the discredits drawn from the Fortunes and Condition of Learned men III As touching the Manners
of Learned men it is a thing belonging rather to their individuall Persons than their studies and point of learning No doubt there is found among them as in all other Professions and Conditions of life men of all temperatures as well bad as good but yet so as it is not without truth that is said abire studia in mores and that Learning and Studies unlesse they fall upon very depraved dispositions have an influence and operation upon the manners of those that are conversant in them to reforme nature and change it to the better § But upon an attentive and indifferent review I for my part can not finde any disgrace to learning can proceed from the Manners of Learned men adherent unto them as they are Learned unlesse peradventure it be a fault which was the supposed fault of Demosthenes Cicero Cato the second Seneca and many more that because the times they read of are commonly better than the times they live in and the duties taught better then the duties practised they contend too farre to reduce the corruption of manners to the honesty of precepts and prescripts of a too great hight and to impose the Lawes of ancient severity upon dissolute times and yet they have Caveats enow touching this austerity out of their own springs For Solon when he was asked Plut. in Solon Whether he had given his Citizens the best lawes the best said he of such as they would receive So Plato finding that his own heart could not agree with the corrupt manners of his Country refused to beare place or office saying In vita in epist alibi That a mans Country is to be used as his Parents were that is with perswasion and not with violence by entreating and not by contesting And Cesars counselor put in the same caveat saying Orat. ad C. Caes Salust ad scripta non ad vetera instituta revocans quae jampridem corruptis moribus ludibrio sunt And Cicero notes this error directly in Cato the second writing to his friend Atticus Ad Attic. lib. 2. ep 1. Cato optime sentit sed nocet interdum Reipub. loquitur enim tanquam in Repub. Platonis non tanquam in faeâ—e Romuli The same Cicero doth excuse and expound the Philosophers for going too farre and being too exact in their Prescripts These same Praeceptors and Teachers Pro L. Muraena saith he seem to have stretched out the line and limits of Duties somewhat beyond the naturall bounds that when we had laboured to reach the highest point of Perfection we might rest where it was meet and yet himselfe might say Monitis sum minor ipse meis for he stumbled at the same stone though in not so extreme a degree § Another fault which perchance not undeservedly is objected against Learned men is this that they have preferr'd the honour and profit of their Countrey and Masters before their own fortunes and safeties So Demosthenes to his Athenians Oratio de Corona My Counsells saith he if you please to note it are not such whereby J should grow great amongst you you become litle amongst the Grecians but they be of that nature as are sometimes not good for me to give but are alwaies good for you to follow So Seneca after he had consecrated that Quinquennium Neronis to the eternall glory of Learned Governors held on his honest and loyall course of Good and Free Counsell after his Master grew extremely corrupt to his great perill and at last to his ruine Neither can it be otherwise conceived for Learning endues mens minds with a true sense of the frailty of their Persons the Casualty of fortune the Dignity of the soule and their vocation which when they think of they can by no meanes perswade themselves that any advancement of their own fortunes can be set down as a true and worthy end of their being and ordainement Wherefore they so live as ever ready to give their account to God and to their Masters under God whether they be Kings or States they serve Matt. 25. in this stile of words Ecce tibi Lucrifeci and not in that Ecce mihi Lucrifeci But the corrupter sort of Politiques that have not their mindes instituted and establish't in the true apprehension of Duties and the contemplation of good in the universality referre all things to themselves as if they were the worlds Center and that the concurrence of all lines should touch in them and their fortunes never careing in all tempests what becomes of the Ship so they may retire and save them selves in the Cock-boate of their own fortune On the contrary they that feele the waight of Duty and understand the limits of selfe love use to make good their places and duties though with perill and if they chance to stand safe in seditions and alterations of times and Goverment it is rather to be attributed to the reverence which honesty even wresteth from adversaries than any versatile or temporizing advantage in their own carriage But for this point of tender sense and fast obligation of duty which without doubt Learning doth implant in the minde however it may be taxed and amerced by Fortune and be despised by Politiques in the depth of their corrupt principles as a weake and improvident virtue yet it will receive an open allowance so as in this matter there needs the lesse disproofe or excusation § Another fault there is incident to Learned men which may sooner be excused than denied namely this That they doe not easily apply and accommodate themselves to persons with whom they negociate and live which want of exact application ariseth from two causes The first is the largenesse and greatnesse of their minds which can hardly stoope and be confined within the observation of the nature and custome of one person It is the speech of a Lover not of a wise man Seneca Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus Neverthelesse I shall yeeld that he that cannot contract the light of his mind as he doth the eye of his body as well as disperse and dilate it wants a great faculty for an active course of Life The second cause is the honesty and integrity of their nature which argueth no inhability in them but a choise upon judgement for the true and just limits of observance towards any person extend no farther then so to understand his inclination and disposition as to converse with him without offence or to be able if occasion be offered to give him faithfull counsill and yet to stand upon reasonable guard caution in respect of our selves but to be speculative into others and to feele out a mans disposition to the end to know how to worke him winde him and governe him at pleasure is not the part of an ingenious nature but rather of a heart double and cloven which as in friendship it is want of integrity so towards Princes and Superiors it is want of Duty
For the Custome of the Levant whereby it was accounted a hainous offence to gaze and fixe their eyes upon Princes is indeed in the outward ceremony barbarous but good in the morall for it becomes not Subjects by bent and inquisitive observations to penetrate into the hearts of Kings Prov. 25. which the Scripture hath declared to be inscrutable § There is yet another fault with which I will conclude this Part which is often noted in Learned men namely that in small and outward matters of behaviour and carriage as in countenance gesture march ordinary discourse and the like they doe many times faile to observe decensy and discretion so as the vulgar sort of capacities make a judgement of them in greater matters by that which they finde wanting in small and ordinary points of Action But this prejudication doth oftentimes deceive them nay let them know they have their answer from Themistocles who being invited to touch a lute said arrogantly enough being applied to himselfe but pertinently to the purpose in hand That he could not Plut. in Themist indeed fiddle but he knew how to make a small Towne a great State And there are no doubt many well seen in the Arts of Government and Policy which are to seeke in ordinary conversation and punctuall occasions I referre such scoffers to the Elogie Alcibiades gave of his Master Socrates Plato Conv. whom he compar'd to the Gallipots of the Apothecaries which on the outside were drawne with Apes Owles and Antiques but contained within precious liquors and soveraigne confections acknowledging that to vulgar capacity and popular report he was not without some superficiall levities and deformities but was inwardly replenisht with excellent powers and virtues And so much touching the Point of Manners of learned men § In the mean time I thought good to advertise that I have no purpose to give allowance to some base and unworthy Conditions of some Professours whereby they have discredited both Themselves and Learning such were those trencher Philosophers which in the later age of the Roman state were usually in the howses of Great Persons whom not improperly you may call solemne Parasites of which kinde Lucian makes a merry description of the Philosopher that the great Lady took to ride with her in the Coach and would needs have him carry her litle Dogge Melitaeus which he doing officiously and yet uncomely the page scoffing said De Merc. conduct I doubt our Philosopher of a Stoick will turne Cynique But above all the rest the grosse and palpable flattery whereunto many not unlearned have abased and abused their wits and pens turning as Du Bartus saith Hecuba into Helena and Faustina into Lucretia hath diminisht the prize and estimation of Learning § Neither is the Moderne Dedication of Bookes to Patrons to be Commended for that Bookes such as are worthy the name of Bookes ought to have no Patron but Truth and Reason The custome of the Ancients was better who were wont to dedicate their writings only to private and equall friends or to entitle the Bookes with the names of such friends or if they Dedicated their Books to Kings or Great Persons it was to some such as the Argument of the Book was fit and proper for These and the like Courses may deserve rather reprehension than defence § Nor say I this as if I condemned the Morigeration and application of Learned men to men in fortune and place for the answer was good that Aristippus made to one that askt him in mockery Laert. in Aristip How it came to passe that Philosophers were followers of Rich men and not Rich-men of Philosophers He answered soberly and yet sharpely That it was because Philosophers knew well what they had need of but Rich mē did not Of like nature was the answer which the same Philosopher made when having a Petition to Dionysius and no eare given to him he fell downe at his feet in manner of a worshipper Ibid. whereupon Dionysius staid and gave him the hearing and granted it but a litle after some person tender of the honour and credit of Philosophy reproved Aristippus that he would offer the Profession of Philosophy such an indignity as for a private suite to fall to a Tyrants feet to whom he relied That was not his fault but it was the fault of Dionysius that had his eares in his feet Neither was it accounted weaknesse but a discretion in him that would not dispute his best with Adrianus Caesar Spartian in Hadrian excusing the fact That it was reason to yeeld to him that commanded thirty Legions These and such like applications and stoopeings of Learned men below the termes of Gravity at the command of necessity or the advantage of occasion cannot be condemned for though they may seeme at first sight somewhat base and servile yet in a judgement truly made they are to be accounted submissions to the Occasion and not to the Person CAP. IV. I. Distempers of Learning from Learned mens studies are of three sorts Phantasticall Learning Contentious Learning Delicate Learning II. Delicate Learning a Curiosity in words through Profusenesse of speech § Decent expression commended § Affected Brevity censured III. Contentious Learning a Curiosity in matter through the novelty of termes or strictnesse of Positions § A vanity either in Matter or in Method IV. Phantasticall Learning hath two branches Imposture Credulity § Credulity is a beliefe of History § Or a beliefe of Art or Opinion and that either Reall in the Art it selfe § Or Personall in the Auctor of such an Art or Science LET us now proceed to those Errors and Vanities which have intervened amongst the studies of Learned men and therewith are intermingled which is the principall point and proper to the present Argument wherein my purpose is not to patronize errors but by a Censure and separation of the errors to sift out that which is sound and solid and to deliver the same from aspersion For we see it is the manner of men especially of envious persons to scandalize and deprave that which retaines the State and Virtue by takeing advantage upon that which is corrupt and degenerate as the Heathens in the Primitive Church us'd to blemish and taint the Christians with the faults and corruptions of Heretiques Neverthelesse I have no meaning to make any exact animadversion of the Errors and Jmpediments in matters of Learning which are more secret and remote from vulgar opinion but only to speak of such as doe fall under a common and popular observation and known or at least which recede not farre of therefrom I. I finde therefore chiefly three vanities and vacuities in Learning which have given occasion to the reproach and disgrace thereof For those things are esteemed vaine which are either false or frivolous namely wherein there is either no truth or no use those Persons we esteeme vaine which are either Credulous in things false or Curious in things of
Recognisance or Retractation as the Lawyers speak as if we had understood and knowne them before III An other error which hath some affinity with the former is a conceit That all sects and ancient opinions after they have bin discussed and ventilated the best still prevail'd and supprest the rest Wherefore they think that if a man should begin the labour of a new search and examination he must needs light upon somewhat formerly rejected and after rejection lost and brought into oblivion as if the multitude or the wisest to gratify the multitude were not more ready to give passage to that which is populare and superficiall than to that which is substantiall and profound For Time seemeth to be of the nature of a River which carrieth down to us that which is light and blown up and sinketh and drowneth that which is waighty and solid I Another error of divers nature from the former is The overearly and Peremptory reduction of Knowledge into Arts and Methods which once done commonly sciences receive small or no augmentation For as young men when they knit and shape perfectly doe seldome grow to a farther stature so knowledge while it is disperst into Aphorismes and Observations may grow and shoot up but once inclosed and comprehended in Methods it may perchance be farther polisht and illustrate and accommodated for use and practise but it increaseth no more in bulke and substance V Another error which doth succeed that which we last noted is That after distribution of Particular Arts and Sciences into their severall places many men have presently abandoned the universall notion of things or Philosophia Prima which is a deadly enemy to all Progression Prospects are made from Turrets and high places and it is impossible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science if you stand but upon the flat and levell of the same science and ascend not as into a watch-Tower to a higher science VI Another error hath proceeded from too great a reverence and a kind of Adoration of the mind and understanding of man by means whereof men have withdrawn themselves too much from the contemplation of Nature and the observations of experience and have tumbled up and downe in their own speculations and conceits but of these surpassing Opinators and if J may so speak Jntellectualists which are notwithstanding taken for the most sublime divine Philosophers Heraclitus gave a just censure saying Men seek truth in their own litle world N. L. and not in the great common world for they disdaine the Alphabet of nature and Primer-Book of the Divine works which if they did not they might perchance by degrees and leasure after the knowledge of simple letters and spelling of Syllables come at last to read perfectly the Text and Volume of the Creatures But they contrariwise by continuall meditation and agitation of wit urge and as it were invocate their own spirits to divine and give Oracles unto them whereby they are deservedly and pleasingly deluded VII Another Error that hath some connexion with this latter is That men doe oftentimes imbue and infect their meditations and doctrines with the infusions of some Opinions and conceptions of their own which they have most admired or some sciences to which they have most applied and consecrated themselves giving all things a Dye and Tincture though very deceivable from these favorite studies So hath Plato intermingled his Philosophy with Theology Aristotle with Logique The second Schoole of Plato Proclus and the rest with the Mathematiques These Arts had a kind of Primo-geniture with them which they would still be kissing and making much of as their first borne sonnes But the Alchimists have forged a new Philosophy out of the Fire and Furnace and Gilbert our Countrey-man hath extracted another Philosophy out of a Load-stone So Cicero when reciting the severall opinions of the nature of the soule he found a Musitian that held the soule was but a harmony saith plesantly Hic ab arte sua non recessit Tusc lib. 1. But of these errors Aristotle saith aptly and wisely De Gen. Cor. lib. 1. alibi Qui respiciunt ad pauca de facili pronunciant VIII Another error is An impatience of Doubt and an unadvised hast to Assertion without due and mature suspension of the judgement For the two waies of contemplation are not unlike the two waies of Action commonly spoken of by the Ancients of which the one was a plaine and smooth way in the beginning but in the end impassible the other rough and troublesome in the entrance but after a while faire and even so is it in contemplations if a man will begin in certainties he shall end in doubts but if he can be content to begin with doubts and have patience a while he shall end in certainties IX The like error discovereth it selfe in the manner of Tradition and Delivery of knowledge which is for the most part imperious and magistrall not ingenious and faithfull so contrived as may rather command our assent than stand to examination It is true that in compendious Treatises designed for Practice that Forme of writing may be retained but in a just and compleat handling of knowledge both extremes are to be avoided Cic. de Nat. Dier lib. 1. as well the veine of Velleius the Epicurean who feard nothing so much as to seem to doubt of any thing as that of Socrates and the Academie leaving all things in doubt and incertainty Rather men should affect candor and sincerity propounding things with more or lesse asseveration as they stand in their judgement proved more or lesse X Other errors there are in the scope that men propound to themselves whereunto they bend their endeavours and studies For whereas the most devout Leaders and noted Professors of Learning ought chiefly to propound to themselves to make some notable addition to the science they professe contrariwise they convert their labours to aspire to certain second prizes as to be a profound interpreter or commentator a sharp and strong champion or Defendor a Methodicall compounder or Abridger so the Revenewes and Tributes of Sciences come to be improved but not the Patrimony and Inheritance XI But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing the last and farthest end of knowledge For many have entred into a desire of Learning and Knowledge some upon an imbred and restlesse Curiosity others to entertaine their mindes with variety and delight others for ornament and reputation others for contradiction and victory in dispute others for Lucre and living few to improve the gift of reason given them from God to the benefite and use of men As if there were sought in knowledge a couch whereupon to rest a restlesse and searching spirit or a Tarrasse for a wandring and variable mind to walk up and downe in at liberty unrestrained or some high and eminent Tower of State from which a proud and ambitious mind may
12. who was only learned amongst the Apostles was chiefly imployed by God in the Scriptures of the new Testament § So again we know that many of the Ancient Bishops and Doctors of the Church were excellently read and studied in all the Learning of the Heathen in so much that the Edict of the Emperour Iulian Epist ad Iambl whereby it was interdicted unto Christians to be admitted into Schooles or exercises of Learning was estimed and accounted a more pernitious Engine and Machination against the Christian Faith than were all the sanguinary prosequtions of his predecessors P. Diac. l. 3. Parag. 33. Neither could the emulation and jealousie of Gregory the First otherwise an excellent man who designed to extinguish and obliterate Heathen Auctors and Antiquity ever obtain the opinion of Piety and Devotion amongst holy men But contrariwise it was the Christian Church which amidst the inundations of the Scythians from the North-west and the Saracens from the East did preserve in the sacred Lap and Bosome thereof the pretious reliques of Heathen Learning which otherwise had utterly perisht and bin extinguisht And of late in our age we may likewise see the Iesuites who partly in themselves and partly by emulation and provocation of Adversaries have much quickned and strengthned the state of Learning we see J say what notable services they have done and what helps they have brought in to the repairing and establishing of the Roman Sea § Wherefore to conclude this Part there are two principall Duties Services besides ornament and illustration which human Learning doth performe to Faith and Religion The one because they are effectuall incitements to the exaltation and celebration of the Glory of God for as the Psalmes Psal XIX and other Scriptures doe often invite us to the contemplation and publication of the magnificent and wonderfull works of God so if we should rest only in the outward forme as they first offer themselves unto our senses we should doe the like injury to the Majesty of God as if we should judge of the store and wealth of some excellent Jeweller by that only which is set out towards the street in his shop The other Mat. 22. because they minister a singular help and preservative against unbeliefe and errors You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God Where he layes before us two books or volumnes to study if we will be secur'd from errors First the volumne of Scriptures which reveale the will of God than the volume of Creatures which expresse his power whereof the latter is as a key to the former not only opening our understanding to conceive the true sense of Scriptures by the generall rules of Reason and Lawes of speech but besides chiefly opening our beliefe in drawing us unto a due meditation of the omnipotency of God the characters whereof are chiefly signed and engraven upon his works Thus much for Divine Testimonies and Evidences concerning the true Dignity and value of Learning CAP. VII The Dignity of Learning from humane Arguments and Testimonies I. Naturall Inventours of New Arts for the Commodities of Mans life consecrated as Gods II. Politicall Civill Estates and affaires advanced by Learning § The best and happiest times under Learned Princes and others § Exemplified in the immediat succeeding Emperors from the death of Domitian III. Military The concurrence of Armes and Learning § Exemplified in Alexander the Great § Iulius Caesar the Dictator § Xenophon the Philosopher AS for Humane Testimonies and Arguments it is so large a field as in a discourse of this compendious nature and brevity it is fit rather to use choice than to imbrace the variety of them I. First therefore in the degrees of Honor amongst the Heathens it was the highest to attain to a Veneration and Adoration as a God this indeed to the Christians is as the forbidden fruit but we speak now separately of Humane Testimony Therefore as we were saying with the Heathens that which the Grecians call Apotheosis and the Latines Relatio inter Divos Herodia l. 4 Dio. Reliqui was the supreme Honour which man could attribute unto Man specially when it was given not by a formall Decree or Act of Estate as it was used amongst the Roman Emperors but freely by the assent of Men and inward beliefe Of which high Honour there was a certain degree and midle terme For there were reckoned above Humane Honours Honours Heroicall and Divine in the Distribution whereof Antiquity observed this order Founders of States Lawgivers Extirpers of Tyrants Fathers of their Country and other eminent Persons in Civile Merit were honour'd with the title of Worthies only or Demi-Gods such as were Theseus Minos Romulus and the like on the other side such as were Inventors and Authors of new Arts and such as endowed mans life with new Commodities and accessions were ever consecrated among the Greater and Entire Gods which hapned to Ceres Bacchus Mercury Apollo and others which indeed was done justly and upon sound judgement For the merits of the former are commonly confined within the circle of an Age or a Nation and are not unlike seasonable and favoring showers which though they be profitable and desirable yet serve but for that season only wherein they fall and for a Latitude of ground which they water but the benefices of the latter like the influences of the Sunne and the heavenly bodies are for time permanent for place universall those again are commonly mixt with strife and perturbation but these have the true character of Divine presence and come in Aura leni without noise or agitation II. Neither certainly is the Merit of Learning in Civile affaires and in repressing the inconveniences which grow from man to man much inferior to the other which relieve mans necessities which arise from Nature And this kind of merit was lively set forth in that fained relation of Orpheus Theatre Philost in Orph. where all beasts and birds assembled which forgetting their proper naturall appetites of Prey of Game of Quarrell stood all sociably and lovingly together listning unto the Aires and accords of the harpe the sound whereof no sooner ceased or was drown'd by some lowder noise but every beast returned to his own nature In which Fable is elegantly described the nature and condition of men who are tossed and disordered with sundry savage and unreclaim'd desires of Profit of Lust of Revenge which yet as long as they give eare to precepts to the perswasion of Religion Lawes and Magistrates eloquently and sweetly coucht in Bookes to Sermons and Haranges so long is society and peace maintaind but if these instruments be silent or that seditions and tumults make them not audible all things dissolve and fall back into Anarchy and Confusion § But this appeareth more manifestly when Kings or Persons of Authority under them or other Governors in States are endowed with Learning Plato de Rep. 5. For although he might be thought
of so much land No doubt it is hard to say whether Armes or Learning have advanced greater numbers But if wee speake of Soveraignty we see that if Armes have carried away the Kingdome yet Learning hath borne away the Priesthood which ever hath bin in some competition with Empire § Againe Jf you contemplate the Pleasure and Delight of Knowledge and Learning assuredly it farre surpasses all other pleasure For what Shall perchance the pleasures of the Affections so farre excell the pleasures of the sences as a happy obtaining of a desire doth a song or a dinner and must not by the same degrees of consequence the pleasure of the Jntellect transcend those of the Affections In all other pleasures there is a finite satiety and after they grow a litle stale their flower and verdure vades and departs whereby we are instructed that they were not indeed pure and sincere pleasures but shadowes and deceits of Pleasures and that it was the Novelty which pleas'd and not the Quality therefore voluptuous men often turne Friers and the declining age of ambitious Princes is commonly more sad and besieged with Melancholy But of Knowledge there is no satiety but vicissitude perpetually and interchangeably returning of fruition and appetite so that the good of this delight must needs be simple without Accident or Fallacy Neither is that Pleasure of small efficacy and contentment in the mind of man which the Poet Lucretius describeth elegantly Swave mari magno turbantibus aequora ventis c. De Rer. Nat. lib. 2. It is a view of delight saith he to stand or walke upon the shore and to see a ship tost with tempest upon the sea à pleasure to stand in the window of a Castle and to see two Battailes joyne upon a plaine but it is a pleasure incomparable for the mind of man by Learning to be setled and fortified in the Tower of Truth and from thence to behold the errors and wandrings of other men below § Lastly leaving the vulgar arguments that by Learning man excels man in that wherein man excels beasts that by the help of Learning man ascends in his understanding even to the heavens whether in body he can not come and the like let us conclude this discourse concerning the dignity of knowledge and Learning with that good whereunto mans nature doth most aspire Immortality and continuance For to this tendeth generation raising of houses and Families Buildings Foundations Monuments Fame and in effect the summe and height of humane desires But we see how farre the monuments of wit and Learning are more durable than the Monuments of materiate Memorialls and Manu-factures Have not the verses of Homer continued xxv Centuries of years and above without the losse of a syllable or letter during which time infinite number of Places Temples Castles Citties have bin decayed or bin demolish't The Pictures and Statues of Cyrus Alexander Caesar no nor of the Kings and Princes of much later years by no means possible are now recoverable for the Originals worne away with age are perish't and the Copies daily loose of the life and Primitive resemblance But the images of mens wits remain unmaimed in books for ever exempt from the injuries of time because capable of perpetuall renovation Neither can they properly be called Images because in their way they generate still and cast their seeds in the mindes of men raiseing and procreating infinite Actions and Opinions in succeeding ages So that if the invention of a ship was thought so noble and wonderfull which transports Riches and Merchandice from Place to Place and consociats the most remote regions in participation of their fruits and commodities how much more are letters to be magnified which as ships passing through the vast sea of time counite the remotest ages of Wits and Inventions in mutuall Trafique and Correspondency § Furthermore we see some of the Philosophers which were most immersed in the senses and least divine and which peremptorily denied the immortality of the soule yet convicted by the power of truth came to this point That whatsoever Motions and Acts is the spirit of man could performe without the Organ of the body it was probable that those remained after death such as were the motions of the understanding but not of the affections so immortall and incorruptible a thing did knowledge seem to them to be But we illuminated with divine Revelation disclaiming these rudiments and delusions of the senses know that not only the mind but the affections purified not only the soule but the body shall be advanced in its time to immortality But it must be remembred both now and at other times as the nature of the point may require that in the proofes of the dignity of Knowledge and Learning J did at the beginning seperate Divine Testimonies from Humane which method I have constantly pursued and so handled them both apart Although all this be true neverthelesse I doe not take upon me neither can I hope to obtaine by any Perorations or pleadings of this case touching Learning to reverse the judgement either of Aesops Cock that preferred the Barly-corne before the Gemme Ovid. Met. XI or of Midas that being chosen Judge between Apollo President of the Muses and Pan President of Sheep judg'd for plenty or of Paris Eurip. in Troad that judg'd for Pleasure and love against wisdome and power or of Agrippina's choice Occidat matrem modo imperet Tac. An. XIV preferring empire with any condition never so detestable or of Vlysses qui vetulam praetulit immortalitati being indeed figures of those that preferre custome before all excellency and a number of the like popular judgements for these things must continue as they have bin but so will that also continue whereupon Learning hath ever relied as on a firme foundation which can never be shaken Mat. XI Justificata est sapientia à Filiis suis THE SECOND BOOK OF FRANCIS LO VERVLAM VICOUNT St ALBAN OF THE DIGNITY AND ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING To the KING THE PROEM The Advancement of Learning commended unto the care of Kings I. The Acts thereof in generall three Reward Direction Assistance II. In speciall about three objects Places Bookes Persons § In places four Circumstances Buildings Revenewes Priviledges Lawes of Discipline § In Books two Libraries good Editions § In Persons two Readers of Sciences Extant Inquirers into Parts non-extant III. Defects in these Acts of Advancement six Want of Foundations for Arts at large § Meannesse of Salary unto Professors § Want of Allowance for Experiments § Preposterous institutions and unadvised practices in Academicall studies § Want of Intelligence between the Vniversities of Europe § Want of Inquiries into the Deficients of Arts. § The Authors Designe § Ingenuous Defence IT might seem to have more convenience although it come often otherwise to passe Excellent KING that those that are fruitfull in their Generations and have this way a fore-sight of their own immortality in
pass'd over in silence that this dedicating of Colledges and Societies only to the use of Professory Learning hath not only bin an enemy to the growth of Sciences but hath redounded likewise to the prejudice of States and Governments For hence it commonly falls out that Princes when they would make choice of Ministers fit for the Affaires of State finde about them such a marveilous solitude of able men because there is no education Collegiate design'd to this end where such as are fram'd and fitted by nature thereto might give themselves chiefly to Histories Moderne Languages Books and discourses of Policy that so they might come more able and better furnisht to service of State § And because Founders of Colledges doe Plant and Founders of Lecturers doe water it followeth now in order to speak of the Defects which are in publique Lectures the smallnesse of stipends especially with us assigned to Readers of Arts or of Professions For it doth much import to the Progression and Proficiency of Sciences that Readers in every kinde be chosen out of the ablest and most sufficient men as those that are ordained not for transitory use but for to maintaine and propagate the seeds of Sciences for future Ages This cannot be except the Rewards and Conditions be appointed such as may sufficiently content the most eminent man in that Art so as he can be willing to spend his whole Age in that function and never desire to Practise Wherefore that Sciences may flourish Davids Military Law should be observed 1 Sam. 30. That those that staied with the Carriage should have equall parts with those that were in the Action else will the Carriages be ill attended So Readers in Sciences are as it were Protectors and Guardians of the Provision of Learning whence the Action and services of Sciences may be furnish't Wherefore it is reason that the Salaryes of Speculative men should be equall to the gaines of Active men otherwise if allowances to Fathers of Sciences be not in a competent degree ample and condigne it will come to passe Virg. Geor. 3. Vt Patrem invalidi referent jejunia Nati § Now I will note another Defect wherein some Alchymist should be called unto for help for this Sect of Men advise Students to sell their Bookes and to build Fornaces to quit Minerva and the Muses as Barren Virgins and to apply themselves to Vulcane Yet certainly it must be confest that unto the depth of Contemplation and the fruit of Operative studies in many Sciences especially Naturall Philosophy and Physique Bookes are not the only subsidiary Jnstruments wherein the Munificence of men hath not bin altogether wanting for we see Spheres Globes Astrolabes Maps and the like have bin provided and with industry invented as Helps to Astronomy and Cosmography as well as Bookes We see likewise some places dedicated to the study of Physique to have Gardens for the inspection and observation of simples of all sorts and to be auctorized the use of Dead Bodies for Anatomy-Lectures But those doe respect but a few things in the generality set it down for Truth That there can hardly be made any maine Proficience in the disclosing of the secrets of Nature unlesse there be liberall Allowance for Experiments whether of Vulcan or of Daedalus J mean of Fornace or of Engine or any other kind And therefore as Secretaries and Spialls of State are allowed to bring in Bills for their diligence in the inquiry and discovery of New Occurrences and Secrets in Forraigne Estates so you must allow Jntelligencers and Spialls of Nature their Bills of Expences else you shall never be advertised of many things most worthy to be known For if Alexander made such a liberall Assignation of Treasure unto Aristotle for Hunters Fowlers Fishers and the like that he might compile a History of living Creatures certainly much more is their merit who wander not in wild forrests of Nature but make themselves a way through the Labyrinths of Arts. § Another Defect to be observed by us indeed of great import is A neglect in those which are Governours in Vniversities of Consultation and in Princes and superior Persons of visitation to this end that it may with all diligence be considered and consulted of whether the Readings Disputations and other Scholasticall exercises anciently instituted will be good to continue or rather to antiquate and substitute others more effectuall For amongst Your Majesties most wise maxims I find this That in all usages and Praesidents IACOBUS R. the times be considered wherein they first began which if they were weak or ignorant it derogateth from the Authority of the usage and leaves it for suspect Therefore in as much as the usages and orders of Universities were for most part derived from times more obscure and unlearned than our own it is the more reason that they be re-examined In this kind I will give an instance or two for examples sake in things that seem most obvious and familiar Jt is an usuall practice but in my opinion somewhat preposterous that Schollars in the Vniversities are two early entred in Logique and Rhetorique Arts indeed fitter for Graduats than Children and Novices For these two if the matter be well weighed are in the number of the gravest Sciences being the Arts of Arts the one for Judgement the other for Ornament So likewise they contain Rules and Directions either for the Disposition or Illustration of any subject or materiall Circumstance thereof and therefore for mindes empty and unfraught with matter which have not as yet gathered that which Cicero calls Silva and Supellex that is stuffe and variety of things to begin with those Arts as if one would learn to weigh of measure or paint the wind doth work but this effect that the virtue and strength of these Arts which are great and Universall are almost made contemptible and have degenerated either into Childish Sophistry or ridiculous Affectation or at least have bin embased in their reputation And farther the untimely and unripe accession to these Arts hath drawn on by necessary consequence a watery and superficiary delivery and handling thereof as is fitted indeed to the capacities of Children Another instance which I will set downe as an Error now grown inveterate long agoe in the Universities and it is this That in Scholasticall exercises there useth to be a divorse very prejudicious between Invention and Memory for there the most of their speeches are either altogether premeditate so as they are uttered in the very precise forme of words they were conceived in and nothing left to invention or meerely extemporall so as very litle is left to Memory Whereas in Life and Action there is very litle use of either of these apart but rather of their intermixture that is of notes or memorialls and of extemporall speech So as by this course exercises are not accommodate to practice nor the Jmage answereth to the Life And it is ever a true rule
man unlesse you provoke him nor Proteus ever changed shapes untill he was straitned and held fast with cordes so nature provoked and vexed by Art doth more cleerely appear than when she is left free to hir selfe But before we dismisse this part of Naturall History which we call Mechanicall and Experimentall this must be added That the body of such a History must be built not only upon Mechanicall Arts themselves but the operative part of Liberall sciences as also upon many practices not yet grown up into Art that nothing profitable may be omitted which availes to the information of the understanding And so this is the first Partition of Naturall History CAP. III. I. The Second Partition of Naturall History from the use and end thereof into Narrative and Inductive And that the most noble end of Naturall History is that it minister and conduce to the building up of Philosophy which end Inductive History respecteth II. The partitiō of the History of Generations into the History of the Heavens The History of the Meteors The History of the Earth and Sea The History of Massive Bodies or of the greater Corporations The History of Kindes or of the lesser Corporations I. NAturall History as in respect of the subiect it is of three sorts as we observed before so in respect of the use of two for it is applied either for the knowledge of things themselves recorded in History or as the Primitive matter of Philosophy The former of these which either for the pleasure of the Narrations is delightfull or for the practice of experiments is usefull and for such pleasure or profits sake is pursued is of farre inferior quality compared with that which is the Materialls and Provision of a true and just Induction and gives the first suck to Philosophy wherefore let us again divide Naturall History into History Narrative and INDUCTIVE this latter we report as DEFICIENT Nor doe the great names of Ancient Philosophers or the mighty volumes of Moderne writers so astonish my sense for I know very well that Naturall History is already extant ample for the masse for variety delightfull and often curious for the diligence but if you take from thence Fables and Antiquity and Allegations of Authors and vain Controversies Philology and Ornaments which are accommodate to Table-talke or the night-discourses of Learned men then will the sequel for the INSTAURATIONS or PHILOSOPHY come to no great matter And to speak truth this is farre short of the variety which we intend For first those two parts of Naturall History whereof we have spoken The History of Praeter-generations and of Arts matters of great consequence are there Deficient than in that third generall Part mentioned before namely of Generations of five parts thereof the Naturall History extant gives satisfaction only to one II. For the History of Generations hath Five subordinate Parts The first is of Celestiall Bodies which comprehends the PHAENOMENA sincere and not dogmatiz'd into any peremptory assertions The second of Meteors with the Comets and of the Regions as they call them of the Aire neither is there extant any History concerning Comets Fiery Meteors Windes Raine Tempests and the rest of any valew The third is of the Earth and of the Water as they are integrall parts of the world of Mountaines of Rivers of Tydes of Sands of Woods as also of the Figure of the continents as they are stretcht forth in all these particulars the Inquiries and Observations are rather Naturall than Cosmographicall Fourthly touching the generall Masses of Matter which we stile the Greater Collegiats commonly called the Elements Neither are there found any narrations touching Fire Aire Water and of their Natures Motions Workings Impressions which make up any complete Body The fift and the last Part is of the Perfect and exact Collections which we entitle the lesser Collegiats commonly called Kindes or Specifiques Jn this last part only the industry of writers hath appeared yet so as was prodigally wasted in superfluous matter swelling with the outward descriptions of liveing Creatures or of Plants and such like than enricht with solid and diligent observations which in naturall History should every where be annext and interserted And to speak in a word all the naturall History we have as well in regard of the Inquisition as of the Collection is no way proportionable in reference to that end whereof we speak namely the Raiseing and advancing of Philosophy Wherefore we pronounce Inductive History Deficient And thus farre of naturall History CAP. IV. I. The Partition of Civill History into Ecclesiasticall and Literary and which retaines the generall name Civile II. Literary Deficient § Precepts how to compile it I. CIvile History in our Judgement is rightly divided into three kindes first into Sacred or Ecclesiasticall then into that which retaines the generall name Civile lastly into that of Learning and Arts. We will begin with that kinde we set down last because the other are extant but this I thought good to report as DEFICIENT ✿ it is the HISTORY OF LEARNING And surely the History of the world destitute of this may be thought not unlike the statue of Polyphemus with his eye out that part of the Image being wanting which doth most shew the nature and spirit of the Person And though we set downe this as Deficient yet we are not ignorant that in divers particular sciences of Iuris-consults Mathematicians Rhetoricians Philosophers there are made some slight Memorialls and small relations of Sects Schooles Books Authors and such like successions of sciences There are likewise extant some weak and barren discourses touching the Inventors of Arts and Vsages but a Iust and Generall HISTORY OF LEARNING we avouch that none hetherto hath bin publisht Wherefore we will propound the Argument the way how to contrive it and the use thereof II. The Argument is nothing else but a recitall from all Times what Knowledges and Arts in what Ages and Climates of the world have florisht Let there be made a commemoration of their Antiquities Progresses and Peragrations through diverse parts of the world for Sciences shift and remove as people doe Againe of their Declensions Oblivions and Instaurations Let there likewise be observations taken through all Arts of the occasion and originall of their Jnvention of their Manner of delivery and the discipline of their managings Course of study and exercises Let there also be added the Sects then on foot and the more famous controversies which busied and exercised Learned men the Scandalls and reproches to which they lay open the Lands and Honours wherewith they were grac't Let there be noted the Chiefest Authors the best Bookes Schooles Successions Vniversities Societies Colledges Orders and whatsoever else belongs to the State of Learning But above all let this be observed which is the Grace and Spirit of Civile History that the Causes and Consultations be Connexed with the events namely that the nature of Countries and People be recorded the dispositions
apt and able or inept and inable for diverse disciplines the Occurrences of time Adverse or Propitious to Learning the zeales and mixtures of Religions the Discountenances and favours of Lawes and lastly the eminent virtues and sway of Persons of note for the promoteing of Learning and the like But our advise is that all these points be so handled that time be not wasted in praise and censure of particulars after the manner of Critiques but that things be plainly and historically related and our own judgements very sparingly interposed § As for the manner of compileing such a History we doe especially admonish thus much that the Matter and Provision thereof be drawn not only from Histories and Critiques but also that through every century of years or lesser Intervalls by a continued sequence of time deduced from the highest antiquity the best Bookes written within those distinguisht spaces of time be consulted with that from a tast and observation of the argument stile and method thereof and not a through perusall for that were an infinite work the learned spirit of that age as by a kind of charme may be awakt and rais'd up from the dead § As touching the use of this Work it is design'd to this end not that the Honour and State of Learning usher'd in by so many Images and Ghosts of the Learned should be celebrated or that for the earnest affection we bear to Learning we desire even to a curiosity to enquire and know and to conserve whatsoever to the state of Learning may any way appertaine but chiefly for a more serious and grave purpose It is in few words this For that such a Narration as we have described in our opinion may much conferre to the wisdome and judgement of Learned men in the use and administration of Learning and that the passions and perturbations the vices and virtues as well about Intellectuall matters as Civile may be observed and the best Presidents for practise may be deduced therefrom For it is not Saint Austines nor Saint Ambrose workes as we suppose that will make so wise a Bishop or a Divine as Ecclesiasticall story throughly read and observed which without question may befall Learned men from the History of Learning For whatsoever is not munited and sustained by Examples and Records is exposed to imprudency and ruine Thus much of the History of Learning CAP. V. Of the Dignity § And Difficulty of Civile History CIvile History properly so called comes now to be handled The Dignity and Authority whereof is very eminent among secular writings For upon the credit of this History the examples of our Ancestors the vicissitudes of Affaires the grounds of Civile Prudence and the Name and Fame of men depend § But the Difficulty is as great as the Dignity for to draw back the mind in writing to the contemplation of matters long agoe passed and thus as it were to make it aged to search out with diligence and to deliver with faith and freedome and with the life and height of expression to represent unto the eyes the changes of times the characters of Persons the incertainties of Counsils the Conveyances of Actions as of waters the subtileties of Pretentions the secrets of State is a taske of great paines and judgement especially seeing Ancient reports are subject to incertainty Moderne liable to danger Wherefore the errors are many which attend Civile History whilest some write poore and popular Relations the very reproach of History others patch up in a rash hast and unequall contexture particular Reports and briefe Memorialls others slightly runne over the heads of actions done others on the contrary pursue every triviall Circumstance nothing belonging to the summe and issue of things some out of a too partiall indulgence to their own wit take confidence to faine many things but others adde and imprint upon affaires the Image not so much of their own wit as of their affections mindfull rather of their own parts than to become Religious deponents for truth others every where interlace such Politique observations as they most fancy and seeking occasion of digression for ostentation too slightly break off the contexture of the discourse others for want of moderation and judgement over doe things by the prolixity of their speeches Haranges or other performances so as it is sufficiently manifest that in the writings of men there is not any kind more rare than a just History and in all points complete and perfect But our purpose at this present is to set down a partition of knowledge for the observation of parts omitted and not a censure of parts erroneous Now we will proceed to the Partitions of Civile History and those of diverse sorts for the particular kindes will be lesse intangled if diverse partitions be propounded than if one partition by diverse members be curiously drawn out CAP. VI. The first Partition of Civile History into § Memorialls § Antiquities § And Perfect History CIvile History is of three kinds not unfitly to be compared to the three sorts of Pictures or Images for of Pictures and Images we see some are unperfect and unfinisht others perfect and others decayed and defaced with Age. In like manner we will divide Civile History which is the Image of Actions and Times into three kindes agreeable to those of Pictures namely Memorials Perfect History and Antiquities Memorials are Histories unfinisht or the first and rough draughts of History Antiquities are Histories defaced or the Remaines of History which have casually escaped the shipwrack of Time § Memorials or Preparations to History are of two sorts whereof one may be termed Commentaries the other Registers Commentaries let downe a naked Continuance and Connexion of Actions and Events without the Causes and Pre-texts of Businesse the beginings and Motives thereof also the Counsels and Speeches and other preparations of Actions For this is the true nature of Commentaries though Caesar in modesty mixt with greatnesse did for his pleasure apply the name of Commentaries to the best History that is extant But Registers are of two sorts for either they comprehend the titles of Matter Persons in a continuation of Times such as are Calendars and Cronologies or Solennities of Acts of which kind are the Edicts of Princes the Decrees of Counsils the Proceedings of Iudgements Publique Orations Letters or Estate and the like without the Contexture or Continued thred of the Narration § Antiquities or the Remaines of Histories are as we said tanquam Tabula Naufragii when industrious and understanding persons the memory of Things being decaied and almost overwhelmed with oblivion by a constant and scrupulous diligence out of Geneologies Calendars Inscriptions Monuments Coines Proper-names and stiles Etymologies of words Proverbs Traditions Archives and Jnstruments as well publique as private Fragments of stories scattered passages of Books that concerne not History out of all these I say or some of them they recover and save somewhat from the Deluge of Time Certainly a painefull
work but acceptable to all sorts of Men and attended with a kind of Reverence and indeed worthy all Fabulous Originals of Nations defac'd and extinguisht to be substituted in the roome of such counterfeit stuffe but yet of the lesse Authority because what is prostitute to the license of private designes looses the honour of publique regard In these kinds of Imperfect Histories I designe no Deficience seeing they are tanquam imperfectè mista so as such Defects are but their nature As for Epitomes the corruptions certainly and the Moathes of Histories we would have them banisht where in we concurre with many of most sound judgement as those that have fretted and corroded the sound bodies of many excellent Histories and wrought them into base and unprofitable dreggs CAP. VII The Partition of Perfect History into Chronicles of Times Lives of Persons Relations of Acts. § The Explication of the History of Lives § Of Relations IVst or Perfect History is of three kinds according to the nature of the object which it propounds to represent for it either represents a portion of Time or some memorable Person or some Famous Act The first we call Chronicles or Annals the second Lives the third Relations Of these Chronicles seem to excell for Celebrity and Name Lives for profit and examples Relations for sincerity and verity For Chronicles represent the magnitude of publique Actions and the externe faces of Men as they regard the publique and involue in silence smaller Passages which pertaine either to Matter or Men. And seeing it is the workmanship of God alone to hang the greatest waight upon the smallest wyers it comes many times to passe that such a History pursueing only the greater occurrences rather sets forth the Pompe and Solennity than the true resorts and the intrinseque contextures of businesse And although it doth adde and intermixe the Counsils themselves yet affecting greatnesse it doth besprinkle mens actions with more solemnenesse and wisdome than indeed is in them that a Satyre may be a truer table of a Mans life than many such Histories Contrariwise Lives if they be well written with diligence and judgement for we doe not speak of Elogies and such slight commemorations although they propound unto themselves some particular person in whom Actions as well commune as solemne small as great private as publique have a composition and commixture yet certainly they exhibite more lively and faithfull Narrations of Matters and which you may more safely and successefully transferre into example But speciall Relations of Actions such as are the warres of Peloponesus the Expedition of Cyrus the Conspiracy of Cataline and the like ought to be attired with a more pure and syncere Candor of Truth than the Perfect Histories of Times because in them may be chosen an Argument more particular and comprehensible and of that quality as good notice and certitude and full information may be had thereof whereas on the contrary the story of Time specially more ancient than the age of the writer doth often faile in the memory of things and containeth blank spaces which the wit and conjecture of the writer confidently enough useth to seize upon and fill up Yet this which we say touching the syncerity of Relations must be understood with reservation for indeed it must be confessed since all mortall good laboureth of imperfection and conveniences with disconveniences are usually connext that such kind of Relations specially if they be published about the times of things done seeing very often they are written with passion or partiality of all other narrations are deservedly most suspected But again together with this inconvenience this remedy groweth up that these same Relations being they are not set out by one side only but through faction and partiary affections are commonly published by some or other on both sides they doe by this means open and hedge in a midle way between extremes to truth and after the heat of passions is over they become to a good and wise writer of History not the worst matter and seedes of a perfect History § As touching those points which seem deficient in these three kinds of History without doubt there are many particular Histories of such I speak as may be had of some dignity or mediocrity which have bin hetherto passed by to the great detriment of the honor and same of such Kingdomes and States to which they were due which would be too tedious here to observe But leaving the stories of forreigne Nations to the care of Forreigne Persons lest I should become Curiosus in aliena Reipub. I cannot faile to represent unto Your Majesty the indignity and unworthinesse of the History of England as it now is in the main continuation thereof as also the partiality and obliquity of that of Scotland in the latest and largest author thereof supposeing that it would be honour to Your Majesty and a work acceptable with Posterity if this Iland of Great Britany as it is now joyned in a Monarchy for the Ages to come so were joyned in one History for the times past after the manner of the sacred History which draweth down the story of the Ten Tribes and of the two Tribes as Twinnes together And if it shall seem that the waight of the work which certainly is great and difficult may make it lesse exactly according to the worthinesse thereof performed behold an excellent period of much smaller compasse of time as to the story of England that is to say from the uniting of the Roses to the uniting of the Kingdomes a space of time which in my judgment containes more variety of rare events than in like number of successions ever was knowne in an Hereditary Kingdome For it begins with the mixt Title to a Crowne partly by might partly by right An entry by Armes an establishment by marriage so there followed times answerable to these beginings like waves after a great tempest retaining their swellings and agitations but without extremity of storme HEN. VII but well past through by the wisdome of the Pilot being one of the most sufficient Kings of all his Predecessors HEN. VIII Then followed a King whose Actions conducted rather by rashnesse than counsil had much intermixture with the affaires of Europe ballancing and inclining them according as they swayed In whose time began that great Alteration in the Ecclesiasticall State such as very sildome comes upon the Stage ED. VI. Then followed the Raign of a Minor then an Offer of an Vsurpation though it was very short like a Feaver for a day Then the Raigne of a woman matcht with a Forraigner Againe MARIA ELISA of a woman that liv'd solitary and unmarried And the close of all was this happy and glorious event that is that this Jland divided from all the world should be united in it selfe by which that ancient Oracle given to Aeneas which presaged rest unto him Virg. Aen. 3 Antiquam exquirite Matrem should be fulfill'd upon
being they are alleadged by those writers not as excogitated by them but as credited recepted before they seem to be like a fine-delicate Aire blowen up and downe by a more Ancient Nation and by derivation from them to have chanc'd into the Pipes of the Grecians to have become their Des-cant And because that whatsoever hath hetherto bin undertaken for interpretation of these Parables namely by unskilfull men not learned beyond common places give us no satisfaction at all we thought good to referre Philosophy according to ancient Parables ✿ in the number of DEFICIENTS § And we will annex an example or two of this work not that the matter perhaps is of such moment but to maintaine the purpose of our designe That is this that if any portion of these works which we report as Deficient chance to be more obscure than ordinary that we alwaise propose either Precepts or Examples for the perfecting of that work lest perchance some should imagine that our conceit hath only comprehended some light notions of them and that we like Augures only measure Countries in our mind but know not how to set one foot forward thither As for any other part defective in Poesy we find none nay rather Poesy being a plant coming as it were from the lust of a rank soile without any certain seed it hath sprung up and spread abroad above all other kind of Learning But now we will propound examples in number only three one from things Naturall one from Politicall one from Morall The first example of Philosophy according to Ancient Parables in things Naturall Of the Universe according to the Fable of Pan. IV. The Originall of Pan the Ancients leave doubtfull Hom. Hym. Herod Eut. for some say that he was the Sonne of Mercury others attribute unto him a farre different begining For they affirme that all Penelopes suitors had to doe with her and from this promiscuous Act Pan descended a common offspring to them all There is a third conceit of his birth not to be passed over for some report that he was the sonne of Iupiter and Hybris which signifies contumelie But however begotten the Parcae they say were his sisters who dwelt in a cave under ground but Pan remained in the open Aire The figure and forme Antiquity represented him by was this He had on his head a paire of Hornes riseing in a sharp acuminate to heaven his body shagged and hairie his beard very long his shape biformed above like a man below like a beast finisht with the feet of a Goat He bare these ensignes of Jurisdiction in his left hand a pipe of seaven Reeds in his right a sheepe hoock or a staffe at the upper end crooked or inflexed he was clad with a Mantle made of a Leopards skinne The dignities and offices attributed unto him were these that he was the God of Hunters of Sheepherds and of all Rurall Inhabitants Lo. President of Mountaines and next to Mercury the Embassador of the Gods Moreover he was accounted the leader and commander of the Nymphs which were alwaies wont to dance the Rounds and frisk about him his train were the Satyres and the old Sileni He had power also to strike men with terrors and those especially vaine and superstitious which are termed Panique fears Cic. Epist ad Act. l. 5. His Acts recorded are not many the chiefest was that he challenged Cupid at wrestling in which conflict he had the foile caught Typhon the Gyant in a net Claud. de R. Proser and held him fast Moreouer when Ceres being sad and vext for the Rape of Proserpina had hid her selfe and that all the Gods took paines by dispersing themselves severall wayes to find her out it was only Pans good fortune as he was hunting to light on her and to give the first intelligence where she was Ovid. Met. XI He presumed also to put it to the triall who was the better Musitian he or Apollo and by the judgement of Midas was preferred for which judgement Midas had a paire of Asses eares secretly imped to his head Of the Love-tricks of Pan there is nothing reported or at least not much a thing to be wondred at especially being among a troope of Gods so profusely amorous This also is said of him that he loved the Nymph Eccho whom he took to wife and one pretty wench more called Syrinx towards whom Cupid in an angry revengefull humour because so audaciously he had challenged him at wrestling inflamed his desire So he is reported once to have sollicited the Moon apart into the high Woods Moreover hee had no issue which is a marvell also seeing the Gods specially those of the male-kind were very Generative only he was the reputed Father of a litte Girle called Iambe that with many pretty tales was wont to make strangers merry and some thought that she was begotten of his wife Eccho The Parable seemeth to be this § Pan as the very name imports represents or layeth open the world or the world of things Concerning his Originall there are only two opinions that goe for Currant For either he came of Mercury that is the Word of God which the holy Scriptures without all Controversy affirme and the Philosophers such as were the more Divine saw or else from the confused seeds of things For some of the Philosophers held that the Seeds and Principles of Nature were even in the substance infinite hence the opinion of Similary Parts primordiall was brought in Laert. in Anaxag which Anaxagoras either invented or celebrated Some more acutely and soberly think it sufficient to salve the variety of Nature if seeds the same in substance be only diversified in forme and figure certaine and definite Laerr in vitis eorū and placed the rest in the inclosure and bosome of the seeds From this spring the opinion of Atomes is derived which Democritus maintain'd and Leucippus found out But others though they affirm only one Principle of Nature Thales water Anaximenes Air Laert. in vitis Heraclitus Fire yet they have defined that Principle which is one in Act to be various and dispensible in power as that wherein the seeds of all naturall essences lie hidden They who have introduced the first Matter every way disarayed Jn Timaeo and unformed and in different to any forme as Plato and Aristotle did came to a farre nearer phys I. and naturall resemblance of the Figure of the Parable For they conceiv'd the Matter as a common Courtezan and the Forms as Suitors So as all the Opinions touching the beginnings of things come to this point and may be reduc'd to this distribution that the world took beginning either from Mercury or from Penelope and all hir Suitors The third conceit of Pans Originall is such as it seemes that the Grecians either by intercourse with the Aegyptians or one way or other had heard something of the Hebrew mysteries For it points to
the state of the World not considered in the absolute production but as it stood after the fall of Adam expos'd and made subject to Death and Corruption For in that state it was and remaines to this day the off-spring of God and of Sin or Contumely Gen. 3. For the like sinne of Adam was a kind of Contumely Gen. 3. when hee would be like God And therefore all these three Narrations concerning the manner of of Pans Birth may seem true if they be rightly distinguisht according to things and times For this Pan as we now behold and comprehend it took begining from the word of God by the means of confused matter which yet was the work of God and the entrance of Prevarication and through it of corruption § The Destinies may well be thought the sisters of Pan or Nature for the beginings and continuances and dissolutions the Depressions also and eminencies and labours and felicities of things and whatsoever conditions of a particular Nature are called Fates or Destinies which yet unlesse it be in some noble individuate subject as a Man a Citty or a Nation commonly are not acknowledged But Pan that is the Nature of things is the cause of these severall states and qualities in every particular so as in respect of Individualls the Chaine of nature and the thred of the Destinies is the same Moreover the Ancients fained that Pan ever lived in the open Aire but the PARCae or Destinies in a mighty subterraneous Cave from whence with an infinite swiftnesse they flew to men because the nature and common face of the Vniverse is apert and visible but the individuall Fates of Particulars are secret swift and sodain But if Fate be taken in a more generall acception as to signify the more notable only and not every common event yet in that sense also the signification is correspondent to the universall state of things seeing from the order of Nature there is nothing so small which comes to passe without a Cause and nothing so absolutely great as to be independent so that the very Fabrique of Nature comprehendeth in the lappe and bosome thereof every event small or great and by a constant rule discloseth them in due season Wherefore no marvell if the PARCae be brought in as the legitimate Sisters of Pan For Fortune is the daughter of the foolish vulgar and found favour only with the more unsound Philosophers Certainly the words of Epicurus savour lesse of Dotage than of prophanenesse where he saith Praestare credere fabulam Deorum Senec. in Epist quam Fatum asserere As if any thing in the frame of nature could be like an Iland which is separate from the connexion of the cōtinent But Epicurus as it is evident from his own words accommodating and subjecting his Naturall Philosophy to his Morall would heare of no opinion which might presse and sting the conscience or any way disca l me and trouble that Euthymia or Tranquility of mind which hee had receiv'd from Democritus Wherefore being more indulgent to the delusions of his owne fancies than patient of truth he hath fairely cast off the yoak and abandon'd as well the Necessity of Fate as the Feare of the Gods And thus much concerning the Fraternity of Pan with the Destinies § Hornes are attributed unto the World broad at the root sharpe at the top the nature of all things being like a Pyramis lessening upwards For Individuals in which the Base of nature is spread out being infinite are collected into Species which are many also Species againe rise up into Generalls and these ascending are contracted into more Universall Generalities so that at length nature may seeme to close in a unity which is signified by the Pyramidal Figure of Pans Hornes Neither is it to be wonder'd at that Pan toucheth heaven with his horns seeing the transcendentals of Nature or Vniversall Ideas Iliad IX doe in some sort reach things Divine Wherefore Homers famous Chaine of Naturall Causes tyed to the foot of Iupiters Chaire was celebrated And it is plain that no man conversant in Metaphysique those things which in Nature are Eternall and immoveable and that hath never so litle withdrawn his mind from the fluid ruine of sublunary things which doth not at the same instant fall upon Naturall Theologie so direct and compendious a passage it is from the top of the Pyramis to Matters Divine § The body of Nature is elegantly and lively drawne Hairy representing the beames of things for beames are as it were the haires or bristles of nature and every Creature is more or lesse Beamy which is most apparant in the faculty of seeing and no lesse in every magnetique virtue and operation upon distance for whatsoever worketh upon any thing upon Distance that may rightly be said to dart forth rayes Moreover Pans beard is said to be exceeding long because the beames or influences of the Heavens and specially of the Sunne doe operate and pierce farthest of all so that not only the surface but the inward bowels of the earth have bin turn'd subduc'd and impregnate with the masculine Spirit of the heavenly influence And the forme of Pans beard is the more elegant because the Sun when his higher part is shadowed with a Cloud his beams break out in the lower and so appeares to the eye as if he were bearded § Nature also is most expressively set forth with a biformed Body in reference to the Differences betweene superior and inferior bodies For the one part by reason of their beauty and equability and constancy of motion and domiminion over the earth and earthly things is aptly set out by the shape of man And the other part in respect of their perturbations and irregular motions and that they are for most part cōmanded by the Celestiall may be well fitted with the figure of a bruit beast Againe this same bi-formed description of his body pertaines to the participation of the species or kind for no species of Nature seemes to be simple but as it were participating and compounded of two Essentiall Ingredients For Man hath something of a Beast a Beast something of a Plant a Plant something of an inanimate Body and all Natural things are indeed bi-formed and compounded of a superior and inferior kind § It is a witty Allegory that same of the feet of the Goat by reason of the upward tending motions of Terrestiall bodies towards the regions of the aire and of the heaven where also they become pensile and from thence are rather forc'd downe than fall downe For the Goat is a mounting Animal that loves to be hanging upon rocks and precipices steep hils And this is done also in a wonderfull manner even by those things which are destinated to this inferior Globe as may manifestly appear in Cloudes and Meteors And it was not without the grounds of reason that Gilbert De Magn. who hath written a painfull and an experimentall work touching
that the search of Physicall Causes thus neglected are decaied and passed over in silence And therefore the Naturall Philosophy of Democritus and some others who removed God and a Mind from the frame of things and attributed the structure of the world to infinite Preludiums and Essayes which by one name they term'd Fate or Fortune and have assigned the Causes of Particulars to the necessity of Matter without intermixture of Finall Causes seemeth to us so farre as we can conjecture from the Fragments and Remaines of their Philosophy in respect of Physicall Causes to have bin farre more solid and to have penetrated more profoundly into Nature than that of Aristotle and Plato for this reason alone that those Ancient Philosophers never wassted time in finall Causes but these perpetually presse and inculcate them And in this point Aristotle is more to blame than Plato seeing he hath omitted the fountaine of all finall Causes God and in the place of God substituted Nature and hath imbraced finall Causes rather as a lover of Logique than an adorer of Divinity Nor doe we therefore speake thus much because those finall Causes are not true and very worthy the enquiry in Metaphysique Speculations but because while they sallie out and breake in upon the Possessions of Physicall Causes they doe unhappily depopulate and wast that Province For otherwise if they keepe themselves within their precincts and borders they are extremely deceiv'd who ever think that there is an enmitie or repugnancy between them and Physicall Causes For the cause render'd That the hairs about the eye-lids are for the safegard of the sight doth not indeed impugne that other Cause That pilositie is incident to Orifices of Moisture Virg. Bue. Muscosi Fontes c. Nor the Cause render'd that the firmnesse of Hides in Beasts is for armor against the injuries of extreme weather doth impugn that other Cause That that firmnesse is caused by the contraction of Pores in the outward parts of the body through cold and depredation of Ayre and so of the rest both causes excellently conspiring save that the one declares an intention the other a consequence only Neither doth this call in question or derogate from divine Providence but rather wonderfully confirmes and exalts it For as in Civile Actions that Politique wisdome will be more deep and admired if a man can use the service of other men to his owne ends and desires and yet never acquaint them with his purpose so as they shall doe what he would they should doe and yet not understand what they doe then if he should impart his Counsils to those he imployes So the wisdome of God shines more wonderfully when Nature intends one thing and Providence draws forth another then if the Characters of Divine Providence were imprest upon every particular habitude and motion of Nature Surely Aristotle after he had swelled up Nature with Finall Causes Naturam nihil frustra facere De Coelo lib. 1 lib. de part animal suique voti semper esse compotem si impedimenta abessent and had set downe many such tending to that purpose had no further need of God but Democritus and Epicurus when they publisht and celebrated their Atomes were thus farre by the more subtile wits listened unto with Patience but when they would avouch that the Fabrique and Contexture of all things in Nature knit and united it selfe without a Mind from a fortuitous Concourse of those Atomes they were entertain'd with Laughter by all So that Physicall Causes are so farre from withdrawing mens minds from God and Providence as rather contrariwise those Philosophers which were most exercised in contriving those Atomes found no end and issue of their travaile untill they had resolved all at last into God and Providence Thus much of Metaphysique a part whereof touching Finall Causes I deny not to have bin handled both in the Physiques and Metaphysiques in these truly in those improperly for the inconvenience hath ensued thereupon CAP. V. 1 The Partion of the Operative Knowledge of Nature into Mechanique and Magique Respondent to the Parts of Speculative Knowledge Mechanique to Physique Magique to Metaphysique § A purging of the word Magia II. Two Appendices to Operative Knowledge An Inventory of the Estate of man § A Catalogue of Polychrests or things of multifarious use I THE Operative Knowledge of Nature wee will likewise divide into two Parts and that from a kind of Necessitie For this Division is subordinate to the former Division of Speculative Knowledge for Physique and the Enquiry of Efficient and Materiall Causes produces Mechanique but Metaphysique and the enquiry of Formes produces Magique As for Finall Causes the enquiry is barren and as a Virgin consecrate to God brings forth nothing Nor are we ignorant that there is a Mechanicall Knowledge which is meerly empericall and operarie not depending on Physique but this we have referr'd to Naturall History and separate it from Naturall Philosophy Speaking here only of that Mechanicall Knowledge which is connext with Causes Physicall But yet there falls out a certaine Mechanicall or Experimentall Knowledge which neither is altogether Operative nor yet properly reaches so high as speculative Philosophy For all the Inventions of Operations which have come to mens Knowledge either have fallen out by casuall insidence and afterwards deliver'd from hand to hand or were sought out by a purposed experiment Those which have bin found out by intentionall experiment they have bin disclosed either by the light of Causes and Axiomes or found out by extending or transferring or compounding former inventions which is a matter more sagacious and witty than Philosophicall And this part which by no means we despise we shall briefly touch hereafter when we shall treate of Literate Experience amongst the Parts of Logique As for the Mechanique now in hand Aristotle hath handled it promiscuously Hero in spiritalibus as likewise Georgius Agricola a moderne Writer very diligently in his Mineralls and many others in particular Treatises on that subject so as I have nothing to say of Deficients in this kind but that the Promiscuous Mechanicalls of Aristotle ought to have bin with more diligence continued by the pens of recent Writers especially with choice of such experimentals of which either the Causes are more obscure or the Effects more noble But they who insist upon these doe as it were only coast along the shoare Premendo littus iniquum For in my judgment there can hardly be any radicall alteration or novation in Nature either by any fortuitous adventures or by essayes of Experiments or from the light of Physicall Causes but only through the invention of Formes Therefore if we have set downe that part of Metaphysique as Deficient which entreateth of Forms it follows that Natural Magique also ✿ which is a Relative unto it is likewise Defective § But it seemes requisite in this place that the word Magia accepted for a long time in the worse part be restored to the
were collected into a particular Catalogue CAP. VI. Of the Great Appendix of Naturall Philosophy Speculative as Operative Mathematique knowledge and that it ought rather to be Placed amongst Appendices than amongst substantiall Sciences § The Partition of Mathematiques into Pure and Mixt. Metaph. I. IX ARistotle saith well Physique and Mathematique ingender Practicall or Mechanicall knowledge Wherefore now we have handled both the speculative and operative part of the knowledge of Nature order requires that we speak of Mathematique which is an auxiliary science to them both For in the received Philosophy Mathematique is annext as a third part to Physique and Metaphysique but it seems to us who have undertaken to reexamine and Till over againe these things if we had designed this as a substantive and principall science more agreeable both in respect of the nature of the thing and the light of order to place it as a branch of Metaphysique For Quantity which is the subject of Mathematique Science applied to Matter is the Dose as it were of Nature and productive of a number of effects in things Naturall and therefore is to be reckoned in the number of essentiall Formes Laert. in Dem. For the Power of Figure and Number seemed to be of such force amongst the Ancient Philosophers that Democritus placed the seeds of the variety of things Iambl de vita Pyth. l. 1. principally in the Figures of Atomes and Pythagoras asserted the Natures of things to be constituted of Numbers In the meane this is true that of Naturall Formes as we understand Formes Quantity is of all most abstracted and separable from Matter which was the reason why it hath bin more painefully laboured and more exactly inquired by men then any other Forme whatsoever which are all more immersed in Matter For being it is the nature of Man certainly to the great prejudice of knowledge to delight in the open Fields of Generalls rather than in the Woods and Jnclosures of Particulars there was nothing found more acceptable and delightfull than the Mathematiques wherein that appetite of expatiating and meditateing might be satisfied And though all this be true yet to us who provide not only for truth and order but likewise for the use and profit of men it seemed at last better to designe Mathematiques being they are of such efficacy both in Physiques and in Metaphysiques and in Mechaniques and in Magique as the Appendices and auxiliary forces of them all which in a sort we are compelled to doe for the wantonnesse and arrogancy of Mathematicians who could be content that this science might even command and over-rule Physique For it is come to passe by what fate I know not that Mathematique and Logique which should carry themselves as hand-maides to Physique boasting their certainty above it take upon them a command and Dominion But we doe not so much stand upon the ranke dignity of this science let us consider the thing it selfe § Mathematiques are either Pure or Mixt. to Pure Mathematiques those sciences are referred which handle Quantity altogether abstracted from Matter and Physicall Axioms They are two Geometry and Arithmetique the one handling Quantity continued the other dissevered Which two Arts have indeed bin inquired into with subtiltie and industry but neither to the labours of Euclide in Geometry hath there bin any thing of any worth added by Posterity in so many centuries of years since he florisht nor hath the Doctrine of Solides for the use and excellency of the knowledge bin laboured and advanced by writers Ancient or Moderne And in Arithmetique there hath not bin found out apt and sufficient variety of compendious waies for supputations especially about Progressions whereof there is great use in the Physiques Nor is the Algebra or Art of Equation well perfected but that Pythagoricall and Mysticall Arithmetique which is begunne to be revived out of Proclus and some Remaines of Euclide is a spacious field of speculation For such is the nature of Man that if it be not able to comprehend solids it wasts it selfe in unprofitable niceties § Mixt Mathematique hath for subject Axioms and Portions of Physique and considers Quantity as it is auxiliary to enlighten demonstrate and actuate them For many Parts of Nature can never be with sufficient subtlety comprehended nor demonstrated with sufficient perspicuity nor accommodated to use with sufficient dexterity and certainty without the Aide and intervening of the Mathematiques Of which sort are Perspective Musique Astronomie Cosmographie Architecture Jngenarie and divers others But in Mixt Mathematiques J can now report no entire portions Deficient I rather make this prediction that there will be more kindes of them invented by Posterity if men be not wanting to themselves For as Physicall knowledge daily growes up and new Actioms of nature are disclosed there will be a necessity of new Mathematique inventions and so at last more Mixt Mathematiques will be contrived And now we have passed through the knowledge of Nature and have noted the Deficients therein Wherein if we have departed from the Ancient and received opinions and thereby have moved contradiction for our part as we affect not to dissent so we purpose not to contend If it be truth Virg. Bucol Non Canimus surdis respondent omnia sylvae The voice of nature will crie it up though the voice of man should crie it downe And as Alexander Borgia was wont to say Vid. Hist Gal. of the Expedition of the French for Naples that they came with chaulke in their hands to marke up their Lodgings and not with weapons to fight so we like better that entry of truth which comes peaceably where the Mindes of men capable to lodge so great a guest are signed as it were with chalke than that which comes with Pugnacity and forceth it selfe away by contentions and controversies Wherefore having finisht two parts of Philosophy concerning God and concerning Nature the third remaines concerning Man THE FOVRTH BOOK OF FRANCIS LO VERVLAM VICOUNT St ALBAN OF THE DIGNITY AND ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING To the KING CAP. I. I The Partition of the Knowledge of Man into the Philosophy of Humanitie and Civile § The Partition of the Knowledge of Humanitie into the Knowledge touching the Body of Man and into the Knowledge touching the Soule of Man II. The Constitution of a generall Knowledge of the Nature or of the State of man § The Division of the Knowledge of the State of Man into the Knowledge of the Person of Man and of the League of the Mind and the Body § The Division of the Knowledge of Mans Person into the Knowledge of Mans Miseries § And of his Prerogatives III The Division of the Knowledge of the League into the Knowledge of Indications § And of Impressions § The Assignment of Physiognomy § And of the Interpretation of Naturall Dreams to the Knowledges of Indications IF any Man Excellent King shall assault or wound me for any of those Precepts I
have delivered or shall hereafter deliver besides that I should be safe being under the Protection of Your Majestie let him know that he doth that which is against the Custome and Law of Armes For I am a Trumpeter only I doe not begin the fight perchance one of those of whom Homer c. Hom. Il. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these even between Mortall and enraged enemies past to and fro ever inviolated Nor doth our Trumpet summon and incourage men to teare and rend one another with contradictions and in a Civile rage to beare armes and wage warre against themselves but rather a peace concluded between them they may with joynt forces direct their strength against Nature hir selfe and take hir high Towers and dismantle hir fortified Holds and thus enlarge the Borders of mans Dominion so farre as Almighty God of his goodnesse shall permit Plat. in Alcib 1. I Now let us come to that Knowledge whereunto the Ancient Oracle directeth us which is the knowledge of our selves Cic. de LL. lib. 1. which deserves the more accurate handling by how much it toucheth us more neerly This knowledge is to man the end and terme of Knowledges but of Nature hir selfe a portion only And generally let this be a rule that all Divisions of Knowledges be so accepted and applied Sen. Epist § 89. As may rather designe forth and distinguish Sciences into Parts than cut and pull them asunder into pieces that so the continuance and entirenesse of Knowledges may ever be preserved For the contrary Practice hath made particular Sciences to become barren shallow and erroneous while they have not bin nourisht maintain'd and rectified from the common Fountaine and Nurcery So we see Cicero the Oratour complained of Socrates Cicero de Orat. and his Schoole That he was the first that separated Philosophy and Rhetorique whereupon Rhetorique became a verball and an empty Art And it is also evident that the opinion of Copernicus touching the Rotation of the Earth which now is maintain'd because it is not repugnant to the Phoenomena cannot be revinced by Astronomicall Principles yet by the Principles of Naturall Philosophy truly applied it may So we see also that the Science of Medicine if it be destituted and forsaken of Naturall Philosophy it is not much better than Empiricall Practice § This being laid as a ground let us proceed to the Knowledge of man This hath two parts For it either considereth man segregate or distributively or congregate and in societie the one we call Philosophy of Humanity the other Philosophy Civile The Philosophy of Humanity or Humane consisteth of the same Parts whereof man himselfe consisteth that is of knowledges which respect the Body and of knowledges which respect the Mind II But before we pursue particular Distributions let us constitute One generall Knowledge of the Nature and state of man For indeed it is very fit that this Knowledge be emancipate and made a knowledge by it selfe It is compos'd of those Sympathies and Concordances commune between the Body and the Mind § Againe this Knowledge of the Nature and State of man may be distributed into two Parts attributing to the one the undivided Nature of man to the other the Combination between the Mind and the Body The first of these we will call the knowledge of the Person ef man the second the knowledge of the League And it is plaine that all these severall Branches of Knowledge being they are common and commixt could not be assigned to that first Division of Knowledges conversant about the Body and of Knowledges conversant about the Mind § The Knowledge concerning the Person of man comprehends specially two things namely the Contemplations of the Miseries of Mankind and of the Prerogatives or Excellencies of the same But the bewailing of mans miseries hath bin elegantly and copiously set forth by many in the writings as well of Philosophers as Divines ✿ TRIVMPHI HOMINIS SIVE DE SVMMITA TIBVS NATVRAE HVMANAE And it is both a pleasant and a profitable Contemplation § As for that other touching Mans Prerogatives it is a point may well be set downe among DEFICIENTS Pindar when he would extoll Hiero speakes as usually he doth most elegantly That he cropt off the tops In Olymp. or summities of all virtues For I suppose it would much conduce to the Magnanimity and Honour of Man if a Collection were made of the Vltimities as the Schooles speake or Summities as Pindar of Humane Nature principally out of the faithfull reports of History That as What is the last and highest pitch to which mans Nature of it selfe hath ever reach't in all the Perfections both of Body and Mind Suet. in Iul. What a strange ability was that which is reported of Caesar that he could dictate at once to five Secretaries Plat. in Hip in Arist Quin. Inst 3 Laert in vit So the Exercitations of the Ancient Rhetoricians Protagoras Gorgias likewise of Philosophers Calisthenes Possidonius Carneades who were able to discourse extempore upon any Subject Pro and Con with fluency and elegancy of expression Philostr in Ep. alii doe much enoble the Powers of mans wit and naturall endowments And that which Cicero reports of his Master Archias is litle for use Pro. Archia Poeta but perchance great for Ostentation and Faculties that he was able upon the sudden to alleadge a great number of excellent verses pertinent to the purpose of such Discourses as were then in hand It is a singular commendation to that faculty of the Mind Xenop Cyrop 5. Quintil. Inst XI the Memory that Cyrus or Scipio could call so many thousands of men by their Particular Names But the Trophies of Morall virtues are no lesse famous than those of intellectuall virtues What a great example of patience doth that cōmon story of Anaxarchus present unto our thoughts Laert. who put to the Rack and Torture bit out his own tongue the hoped Instrument of some Discovery and spit it in the Tyran's face Nor is that inferior for tolerance though much for the merit dignity which fell out in our time of a certaine Burgundian Meteran Hist bel l. XI who had committed a Murder upon the Person of the Prince of Orange this slave being scourged with iron whips and his flesh torn with burning Pincers gave not so much as a groane howbeit when a broken piece of the Scaffold fell by chance upon the head of one that stood by the scorcht-stigmatiz'd varlet laught even in the midst of his torments who a litle before wept at the cutting off of his curled haire In like manner the serenity and security of Mind hath appeared wonderfull in many even at the instant approaches of Death as that of a Centurion recorded by Tacitus Annal. 15. who being commanded by the executioner to stretch forth his neck valiantly I would saith he thou wouldst strike as valiantly But John
deceives because friends use their Reprehensions as we have observed enimies doe their praises as certain short introductions that they may expatiate more amply in their commendations afterwards THE COLOVR 3 Whose Privation is Good that same is Evill Whose Privation is Evill that same is Good  THE REPREHENSION THis Colour deceives two waies either by reason of the Comparison of Good and Evill or by reason of the Succession of Good to Good or of Evill to Evill By reason of Comparison if it were Good for man kind to be deprived of the eating of Acornes it followes not that such food was Evill but that Mast was Good Corne Better Neither if it were Evill for the state of Sicilie to be deprived of Dionysius the Elder doth it follow that the same Dionysius was a Good Prince but that he was lesse evill than Dionysius the younger By reason of Succession for the Privation of some Good doth not alwaies give place to Evill but sometimes to a Greater Good as when the Flower falleth fruit succeedeth Nor doth the Privation of some Evill alwaies yeeld place to Good but sometimes to a greater Evill for Clodius an enimy being taken away Milo withall forfeited a faire harvest of Glory THE COLOVR 4 That which drawes neere to Good or Evill the same is likewise Good or Evill But that which is remov'd from Good is Evill from Evill is Good Such commonly is the internall condition of things that things of like quality and consenting in nature consent likewise in place and are as it were quartered together but such things as are contrary and distant in nature are also severed and disjoyned in place in regard that all things desire to approach things symbolizing with them to exterminate and chase away their contraries THE REPREHENSION BUt the Colour deceives three waies First in respect of Destitution Secondly in respect of Obscuration Thirdly in respect of Protection In regard of Destitution it comes to passe that those things which in their kind are most ample and doe most excell doe as much as may be ingrosse all to themselves and leave that which is next them destitute and pined wherefore you shall never finde thriving shootes or under-wood neere great spread Trees so he said well Divitis servi maximè servi and the dirision was pleasant of him that compared the lower train of Attendants in the Courts of Princes to Fasting-daies which were next to Holy-daies but otherwaies were the leanest daies in all the week In regard of Obscuration for this is the quality of things in their nature excellent and predominant that though they doe not extenuate and impoverish the substance of things adjoyning to them yet they darken and shadow them And this the Astronomers observe of the Sunne that it is good by aspect but evill by conjunction and approximation In regard of Protection for things approach and congregate not only for consort and similitude of nature but even that which is evill especially in Civile matters approacheth to good for concealment and Protection so wicked persons betake themselves to the sanctuary of the Gods and vice it selfe assumes the shape and shadow of virtue Saepe latet vitium proximitate boni So on the other side Good drawes neere to Evill not for society but for conversion and reformation of it into Good and therefore Physitians are more conversant with the sick than the sound Mat. 9. and it was objected to our Saviour that he conversed with Publicans and sinners THE COLOVR 5 That side to which all other Parties and Sects unanimously conferre second voices after every Particular hath asserted a Primacy to it selfe seems to be justly preferr'd before the rest for every sect may be presum'd to usurpe the first place out of Passion and Partiality but to yeeld the second Place out of truth and merit So Cicero went about to prove the Sect of Academiques which suspended all asseveration for to be the best of all Philosophies for saith he aske a Stoique which sect is better then other he will preferre his own before the rest Cicero Q. A. Then aske him which approacheth next in dignity he will confesse the Academique so deale with an Epicure that will scant endure the Stoique to be in sight of him so soone as he hath placed himselfe in the chiefe roome he will place the Academique next him So if a place were void and a Prince should examine competitors severally whom next themselves they would specially commend it were like that the most second voices would concurre upon the ablest man THE REPREHENSION THe fallax of this Colour is in respect of Envy for men are accustomed after themselves and their own faction to incline and bend unto them which of all the rest are the softest and weakest and are least in their way in despight and derogation of them who have most insulted over them and have held them hardest to it THE COLOVR 6 That whose excellency and supereminency is better the same is every way better Appertaining to this are the usuall formes Let us not wander in generalities Let us compare Particular with Particular THE REPREHENSION THis Apparence seems to be of strength and rather Logicall than Rhetoricall yet is it very often a fallax First because many things are casual which if they escape prove excellent so that in kind they are inferior because they are so subject to peril and to perish before they come to perfection but in the Jndividuall more noble Of this sort is the Blossome of March whereof the French Proverb goes Burgeon de Mars Enfans de Paris Si un eschappe bien vaut dix So that the Blossome of May generally is better than the Blossome of March and yet in particular the best Blossome of March is better than the best Blossome of May. Secondly it deceives because the nature of things in some kinds or species is to be more equall in some kinds more inequall as it hath bin observed that warmer climates produce generally more acute wits but in Northerne climates the wits of chief surpasse the acutest wits of hotter Regions So in many Armies if the matter should be tried by duell between particular champions singled out perchance the victory should goe on the one side if it be tried by the grosse it would goe on the other side for excellencies and eminencies goe as it were by chance but kinds are governed by nature and Art So likewise generally mettall is more precious than stone and yet a Diamond is more precious than Gold THE COLOVR 7 That which keeps the matter entire in our own hands is Good that which leaves no passage open for retrait is Evill for not to be able to come off is a kind of impotency but the Power of disengaging our selves is good Hereof Aesop framed the Fable of the two Froggs that consulted togither in the time of Drouth when many plashes they had repaired to were drie what was now at last to be done
therefore those they excite these they represse No man can tell what proficience he hath made in the Race of virtue unlesse Honours afford him an open field The motion of virtue as of other things is violent to its place calme in its place and the place of virtue is honour Contra. Whilest we seek Honours we loose liberty Honours commonly give men a Power over those things wherein the best condition is not to will the next not to Can The staires to Honours are steep the standing slippery the regresse a downefall They that are in great place had need to borrow other mens opinions to think themselves happy EMPIRE VIII Pro. It is a great blessing to enjoy Happinesse but to have the power to Conferre it on others is farre greater Kings are rather like starres than men for they have a powerfull influxe upon all men and upon times themselves To resist Gods-vicegerents is not only the Guilt of Treason but a kind of Theomachie Contra. What a miserable state is it to have a few things to desire infinite things to feare Princes are like heavenly bodies which have much veneration but no rest None of Humane condition is admitted to the Banquet of the Gods but to his reproach PRAISE REPUTATION IX Pro. Praises are the reflexed Beams of virtue That Praise is an Honour which comes from voices freely conferr'd Many states conferre Honours but Praises are every where the Attributes of Liberty The voice of the people hath some divinenesse in it else how should so many men agree to be of one mind You need not wonder if the communalty speak more truly than the Nobility for they speak more safely Contra. Fame is a better Nuncio than a Iudge What hath a good man to doe with the dull approbation of the vulgar Fame like a River bears up things light and swolne drowns things waighty and solid The lowest virtues draw praise from the common people the middle virtues work in the Astonishment or Admiration but of the highest virtues they have no sence or perceiving at all Praise proceeds more out of a bravery then out of merit happens rather to vaine and windy persons then to persons substantiall and solid NATURE X. Pro. The Progresse of Custome is Arithmeticall of Nature Geometricall As lawes are to Custome in Civile states so is Nature to custome in every particular Person Custome against Nature is a kind of Tyranny and is quickly and upon light occasion suppressed Contra. Mens thoughts are according to nature their words according to precept but their deeds according to custome Nature is a kind of Pedant Custome a Magistrate FORTUNE XI Pro. Ouvert and apparent virtues bring forth praise secret and hidden virtues bring forth fortune Virtues of duty bring forth praise virtues of Ability bring forth fortune The way of Fortune is like the milken way in the skie which is a meeting or knot of certain small obscure virtues without a name Fortune is to be honour'd and respected and it be but for hir daughters confidence and Reputation Contra. The folly of one man is the Fortune of another In Fortune this I may chiefly commend that being she makes no election she gives no protection Men of place and quality while they decline the Envy of their own virtues have bin found among the worshippers of Fortune LIFE XII Pro. Jt is a foolish and preposterous affection to love the Accessories of life more then life it selfe A full course is better then a short a faire advantage to all things yea even to virtue Without a good spacious compasse of life we can neither fully perfect nor learne nor repent Contra. The Philosophers whilest they raise so great preparations against Death have made it but appear more terrible Men fear Death because they know it not as Children fear the Darke You can finde no Passion in the mind of man so weak which if it be but a litle prest masters not the feare of death To be willing to die not only a valiant man or a miserable man may or a wise but even a fastidious man and a coward may doe as much SUPERSTITION XIII Pro. They that erre out of a well-ment zeale may not be approved but yet may be beloved Mediocrities are due to Morall virtues extremities to divine A superstitious man is a religious Formalist I should sooner believe all the Fabulous wonders of any Religion than that this universall Frame was built without a Deity Contra. As it addes deformity unto an Ape to be so like a man so the similitude of superstition to Religion makes it more deform'd Look how odious Affectation is in matters Civile so hatefull is superstition in matters Divine It were better to have no opinon of God at all than such an opinion as is reproachfull unto him It is not the Schoole of Epicurus but the Porch of the Stoiques that hath perturbed ancient states Jt cannot come into the mind of man to be a meere Atheist in Opinion but your great Hypocrites are the true Atheists who are ever handling holy things but never revere them PRIDE XIV Pro. Pride is even with vices incompatible And as poison is expelled by poison so many vices are by Pride A soft nature becomes guilty of the crimes of others but a proud spirit only of his own Pride if it ascend from contempt of others to a contempt of it selfe at last is chang'd into Philosophy Contra Pride is the insinuating Ivie to virtues and all good Qualities All other vices are only contrary to virtues Pride alone is contagious Pride wants the best condition of vice that is concealement A proud man while he despiseth others prejudiceth himself INGRATITUDE XV. Pro. The guilt of ingratitude is nothing else but a too precise consideration and inquisition into the cause of a benefit con-ferr'd Whilest we endeavour to be gratefull to others we neither persorme justice to others nor reserve liberty to our selves Where the valuation of a Benefit is uncertaine there the lesse thank is due Contra. The crime of Ingratitude is not to be repressed by punishments but to be referred over to the Furies The obligations of benefits are more strict than of Duties wherefore he that is unthankfull is unjust and any thing Such is mans condition no man is borne to so high a fortune but that he is a debtor to the retribution both of Private thanks and personall revenge ENVY XVI Pro. Jt is naturall for a man to hate the reproach of his Fortune Envy in a state is a wholsome Ostracisme Contra Envy never makes Holy-Day Nothing but death reconciles Envy to virtue Envy doth put virtue to it as Juno did Hercules INCONTINENCE XVII Pro. Chastity may thank Iealousy that she is become a virtue He had need be endewed with much Gravity that makes the sports of Venus any matter of Earnest Why doe you place either a spare diet or a shew of Honesty or the Daughter of Pride amongst the virtues Of loves as
of wild-foule there is no property but the right is past over with the possession Contra Incontinence is one of Circes worst transformations An unchast liver hath utterly lost a reverence to himselfe which is the bridle of all vice They that with Paris make beauty their wish loose as he did Wisdome and Honour Alexander fell upon no popular truth when he said that sleep and lust were the earnests of Death CRUELTY XVIII Pro. No virtue is so often guilty as clemency Cruelty if it proceed from revenge it is justice if from Perill it is wisdome He that shewes mercy to his enimy denies it to himselfe Phlebotomy is not more necessary in the Body Naturall than it is in the body Politique Contra. He that delights in blood is either a wild beast or a Fury Cruelty to a Good man seems to be but a Fable and some Tragicall fiction VAIN-GLORY XIX Pro. He that seeks his own praise withall seeks the profit of others He that is so reserv'd as to regard nothing that is forraine it may be suspected that he will account publique affaires forraine impertinencies Such Dispositions as have a commixture of Levity in them more easily undertake a Publique charge Contra. Vaine-glorious persons are alwaies factious Lyars Inconstant over-doing Thraso is Gnathoes prey Jt is a shame for a Lover to make suit to the hand-maid but Praise is virtues hand-maid JUSTICE XX. Pro. Kingdomes and States are only the Appendices of Iustice for if Justice otherwise could be executed there would be no need of them It is the effect of Iustice that man is to man a God and not a Wolfe Though Justice can not extirpate vice yet it represseth it from doing hurt Contra. If this be to be just not to doe to another what you would not have done to your selfe then is mercy Iustice Jf we must give every one his due then surely pardon to Humanity What tell you me of equity when to a wise man all things are unequall Doe but consider what the conditiō of the guilty was in the Roman state and then say justice is not for the Re-publique The common Iustice of states is as a Philosopher in Court that is it makes only for a reverentiall respect of such as bear Rule FORTITUDE XXI Pro. Nothing but feare is terrible There is nothing solid in pleasure nor assur'd in virtue where fear disquiets He that confronts dangers with open eyes that he may receive the charge marketh how to avoid the same All other virtues free us from the Dominion of vice only Fortitude from the Dominion of Fortune Contra. That 's a goodly virtue to be willing to dye so you may be sure to kill That 's a goodly virtue sure which even drunkennesse may induce He that is prodigall of his own life will not spare the life of an other Fortitude is a virtue of the Jron Age. TEMPERANCE XXII Pro. To Abstaine to Sustaine are virtues proceeding commonly from the same habit Vniformities concords and Measures of motions are things celestiall and the characters of Eternity Temperance as wholsome coldes concenterate and strengthen the forces of the Mind Too exquisite and wandring senses had need of Narcotiques and so likewise wandring affections Contra. I like not these negative virtues for they argue Innocence not Merit That mind languisheth which is not sometimes spirited by excesse I like those virtues which induce the vivacity of Action and not the dulnesse of Passion When you set downe the equall tempers of the mind you set downe but few nam pauperis est numerare pecus These Stoicismes not to use that so you may not desire not to desire that so you may not feare are the resolutions of pusillanimous and distrustfull natures CONSTANCY XXIII Pro. Constancy is the foundation of virtue He is a miserable man that hath no perception of his future state what it shall or may be Seeing mans judgement is so weak as that he cannot be constant to things let him at least be true to himselfe and to his own designes Constancy gives reputation even to vice If to the Inconstancy of fortune we adde also the inconstancy of mind in what mazes of darknesse doe we live Fortune is like Proteus if you persist she returnes to her true shape Contra. Constancy like a sullen-selfe-will'd Porteresse drives away many fruitfull informations There is good reason that Constancy should patiently endure crosses for commonly she causeth them The shortest folly is the best MAGNANIMITY XXIV Pro. When once the mind hath propounded to it selfe honourable ends then not only virtues but even the divine powers are ready to second Virtues springing from Habit or precept are vulgar but from the end heroicall Contra. Magnanimity is a virtue Poeticall KNOWLEDGE CONTEMPLATION XXV Pro. That delight only is according to Nature whereof there is no satiety The sweetest prospect is that which looks into the errors of others in the vale below How pleasing and profitable a thing is it to have the orbs of the mind concentrique with the orbs of the World All depraved affections are false valuations but goodnesse and Truth are ever the same Contra. A contemplative life is a specious sloth To think well is litle better then to dreame well The divine providence regards the world thou thy country Aright Politique procreates Contemplations LEARNING XXVI Pro. Jf there were Books written of the smallest matters there would hardly be any use of experience Reading is a converse with the wise Action for the most part a commerce with fooles Those sciences are not to be reputed altogether unprofitable that are of no use if they sharpen the wits and marshall our conceptions Contra Jn Schooles men learne to believe What Art did yet ever teach the seasonable use of Art To be wise from Precept and from experience are two contrary habits so as he that is accustomed to the one is inept for the other There is many times a vain use of Art least there should be no use This commonly is the humor of all Schollers that they are wont to acknowledge all they know but not to learne what they know not PROMPTITUDE XXVII Pro. That is not seasonable wisdome which is not quick and nimble He that quickly erres quickly reformes his error He that is wise upon deliberation and not upon present occasion performes no great matter Contra That wisdome is not farre fetcht nor deeply grounded which is ready at hand Wisdome as a vestment that is lightest which is readiest Age doth not ripen their wisdome whose Counsils deliberation doth not ripen What is suddenly invented suddenly vanisheth soon ripe soon rotten Silence in matters of Secrecy XXVIII Pro. From a silent man nothing is conceal'd for all is there safely laid up He that easily talkes what he knowes will also talke what he knowes not Mysteries are due to secrecies Contra. Alteration of Customes placeth the mind in the darke and makes men goe invisible Secrecy is the virtue of a confessor
himselfe in all things Nay we see likewise that many great Princes who may have at command whatsoever may delight the Sences notwithstanding many times have procured to themselves poore desires and set their hearts upon toies as Nero in playing upon the Harpe Commodus in playing at Fence Antoninus in driving Chariots and others taken up with other delights which to them were more acceptable than all the affluence of sensuall Pleasures so much great refreshing and contentment it is to goe forward in Action than to stand at a stay in fruition This in the mean is to be somewhat more diligently noted that this Active individuall Good altogither differs from the good of Society though oftentimes they are coincident for although that Particular Active Good doth many times breed and bring forth Acts of Beneficence which is a virtue of Communion yet here 's the difference that those Acts are by most men performed not with intention to benefit and make happy others but meerely in a private respect to themselves their own power and amplification This best appeares when Good Active lights upon a subject which is contrary to the Good of Communion for that Gigantive state of minde which possesseth the troublers of the world such as was L. Sylla and infinite others thoe in a far smaller Modell who seeme to endeavour this to have all men happy or unhappy as they were their Friends or Enimies and that the world might beare their stamp and be formd to their humours which is the true Theomachie this I say aspires to Active Particulare Good at least in appearance altho it doth most of all recede from the Good of Societie II. But we will divide Passive Good into Good Conservative and Good Perfective For there is implanted in every thing a triple Appetite in respect of Private or Particular Good the first of preserving or continuing it selfe the second of advancing and perfecting it selfe the third of multiplying and extending it selfe but this last Appetite is referr'd to Active Good whereof we spake even now There remaine therefore the two other kindes of Good of which the Perfective excells for it is lesse to conserve a thing in its naturall state but greater to advance the same thing to a higher nature for there are found through all Essences some nobler natures to the dignity and excellency whereof inferiour natures doe aspire as to their originals and springs So concerning Men the Poet doth not impertinently describe Virg. Aen. 6 Igneus est Ollis vigor Coelestis Origo Mans assumption or approach to a divine or Angelicall Nature is the perfection of his Forme a depraved and preposterous imitation of which Perfective Good is the destruction of humane life and a violent Tempest which beares downe and ruines all that is while men insteed of a formal and essential advancement are carried in a blinde Ambition to an Advancement onely Locall For as those which are sick and finde no Remedie doe tumble up and downe and change place as if by a remove Locall they could obtaine a remove internall and shift of their disease so it is in Ambition that men being possess'd and led away with a false resemblance of exalting their nature purchase nothing else but an eminence and celsitude of Place § But Good Conservative is no other then the reception and fruition of things agreeable to our Nature and this Good tho it bee most simple and Native yet seemes it to be of all other kinds of Good the softest and lowest And this Good also admits a difference which hath neither bin well judg'd of nor well inquired for the Good of Fruition or as it is commonly called the dignitie and commendation of delightfull Good is placed either in the Syncerity of the Fruition or in the quicknesse and vigor of it whereof the one is superinduced by Equality the other by Variety and Viciscitude the one having a lesse mixture of Evill the other a more strong and lively impression of Good But of these whether is the greater Good is a question controverted But whether a mans nature may be capable of both at once is a question not inquired § As touching that whereof a Question is rais'd a Controversie began to be debated between Socrates and a Sophist Socrates affirm'd Plato in Gorg. That Felicitie was placed in a constant Peace and Tranquility of minde but the Sophist in this That a man desire much and enjoy much And so they fell from Arguments to ill words the Sophists saying that Socrates Felicity was the Felicity of a block or stone Socrates on the other side That the Sophists Felicitie was the Felicitie of one that had the Jtch who did nothing but itch and scratch And both these opinions doe not want their supports for to Socrates opinion assents even the Schoole of Epicurus which deemes not but that Virtue beareth a great part in Felicitie and if so Certaine it is that Virtue hath more use in cleering Perturbations then in compassing desires The Sophists opinion is much favoured by the assertion we last spake of namely that Good Perfective is greater than Good Preservative because the obtaining of things desired seemes by degrees to perfit nature which though it doe not doe it indeed yet the very motion it selfe in circle hath a shew of Progressive Motion § But the second Question whether humane nature may not at once retaine both the tranquilitie of Minde and the active vigor of fruition decided the true way makes the former idle and superfluous For doe we not often see that some men are so fram'd and composed by nature as they are extremely affected with pleasures while they are present and yet are not greatly troubled at the leaving or losse of them So as the Philosophicall consequence Non uti ut non appetas non appetere ut non metuas seemes to be the resolution of a poore and diffident spirit Surely most of the Doctrines of Philosophers seeme to be somewhat more fearefull cautionary then the nature of things requireth as when they encrease the feare of death by curing it for when they would have a mans whole life to be but a discipline or preparation to die how can it be that that enimie should not seeeme wonderfull terrible against whom there is no end of preparing better saith the Poet thoe a Heathen Iuven. Satir. 10. Qui spacium vitae extremum inter munera ponat Naturae So have the Philosophers sought to make the Minde in all things uniforme and Harmonicall by not breaking them to contrary Motions and extremes The reason whereof I suppose to have bin because they dedicated themselves to a private course of life exempt free from active imploiments and observances to others But let men rather imitate the wisdome of Iewellers who if perchance there be in the Gemme a Cloud or an Ice which may so be ground forth as it abate not the stone too much they help it otherwise
Aphorisme of Hippocrates They who are sick of a dangerous disease Aphor. l. 2. and feele no paine are distempered in their understanding Such men need medicine not only to asswage the disease but to awake the sense And if it be said that the Cure of mens minds belongs to sacred Divinity it is most truly said but yet why may not Morall Philosophy be accepted into the traine of Theology as a wise servant and a faithfull hand-maid ready at all commands to doe her service For as it is in the Psalme That the eyes of the Hand-maid Psal 123. look perpetually towards the Mistresse and yet no doubt many things are left to the discretion and care of the Hand-maid so ought Morall Philosophy to give all due observance to Divinity and to be obsequious to hir Precepts yet so as it may yeeld of it selfe within its own limits many sound and profitable directions This Part therefore when I seriously consider the excellency thereof I can not but find exceeding strange that it is not yet reduced into a Body of Knowledge Wherefore seeing we have reported it as DEFICIENT we will after our manner give some Adumbrations thereof I. First therefore in this as in all things which are Practicall we ought to cast up our account what is in our power ✿ GEORGICA ANIMI five de culturâ Morum and what not for the one may be dealt with by way of Alteration the other by way of Application only The Husband-man cannot command either the nature of the Earth or the seasons of the weather no more can the Physitian the natural temper or constitution of the Patient or the variety of Accidents Now in the Culture of the mind of man and the cure of the Diseases thereof three things fall into consideration The diverse Characters of Dispositions the Affections and the Remedies As in curing the Body three things are propounded the Complexion or Constitution of the Patient the Disease and the Cure and of these three the last only is in our power the two former are not Yet even in those things which are not in our power no lesse diligent inquiry is to be made thereof then in those which are subject to our power for a distinct and exact knowledge of them is to be laid as a ground-work to the knowledge of the Remedies that they may be more aptly and successefully applied for neither can a garment be well fitted to the Body unlesse you first take the measure of the Body § Wherefore the first article of this knowledge of the Culture of the Mind shall be conversant about the diverse Characters of mens natures or dispositions Neither doe we here speak of those common Proclivities to virtues and vices or Perturbations and passions but of those which are more intrinsique and radicall Surely for this part of knowledge I doe much wonder that it should be for most part so neglected or slightly past over by writers Moral and Political considering it casts such resplendent beams upon both those kinds of knowledges In the Traditions of Astrology the natures dispositions of men are not without some colour of truth distinguisht from the Praedominancies of Planets as that some are by nature made and proportioned for contemplation others for matters Civile others for Warre others for Advancement others for Pleasure others for Arts others for changeable course of life So among the Poets Heroicall Satyricall Tragedians Comedians you shall finde every where the Images of wits althoe commonly with excesse and beyound the bounds of Truth Nay this same Argument of the divers Characters of Nature is one of those subjects wherein the common discourses of men which very seldome yet sometimes falls out are more wise then Books But the best provision and collection for such a treatise ought to be fetcht from the observations of the wisest sort of Historians not only from Elogies and Panegyriques which commonly follow the death of a Person but much more from the entire body of a History so often as such a personage doth as it were enter upon the stage For this inter-woven Image seems to be a more lively description than the censure of an Elogy such as is that in T. Livius of Africanus and of Cato the Elder in Tacitus of Tiberius Claudius and Nero in Herodian of Septimius Severus in Philip de Commines of Lewis the XI K. of France in Fra. Guicciardine of Ferdinand King of Spaine Maximilian the Emperour Leo and Clemens Bishops of Rome For those writers fixing their eyes continually on the Images of these Persons whom they made choice of to decipher and purtrait seldome mention their Acts and Atchievements but withall insert something touching their nature and dispositions so likewise many Relations touching the Conclaves of Popes which we have met withall represent good Characters and lively impressions of the naturall dispositions of Cardinalls as the letters of Ambassadors set forth the nature and manners of Counsilors to Princes Wherefore let there be a full and perfect collection made of this argument whereof we have spoken which certainly is fertile and copious Neither would we that those Characters in the Ethiques as it is with Historians Poets and in common speech should be accepted as perfit politique Images but rather as the first draughts and rude lineaments of those Images which compounded and commixt constitute any resemblances whatsoever how many and of what sort they may be and how they are connext and subordinate one with another that there may be made as it were an artificiall and accurate dissection of natures and dispositions and a discovery of the secret inclinations of Individual tempers and that from a knowledge thereof precepts of cure may be more pertinently prescribed § And not only the Characters of dispositions impressed by nature should be received into this Tractate but those also which are imposed upon the mind from Sex Age Region Health Beauty and the like as also those from externe fortune as of Princes Nobles obscure Persons Rich Poore Private persons Prosperous Miserable and the like For we see Plautus makes it a wonder to see an old man Beneficent Benignitas quidem huius oppidò ut adolescentuli est Mil. Glo. and S. Paule commanding that the severity of discipline should be used to the Cretans rebuke them sharply accuseth the nature of that Nation from a Poet Cretenses semper mendaces Ad Tit. c. 1 ex Epimen malae bestiae ventres pigri Salust notes this in the nature of Kings that it is usuall with them to desire contradictories In Iugurth Plerunque Regiae voluntates ut vehementes sunt sic mobiles saepeque ipsae sibi adversae Tacitus observes that Honours and advancements oftner change mens natures to the worse Hist lib. 1. than to the better Solus Vespasianus mutatus in melius Pindarus makes an observation that great and Sodoms fortune for most part loosens and dissinues mens minds sunt Pindar
temperatures it will come to passe that the experiment doth not satisfie the expectation which ever discourageth and confounds the minde but if the Tasks be too weake and easie in the summe of proceeding there is a losse and prejudice § A second shall be that to the practising of any facultie whereby a habit may be superinduced two Seasons are chiefly to be observed the one when the minde is best disposed to a businesse the other when it is worst that by the one we may be well forwards on our way by the latter we may by a strenuous contention worke out the knots and stonds of the minde which makes midle times to passe with more ease and pleasure § A third Precept shall be that which Aristotle mentions by the way Moral Nicom lib. 2. which is to beare ever towards the contrary extreme of that whereunto we are by nature inclin'd so it be without vice Like as when we rowe against the streame or when wee make a crooked wand straight by bending it the contrary way § The Fourth Precept is grounded upon that Axiome which is most true That the minde is brought to any thing with more sweetnesse and happinesse if that whereunto we pretend bee not principal in the intention of the Doer but be overcome as it were doing somewhat else because the instinct of nature is such a freedome as hates necessity and compulsive commands Many other rules there are which might profitably be prescribed touching the Direction of Custome for Custome if it be wisely and skilfully induced proves as it is commonly said an other nature but being conducted absurdly and by chance it is only the Ape of Nature which imitates nothing to the life but in a foolish deformity onely § So if we should speake of Bookes and Studies and of their power and influence upon Manners are there not divers Precepts and fruitfull Directions appertaining thereunto Hath not one of the Fathers in great indignation called Poesie vinum Daemonum being indeed it begets many Temptations Lusts and vaine Opinions It is not a wise opinion of Aristotle and worthy to be regarded That young men are no fit auditors of Morall Philosophy Moral Nicom Lib. 1. because the boyling heat of their affections is not yet setled nor attemperd with Time and Experience And to speake truth doth it not hereof come that those excellent Books and Discourses of ancient Writers whereby they have perswaded unto virtue most effectually representing as well her stately Majestie to the eyes of the world as exposing to Scorne popular Opinions in disgrace of Virtue attired as it were in their Parasite Coats are of so litle effect towards honesty of life and the reformation of corrupt Manners because they use not to be read and revolv'd by men mature in yeeres and judgement but are left and confin'd onely to Boyes and Beginners But is it not true also that young men are much lesse fit Auditors of Policie than Moralitie till they have bin throughly season'd with Religion and the knowledge of Manners and Duties lest their judgements be corrupted and made apt to think that there are no Moral differences true and solid of things but that all is to be valued according to a utilitie and fortune As the Poet saith Prosperum felixscelus virtus vocatur Iuvenal Sat. 13. And againe Ille crucem pretium sceleris tulit hic Diadema But the Poets seeme to speak this Satyrically and in indignation be it so yet many Books of Policie doe suppose the same seriously and positively for so it pleased Machiavell to say That if Caesar had bin overthrowne hee would have bin more odious than ever was Catiline as if there had bin no difference but in fortune onely between a very fury composed of Lust and Blood and the most excellent spirit his ambition reserved in the world By this we see how necessary it is for men to drink deeply Pious and Morall knowledges before they tast Politique for that they who are bred up in the Courts of Princes from tender yeeres and in affaires of state commonly never attaine an inward and syncere Probitie of Manners how much further of from honestie if to this fire of corrupt education there be administred the fewell of corrupt Books Againe even in Morall instructions themselves or at least in some of them is there not a Caution likewise to be given lest they make men too Precise Arrogant and Incompatible according to that of Cicero touching M. Cato These Divine and excellent qualities which we see are his own proper endowments but such as are sometimes deficient in him Pro L. Muraena are all deriv'd from Teachers and not from Nature There are many other Axioms touching those properties and effects which Studies and Books doe instill into the mindes of men for it is true that he saith abeunt studia in mores which may likewise be affirm'd of those other points touching Companie Fame the Lawes of our Countrey and the rest which a litle before we recited But there is a kinde of Culture of the Minde which seemes yet more acurate and elaborate than the rest and is built upon this ground That the mindes of all Mortals are at some certaine times in a more perfect state at other times in a more depraved state The purpose therefore and direction of this Culture is that those good seasons may be cherisht the evill crost and expunged out of the Kalender The fixation of good Times is procured by two meanes by vowes or at Least most constant Resolutions of the Mind and by Observances and exercises which are not to be regarded so much in themselves as because they keep the mind in her devoir and continuall obedience The obliteration of evill Times may be in like manner perfected two waies by some kind of Redemption or expiation of that which is past and by a new course of life as it were turning over a clean leafe But this part seems wholly to appertaine to Religion and Justly considering that true and genuine Morale Philosophy as was said supplies the place of a Hand-maid only to Divinity wherefore we will conclude this part of the Culture of the Mind with that remedy which of all other meanes is the most compendious and summary and againe the most noble and effectuall to the reducing of the mind to virtue and the placing of it in a state next to perfection and this is That we make choice of and propound to our selves right ends of life and Actions and agreeing to virtue which yet must be such as may be in a reasonable sort within our compasse to attaine For if these two things be suppos'd that the ends of Actions be Honest and Good and that the Resolution of the mind for the pursuing and obtaining them be fixt constant and true unto such ends it will follow that the mind shall forthwith transforme and mould it selfe into all virtues at once And this indeed
is an operation which resembleth the work of nature whereas other courses whereof we have spoken are like the work of the hand For as when a Carver cuts and graves an Image he shapes only that part whereupon he works and not the rest as if he be fashioning the Face the rest of the Body is a rude and formelesse stone still till such time as he come to it but contrariwise when Nature makes a Flower or Living Creature she ingenders and brings forth rudiments of all the parts at one time So in obtaining virtues by habite while a man practiseth Temperance he doth not profit much to Fortitude and the like but when we wholly dedicate and devote our selves to good and honest ends look what virtue soever such ends commends and commands our mind unto we shall find our selves already invested and predisposited with a kind of hability and propension to pursue and expresse the same And this may be that State of Mind which is excellently described by Aristotle Moral Nicom lib. 7. and expressed with the character not of virtue but a kind of Divinity his words are these And with IMMANITY we may not unaptly countre-ballance that ability which is above humanity HEROICK OR DIVINE VIRTUE and a litle after for as Savage Creatures are incapable of Vice or Virtue so is the Deity but this state is a thing higher than virtue that somewhat else than vice Indeed Plinius Secundus from the licence of Heathen magniloquence set forth the virtue of Trajane not as an imitation but as a patterne too divine when he saith That men need to make no other praires to the Gods but that they would continue as good and as gracious Lords to them Paneg. as Trajane had bin But these are the prophane and unhallowed Aires of Heathens who apprehend shadowes greater then the Body but true Religion and the Holy Christian Faith laies hold on the substance it selfe imprinting upon mens Minds Charity which is most properly called Colos 3. The bond of perfection because it comprehends and fastens all virtues togither Surely it is elegantly said by Menander of vaine Love which is but a counterfeit imitation of Divine Love Amor melior sophistâ laevo ad humanam vitam by which words he insinuates that good and decent cariage is better learn'd from Love then from a Sophist or an innept Tutor whom hee calls Left-handed because with all his tedious Rules and Precepts he cannot forme a man so dexterously and with that facility to value himselfe and governe himselfe as Love can doe So certainly if a mans mind be truly inflamed with the heat of Charity he shall be exalted to a greater degree of Perfection then by all the Doctrine of Morality which indeed is but a Sophist in comparison of the other Nay farther as Xenophon observed truly De Inst Cyri. That all other affections thoe they raise the Mind yet they distort and disorder it by their extasies and excesses but only love doth at the same instant dilate and compose the mind So all other humane excellencies which we admire thoe they advance nature yet they are subject to excesse only Charity admits no excesse So we see the Angels while they aspired to be like God in power prevaricated and fell Esa 14. I will ascend above the altitude of the cloudes I will be like the most high So man while he aspired to be like God in Knowledge Gen. 3. digressed and fell ye shall be like Gods knowing Good and Evill but by aspiring to a similitude of Gods Goodnesse or Love neither Man nor Angell ever was endangered nor shall be endangered Nay we are invited to this imitation Blesse them that curse you Mat. 5. and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you that you may be the sonnes of your father which is in Heaven for he makes his Sunne to rise on the Evill and on the Good and sends Raine upon the just and upon the unjust So in the first Platforme of the Divine Nature the Heathen Religion placeth Gods attributes thus Optimus Maximus Psal 145. and sacred Scripture speaks thus Misericordia ejus supra omnia opera ejus § Wherefore we have now concluded this part of Morall knowledge concerning the Culture and Regiment of the Mind wherein if any from a contemplation of the Portions thereof which we have strictly enumerated doth judge that our labour is only this to Collect and Digest into an Art or Science that which hath bin pretermitted by other writers as matter of common sense and experience and of themselves cleere and perspicuous let him freely enjoy his judgement yet in the meane let him be pleased to remember what we premonisht at first that our purpose was not to pursue the flourish and beauty of things but their use and verity Likewise let him a while ponder in his mind that invention of the Ancient Parable touching the two gates of sleepe Virg. Aen. 6. Sunt geminae somni Portae quarum altera fertur Cornea qua veris facilis datur exitus umbris Altera candenti perfecta nitens Elephanto Sed falsa ad Coelùm mittunt insomnia Manes A gate of Ivory is indeed very stately but true Dreams passe through the Gate of Horne IV. By way of supplement that observation about Morall Knowledge may be set downe which is that there is a kind of relation and Conformity between the Good of the mind and the Good of the Body For as the Good of the Body consists as hath bin said of Health Beauty Strength and Pleasure So the Good of the Mind if we consider it according to the Axioms and Precepts of Morale Knowledge we shall perceive tend to this point to make the mind sound and discharg'd from Perturbation Beautifull and graced with the ornaments of true Decency strong to all duties of life Lastly not stupid but retaining an active and lively sence of Pleasure and honest Recreation But these foure as in the Body so in the mind seldome meet altogither For it is easy to observe that many have strength of wit and courage who yet notwithstanding are infested with perturbations and whose manners are litle season'd with elegancy and Beauty of Behaviour in their doings some againe have an Elegancy and finenesse of cariage which have neither soundnesse of honesty nor substance of sufficiency in their doings some have honest Minds purified from the staine of Guilt which yet can neither become themselves nor manage businesse others which perchance are capable of all these three Qualities but possest with a sullen humor of Stoical sadnesse and stupidity they practise virtuous Actions but enjoy neither themselves nor the fruit of their good Parts and if it chance that of these foure two or three sometimes meet yet a concurrence of all foure very seldome falls out And now we have concluded that Principall member of Humane Philosophy which considers Man as he consists of Body and
placed Last of all the scorner himselfe despiseth the knowledge which he hath learned But the matter is transacted with greater danger in the reprehension of the wicked because a wicked nature not only gives no eare to advise but turnes head against his Reprehender now made odious unto him whom he either wounds presently with contumelies or traduces afterwards to others THE PARABLE VII Prov. X. A wise Sonne is the gladnesse of his Father but a foolish Sonne is the sadnesse of his Mother THE EXPLICATION THe joyes and griefes domesticall of Father and Mother touching their Childrē are here distinguisht for a wise and well-govern'd Sonne is chiefly a comfort to the Father who knowes the value of virtue better than the Mother and therefore more rejoyceth at the towardlinesse of his Sonne inclinable to goodnesse yea and it may be his education of him that he hath brought him up so well and implanted in his tender years the Civility of manners by precepts and example is a joy unto him On the other side the Mother is more griev'd and discomforted at the calamity of a Sonne both because the affection of a Mother is more soft and tender as also perchance being conscious of hir too much indulgence she hath tainted and corrupted his tender years THE PARABLE VIII The memory of the lust is blest Prov. X. but the name of the wicked shall putrify THE EXPLICATION Here is distinguisht the Fame of good men and of evill such as cōmonly falls out after Death for the Name of good men after envy is extinguisht which cropt the blossome of their Fame while they were alive presently shootes up and flourisheth and their Praises daily encrease in strength and vigor but for wicked men though their Fame through the partiall favour of Friends and of men of their own faction last for a short time a detestation of their Name springs up and at last their transient glory exhales in infamy and expires in a filthy and noisome odor THE PARABLE IX He that troubles his own house shall inherit the winde Prov. XI THE EXPLICATION A Very profitable admonition touching Discord and Domestique Breaches Many promise to themselves great matters by the dissentions of Wives or the Disinheriting of Sonnes or the often changing of Servants as if the Tranquillity of mind or the administration of their Affaires were by this means advanced and should become more prosperous unto them But commonly their hopes turne to winde for those alterations for most part succeed ill and those Perturbers of their owne house often times meet with many vexations and ingratitudes from them whom passing by others they adopted and loved Nay by this means they draw upon their Persons ill Reports and doubtfull rumors De Pet. Consul For it is well noted of Cicero Omnem famam a Domesticis emanare Both these evills Salomon excellently expresses by the inheritance of winds for the Frustrating of Expectation and the raising of Rumors are rightly compared to Winds THE PARABLE X. Better is the end of a speech Eccles VII than the Begining thereof THE EXPLICATION THis Parable taxeth and reformes a frequent error committed not only by them which chiefly study words but even by the more wise and grave The error is this that men are more solicitous of the ingresse and entrance of their speech than of the close and issue and more exactly meditate the Exordiums and Prefaces than the conclusions of speeches But they should neither neglect those and yet have these about them as the more material parts ready prepar'd and digested considering with themselves and so farre as may be fore-casting in their minds what may be the issue of speech and conference at last and businesses thereby may be promoted and matured Yet this is not all for you must not only study Epilogues and conclusions of speeches which may be pertinent to businesse but also regard must be taken of such speeches as may aptly and pleasantly be cast in at the very instant of your departure althoe they have no reference at all to the businesse in hand I knew two Counsilors Personages of high ranke and wise men and on whom the charge of State-affaires did then principally depend whose common and to them peculiar custome it was that so often as they were to negociate with their Princes about their own affaires never to close their conference with any matter referring to that businesse but ever seek diversions either by way of jest or by somewhat that was delightfull to heare and so as the Adage renders it wash over at the conclusion of all their Sea-water discourses with fresh fountaine water And this usage was one of their chiefe Arts. THE PARABLE XI As dead Flies cause the best oyntment Eccles X. to send forth an ill Odor so doth a litle folly him that is in reputation for wisdome and honour THE EXPLICATION THe case of Men remarkable for eminent guifts is very unhappy and miserable as the Parable excellently notes because their errors be they never so small find no remission But as in a pure Diamond every least graine or litle cloud strikes the eye and affects it with a kind of trouble which upon a more grosse Diamond would hardly be discerned even so in men of eminent parts the least infirmities are presently spied talked of and more deeply censur'd which in men of more meane and obscure guifts and ranke would either altogither passe without notice or easily procure pardon Therefore a litle Folly in a very wise man and a small offence in a very honest man and a slight indecency of manners in a man of Courtly and Elegant behaviour much derogates from their fame and reputation So that it is not the worst course for eminent persons to mingle some absurdities so it may be done without guilt in their Actions that they may retaine a kind of liberty to themselves and confound the characters of smaller defects THE PARABLE XII Scornfull men insnare a Citty Prov. XXIX but Wise men divert wrath THE EXPLICATION IT may seem strange that Solomon in the description of men made as it were and by nature fram'd to the ruine and destruction of a state hath chosen the character not of a proud and insolent man not of a tyrannicall and cruell nature not of a rash and violent man not of an impious and wicked person not of a seditious and turbulent spirit not of an in continent and sensuall inclination not of a foolish and unable Person but of a Scorner But this is a judgement worthy the wisdome of that King who best knew the grounds of the conservation or eversion of a state For there is not commonly a like Plague to Kingdomes and Commonwealths than if Counsilors of Princes or Senators and such as sit at the helme of Goverment are by nature Scorners For such persons that they may win the reputation of undanted states-men doe ever extenuate the greatnesse of dangers and insult
that the entrailes were not prosperous he closely murmur'd to himselfe Erunt laetioracum volo which saying of his preceded not long before the misfortune of his death But this extremity of Confidence as we have said as it is an unhallowed thing so was it ever unblest And therefore they that were great Politiques indeed and truly wise thought it their safest course ever to ascribe their successes to their Felicity and not to their skill and virtue So Sylla surnam'd himselfe Felix not Magnus and Cesar more advisedly than before saith to the Pilot Plut. in I. Caes Caesarem vehis fortunam ejus But yet neverthelesse these Positions Faber Quisque Fortunae suae Sapiens dominabitur Astris Jnvia virtuti nulla est via and the like if they be understood and applied rather as spurres to industry than as stirrops to insolency and rather to beget in men courage and constancy of Resolutions than Arrogancy and ostentation are deservedly accounted sound and healthfull and no question have bin ever imprinted in the greatest Minds so sensibly as sometimes they can scarce dissemble such cogitations For we see Augustus Caesar who compared with his uncle was rather diverse than inferior but certainly a person more staid and solemne when he died Suet. in August desired of his friends that stood about his Bed that when he expired they would give him a Plaudite as if he were conscient to himselfe that he had plaid his part well upon the stage This portion also of knowledge is to be summ'd up amongst DEFICIENTS not but that it hath bin usurped and frequented in Practise farre more excessively than is fitting but because books concerning this Argument are silent Wherefore according to our custome as we did in the former we will set downe some heads or passages of it and we will call it Fabrum Fortunae or as we have said Doctrinam de Ambitu vitae Wherein at the first view I may seem to handle a new and strange Argument in teaching men how they may be raisers and makers of their own fortune a doctrine certainly to which every man will willingly yeeld himselfe a Disciple till he throughly conceives the difficulty thereof For the conditions are neither lighter or fewer or lesse difficult to the Purchase of Fortune than to the purchase of virtue and it is as hard and severe a Thing to be a true Politique as to be truly Morall But the handling hereof concernes learning greatly both in Honour and in Substance For it is a principall point which neerely concernes the Honour of Learning that Pragmatique men may know that Learning is not like some small Bird as the Larke that can mount and sing and please hir selfe and nothing else but that she holds as well of the Hauke that can soare aloft and after that when she sees hir time can stoop and ceyze upon her Prey Againe this kind of wisdome much respects the Perfection of Learning because it is the right rule of a perfect enquiry that nothing be found in the Globe of Matter that hath not a Parallel in the Christalline Globe or the Intellect That is that there be not any thing in Being and Action that should not be drawne and collected into contemplation and Doctrine Neither doth learning otherwise admire or estime this Architecture of Fortune than as a worke of an inferior kinde for no mans proper fortune can be a retribution any way worthy the donation of his Essence and Being granted him from God nay it often comes to passe that men of excellent guifts abandon their Fortunes willingly that their minds may be vacant for more sublime respects yet neverthelesse Fortune as an Organ of virtue and merit deserves likewise hir speculation and Doctrine § Vnto this knowledge appertaine precepts some summary and Principall some spars'd and various Precepts Summary are conversant about the true knowledge both of others and of himselfe The first Precept wherein the principall point of the knowledge of Others doth consist may be determined this that we procure to our selves so farre as may be that window which Momus once required He Plato de Rep. when he saw in the frame of Mans heart so many Angles and Recesses found fault that there was not a window through which a man might look into those obscure and crooked windings This window we shall obtaine if with all diligent circumspection we purchase and procure unto our selves good information touching particular Persons with whom we negociate and have to deale as also of their natures their desires their ends their customes their Helps and Advantages whereby they are chiefly supported and are powerfull and againe of their weaknesses and disadvantages and where they lye most open and are obnoxious of their Friends Factions Patrons and Dependancies and againe of their Opposites Enviers Competitors as also their Moodes Times and Criticall seasons of easy Accesse Sola viri molles Additus Virg. Aen. IV. tempora noris Lastly the Principles and Rules which they have set downe to themselves and the like And this information must be taken not only of Persons but of Particular Actions also which are on Foote from time to time and as it were hott upon the Anvile how they are conducted and succeed by whose futherances they are favour'd by whom oppos'd of what weight and moment they are and what consequence they inferre and the like For the knowledge of present Actions is not only materiall in it selfe but hath this advantage also as without it the knowledge of Persons will be very deceitfull and erroneous for Men change with the Actions and while they are implicated in Actions engaged and environed with busines they are one when they returne to their Nature they are another These Informations touching Particulars respecting as well Persons as Actions are as the Minor Propositions in every Active Syllogisme for no verity or excellency of Observations or Axiomes whereof the Major Propositions Politique are made can suffice to ground a conclusion if there be error and mistakeing in the Minor Proposition And that such knowledge may be compassed Salomon is our surety who saith Counsil in the Heart of a Man is like a deepe water Prov. XX. but a wise man will draw it out And although the knowledge it selfe fall not under Precept because it is of Individuals yet instuctions for the deduceing of it may with profit be set downe § The knowledge of Men six wayes may be disclosed and drawne out by their Faces and Countenances by Words by Deeds by their Nature by their Ends and by the Relations of others As for the Visage and Countenance let not the ancient Adage move us Fronti nulla Fides Iuv. Sat. II. for though this saying may not amisse be meant of the outward and generale composure of the Countenance and Gesture yet there are certaine subtile motions and labours of the Eyes Face Lookes and Gesture whereby as Q. Cicero elegantly saith is
As for my Labours if any man shall please himselfe or others in the reprehension of them certainly they shall cause me put up that ancient request but of great patience verbera sed Audi let men reprehend as they please so they observe and waigh what is spoken Verily the Appeale is lawfull though it may be for this matter not so needfull if it be made from the first cogitations of men unto the second and from the neerer times to the times farther off Now let us come unto the Learning which those two ancient Periods of time were not so blest as to know I mean SACRED AND DIVINELY INSPIRED THEOLOGY the Noblest Saboath and Port of all mens Labors and Peregrinations THE NINTH BOOK OF FRANCIS LO VERVLAM VICOUNT St ALBAN OF THE DIGNITY AND ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING To the KING CAP. I. The Partitions of Inspired Divinity are omitted only accesse is made to three DEFICIENTS I. The Doctrine of the right use of Humane Reason in matters Divine II The Doctrine of the Degrees of Vnity in the Citty of God III And the Emanations of SS Scriptures ANd now most excellent King we have with a smal Barque such as we were able to set out sail'd about the universal circumference as well of the old as the new WORLD OF SCIENCES with how prosperous windes and course we leave to Posterity to Judge What remaines but that haveing accomplisht our Designes we should pay our vowes But there rests yet behinde SACRED-INSPIRED-DIVINITY whereof if we should proceed to intreat we should depart out of the Pinnace of Human Reason and goe into the ship of the Church which must alone be governed by a Divine sea-needle to direct her course aright for the starres of Philosophy which hetherto shined forth unto us and were our chiefe guide here faile us it were then meet we kept silence in this sacred subject Wherefore we shall omit the just Partitions of this knowledge yet notwithstanding somewhat we will cast into this treasury by way of good wishes according to the proportion of our slender hability This we doe the rather because we finde no coast or space of ground in the whole Body of Divinity lying vacant and untilled so diligent have men been either in sowing of Good seed or sowing of Tares § Wherefore we will propound three Appendices of Theology treating not of the matter informed of by Divinity or to be informed off but only of the manner of information neither will we annexe examples or set downe precepts concerning these Tractates as our manner was to doe in the rest that we referre to Divines for these are as hath been said like meere vowes only ✿ SOΦRON sive de legitimo usu RATIONIS humanae in DIVINIS I. The Prerogative of God Comprehends the whole man and is extended as well to the Reason as to the will of Man that is that man renounce himselfe wholly and draw neere unto God wherefore as we are to obay his law thoe we finde a reluctation in our will so we are to believe his word thoe we finde a reluctation in our Reason for if we believe only that which is agreeable unto our Reason we give assent to the Matter not to the Auctor which is no more than we would doe towards a suspected and discredited witnesse Gen. 18. but that Faith which was accounted unto Abraham for Righteousnesse was of such a point as whereat Sarah laughed who therein was an Image of Naturall Reason By how much therefore any Divine Mystery is more discondant and incredible by so much the more Honour is given to God in Believing and the victory of our Faith is made more noble Nay even sinners by how much the more they are surcharg'd in conscience yet repose a trust in the mercies of God for their salvation by this doe more honour God for all desperation is a reproach of the Deity Nay farther if we truly consider the point it is an Act more great and high to believe than to know as we now know for in knowledge mans mind suffers from sense which results from things materiate but in Beliefe the spirit suffers from spirit which is the worthier Agent the case is otherwise in the state of Glory for then Faith shall cease 1. Cor. XIII we shall know as we are knowne Wherefore we may conclude that Sacred Theology is grounded on and must be deduced from the Oracles of God not from the light of Nature or the Dictates of Reason for it is written Psal XIX The Heavens declare the Glory of God but we never finde it written The Heavens declare the will of God of the will of God it is said Ad legem Testimonia si non fecerint secundum illud c. This holds not only in those Great Mysteries concerning the Deity the Creation the Redemption but appertaines also to a more perfect interpretation of the Law Morall Love your Enimies Mat. V. doe good to them that hate you c. that you may be the children of your heavenly Father who commands the raine to fall upon the just and unjust which words certainly deserve that applause Nec vox hominem sonat For it is a voice beyond the light of Nature So likewise we see the Heathen Poets especially when they fall upon a passion doe still expostulate with Lawes and Moralities which yet are farre more free and indulgent than divine Lawes as if in a kind of malignity they were repugnant to the liberty of nature Et quod natura remittit Plutar. in Alex. M. Invida jura negant So said Dendamis the Indian unto Alexanders Messengers That he had heard somewhat of the name of Pythagoras and some other of the wise-men of Graecia and that he held them for excellent men but they had one fault which was that they had in too great Reverence and veneration an imaginary thing they called LAW AND MANNERS So it must be confest that a great part of the Law Morall is of that perfection whereunto the light of nature cannot aspire yet notwithstanding that men are said to have even from the Light and Law of Nature some notions and conceits of virtue vice justice injury good and evill is most true and certaine Yet we must understand that this light of Nature is used in two severall sences first as it springs from sence Induction Reason Arguments according to the Lawes of Heaven and Earth Secondly as it is imprinted and shines upon the spirit of Man by an inward instinct according to the Law of Conscience which is a sparke and as it were the Remaines of a Pristine and Primitive Purity in which latter sense principally the soule is participant of some light to behold and discerne the perfection of the Morall Law which light is not altogither so cleare but such as in some measure rather reprehends vices than fully informes us concerning Duties So then the Religion as well Morall as
Mysticall depends upon Divine Revelation V. Doctis Hookerum de LL. Eccl Politiae l. 3. § VIII IX l. I. § VIII IX Rom. xii § The use notwithstanding of Humane Reason in matters spirituall is without question manifold very spacious and generall and it is not for nothing that the Apostle calls Religion our reasonable service of God Let it be remembred that the shadowes and Figures of the old Law were full of Reason and signification much differing from the ceremonies of Idolatry and magique which were surde and mute oftentimes instructing nothing no not so much as insinuating any thing The Christian Faith especially as in all things so in this is eminent and deserves highly to be magnified that it holds a golden Mediocrity touching the use of Reason and Disputation which is the ofspring of Reason between the Law of the Heathen and the Law of Mahomet which have imbraced the two extremes for the Religion of the Heathen had no constant beliefe or confession on the contrary in the Religion of Mahomet all Disputation was interdicted so as one hath the very face of wandring and multifarious error the other of cunning and cautelous imposture whereas the Holy Christian Faith doth both admit and reject Disputation but according to due bounds § The use of humane Reason in matter pertaining to Religion is of two sorts the one in the explication and conception of the Mystery the other in Illations and Jnferences derived from thence As touching the Explication of Mysteries we see that God vouchsafeth to descend to the weaknesse of our capacity so expressing and unfolding his Mysteries as they may best be comprehended by us and inoculating as it were his Revelations upon the Conceptions and Notions of our Reason and so applying his inspirations to open our understanding as the forme of the kay is fitted to the ward of the lock In which respect notwithstanding we ought not to be wanting to our selves for seeing God himselfe makes use of the faculty and function of Reason in his Illuminations we ought also every way to imploy and improve the same whereby we may become more capeable to receive and draw in such holy Mysteries with this caution that the mind for its Module be dilated to the amplitude of the Mysteries and not the mysteries be streightned and girt into the narrow compasse of the Mind § As for Illations we ought to know that there is allowed us a use of Reason and Argument in regard of Mysteries secondary and Respective not Primitive and Absolute for after the Articles and Principles of Religion are placed in their seats so as they stand altogether exempt from the examination of Reason it is then indeed permitted unto us to make derivations inferences from them according to the Analogie of them Jn things Natural this holds not for both the Principles are liable to examination by Jnduction I mean thoe not by Syllogisme and the same Principles have no repugnancy with Reason but that the first and midle Propositions may be derived from the same fountaine But it is otherwise in the Doctrine of Religion where the first propositions are their own supporters and subsistent by themselves and again they are not regulate by that Reason which inferreth consequent propositions Nor holdeth this in Religion alone but also in other Sciences both of greater and smaller nature namely Where the Primarie Propositions are Placita not Posita because in these also the use of Reason cannot be absolute For instance we see in Games as Chesse or the like that the first Draughts and Lawes of the Play are meerely positive ad placitum which must absolutely be accepted and not disputed but that thereupon you may win the Game and with the best advantage manage your play is a thing artificial and Rational So it is likewise in Humane Lawes wherein there be many Maximes as they stile them that is meere Placita Juris grounded more upon Authority than Reason neither come they into disceptation but what is most just not absolutely but relatively that is from the Analogie of these maximes that indeed is Rational and affords a large field of Disputation Such therefore is that secondary Reason which hath place in sacred Theologie that is which is grounded upon the Placits of God § And as there is a double use of humane Reason in matters Divine so in the same use there is a double excesse the one where there is made a more curious enquiry into the manner of the Mystery than is beseeming the other when equall Authority is attributed to Derivations which is to Principles For both he may seem to be Nicodemus Disciple who pertinaciously enquires How can a man be borne when he is old Ioan. III. and he in no wise can be accounted Pauls Disciple which may not sometimes interlace his instructions with Ego non Dominus I. Cor. VII or that According to my Iudgement for to many Illations that stile is well applied wherefore to my understanding it would be a wholsome and very profitable course if there were a sober and diligent Tractate compiled which as a kind of Divine Dialectique might give directions concerning the true limits and use of Reason in matters Divine which would be a kind of Opiate Medicine not only to quiet and lay asleepe the vanity of Aery speculations wherewith the Schooles sometime labour but likewise not a litle calme and mitigate the furies and rage of Controversies which raise sideings and factions in the Church A Treatise of this nature we set downe as Deficient and terme it SOPHRON or the right use of Humane Reason in matters Divine ✿ IRENAEVS sive de Gradibus unitatis in Civitate Dei Luc. c. IX II It imports exceedingly the Peace of the Church that the League of Christians prescribed by our Saviour in those two clauses which seem to crosse one the other were well and clearely expounded whereof the one defines thus He that is not with us is against us the other thus He that is not against us is with us Luc. XI From those two severall assertions it plainly appears that there are some Articles wherein whosoever dissenteth is to be held as not comprehended in the league and there are other Articles wherein a man may dissent and yet the league be kept entire For the bounds of Christian community are set downe One Faith Ephes IV. one Baptisme and not one Rite one Opinion We see likewise the Coat of our Saviour was entire without seame Ioan. XIX but the garment of the Church was of divers Colours Ps XIV The Chaffe must be sever'd from the corne in the eare but the Tares may not presently be pull'd up from the Corne in the Field When Moses saw an Egyptian fighting with an Israelite he did not say why strive you but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian but when he saw two Israelites fight though it could not possible be that