tions and experiments, as well for the disclosing of Nature, as for the use of man's life.

And as for the overmuch credit that hath been given unto Authors in Sciences, in making them Dictators, that their words should stand, and not Counfels, to give advice; the damage is infinite that Sciences have received thereby, as the principal cause that hath kept them low, at a stay without growth or advancement. For hence it hath come, that in arts Mechanical the firft devifer comes shortest, and time addeth and perfecteth; but in Sciences the first Author goeth farthest, and time leeseth and corrupteth. So, we see, Artillery, sailing, printing, and the like, were groffly managed at the first, and by time accommodated and refined: but contrariwise, the Philofophies and Sciences of Ariftotle, Plato, Democritus, Hippocrates, Euclides, Archimedes, of most vigour at the first and by time degenerate and imbased; whereof the reason is no other, but that in the former many wits and induftries have contributed in one; and in the latter many wits and industries have been spent about the wit of some one, whom many times they have rather depraved than illuftrated. For as water will not ascend higher than the level of the first springhead from whence it descendeth, so knowledge derived from Aristotle, and exempted from liberty of examination, will not rife again higher than the knowledge of Aristotle. And therefore although the pofition be good, Oportet difcentem, credere, yet it must be coupled with this, Oportet edoctum

judicare; for Disciples do owe unto Masters only a temporary belief, and a fuspension of their own judgment until they be fully instructed, and not an abfolute refignation, or perpetual captivity and therefore, to conclude this point, I will fay no more, but fo let great Authors have their due, as time, which is the Author of Authors, be not deprived of his due, which is, further and further to discover truth.

Thus have I gone over these three diseases of learning; befides the which, there are some other rather peccant humours than formed diseases: which nevertheless are not fo fecret and intrinfic, but that they fall under a popular observation and traducement, and therefore are not to be passed

over.

The first of these is the extreme affecting of two extremities; the one Antiquity, the other Novelty; wherein it seemeth the children of time do take after the nature and malice of the father. For as he devoureth his children, so one of them feeketh to devour and fupprefs the other; while Antiquity envieth there should be new additions, and Novelty cannot be content to add, but it must deface: surely, the advice of the Prophet is the true direction in this matter, State fuper vias antiquas, et videte quænam fit via recta et bona, et ambulate in ea. Antiquity deserveth that reverence, that men should make a stand thereupon, and discover what is the best way; but when the discovery is well taken, then to make progreffion. And to speak truly,

Antiquitas fæculi Juventus Mundi. These times are the ancient times, when the world is ancient, and not those which we account ancient Ordine retrogrado, by a computation backward from ourfelves.

Another Error, induced by the former, is a diftrust that any thing should be now to be found out, which the World should have miffed and passed over, so long time; as if the fame objection were to be made to time, that Lucian maketh to Jupiter and other the heathen Gods; of which he wondereth that they begot so many Children in old time, and begot none in his time; and asketh whether they were become septuagenary, or whether the Law Papia, made against old men's Marriages, had reftrained them. So it seemeth men doubt left time is become past children and Generation; wherein, contrariwise, we see commonly the levity and inconftancy of men's judgments, which, till a matter be done, wonder that it can be done; and, as foon as it is done, wonder again that it was no fooner done as we fee in the expedition of Alexander into Afia, which at first was prejudged as a vast and impoffible enterprise: and yet afterwards it pleaseth Livy to make no more of it than this: Nil aliud quàm bene aufus vana contemnere: and the same happened to Columbus in the Western Navigation. But in intellectual matters it is much more common; as may be seen in most of the propofitions of Euclid: which till they be demonftrate, they seem strange to our affent; but being demonftrate,

our mind accepteth of them by a kind of relation, (as the Lawyers fpeak,) as if we had known them before.

Another Error, that hath also some affinity with the former, is a conceit that of former opinions or fects, after variety and examination, the best hath still prevailed, and fuppreffed the rest; so as, if a man should begin the labour of a new search, he were but like to light upon somewhat formerly rejected, and by rejection brought into oblivion: as if the multitude, or the wifeft for the multitude's fake, were not ready to give paffage rather to that which is popular and fuperficial, than to that which is fubftantial and profound; for the truth is, that time feemeth to be of the nature of a River or ftream, which carrieth down to us that which is light and blown up, and finketh and drowneth that which is weighty and folid.

Another Error, of a diverse nature from all the former, is the over early and peremptory reduction of knowledge into Arts and Methods; from which time commonly Sciences receive small or no augmentation. But as young men, when they knit and shape perfectly, do feldom grow to a further ftature; fo knowledge, while it is in Aphorifms and obfervations, it is in growth: but when it once is comprehended in exact Methods, it may perchance be further polished and illustrated, and accommodated for use and practice; but it increaseth no more in bulk and substance.

Another Error which doth fucceed that which

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we last mentioned, is, that after the diftribution of particular Arts and Sciences, men have abandoned univerfality, or Philofophia prima: which cannot but cease and stop all progreffion. For no perfect discovery can be made upon a flat or a level: neither is it poffible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any Science, if you ftand but upon the level of the fame Science, and afcend not to a higher Science.

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 obfervations of experience, and have tumbled up and down in their own reason and conceits. Upon these Intellectualists, which are, notwithstanding, commonly taken for the most fublime and divine Philofophers, Heraclitus gave a just cenfure, faying, Men fought truth in their own little worlds, and not in the great and common world; for they difdain to spell, and so by degrees to read in the volume of God's works: and contrariwife, by continual meditation, and agitation of wit, do urge and as it were invocate their own spirits to divine, and give Oracles unto them, whereby they are deservedly deluded.

Another Error that hath fome connexion with this latter, is, that men have used to infect their meditations, opinions, and doctrines, with some conceits which they have most admired, or fome