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THE SECOND BOOKE 239
returning to this holy word, Cogitationes mortalium
timidse, et incertae adinventiones nostrse, et providentise:¹
' The thoughts of mortal men are feareful, our devices
and foresights are uncertaine.' It must not be thought
strange if men disparing of the goale have yet taken
pleasure in the chase of it; studio being in itselfe a
pleasing occupation, yea so pleasing that amid sensualities
the Stoikes forbid also that which comes from
the exercise of the minde, and require a bridle to
it, and finde intemperance in over much knowledge.
Democritus having at his table eaten some figges that
tasted of hony, began presently in his minde to seeke
out whence this unusuall sweetnes in them might proceed
; and to be resolved, rose from the board, to
view the place where those figges had beene gathered.
His maide servant noting this alteration in her master,
smilingly said unto him, that he should no more busie
himselfe about it; the reason was, she had laide
them in a vessell where hony had beene; whereat be
seemed to be wroth in that shee had deprived him
of the occasion of his intended search, and robbed his
curiositie of matter to worke upon. 'Away,' quoth
he unto her, ' thou hast much offended mee; yet will
I not omit to finde out the cause, as if it were naturally
so.' Who perhaps would not have missed to finde
some likely or true reason for a false and supposed
effect. This storie of a famous and great Philosopher
doth evidently represent unto us this studious passion,
which so doth ammuse us in pursuit of thigs, of
whose obtaining wee despaire. Plutarke reporteth a
like example of one who would not be resolved of
what he doubted, because bee would not lose the
pleasure hee had in seeking it: As another, that would
not have his Physitian remove the thirst he felt in
his ague, because he would not lose the pleasure he
tooke in quenching the same with drinking. Satim
est supervacua discere, quam nihil: 2 'It is better to
learne more than wee need than nothing at all.' Even
as in all feeding, pleasure is alwayes alone and single;
¹ Wisd. ix. 14, ² SEN. Epist. lxxxix.