the ancients, the Greeks and Romans were younger than we, in respect to the age of the world.  And as we look to an old man for greater knowledge of the world than from a young man, so we have good reason to expect far greater things from our own age than from antiquity, because in the meantime the stock of knowledge has been increased by an endless number of observations and experiments.  Time is the great discoverer, and truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.

Take the three inventions which were unknown to the ancients-printing, gunpowder, and the compass.  These “have changed the appearance and state of the whole world; first in literature, then in warfare, and lastly in navigation; and innumerable changes have been thence derived, so that no empire, sect, or star appears to have exercised a greater power or influence on human affairs than these mechanical discoveries.” [Footnote:  Nov.  Org. 129.  We have seen that these three inventions had already been classed together as outstanding by Cardan and Le Roy.  They also appear in Campanella.  Bodin, as we saw, included them in a longer list.] It was perhaps the results of navigation and the exploration of unknown lands that impressed Bacon more than all, as they had impressed Bodin.  Let me quote one passage.

“It may truly be affirmed to the honour of these times, and in a virtuous emulation with antiquity, that this great building of the world had never through-lights made in it till the age of us and our fathers.  For although they [the ancients] had knowledge of the antipodes ... yet that mought be by demonstration, and not in fact; and if by travel, it requireth the voyage but of half the earth.  But to circle the earth, as the heavenly bodies do, was not done nor enterprised till these later times:  and therefore these times may justly bear in their word ... plus ultra in precedence of the ancient non ultra. ...  And this proficience in navigation and discoveries may plant also an expectation of the further proficience and augmentation of all sciences, because it may seem that they are ordained by God to be coevals, that is, to meet in one age.  For so the prophet Daniel, speaking of the latter times foretelleth, Plurimi pertransibunt, et multiplex erit scientia:  as if the openness and through-passage of the world and the increase of knowledge were appointed to be in the same ages; as we see it is already performed in great part:  the learning of these later times not much giving place to the former two periods or returns of learning, the one of the Grecians, the other of the Romans.” [Footnote:  Advancement of Learning, ii. 13, 14.]