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1    Now I proceede to those errours and vanities,
2which haue interueyned amongst the studies themselues
3of the learned; which is that which is principall
4and proper to the present argument, wherein
5my purpose is not to make a iustification of the errors,
6but by a censure and separation of the errors,
7to make a iustificatio~ of that which is good & sound;
8and to deliuer that from the aspersion of the other.
9For we see, that it is the manner of men, to scandalize
10and depraue that which retaineth the state, and
11vertue, by taking aduantage vpon that which is corrupt
12and degenerate; as the Heathens in the primitiue
13Church vsed to blemish and taynt the Christians
14with the faults and corruptions of Heretiques:
15But neuerthelesse, I haue no meaning at this time to
16make any exact animaduersion of the errors and
17impediments in matters of learning, which are
18more secret and remote from vulgar opinion; but

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19onely to speake vnto such as doe fall vnder, or neere
20vnto, a popular obseruation.
21    There be therfore chiefely three vanities in Studies,
22whereby learning hath been most traduced: For
23those things we do esteeme vaine, which are either
24false of friuolous, those which either haue no truth,
25or no vse: & those persons we esteem vain, which are
26either credulous or curious, & curiositie is either in
27mater or words; so that in reason, as wel as in experence,
28there fal out to be these 3. diste~pers (as I may
29tearm the~) of learning; The first fantastical learning:
30The second contentious learning, & the last delicate
31learning, vaine Imaginations, vaine Altercations,
32& vain affectatio~s: & with the last I wil begin, Martin
33Luther conducted (no doubt) by an higher prouidence,
34but in discourse of reason, finding what a
35Prouince he had vndertaken against the Bishop of
36Rome , and the degenerate traditions of the Church,
37and finding his owne solitude, being no waies ayded
38by the opinions of his owne time, was enforced to
39awake all Antiquitie, and to call former times to his
40succors, to make a partie against the present time:
41so that the ancient Authors, both in Diuinitie and
42in Humanitie, which had long time slept in Libraries,
43began generally to be read and reuolued. This
44by consequence, did draw on a necessitie of a more
45exquisite trauaile in the languages originall, wherin
46those Authors did write: For the better vndersta~ding
47of those Authors, and the better aduantage of pressing
48and applying their words: And thereof grew

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49againe, a delight in their manner of Stile and Phrase,
50and an admiration of that kinde of writing; which
51was much furthered & precipitated by the enmity
52& opposition, that the propounders of those (primitiue,
53but seeming new opinions) had against the
54Schoole-men: who were generally of the contrarie
55part: and whose Writings were altogether in a
56differing Stile and fourme, taking libertie to coyne,
57and frame new tearms of Art, to expresse their own
58sence, and to auoide circuite of speech, without regard
59to the purenesse, pleasantnesse, and (as I may
60call it) lawfulnesse of the Phrase or word: And againe,
61because the great labour that then was with
62the people (of whome the Pharisees were wont to
63say: Execrabilis ista turba quae non nouit legem ) for the
64winning and perswading of them, there grewe of
65necessitie in cheefe price, and request, eloquence
66and varietie of discourse, as the fittest and forciblest
67accesse into the capasitie of the vulgar sort: so that
68these foure causes concurring, the admiration of ancient
69Authors the hate of the Schoole-men, the exact
70studie of Languages: and the efficacie of Preaching
71did bring in an affectionate studie of eloquence,
72and copie of speech, which then began to
73flourish. This grew speedily to an excesse: for men
74began to hunt more after wordes, than matter, and
75more after the choisenesse of the Phrase, and the
76round and cleane composition of the sentence, and
77the sweet falling of the clauses, and the varying and
78illustration of their workes with tropes and figures:

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79then after the weight of matter, worth of subiect,
80soundnesse of argument, life of inuention, or depth
81of iudgement. Then grew the flowing, and watrie
82vaine of Osorius the Portugall Bishop, to be in
83price: then did Sturmius spend such infinite, and
84curious paines vpon Cicero the Orator, and Hermogenes
85the Rhetorican, besides his owne Bookes of
86Periods, and imitation, and the like: Then did Car
87of Cambridge , and Ascham with their Lectures and
88Writings, almost diefie Cicero and Demosthenes , and
89allure, all young men that were studious vnto that
90delicate and pollished kinde of learning. Then did
91Erasmus take occasion to make the scoffing Eccho;
92Decem annos consumpsi in legendo Cicerone : and the
93Eccho answered in Greeke, Oue; Asine . Then grew
94the learning of the Schoole-men to be vtterly despised
95as barbarous. In summe, the whole inclination
96and bent of those times, was rather towards copie,
97than weight.
98    Here therefore, the first distemper of learning,
99when men studie words, and not matter: whereof
100though I haue represented an example of late times:
101yet it hath beene, and will be Secundum maius & minus
102in all time. And how is it possible, but this should
103haue an operation to discredite learning, euen with
104vulgar capacities, when they see learned mens
105workes like the first Letter of a Patent, or limmed
106Booke: which though it hath large flourishes, yet it
107is but a Letter. It seemes to me that Pigmalions frenzie
108is a good embleme or portraiture of this vanitie:

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109for wordes are but the Images of matter, and except
110they haue life of reason and inuention: to fall
111in loue with them, is all one, as to fall in loue with
112a Picture.
113    But yet notwithstanding, it is a thing not hastily
114to be condemned, to cloath and adorne the the obscuritie,
115euen of Philosophie it selfe, with sensible
116and plausible elocution. For hereof we haue great
117examples in Xenophon, Cicero, Seneca, Plutarch , and
118of Plato also in some degree, and hereof likewise
119there is great vse: For surely, to the seuere inquisition
120of truth, and the deepe progresse into Philosophie,
121it is some hindrance; because it is too early satisfactorie
122to the minde of man, and quencheth the
123desire of further search, before we come to a iust
124periode. But then if a man be to haue any vse of such
125knowledge in ciuile occasions, of conference, counsell,
126perswasion, discourse, or the like: Then shall
127he finde it prepared to his hands in those Authors,
128which write in that manner. But the excesse of this
129is to iustly contemptible, that as Hercules , when hee
130saw the Image of Adonis, Venus Migmon in a Temple,
131sayd in disdaine, Nil sacri es . So there is none
132of Hercules followers in learning, that is, the more
133seuere, and laborious sort of Enquirers into truth,
134but will despise those delicacies and affectations, as
135indeede capable of no diuinesse. And thus much of
136the first disease or distemper of learning.
137    The second which followeth is in nature worse
138then than the former: for as substance of matter is

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139better than beautie of words: so contrariwise vaine
140matter is worse, than vaine words: wherein it seemeth
141the reprehension of Saint Paule , was not onely
142proper for those times, but prophetical for the times
143following, and not only respectiue to Diuinitie, but
144extensiue to all knowledge. Deuita prophanas vocum
145nouitates & oppositiones falsi nominis scientiae. For he
146assigneth two Markes and Badges of suspected and
147falsified Science; The one, the noueltie and strangenesse
148of tearmes; the other, the strictnesse of positions,
149which of necessitie doth induce oppositions,
150and so questions and altercations. Surely, like as many
151substances in nature which are solide, do putrifie
152and corrupt into wormes: So it is the propertie of
153good and sound knowledge to putrifie and dissolue
154into a number of subtile idle, vnholesome, and (as
155I may tearme them) vermiculate questions; which
156haue indeede a kinde of quicknesse, and life of spirite,
157but no foundnesse of matter, or goodnesse of
158qualitie. This kinde of degenerate learning did
159chiefely raigne amongst the Schoole men, who hauing
160sharpe and stronge wits, and aboundance of
161leasure, and smal varietie of reading; but their wits
162being shut vp in the Cels of a few Authors (chiefely
163Aristotle their Dictator) as their persons were shut
164vp in the Cells of Monasteries and Colledges, and
165knowing little Historie, either of Nature or time,
166did out of no great quantitie of matter, and infinite
167agitation of wit, spin out vnto vs those laborious webbes
168of Learning which are extant in their

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169Bookes. For the wit and minde of man, if it worke
170vpon matter, which is the conte~plation of the creatures
171of God worketh according to the stuffe, and is
172limited thereby; but if it worke vpon it selfe, as the
173Spider worketh his webbe, then it is endlesse, and
174and brings forth indeed Copwebs of learning, admirable
175for the finesse of thread and worke, but of
176no substance or profite.
177    This same vnprofitable subtilitie or curiositie is
178of two sorts: either in the subiect it selfe that they
179handle, when it is a fruitlesse speculation or controuersie;
180(whereof there are no small number both in
181Diuinity & Philosophie) or in the maner or method
182of handling of a knowledge; which amongst them
183was this; vpon euerie particular position or assertion
184to frame obiections, and to those obiections, solutions:
185which solutions were for the most part not
186confutations, but distinctions: whereas indeed the
187strength of all Sciences, is as the strength of the old
188mans faggot in the bond. For the harmonie of a
189science supporting each part the other, is and ought
190to be the true and briefe confutation and suppression
191of all the smaller sort of obiections: but on the
192other side, if you take out euerie Axiome, as the
193stickes of the faggot one by one, you may quarrell
194with them, and bend them and breake them at your
195pleasure: so that as was sayd of Seneca : Verborum
196minutijs rerum frangit pondera : So a man may truely
197say of the Schoole men Quaestionum minutijs Scientiarum
198frangunt sodilitatem . For were it not better

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199for a man in a faire roome, to set vp one great light,
200or braunching candlesticke of lights, than to goe about
201with a small watch candle into euerie corner?
202and such is their methode, that rests not so much vppon
203euidence of truth prooued by arguments, authorities,
204similitudes, examples; as vpon particular
205confutations and solutions of euerie scruple, cauillation
206& obiection: breeding for the most part one
207questio~ as fast as it solueth another; eue~ as in the former
208resemblance, when you carry the light into one
209corner, you darken the rest: so that the Fable and fiction
210of Scylla seemeth to be a liuely Image of this
211kinde of Philosophie or knowledge, which was
212transformed into a comely Virgine for the vpper
213parts; but then, Candida succinctam, latrantibus inguina
214monstris : So the Generalities of the Schoolemen
215are for a while good and proportionable; but
216then when you descend into their distinctions and
217decisions, in stead of a fruitfull wombe, for the vse
218and benefite of mans life; they end in monstrous altercations
219and barking questions. So as it is not possible
220but this qualitie of knowledge must fall vnder
221popular contempt, the people being apt to contemne
222truth vpo~ occasion of Controuersies & altercations,
223and to thinke they are all out of their way
224which neuer meete, and when they see such digladiation
225about subtilties, and matter of no vse nor
226moment, they easily fall vpon that iudgement of Dionysius
227of Siracusa , Verba ista sunt senum otiosorum .
228    Notwithstanding certaine it is, that if those

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229Schoole men to their great thirst of truth, and vnwearied
230trauaile of wit, had ioyned varietie and vniuersalitie
231of reading and contemplation, they had
232prooued excellent Lights, to the great aduancement
233of all learning and knowledge: but as they are,
234they are great vndertakers indeed, and fierce with
235darke keeping. But as in the inquirie of the diuine
236truth, their pride enclined to leaue the Oracle of
237Gods word, and to vanish in the mixture of their
238owne inuentions: so in the inquisition of Nature,
239they euer left the Oracle of Gods works, and adored
240the deceiuing and deformed Images, which the
241vnequall mirrour of their owne minds, or a few receiued
242Authors or principles, did represent vnto
243them. And thus much for the second disease of
244learning.
245    For the third vice or disease of Learning, which
246concerneth deceit or vntruth, it is of all the rest the
247fowlest; as that which doth destroy the essentiall
248fourme of knowledge; which is nothing but a representation
249of truth; for the truth of being, and the
250truth of knowing are one, differing no more than
251the direct beame, and the beame reflected. This
252vice therefore brauncheth it selfe into two sorts;
253delight in deceiuing, and aptnesse to be deceiued,
254imposture and Credulitie: which although they appeare
255to be of a diuers nature, the one seeming to
256proceede of cunning, and the other of simplicitie;
257yet certainely, they doe for the most part concurre:
258for as the verse noteth.

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259    Percontatorem fugito, nam Garrulus idem est :
260An inquisitiue man is a pratler: so vpon the like
261reason, a credulous man is a deceiuer: as we see it
262in fame, that hee that will easily beleeue rumors,
263will as easily augment rumors, and adde somewhat
264to them of his owne, which Tacitus wisely noteth,
265when he sayth: Fingunt simul creduntq ; so great an affinitie
266hath fiction and beleefe.
267    This facilitie of credite, and accepting or admitting
268thinges weakely authorized or warranted,
269is of two kindes, according to the subiect: For
270it is either a beleefe of Historie, (as the Lawyers
271speake, matter of fact:) or else of matter of
272art and opinion; As to the former, wee see the
273experience and inconuenience of this errour in
274ecclesiasticall Historie, which hath too easily receiued
275and registred reports and narrations of Miracles
276wrought by Martyrs, Hermits, or Monkes of the
277desert, and other holy men; and there Reliques,
278Shrines, Chappels, and Images: which though
279they had a passage for time, by the ignorance of
280the people, the superstitious simplicitie of some,
281and the politique tolleration of others, holding
282them but as diuine poesies: yet after a periode of
283time, when the mist began to cleare vp, they grew
284to be esteemed, but as old wiues fables, impostures
285of the Cleargie illusions of spirits, and badges of
286Antichrist, to the great scandall and detriment of
287Religion.
288    So in naturall Historie, wee see there hath not

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289beene that choise and iudgement vsed, as ought
290to haue beene, as may appeare in the writings of
291Plinius, Cardanus, Albertus , and diuers of the Arabians,
292being fraught with much fabulous matter,
293a great part, not onely vntryed, but notoriously vntrue,
294to the great derogation of the credite of naturall
295Philosophie, with the graue and sober kinde
296of wits; wherein the wisedome and integritie of Aristotle
297is worthy to be obserued, that hauing made
298so diligent and exquisite a Historie of liuing creatures,
299hath mingled it sparingly with any vaine
300or fayned matter, and yet on thother sake, hath cast
301all prodigious Narrations, which he thought worthy
302the recording into one Booke: excellently discerning
303that matter of manifest truth, such wherevpon
304obseruation and rule was to bee built, was
305not to bee mingled or weakened with matter of
306doubtfull credite: and yet againe that rarities
307and reports, that seeme vncredible, are not to
308be suppressed or denyed to the memorie of men.
309    And as for the facilitie of credite which is yeelded
310to Arts & opinions, it is likewise of two kinds,
311either when too much beleefe is attributed to the
312Arts themselues, or to certaine Authors in any Art.
313The Sciences themselues which haue had better
314intelligence and confederacie with the imagination
315of man, than with his reason, are three in number;
316Astrologie, Naturall Magicke, and Alcumy : of which
317Sciences neuerthelesse the ends or pretences are
318noble. For Astrologie pretendeth to discouer that

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319correspondence or concatenation, which is betweene
320the superiour Globe and the inferiour. Naturall
321Magicke pretendeth to cal & reduce natural
322Philosophie from variety of speculations to the magnitude
323of works; And Alcumy pretendeth to make
324separation of all the vnlike parts of bodies, which
325in mixtures of nature are incorporate. But the deriuations
326and prosecutions to these ends, both in the
327theories, and in the practises are full of Errour and
328vanitie; which the great Professors themselues haue
329sought to vaile ouer and conceale by enigmaticall
330writings, and referring themselues to auricular traditions,
331and such other deuises, to saue the credite
332of Impostures; and yet surely to Alcumy this right
333is due, that it may be compared to the Husband man
334whereof AEsope makes the Fable; that when he died,
335told his Sonnes, that he had left vnto them gold,
336buried vnder ground in his Vineyard; and they digged
337ouer all the ground, and gold they found none,
338but by reason of their stirring and digging the mold
339about, the rootes of their Vines, they had a great
340Vintage the yeare following: so assuredly the search
341and stirre to make gold hath brought to light a great
342number of good and fruitfull inuentions and experiments,
343as well for the disclosing of Nature; as for
344the vse of mans life.
345    And as for the ouermuch credite that hath SOURCE TEXT: hatb beene
346giuen vnto Authors in Sciences, in making them
347Dictators, that their wordes should stand, and not
348Counsels to giue aduise; the dammage is infinite that

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349Sciences haue receiued thereby, as the principall
350cause that hath kept them lowe, at a stay without
351groweth or aduancement. For hence it hath comen,
352that in arts Mechanicall, the first deuiser coms shortest,
353and time addeth and perfecteth: but in Sciences
354the first Author goeth furthest, and time leeseth
355and corrupteth. So we see, Artillerie, sayling, printing,
356and the like, were grossely managed at the first
357and by time accommodated and refined: but contrarywise
358the Philosophies and Sciences of Aristotle,
359Plato, Democritus, Hypocrates, Euclides, Archimedes ,
360of most vigor at the first, and by time degenerate
361and imbased, whereof the reason in no other,
362but that in the former many wits and industries haue
363haue contributed in one; and in the later many wits
364and industries haue ben spent about the wit of some
365one; whom many times they haue rather depraued
366than illustrated. For as water will not ascend higher,
367than the leuell of the first spring head, from whence
368it descendeth: so knowledge deriued from Aristotle ,
369and exempted from libertie of examination, will
370not rise againe higher, than the knowledge of Aristotle .
371And therfore although the position be good:
372Oportet discentem credere : yet it must bee coupled
373with this, Oportet edoctum iudicare : for Disciples doe
374owe vnto Maisters onely a temporarie beleefe, and
375a suspension of their owne iudgement, till they be
376fully instructed and not an absolute resignation, or
377perpetuall captiuitie: and therefore to conclude this
378point, I will say no more, but; so let great Authors

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379haue theire due, as time which is the Author of
380Authors be not depriued of his due, which is furder
381and furder to discouer truth. Thus haue I gone ouer
382these three diseasses of learning, besides the
383which there are some other rather peccant humors,
384then fourmed diseases, which neuertheles are not
385so secret and intrinsike, but that they fall vnder a popular
386obseruation and traducement; and therefore
387are not to be passed ouer.

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388    The Works or Acts of merit towards learning are
389conversant about three obiects, the Places of learning;
390the Bookes of learning; and the Persons of
391the learned. For as water, whether it be the dewe of
392heauen, or the springs of the earth, doth scatter and
393leese it selfe in the ground, except it be collected
394into some Receptacle, where it may by vnion, comfort
395and sustaine it selfe: And for that cause the Industry
396of Man hath made & framed Spring heads,
397Conduits, Cesternes, and Pooles, which men haue
398accustomed likewise to beautifie and adorne with
399accomplishments of Magnificence and State, as wel
400as of vse and necessitie: So this excellent liquor of
401knowledge, whether it descend from diuine inspiration,
402of spring from humane sense, would soone
403perishe and vanishe to oblyuion, if it were not
404preserued in Bookes, Traditions, Conferences, and

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405Places appoynted, as Vniuersities, Colledges, and
406Schooles, for the receipt & comforting of the same.
407    The works which concerne the Seates and Places
408of learning, are foure; Foundations, and Buyldings,
409Endowments with Reuenewes, Endowme~ts
410with Franchizes and Priuiledges, Institutions and
411Ordinances for gouernment, all tending to quietnesse
412and priuatenesse of life, and discharge of cares
413and troubles, much like the Stations, which Virgil
414prescribeth for the hyuing of Bees.
415Principio sedes Apibus, statioq; petenda:
416Quo neq; sit ventis aditus, &c.
417    The workes touching Bookes are two: First Libraries,
418which are as the Shrynes, where all the Reliques
419of the ancient Saints, full of true vertue, and
420that without delusion or imposture, are preserued,
421and reposed; Secondly, Newe Editions of Authors,
422with more correct impressions, more faithfull
423translations, more profitable glosses, more diligent
424annotations, and the like.
425    The workes pertaining to the persons of learned
426men (besides the aduancement and countenancing
427of them in generall) are two: The reward and designation
428of Readers in Sciences already extant and
429inuented: and the reward and designation of Writers
430and Enquirers, concerning any partes of Learning,
431not sufficiently laboured and prosecuted.
432    These are summarilie the workes and actes,
433wherein the merites of manie excellent Princes,
434and other worthie Personages haue beene conuersant.

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435As for any particular commemorations, I call
436to minde what Cicero saide, when hee gaue generall
437thanks. Difficile EDITION: difffcile non aliquem; ingratum quenquam praeterire:
438Let vs rather according to the Scriptures,
439looke vnto that parte of the Race, which is before
440vs; then looke backe to that which is alreadie
441attained.
442    First therfore amongst so many great Foundations
443of Colledges in Europe , I finde strange that they
444are all dedicated to Professions, and none left free to
445Artes and Sciences at large. For if men iudge that
446learning should bee referred to action, they iudge
447well: but in this they fall into the Error described
448in the ancient Fable; in which the other parts of the
449body did suppose the stomache had beene ydle, because
450it neyther performed the office of Motion, as
451the lymmes doe, nor of Sence, as the head doth:
452But yet notwithstanding it is the Stomache that digesteth
453and distributeth to all the rest: So if any man
454thinke Philosophie and Vniuersalitie to be idle Studies;
455hee doth not consider that all Professions are
456from thence serued, and supplyed. And this I take
457to bee a great cause that hath hindered the progression
458of learning, because these Fundamental knowledges
459haue bene studied but in passage. For if you
460will haue a tree beare more fruite then it hath vsed
461to do; it is not any thing you can do to the boughes,
462but it is the styrring of the earth, and putting newe
463moulde about the rootes, that must worke it.
464Neyther is it to bee forgotten, that this dedicating

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465of Foundations and Dotations to professory Learning,
466hath not onely had a Maligne aspect, and influence
467vpon the growth of Scyences, but hath also
468beene preiudiciall to States and gouernments. For
469hence it proceedeth that Princes find a solitude, in
470regard of able men to serue them in causes of estate,
471because there is no education collegiate,
472which is free; wher such as were so disposed, mought
473giue themselues to Histories, moderne languages,
474bookes of pollicie and ciuile discourse, and
475other the like inablements vnto seruice of estate.
476    And because founders of Colledges doe plant,
477and founders of Lectures doe water: it followeth
478wel in order to speake of the defect, which is in Publique
479Lectures: Namely, in the smalnesse and meanesse
480of the salary or reward which in most places
481is assigned vnto them: whether they be Lectures of
482Arts, or of Professions. For it is necessary to the progression
483of Scyences, that Readers be of the most able
484and sufficient men; as those which are ordained
485for generating, and propagating of Scyences, and
486not for transitorie vse. This cannot be, except their
487condition, & endowme~t be such, as may co~tent the
488ablest man, to appropriate his whole labour, and
489continue his whole age in that function and attendance,
490and therefore must haue a proportion answerable
491to that mediocritie or competencie of aduancement,
492which may be expected from a Profession,
493or the Practize of a Profession: So as, if you wil
494haue Scyences flourish, you must obserue Dauids

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495military lawe, which was, That those which staied with
496the Carriage, should haue equall part with those which
497were in the Action : else will the carriages be ill attended:
498So Readers in Scyences are indeede the Gardyans
499of the stores and prouisions of Scyences,
500whence men in actiue courses are furnished, and
501therefore ought to haue equall entertainment with
502them; otherwise if the fathers in Scyences be of the
503weakest sort, or be ill maintained.
504Et Patrum invalidi reserent ieiunia nati.
505    Another defect I note, wherin I shall neede some
506Alchimist to helpe me, who call vpon men to sell
507their Bookes, and to build Fornaces, quitting and
508forsaking Minerva , and the Muses , as barreyne virgines,
509and relying vpon Vulcan . But certaine it is,
510that vnto the deepe, fruitefull, and operatiue studie
511of many Scyences, specially Naturall Phylosophy
512and Physicke, Bookes be not onely the Instrumentals;
513wherein also the beneficence of men hath not
514beene altogether wanting: for we see, Spheares,
515Globes, Astrolabes, Mappes, and the like, haue bene
516prouided, as appurtenances to Astronomy & Cosmography,
517as well as bookes: We see likewise, that
518some places instituted for Physicke, haue annexed
519the commoditie of Gardeins for Simples of all
520sorts, and do likewise command the vse of dead Bodies
521for Anatomyes. But these doe respect but a few
522things. In generall, there will hardly be any Mayne
523proficience in the disclosing of nature, except there
524be some allowance for expences about experime~ts;

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525whether they be experiments appertaining to Vulcanus
526or Dedalus . Furnace or Engyne, or any other
527kind; And therefore as Secretaries, and Spyalls of
528Princes and States bring in Bills for Intelligence; so
529you must allowe the Spyalls and Intelligencers of
530Nature, to bring in their Billes, or else you shall be ill
531aduertised.
532    And if Alexander made such a liberall assignation
533to Aristotle of treasure for the allowance of Hunters,
534Fowlers, Fishers and the like, that he mought
535compile an Historie of Nature, much better do they
536deserue it that trauailes in Arts of nature.
537    Another defect which I note, is an intermission
538or neglect in those which are Gouernours in Vniuersities,
539of Consultation, & in Princes or superior
540persons, of Visitation: To enter into account and
541consideration, whether the Readings, exercises, and
542other customes appertayning vnto learning, aunciently
543begunne, and since continued, be well instituted
544or no, and thereupon to ground an amendement,
545or reformation in that which shall be found
546inconuenient. For it is one of your Maiesties
547owne most wise and Princely Maximes, that in all
548vsages, and Presidents, the Times be considered wherein
549they first beganne, which if they were weake, or ignorant,
550it derogateth from the Authoritie of the Vsage, and leaueth
551it for suspect . And therefore in as much, as most
552of the vsages, and orders of the Vniuersities were
553deriued fro~ more obscure times, it is the more requisite,
554they be reexamined. In this kind I will giue an

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555instance or two for exa~ple sake, of things that are the
556most obvious & familiar: The one is a matter, which
557though it bee ancient and generall, yet I hold to be
558an errour, which is, that Schollers in Vniuersities
559come too soone, & too vnripe to Logicke & Rhetoricke;
560Arts fitter for Graduates then children, and
561Nouices: For these two rightly taken, are the grauest
562of Sciences, beeing the Arts of Arts, the one for
563Iudgement, the other for Ornament: And they be
564the Rules & Directions, how to set forth & dispose
565matter: & therfore for mindes emptie & vnfraught
566with matter, & which haue not gathered that which
567Cicero calleth Sylua and Supeliex , stuffe and varietie to
568beginne with those Artes (as if one should learne to
569weigh, or to measure, or to painte the Winde) doth
570worke but this effect: that the wisedome of those
571Arts, which is great, & vniuersal, is almost made contemptible,
572& is degenerate into childish Sophystrie,
573& ridiculous affectation. And further, the vntimely
574learning of them hath drawen on by consequence,
575the superficiall and vnprofitable teaching & writing
576of them, as fitteth indeed to the capacity of childre~:
577Another, is a lacke I finde in the exercises vsed in the
578Vniuersities, which do make to great a diuorce betweene
579Inuention & Memory: for their speeches are
580either premeditate in Verbis conceptis , where nothing
581is left to Inuention, or meerly Extemporall , where little
582is left to Memory: wheras in life & action, there is
583least vse of either of these, but rather of intermixtures
584of premeditation, & Inuention: Notes & Memorie.

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585So as the exercise fitteth not the practize, nor the Image,
586the life; and it is euer a true rule in exercises,
587that they bee framed as nere as may be to the life of
588practise, for otherwise they do peruert the Motions,
589and faculties of the Minde, and not prepare them.
590The truth whereof is not obscure, when Schollars
591come to the practises of professions, or other actions
592of ciuill life, which when they set into, this want is
593soone found by themselues, and sooner by others.
594But this part touching the amendment of the Institutions
595and orders of Vniuersities. I will conclude
596with the clause of Caesars letter to Oppius and Balbus ,
597Hoc quem ad modum fieri possit, nonnulla mihi in me~tem
598veniunt, & multa reperiri possunt: de ijs rebus rogo vos,
599vt cogitationem suscipiatis.
600    Another defect which I note, ascendeth a little
601higher then the precedent. For as the proficience of
602learning consisteth much in the orders and institutions
603of Vniuersities, in the same States & kingdoms:
604So it would bee yet more aduanced, if there were
605more Intellige~ce Mutual betweene the Vniuersities
606of Europe , then now there is. We see, there be many
607Orders and Foundatio~s, which thought they be deuided
608vnder seuerall soueraignties, & territories, yet
609they take themselues to haue a kind of contract, fraternitie,
610& correspondence, one with the other, insomuch
611as they haue Prouincials and Generals.
612And surely as Nature createth Brotherhood in Families,
613& Arts Mechanicall contract Brotherhoods
614in communalties, and the Anoyntment of God superinduceth

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615a Brotherhood in Kings & Bishops: So
616in like manner there cannot but bee a fraternitie in
617learning and illumination, relating to that Paternitie,
618which is attributed to God, who is called the Father
619of illuminations or lights.
620    The last defect which I wil note, is, that there hath
621not been, or very rarely been, any Publique Designation
622of Writers of Enquirers, concerning such
623parts of knowledge, as may appeare not to haue bin
624alreadie sufficiently laboured or vndertaken, vnto
625which point it is an Induceme~t; to enter into a view
626and examination, what parts of learning haue bin
627prosecuted, and what omitted; For the opinion of
628plentie is amongst the causes of want; and the great
629quantitie of Bookes maketh a shewe rather of superfluitie
630then lacke, which surcharge neuerthelesse is
631not to be remedied by making no more bookes, but
632by making more good books, which as the Serpe~t of
633Moses , mought deuour the Serpe~ts of the Incha~tors.
634    The remouing of all the defects formerly enumerate,
635except the last, and of the actiue part also of
636the last (which is the designation of Writers) are Opera
637Basilica ; towards which the endeuors of a priuate
638man may be, but as an Image in a crosse way;
639that may point at the way, but cannot goe it. But
640the inducing part of the latter (which is the
641suruay of Learning), may bee set forwarde by
642priuate trauaile; Wherefore I will now attempt to
643make a generall and faithfull perambulation of learning,
644with an inquiry what parts therof lye fresh and

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645wast, and not improued & conuerted by the Industrie
646of man; to the end that such a plotte made and
647recorded to memorie, may both minister light to anie
648publique designation: and also serue to excite
649voluntary endeuours; wherin neuerthelesse my purpose
650is at this time, to note onely omissions and deficiences;
651and not to make any redargution of Errors,
652or incomplete prosecutions: For it is one thing
653to set forth what ground lyeth vnmanured; and another
654thing to correct ill husbandry in that which
655is manured.
656    In the handling & vndertaking of which worke,
657I am not ignorant, what it is, that I doe now mooue
658and attempt, nor insensible of mine own weakenes,
659to susteine my purpose: But my hope is, that if my
660extreame loue to learning carrie me too farre, I may
661obtaine the excuse of affection; for that It is not granted
662to man to loue, and to bee wise . But I know well I
663can vse no other libertie of Iudgement, then I must
664leaue to others, & I for my part shall be indifferentlie
665glad eyther to performe my selfe, or accept from
666another, that dutie of humanitie: Nam qui erranti
667comiter monstrat viam: &c. I doe foresee likewise,
668that of those things, which I shall enter & Register,
669as Deficiences and Omissions: Many will conceiue
670and censure, that some of them are alreadie done &
671extant: others to bee but curiosities, and things of
672no great vse: and others to bee of too great difficultie,
673and almost impossibilitie to bee compassed and
674effected: But for the twoo first, I referre my selfe to

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675the particulars. For the last, touching impossibilitie,
676I take it, those things are to bee held possible, which
677may be done by some person, though not by euerie
678one: and which may be done by many, though not
679by any one: and which may be done in succession
680of ages, though not within the houre-glasse of one
681mans life: and which may be done by publique designation,
682though not by priuate endeuour. But
683notwithsta~ding, if any Man will take to himselfe rather
684that of Salomon, Dicit piger, Leo est in via , then
685that of Virgil, Possunt, quia posse videntur : I shall be
686content that my labours bee esteemed, but as the
687better sorte of wishes: for as it asketh some knowledge
688to demaund a question, not impertinent; so
689it requireth some sense, to make a wish not absurd.