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refuitation

tice: for experience doth warrant, that both in
perfons and in times, there hath been a meeting
and concurrence in Learning and Arms, flourish-
ing and excelling in the fame men and the fame
ages. For, as for men, there cannot be a better,
nor the like instance, as of that pair, Alexander the
Great and Julius Cæfar the Dictator; whereof
the one was Ariftotle's Scholar in Philosophy, and
the other was Cicero's Rival in eloquence: or if
any man had rather call for Scholars that were
great Generals, than Generals that were great
Scholars, let him take Epaminondas the Theban or
Xenophon the Athenian; whereof the one was the
first that abated the power of Sparta, and the other
was the first that made way to the overthrow of
the Monarchy of Perfia. And this concurrence
is yet more vifible in times than in persons, by
how much an age is a greater object than a Man.
For both in Egypt, Affyria, Perfia, Græcia, and
Rome, the fame times that are most renowned for
Arms, are likewise most admired for Learning; fo
that the greatest Authors and Philosophers, and the
greatest Captains and Governors have lived in
the fame ages.
Neither can it otherwise be for
as, in Man, the ripeness of strength of the body
and mind cometh much about an age, save that
the strength of the body cometh somewhat the
more early; fo in States, Arms and Learning,
whereof the one correfpondeth to the body, the
other to the foul of Man, have a concurrence or
near sequence in times.

And for matter of Policy and Government, that Learning fhould rather hurt, than enable thereunto, is a thing very improbable: we fee it is accounted an error to commit a natural body to Empiric Physicians, which commonly have a few pleasing receipts, whereupon they are confident and adventurous, but know neither the causes of diseases, nor the complexions of Patients, nor peril of accidents, nor the true method of Cures: we fee it is a like error to rely upon Advocates or Lawyers, which are only men of practice, and not grounded in their Books, who are many times eafily furprised, when matter falleth out befides their experience, to the prejudice of the causes they handle: fo, by like reason, it cannot be but a matter of doubtful confequence, if States be managed by Empiric Statesmen, not well mingled with men grounded in Learning. But contrariwife, it is almoft without inftance contradictory, that ever any government was disastrous that was in the hands of Learned Governors. For howfoever it hath been ordinary with politic men to extenuate and disable Learned men by the names of Pedants; yet in the Records of time it appeareth, in many particulars, that the Governments of Princes in minority (notwithstanding the infinite disadvantage of that kind of State) have nevertheless excelled the government of Princes of mature age, even for that reason which they seek to traduce, which is, that by that occafion the State hath

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been in the hands of Pedants: for fo was the State of Rome for the first five years, which are so much magnified, during the minority of Nero, in the hands of Seneca, a Pedant: fo it was again, for ten years' space or more, during the minority of Gordianus the younger, with great applause and contentation in the hands of Mifitheus, a Pedant: fo was it before that, in the minority of Alexander Severus, in like happiness, in hands not much unlike, by reafon of the rule of the women, who were aided by the Teachers and Preceptors. Nay, let a man look into the government of the Bishops of Rome, as by name, into the government of Pius Quintus, and Sextus Quintus, in our times, who were both at their entrance esteemed but as Pedantical Friars, and he fhall find that fuch Popes do greater things, and proceed upon truer principles of Eftate, than those which have afcended to the Papacy from an education and breeding in affairs of Eftate and Courts of Princes; for although men bred in Learning are perhaps to feek in points of convenience, and accommodating for the prefent, which the Italians call Ragioni di ftato, whereof the fame Pius Quintus could not hear spoken with patience, terming them Inventions against Religion and the moral Virtues; yet on the other fide, to recompenfe that, they are perfect in those same plain grounds of Religion, Justice, Honour, and Moral virtue, which if they be well and watchfully pursued, there will be seldom use of those other, no more than of Physic in a found

learning?

or well-dieted body. Neither can the experience of one man's life furnish examples and precedents for the events of one man's life: for, as it happeneth sometimes that the Grandchild, or other descendant, resembleth the Ancestor more than the Son; fo many times occurrences of present times may fort better with ancient examples, than with those of the latter or immediate times: and lastly, the wit of one man can no more countervail Learning, than one man's means can hold way with a common purse.

And as for those particular feducements, or indifpofitions of the mind for Policy and Government, which Learning is pretended to infinuate; if it be granted that any such thing be, it must be remembered withal, that Learning ministereth in every of them greater ftrength of Medicine or Remedy, than it offereth cause of indisposition or infirmity; for if, by a secret operation, it make men perplexed and irrefolute, on the other fide, by plain precept, it teacheth them when and upon what ground to refolve; yea, and how to carry things in suspense without prejudice, till they refolve; if it make men positive and regular, it teacheth them what things are in their nature demonstrative, and what are conjectural; and as well the use of distinctions and exceptions, as the latitude of principles and rules. If it mislead by difproportion, or diffimilitude of Examples, it teacheth men the force of Circumstances, the errors of comparisons, and all the cautions of application;

so that in all these it doth rectify more effectually than it can pervert. And these Medicines it conveyeth into men's minds much more forcibly by the quickness and penetration of Examples. For let a man look into the errors of Clement the seventh, fo livelily described by Guicciardine, who ferved under him, or into the errors of Cicero, painted out by his own pencil in his Epiftles to Atticus, and he will fly apace from being irresolute. Let him look into the errors of Phocion, and he will beware how he be obftinate or inflexible. Let him but read the Fable of Ixion, and it will hold him from being vaporous or imaginative. Let him look into the errors of Cato the fecond, and he will never be one of the Antipodes, to tread oppofite to the present World.

And for the conceit, that Learning should difpofe men to leisure and privateness, and make Men flothful; it were a strange thing if that, which accuftometh the mind to a perpetual motion and agitation, should induce slothfulness: whereas contrariwise it may be truly affirmed, that no kind of men love business for itself, but thofe that are learned; for other perfons love it for profit, as a hireling, that loves the work for the wages; or for honour, as because it beareth them up in the eyes of men, and refresheth their reputation, which otherwise would wear: or because it putteth them in mind of their Fortune, and giveth them occafion to pleasure and displeasure; or because it exerciseth fome faculty wherein they take pride, and so enter

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