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Show ·:Ofthe .AdUt:J,ncef11ent of Learning_; . ~hen after the weight of matter~ wort~ of filbte8, foundne[e of argument) life of tnuen~ton,or depth of iudgement, ~hen .grew the flo~tng, and w~· trie vaine .of ofortHf the Poru~gall Bdl1?P..' .~o be tn ·price: then did ~t.u~~i~s fpend Cuch 1nfinne, and curious paines.vpon Ctcero the <?rat or, and H ~rmo· g,tnes the Rherorican beude~ hts owne Bookes of Petiods, and imitatio~, a~d_the like: Then did car ofq~1~brid6e,and <.A{Cf.,ttmwith their ~eaures and Writings, almoH diefie cicero and Demofthenes, and allure, aU young men that were fiu~ious vnto th~~ delicate and pollii}led kinde of learning .. Trhen d1d Erafmu~J take occ~fion t.~ make the .fcofftng Eccho; . Decem annos confi~rnpfi tn legendo Ctcerone: and the EcchoanfweredinGreeke, ONe; Ajine. Tliengrew the learning of the Schoole-men to be vttedy defpl· fed as' oarbarous • .Inf~tmme, the whole inclination :and bent of thofe.times, was rather towards co pie, :~.han weight. ~ . . . , . , . Here therefore, the firft ddl:emper of learntng; when.men ftudie words, and not matter :·whereof · .though I haue reprefented an exampled£ late-times: yet it hathbeene, and will be Secttndummaius & mi?' JUS in·all time. And how is it pofsible;but this ibould ·haue an operation to ~ifcredite learning, euen with vulgar. :capacities, . when they (ee learned mens ~workes like the firft Letter of a ~atent, or limmed I Booke: which though· ~·h'atn large flourifhes, yet it is but a letter, It f~emesto me that Pigmalionsfren .. zic is a good embleme-or p.ortraitu~e·of thjs \1 ani tie: -· · - .~ -- . · · · lor ;' The ftrfl 'Boo'<!~ · , ·. 1 8 for wordes are but the ltnages of matter, and except they haue.life of reafon and inuention: to fall in lone with them, is all one, as to fall in loue with a Pieture. -' · But yet notwithfianding, it is a thing not haflily · to be condemned, to cloath and adornethe the obfcuritie, cuen of Philofophie .it felfe, with fenfibie and plaufible elocution. for hereof we haue great. examples in Xenop.hon, Cicero, Seneca, Plt.ttarch, and of PlaroaHo in fome degree, and hereoflikewife there is great vfe : For fur ely, to the feu ere inquifiti .. on of t~uth, and the deepe progreffe into Phi1ofophie, it is (orne hindrance; becaufe it is too early fatisfatlorie to the min de of man, .and quencheth the.defire of further fearcb, before we come to a iufi peri ode. But then if a man be to haue any vfe of fuch ~ knowledge in ciuile occ.afions, of c.o~ference,counfell, per!walion, ·difcourfe, or the like: Then ihall . he fin de it prepared to his hands in tho{e:- Authors, which write in that manner. But.the e-xc,elfe of this . is fo iullly contemptible, that asH erct~les, when hee · faw the Image of ,_Adonis, r.enus ~.ldigmon ina Temple, fayd in difdaine, Nil facri es. So there is none · of Hercules follow·ers in I earning, that is, the more · fen ere, and laborious fort of ~nquirers into truth, I tiut will defpife thofe delicacies and affetlations, as . indeede capable of no ditiineffe. And·.thus mlic.h of; t~e firft difeafe or difiemper of learning •. · ·J The fecond which followeth is in natul'!e worfe· I - then than the former: for as fubfiance of· matter is. . - ..... - -· E 4 , -. . better:· |