been in the hands of Pedants: for fo was the State of Rome for the first five years, which are fo 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 reason 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 shall find that fuch Popes do greater things, and proceed upon truer principles of Eftate, than thofe 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 seek in points of convenience, and accommodating for the prefent, which the Italians call Ragioni di Stato, whereof the fame Pius Quintus could not hear fpoken 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 feldom use of thofe other, no more than of Phyfic in a found

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; so 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 fuch 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 pofitive 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 defcribed by Guicciardine, who served 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 difpose men to leisure and privateness, and make Men flothful; it were a ftrange thing if that, which accuftometh the mind to a perpetual motion and agitation, fhould induce flothfulness: 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 refrefheth 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 fo enter

taineth them in good humour and pleafing conceits toward themselves; or because it advanceth any other their ends. So that, as it is faid of untrue valours, that fome men's valours are in the eyes of them that look on; so such men's induftries are in the eyes of others, or at least in regard of their own defignments: only learned men love business, as an action according to nature, as agreeable to health of mind, as exercise is to health of body, taking pleasure in the action itself, and not in the purchase: so that of all men they are the moft indefatigable, if it be towards any business which can hold or detain their mind.

And if any man be laborious in reading and study, and yet idle in business and action, it groweth from fome weakness of body, or softness of fpirit; fuch as Seneca fpeaketh of: Quidam tam funt umbratiles, ut putent in turbido esse quicquid in luce eft; and not of Learning: well may it be, that fuch a point of a man's nature may make him give himself to learning, but it is not Learning that breedeth any fuch point in his Nature.

And that Learning should take up too much time or leifure: I answer; the most active or busy man that hath been or can be, hath, no question, many vacant times of leisure, while he expecteth the tides and returns of business (except he be either tedious and of no difpatch, or lightly and unworthily ambitious to meddle in things that may be better done by others :) and then the question is, but how those spaces and times of leisure shall

be filled and spent; whether in pleasures or in ftudies; as was well answered by Demofthenes to his adversary Æfchines, that was a man given to pleasure, and told him, That his Orations did smell of the Lamp: Indeed, (faid Demofthenes,) there is a great difference between the things that you and I do by Lamp-light. So as no Man need doubt. that Learning will expulfe bufinefs; but rather it will keep and defend the poffeffion of the mind against idleness and pleasure, which otherwise at unawares may enter, to the prejudice of both.

Again, for that other conceit, that learning should undermine the reverence of Laws and Government, it is affuredly a mere depravation and calumny, without all shadow of truth. For to fay, that blind cuftom of Obedience fhould be a furer obligation than duty taught and understood; it is to affirm, that a blind man may tread furer by a guide than a seeing man can by a light. And it is without all controverfy, that Learning doth make the minds of men gentle, generous, maniable and pliant to government; whereas Ignorance makes them churlish, thwarting, and mutinous: and the evidence of time doth clear this affertion, confidering that the most barbarous, rude, and unlearned times have been moft fubject to tumults, feditions, and changes.

And as to the judgment of Cato, the Cenfor, he was well punished for his blafphemy against Learning, in the fame kind wherein he offended; for when he was paft threefcore years old, he was taken