It is in the later and more finished works of this school that the key to the secret doctrines of it, which it is the object of this work to furnish, is best found. But the fact, that in the very rudest and most faulty plays in this collection of plays, which form so important a department of the works of this school, which make indeed the noblest tradition, the only adequate tradition, the 'illustrated tradition' of its noblest doctrine--the fact that in the very earliest germ of this new union of 'practic and theoric,' of art and learning, from which we pluck at last Advancements of Learning, and Hamlets, and Lears, and Tempests, and the Novum Organum, already the perilous secret of this union is infolded, already the entire organism that these great fruits and flowers will unfold in such perfection is contained, and clearly traceable,--this is a fact which appeared to require insertion in this history, and not, perhaps, without some illustration. 'It is not amiss to observe,' says the Author of the Advancement of Learning, when at last his great exordium to the science of nature in man, and the art of culture and cure that is based on that science is finished--pausing to observe it, pausing ere he will produce his index to that science, to observe it: 'It is _not_ amiss to observe', he says--(speaking of the operation of culture in general on young minds, so forcible, though unseen, as hardly any length of time, or contention of labour, can countervail it afterwards)--'how small and mean faculties gotten by education, yet when they fall into _great men, or great matters_, do work _great and important effects_; whereof we see a notable example in _Tacitus_, of _two stage-players_, Percennius and Vibulenus, who, _by their faculty of playing_, put the _Pannonian_ armies _into an extreme tumult and combustion_; for, _there arising a mutiny_ among them, upon the death of _Augustus_ Caesar, _Blaesus_ the lieutenant had committed some of the mutineers, _which were suddenly rescued_; whereupon Vibulenus _got to be heard speak_ [being a stage-player], which he did _in this manner_. '"These poor _innocent_ wretches _appointed to cruel death_, you have restored to behold the light: but who shall restore _my brother_ to me, or life to my brother, _that was sent hither in message from the legions of Germany_ to treat of--THE COMMON CAUSE? And he hath murdered him this last night by _some of his fencers and ruffians, that he hath about him for his executioners_ upon soldiers. The mortalest enemies do not deny burial; _when I have performed my last duties to the corpse with kisses, with tears, command me to be slain besides him_, so that these, my fellows, _for our good meaning_ and our _true hearts_ to THE LEGION, _may have leave to bury us_."