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Show "' I -6 f the aduancemCnt of le~rning,· . man fhould beoinrie the labour of a newe fearch, · fiee were bat like tO light vppon fotnewhat for .. . merly reletted; ·and ~>.Y reieWoQ, . br?ught into · · obliuion; as if the muluntde, or the \Vlfeft for the multitudes fake, were not readie "to giue ·paffage, rather to that which is· popular and fuperfi~iaU, than to that which' is ·fubftantia,ll and profound ; for thetrtith is, that time feemeth to be of the na .. ture of a Riuer, or fireame , which carryetb downe to vs that which is light and blowne vp; and finketh and dro\vneth that whi€h is weightie ·and folide. · . Another Errour of a diuer(e nature from all' the rormer, is the ouer-early and perelnptorie redu .. 8ion of knowledge into Arts and Methodes: from .whichtime·,commonly Sciences receinefmall or no augn1entation. But as young men, when they knit . anQ iliape perfealy, doefeldon1e grow to aftirther flature : fo knowledge, while it is in Aphorifn1es and obferuations, it is in gro\veth ; but \vhen it once is cotnprehended in exaet· Methodes; it may perchance .. be further pollifhed and illufirate, and . . accommodaled fi)r vfe and praetife; but it enc~ea .. feth no more in bulke and fubftance. · , .: , -Another Err our which doth fitcceed that which we laft mentioned, is, that after the diflribution of particular Arts and Sciences, men haue abandoned vniuerfalitie,or Philq(ophiaprima_; which cannot but · ceafe, a!Jd ftoppe all progresfion. For no perfeCt d~co~~~.rie ~~ri ~-~~ m~d~ vppon a fiatt e) or a leu ell. · · , ··-- -,. ·- -- Neither ..__ .. - ··· - .. _.1 _ . . · , ; ~he .ftrfl boo~<!• · · · ! .11 Neither is it posfible to-difcou.er the more remote, and deepe-r parts of any Science, if yon fiand but vpon tbe leu ell of the fame Science~ and afcend not , to a higher Science. . · · Another Error hath proceeded from too great a reuerence, and a kinde of adoration of the minde and vr:Iderfianding of man: by meanes \Vhereof, ~en haue withdrawne them!elues too much from the contemplation of Nature, and the obferuations of experience: and haue tumbled vp and dovvne is their owne reafon and conceits: vpon thefe Intelle- · · auallifis,which are notwithfianding conltnonly ta: _ ken for the moft fi1blime and diuine Philofophers; 1-Jerac~itus gaue a i~lfi cenfure, raying : J.l!en.fotJght t·ruth tnthetr ownelttt!ew~rlds,and not in 1·hegrcat llnd common worla :, for they difdaine to fpell, and fo bYe -degrees to ~ead in the volume of Gods works and comrary:v1fe bycontinuall ~editation and agitati- - . on of wn,doe vrge, and as lt were inuocate their . owne fpirits,to diuine,and giue Oracles vnto them, whereby they are deferuedl y deluded. . . .Anotbe.r Err0r that hath {orne connexiop wit.h t~ts I~ter_, 1s, that men haue vfed to infetl: the-ir me~ dn~uons, .. opinions, ang doB:rines with fome con .. cetts \Vht~h they haue mofi admired, or [orne Sci~ en.ces whtc~ they haue moft applyed; and giuen aU thtngs elfe a tlllCtU~e according t~ them, VtterJ y vntr. lle a~d vnproper. So hath Plato interminoled lu~ Phdo~ophie with Theologie, and LAriftotf(. wu~ ~ogtc~e, and ~he fecond. ~C.h9o!e of PlAt"' G 2 · 1roclt« . ~ .. |