the advancement of learning-第14部分

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REQUIRETH　MORE　STRENGTH；　BUT　WISDOM　IS　THAT　WHICH　PREVAILETH；　signifying　that　the　invention　or　election　of　the　mean　is　more　effectual　than　any　inforcement　or　accumulation　of　endeavours。　This　I　am　induced　to　speak；　for　that　（not　derogating　from　the　noble　intention　of　any　that　have　been　deservers　towards　the　state　of　learning）　I　do　observe；　nevertheless；　that　their　works　and　acts　are　rather　matters　of　magnificence　and　memory；　than　of　progression　and　proficience；　and　tend　rather　to　augment　the　mass　of　learning　in　the　multitude　of　learned　men；　than　to　rectify　or　raise　the　sciences　themselves。

3。　The　works　or　acts　of　merit　towards　learning　are　conversant　about　three　objects：　the　places　of　learning；　the　books　of　learning；　and　the　persons　of　the　learned。　For　as　water；　whether　it　be　the　dew　of　heaven；　or　the　springs　of　the　earth；　doth　scatter　and　leese　itself　in　the　ground；　except　it　be　collected　into　some　receptacle；　where　it　may　by　union　comfort　and　sustain　itself；　（and　for　that　cause　the　industry　of　＇23＇　man　hath　made　and　framed　spring…heads；　conduits；　cisterns；　and　pools；　which　men　have　accustomed　likewise　to　beautify　and　adorn　with　accomplishments　of　magnificence　and　state；　as　well　as　of　use　and　necessity）　so　this　excellent　liquor　of　knowledge；　whether　it　descend　from　divine　inspiration；　or　spring　from　human　sense；　would　soon　perish　and　vanish　to　oblivion；　if　it　were　not　preserved　in　books；　traditions；　conferences；　and　places　appointed；　as　universities；　colleges；　and　schools；　for　the　receipt　and　comforting　of　the　same。

4。　The　works　which　concern　the　seats　and　places　of　learning　are　four；　foundations　and　buildings；　endowments　with　revenues；　endowments　with　franchises　and　privileges；　institutions　and　ordinances　for　government；　all　tending　to　quietness　and　privateness　of　life；　and　discharge　of　cares　and　troubles；　much　like　the　stations　which　Virgil　prescribeth　for　the　hiving　of　bees：

Principio　sedes　apibus　statioque　petenda；　Quo　neque　fit　ventis　aditus；　etc。

5。　The　works　touching　books　are　two：　first；　libraries；　which　are　as　the　shrines　where　all　the　relics　of　the　ancient　saints；　full　of　true　virtue；　and　that　without　delusion　or　imposture；　are　preserved　and　reposed：　secondly；　new　editions　of　authors；　with　more　correct　impressions；　more　faithful　translations；　more　profitable　glosses；　more　diligent　annotations；　and　the　like。

6。　The　works　pertaining　to　the　persons　of　learned　men；　besides　the　advancement　and　countenancing　of　them　in　general；　are　two：　the　reward　and　designation　of　readers　in　sciences　already　extant　and　invented；　and　the　reward　and　designation　of　writers　and　inquirers　concerning　any　parts　of　learning　not　sufficiently　laboured　and　prosecuted。

7。　These　are　summarily　the　works　and　acts；　wherein　the　merits　of　many　excellent　princes　and　other　worthy　personages　have　been　conversant。　As　for　any　particular　commemorations；　I　call　to　mind　what　Cicero　said；　when　he　gave　general　thanks；　DIFFICILE　NON　ALIQUEM；　INGRATUM　QUENQUAM　PRAETERIRE。　Let　us　rather；　according　to　the　Scriptures；　look　unto　that　part　of　the　race　which　is　before　us　than　look　back　to　that　which　is　already　attained。

8。　First；　therefore；　amongst　so　many　great　foundations　of　colleges　in　Europe；　I　find　it　strange　that　they　are　all　dedicated　to　professions；　and　none　left　free　to　arts　and　sciences　at　large。　For　if　men　judge　that　learning　should　be　referred　to　action；　they　judge　well；　but　in　this　they　fall　into　the　error　described　in　the　ancient　fable；　in　which　the　other　parts　of　the　body　did　suppose　the　stomach　had　been　idle；　because　it　neither　performed　the　office　of　motion；　as　the　limbs　do；　nor　of　sense；　as　the　head　doth；　but　yet；　notwithstanding；　it　is　the　stomach　that　digesteth　and　distributeth　to　all　the　rest：　so　if　any　man　think　philosophy　and　universality　to　be　idle　studies；　he　doth　not　consider　that　all　professions　are　from　thence　served　and　supplied。　And　this　I　take　to　be　a　great　cause　that　hath　hindered　the　progression　of　learning；　because　these　fundamental　knowledges　have　been　studied　but　in　passage。　For　if　you　will　have　a　tree　bear　more　fruit　than　it　hath　used　to　do；　it　is　not　anything　you　can　do　to　the　boughs；　but　it　is　the　stirring　of　the　earth　and　putting　new　mould　about　the　roots　that　must　work　it。　Neither　is　it　to　be　forgotten；　that　this　dedicating　of　foundations　and　dotations　to　professory　learning　hath　not　only　had　a　malign　aspect　and　influence　upon　the　growth　of　sciences；　but　hath　also　been　prejudicial　to　states　and　governments。　For　hence　it　proceedeth　that　princes　find　a　solitude　in　regard　of　able　men　to　serve　them　in　causes　of　state；　because　there　is　no　education　collegiate　which　is　free；　where　such　as　were　so　disposed　might　give　themselves　to　histories；　modern　languages；　books　of　policy　and　civil　discourse；　and　other　the　like　enablements　unto　service　of　estate。

9。　And　because　Founders　of　Colleges　do　plant；　and　Founders　of　Lectures　do　water；　it　followeth　well　in　order　to　speak　of　the　defect　which　is　in　public　lectures；　namely；　in　the　smallness　and　meanness　of　the　salary　or　reward　which　in　most　places　is　assigned　unto　them；　whether　they　be　lectures　of　arts；　or　of　professions。　For　it　is　necessary　to　the　progression　of　sciences　that　Readers　be　of　the　most　able　and　sufficient　men；　as　those　which　are　ordained　for　generating　and　propagating　of　sciences；　and　not　for　transitory　use。　This　cannot　be；　except　their　condition　and　endowment　be　such　as　may　content　the　ablest　man　to　appropriate　his　whole　labour　and　continue　his　whole　age　in　that　function　and　attendance；　and　therefore　must　have　a　proportion　answerable　to　that　mediocrity　or　competency　of　advancement；　which　may　be　expected　from　a　profession　or　the　practice　of　a　profession。　So　as；　if　you　will　have　sciences　flourish；　you　must　observe　David's　military　law；　which　was；　THAT　THOSE　WHICH　STAID　WITH　THE　CARRIAGE　SHOULD　HAVE　EQUAL　PART　WITH　THOSE　WHICH　WERE　IN　THE　ACTION；　else　will　the　carriages　be　ill　attended。　So　Readers　in　sciences　are　indeed　the　guardians　of　the　stores　and　provisions　of　sciences；　whence　men　in　active　courses　are　furnished；　and　therefore　ought　to　have　equal　entertainment　with　them：　otherwise　if　the　fathers　in　sciences　be　of　the　weakest　sort；　or　be　ill…maintained；

Et　patrum　invalidi　referent　jejunia　nati。

10。　Another　defect　I　note；　wherein　I　shall　need　some　alchemist　to　help　me；　who　call　upon　men　to　sell　their　books；　and　to　build　furnaces；　quitting　and　forsaking　Minerva　and　the　Muses　as　barren　virgins；　and　relying　upon　Vulcan。　But　certain　it　is；　that　unto　the　deep；　fruitful；　and　operative　study　of　many　sciences；　especially　Natural　Philosophy　and　Physic；　books　be　not　the　only　instrumentals；　wherein　also　the　beneficence　of　men　hath　not　been　altogether　wanting：　for　we　see　spheres；　globes；　astrolabes；　maps；　and　the　like；　have　been　provided　as　appurtenances　to　astronomy　and　cosmography；　as　well　as　books：　we　see　likewise　that　some　places　instituted　for　physic　have　annexed　the　commodity　of　gardens　for　simples　of　all　sorts；　and　do　likewise　command　the　use　of　dead　bodies　for　anatomies。　But　these　do　respect　but　a　few　things。　In　general；　there　will　hardly　be　any　main　proficience　in　the　disclosing　of　＇24＇　nature；　except　there　be　some　allowance　for　expenses　about　experiments；　whether　they　be　experiments　appertaining　to　Vulcanus　or　Daedalus；　furnace　or　engine；　or　any　other　kind：　and　therefore　as　secretaries　and　spials　of　princes　and　states　bring　in　bills　for　intelligence；　so　you　must　allow　the　spials　and　intelligencers　of　nature　to　bring　in　their　bills；　or　else　you　shall　be　ill　advertised。

11。　And　if　Alexander　made　such　a　liberal　assignation　to　Aristotle　of　treasure　for　the　allowance　of　hunters；　fowlers；　fishers；　and　the　like；　that　he　might　compile　a　History　of　Nature；　much　better　do　they　deserve　it　that　travail　in　Arts　of　Nature。

12。　Another　defect　which　I　note；　is　an　intermission　or　neglect　in　those　which　are　governors　in　universities；　of　consultation；　and　in　princes　or　superior　persons；　of　visitation：　to　enter　into　account　and　consideration；　whether　the　readings；　exercises；　and　other　customs　appertaining　unto　learning；　anciently　begun；　and　since　continued；　be　well　instituted　or　no；　and　thereupon　to　ground　an　amendment　or　reformation　in　that　which　shall　be　found　inconvenient。　For　it　is　one　of　your　majesty's　own　most　wise　and　princely　maxims；　THAT　IN　ALL　USAGES　AND　PRECEDENTS；　THE　TIMES　BE　CONSIDERED　THEREIN　THEY　FIRST　BEGAN；　WHICH；　IF　THEY　WERE　WEAK　OR　IGNORANT；　IT　DEROGATETH　FROM　THE　AUTHORITY　OF　THE　USAGE；　AND　LEAVETH　IT　FOR　SUSPECT。　And　therefore　inasmuch　as　most　of　the　usages　and　orders　of　the　universities　were　derived　from　more　obscure　times；　it　is　the　more　requisite　they　be　re…examined。　In　this　kind　I　will　give　an　instance　or　two；　for　example　sake；　of　things　that　are　the　most　obvious　and　familiar。　The　one　is　a　matter；　which　though　it　be　ancient　and　general；　yet　I　hold　to　be　an　error；　which　is；　that　scholars　in　universities　come　too　soon　and　too　unripe　to　logic　and　rhetoric；　arts　fitter　for　graduates　than　children　and　novices：　for　these　two；　rightly　taken；　are　the　gravest　of　sciences；　being　the　arts　of　arts；　the　one　for　judgment；　the　other　for　ornament：　and　they　be　the　rules　and　directions　how　to　set　forth　and　dispose　matter；　and　therefore　for　minds　empty　and　unfraught　with　matter；　and　which　have　not　gathered　that　which　Cicero　calleth　SYLVA　and　SUPELLEX；　stuff　and　variety；　to　begin　with　those　arts　（as　if　one　should　learn　to　weigh；　or　to　measure；　or　to　paint　the　wind）；　doth　work　but　this　effect；　that　the　wisdom　of　those　arts；　which　is　great　and　universal；　is　almost　made　contemptible；　and　is　degenerate　into　childish　sophistry　and　ridiculous　affectation。　And　further；　the　untimely　learning　of　them　hath　drawn　on；　by　consequence；　the　superficial　and　unprofitable　teaching　and　writing　of　them；　as　fitteth　indeed　to　the　capacity　of　children。　Another　is　a　lack　I　find　in　the　exercises　used　in　the　Universities；　which　do　make　too　great　a　divorce　between　invention　and　memory；　for　their　speeches　are　either　premeditate；　IN　VERBIS　CONCEPTIS；　where　nothing　is　left　to　invention；　or　merely　extemporal；　where　little　is　left　to　memory：　whereas　in　life　and　action　there　is　least　use　of　either　of　these；　but　rather　of　intermixtures　of　premeditation　and　invention；　notes　and　memory；　so　as　the　exercise　fitteth　n