the advancement of learning-第1部分

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THE　TWO　BOOKS　OF　FRANCIS　BACON；
OF　THE　PROFICIENCE　AND　ADVANCEMENT　OF　LEARNING；
DIVINE　AND　HUMAN。
THE　FIRST　BOOK

To　the　King

1。　THERE　were　under　the　law；　excellent　King；　both　daily　Sacrifices　and　free…will　offerings；　the　one　proceeding　upon　ordinary　Observance；　the　other　upon　a　devout　cheerfulness：　in　like　manner　there　belongeth　to　Kings　from　their　servants　both　tribute　of　duty　and　presents　of　affection。　In　the　former　of　these　I　hope　I　shall　not　live　to　be　wanting；　according　to　my　most　humble　duty；　and　the　good　pleasure　of　your　Majesty's　employments：　for　the　latter；　I　thought　it　more　respective　to　make　choice　of　some　oblation；　which　might　rather　refer　to　the　propriety　and　excellency　of　your　individual　person；　than　to　the　business　of　your　crown　and　state。

2。　Wherefore；　representing　your　Majesty　many　times　unto　my　mind；　and　beholding　you；　not　with　the　inquisitive　eye　of　presumption；　to　discover　that　which　the　Scripture　telleth　me　is　inscrutable；　but　with　the　observant　eye　of　duty　and　admiration；　leaving　aside　the　other　parts　of　your　virtue　and　fortune；　I　have　been　touched；　yea；　and　possessed　with　an　extreme　wonder　at　those　your　virtues　and　faculties；　which　the　Philosophers　call　intellectual；　the　largeness　of　your　capacity；　the　faithfulness　of　your　memory；　the　swiftness　of　your　apprehension；　te　penetration　of　your　judgment；　and　the　facility　and　order　of　your　elocution：　and　I　have　often　thought　that　of　all　the　persons　living　that　I　have　known；　your　Majesty　were　the　best　instance　to　make　a　man　of　Plato's　opinion；　that　all　knowledge　is　but　remembrance；　and　that　the　mind　of　man　by　nature　knoweth　all　things；　and　hath　but　her　own　native　and　original　notions　＇1605：　〃motions〃；　1629；　1633：　〃notions〃＇　　（which　by　the　strangeness　and　darkness　of　this　tabernacle　of　the　body　are　sequestered）　again　revived　and　restored：　such　a　light　of　nature　I　have　observed　in　your　Majesty；　and　such　a　readiness　to　take　flame　and　blaze　from　the　least　occasion　presented；　or　the　least　spark　of　another's　knowledge　delivered。　And　as　the　Scripture　saith　of　the　wisest　king；　THAT　HIS　HEART　WAS　AS　THE　SANDS　OF　THE　SEA；　which　though　it　be　one　of　the　largest　bodies；　yet　it　consisteth　of　the　smallest　and　finest　portions；　so　hath　God　given　your　Majesty　a　composition　of　understanding　admirable；　being　able　to　compass　and　comprehend　the　greatest　matters；　and　nevertheless　to　touch　and　apprehend　the　least；　whereas　it　should　seem　an　impossibility　in　nature　for　the　same　instrument　to　make　itself　fit　for　great　and　small　works。　And　for　your　gift　of　speech；　I　call　to　mind　what　Cornelius　Tacitus　saith　of　Augustus　Caesar：　AUGUSTO　PROFLUENS；　ET　QUAE　PRINCIPEM　DECERET；　ELOQUENTIA　FUIT。　For；　if　we　note　it　well；　speech　that　is　uttered　with　labour　and　difficulty；　or　speech　that　savoureth　of　the　affectation　of　art　and　precepts；　or　speech　that　is　framed　after　the　imitation　of　some　pattern　of　eloquence；　though　never　so　excellent；　all　this　hath　somewhat　servile；　and　holding　of　the　subject。　But　your　Majesty's　manner　of　speech　is　indeed　prince…like；　bowing　as　from　a　fountain；　and　yet　streaming　and　branching　itself　into　nature's　order；　full　of　facility　and　felicity；　imitating　none；　and　inimitable　by　any。　And　as　in　your　civil　estate　there　appeareth　to　be　an　emulation　and　contention　of　your　majesty's　virtue　with　your　fortune；　a　virtuous　disposition　with　a　fortunate　regiment；　a　virtuous　expectation　（when　time　＇2＇　was）　of　your　greater　fortune；　with　a　prosperous　possession　thereof　in　the　due　time；　a　virtuous　observation　of　the　laws　of　marriage；　with　most　blessed　and　happy　fruit　of　marriage；　a　virtuous　and　most　Christian　desire　of　peace；　with　a　fortunate　inclination　in　your　neighbour　princes　thereunto：　so　likewise；　in　these　intellectual　matters；　there　seemeth　to　be　no　less　contention　between　the　excellency　of　your　Majesty's　gifts　of　nature；　and　the　universality　and　perfection　＇1605：　profection＇　of　your　learning。　For　I　am　well　assured　that　this　which　I　shall　say　is　no　amplification　at　all；　but　a　positive　and　measured　truth；　which　is；　that　there　hath　not　been　since　Christ's　time　any　King　or　temporal　Monarch；　which　has　been　so　learned　in　all　literature　and　erudition；　divine　and　human。　For　let　a　man　seriously　and　diligently　revolve　and　peruse　the　succession　of　the　emperors　of　Rome；　of　which　Caesar　the　Dictator；　who　lived　some　years　before　Christ；　and　Marcus　Antoninus　were　the　best　learned；　and　so　descend；　to　the　emperors　of　Graecia；　or　of　the　West；　and　then　to　the　lines　of　France；　Spain；　England；　Scotland；　and　the　rest；　and　he　shall　find　this　judgment　is　truly　made。　For　it　seemeth　much　in　a　King；　if；　by　the　compendious　extractions　of　other　men's　wits　and　labours；　he　can　take　hold　of　any　superficial　ornaments　and　shows　of　learning；　or　if　he　countenance　and　prefer　learning　and　learned　men：　but　to　drink　indeed　of　the　true　fountains　of　learning；　nay；　to　have　such　a　fountain　of　learning　in　himself；　in　a　King；　and　in　a　King　born；　is　almost　a　miracle。　And　the　more；　because　there　is　met　in　your　Majesty　a　rare　conjunction　as　well　of　divine　and　sacred　literature；　as　of　profane　and　human；　so　as　your　Majesty　standeth　invested　of　that　triplicity；　which　in　great　veneration　was　ascribed　to　the　ancient　Hermes；　the　power　and　fortune　of　a　king；　the　knowledge　and　illumination　of　a　priest；　and　the　learning　and　universality　of　a　philosopher。　This　propriety　inherent　＇the　logical　PROPRIUM　QUOD　CONSEQUITUR　ESSENTIAM　REI＇　and　individual　attribute　in　your　Majesty　deserveth　to　be　expressed　not　only　in　the　fame　and　admiration　of　the　present　time；　nor　in　the　history　or　tradition　of　the　ages　succeeding；　but　also　in　some　solid　work；　fixed　memorial；　and　immortal　monument；　bearing　a　character　or　signature　both　of　the　power　of　a　King；　and　the　difference　and　perfection　of　such　a　King。

3。　Therefore　I　did　conclude　with　myself；　that　I　could　not　make　unto　your　Majesty　a　better　oblation　than　of　some　Treatise　tending　to　that　end；　whereof　the　sum　will　consist　of　these　two　parts；　the　former；　concerning　the　excellency　of　Learning　and　Knowledge；　and　the　excellency　of　the　merit　and　true　glory　in　the　augmentation　and　propagation　thereof：　the　latter；　what　the　particular　acts　and　works　are；　which　have　been　embraced　and　undertaken　for　the　Advancement　of　Learning；　and　again；　what　defects　and　undervalues　I　find　in　such　particular　acts：　to　the　end；　that　though　I　cannot　positively　or　affirmatively　advise　your　Majesty；　or　propound　unto　you　framed　particulars；　yet　I　may　excite　your　princely　cogitations　to　visit　the　excellent　treasure　of　your　own　mind；　and　thence　to　extract　particulars　for　this　purpose；　agreeably　to　your　magnanimity　and　wisdom。

I。　1。　IN　the　entrance　to　the　former　of　these；　to　clear　the　way；　and　as　it　were　to　make　silence；　to　have　the　true　testimonies　concerning　the　dignity　of　Learning　to　be　better　heard；　without　the　interruption　of　tacit　objections；　I　think　good　to　deliver　it　from　the　discredits　and　disgraces　which　it　hath　received；　all　from　ignorance；　but　ignorance　severally　disguised；　appearing　sometimes　in　the　zeal　and　jealousy　of　Divines；　sometimes　in　the　severity　and　arrogancy　of　Politiques；　and　sometimes　in　the　errors　and　imperfections　of　learned　men　themselves。

2。　I　hear　the　former　sort　say；　that　Knowledge　is　of　those　things　which　are　to　be　accepted　of　with　great　limitation　and　caution；　that　the　aspiring　to　overmuch　knowledge　was　the　original　temptation　and　sin　whereupon　ensued　the　fall　of　man；　that　Knowledge　hath　in　it　somewhat　of　the　serpent；　and　therefore　where　it　entereth　into　a　man　it　makes　him　swell；　SCIENTIA　INFLAT：　that　Salomon　gives　a　censure；　THAT　THERE　IS　NO　END　OF　MAKING　BOOKS；　AND　THAT　MUCH　READING　IS　WEARINESS　OF　THE　FLESH；　and　again　in　another　place；　THAT　IN　SPACIOUS　KNOWLEDGE　THERE　IS　MUCH　CONTRISTATION；　AND　THAT　HE　THAT　INCREASETH　KNOWLEDGE　INCREASETH　ANXIETY；　that　St。　Paul　gives　a　caveat；　THAT　WE　BE　NOT　SPOILED　THROUGH　VAIN　PHILOSOPHY；　that　experience　demonstrates　how　learned　men　have　been　arch…heretics；　how　learned　times　have　been　inclined　to　atheism；　and　how　the　contemplation　of　second　causes　derogate　from　our　dependence　upon　God；　who　is　the　first　cause。

3。　To　discover　then　the　ignorance　and　error　of　this　opinion；　and　the　misunderstanding　in　the　grounds　therof；　it　may　well　appear　these　men　do　not　observe　or　consider　that　it　was　not　the　pure　knowledge　of　nature　and　universality；　a　knowledge　by　the　light　whereof　man　did　give　names　unto　other　creatures　in　paradise；　as　they　were　brought　before　him；　according　unto　their　proprieties；　which　gave　the　occasion　to　the　fall：　but　it　was　the　proud　knowledge　of　good　and　evil；　with　go　intent　in　man　to　give　law　unto　himself；　and　to　depend　no　more　upon　God's　commandments；　which　was　the　form　of　the　temptation。　Neither　is　it　any　quantity　of　knowledge；　how　great　soever；　that　can　make　the　mind　of　man　to　swell；　for　nothing　can　fill；　much　less　extend　the　soul　of　man；　but　God　and　the　contemplation　of　God；　and　therefore　Salomon；　speaking　of　the　two　principal　senses　of　inquisition；　the　eye　and　the　ear；　affirmeth　that　the　eye　is　never　satisfied　with　seeing；　nor　the　ear　with　hearing；　　and　if　there　be　no　fulness；　then　is　the　continent　greater　than　the　content：　so　of　knowledge　itself；　and　the　mind　of　man；　whereto　the　senses　are　but　reporters；　he　defineth　likewise　in　these　words；　placed　after　that　Kalendar　or　Ephemerides；　which　he　maketh　of　the　diversities　of　times　and　seasons　for　all　actions　and　purposes；　and　concludeth　thus：　GOD　HATH　MADE　ALL　THINGS　BEAUTIFUL；　OR　DECENT；　IN　THE　TRUE　RETURN　OF　THEIR　SEASONS：　ALSO　HE　HATH　PLACED　THE　WORLD　IN　MAN'S　HEART；　YET　CANNOT　MAN　FIND　OUT　THE　WORK　WHICH　GOD　WORKETH　FROM　THE　BEGINNING　TO　THE　END：　declaring　not　obscurely；　that　God　hath　framed　the　mind　of　man　as　a　mirror　or　glass；　capable　of　the　image　of　the　＇3＇　universal　world；　and　joyful　to　receive　the　impression　thereof；　as　the　eye　joyeth　to　receive　light；　and　not　only　delighted　in　beholding　the　variety　of　things　and　vicissitude　of　times；　but　raised　also　to　find　out　and　discern　the　ordinances　and　decrees；　which　throughout　all　those　changes　are　infallibly　observed。　And　although　he　doth　insinuate　that　the　supreme　or　summary　law　of　nature；　which　he　calleth　THE　WORK　WHICH　GOD　WORKETH　FROM　THE　BEGINNING　TO　THE　END；　is　not　possible　to　be　found　out　by　man；　yet　that　doth　not　derogate　from　the　capacity