waies of sapience are not much lyable either to particularitie or chance The 2. part of METAPHISICKE is the ENQIRY of FINAL CAVSES which I am moued to report not as omitted but as misplaced And yet if it were but a fault in order I would not speake of it For order is matter of illustration but pertaineth not to the substance of Sciences But this misplacing hath caused a deficience or at least a great improficience in the Sciences themselues For the handling of finall causes mixed with the rest in Phisicall enquiries hath intercepted the seuere and diligent enquirie of all reall and phisicall causes and giuen men the occasion to stay vpon these satisfactorie and specious causes to the great arrest and preiudice of furder discouerie For this I finde done not onely by Plato who euer ancreth vppon that shoare but by Aristotle Galen and others which doe vsually likewise fall vppon these flatts of discoursing causes For to say that the haires of the Eye-liddes are for a quic-sette and fence about the Sight Or That the firmenesse of the Skinnes and Hides of liuing creatures is to defend them from the extremities of heate or cold Or That the bones are for the columnes or beames whereupon the Frame of the bodies of liuing creatures are built Or That the leaues of trees are for protecting of the Fruite Or That the cloudes are for watering of the Eearth Or That the solidnesse of the Earth is for the station and Mansion of liuing creatures and the like is well inquired collected in METAPHISICKE but in PHISICKE they are impertinent Nay they are indeed but Remoraes and binderances to stay and slugge the Shippe from furder sayling and haue brought this to passe that the search of the Phisicall Causes hath beene neglected and passed in silence And therefore the Natural Philosophie of Democritus and some others who did not suppose a Minde or Reason in the frame of things but attributed the form thereof able to maintaine it self to infinite essaies or proofes of Nature which they tearme fortune seemeth to mee as farre as I can iudge by the recitall and fragments which remaine vnto vs in particularities of Phisicall causes more reall and better enquired then that of Aristotle and Plato whereof both intermingled final causes the one as a part of Thelogie and the other as a part of Logicke which were the fauourite studies respectiuely of both those persons Not because those finall causes are not true and worthy to bee inquired beeing kept within their owne prouince but because their excursions into the limits of Phisicall causes hath bred a vastnesse and solitude in that tract For otherwise keeping their precincts and borders men are extreamely deceiued if they thinke there is an Enmitie or repugnancie at all betweene them For the cause rendred that the haires about the Eye liddes are for the safegard of the sight doth not impugne the cause rendred that Pilositie is incident to Orisices of Moisture Muscosi fontes c. Nor the cause rendred that the firmenesse of hides is for the armour of the body against extremities of heate or cold doth not impugne the cause rendred that contraction of pores is incident to the outwardest parts in regard of their adiacence to forreine or vnlike bodies and so of the rest both causes beeing true and compatible the one declaring an intention the other a consequence onely Neither doth this call in question or derogate from diuin◅ Prouidence but highly confirme and exalt it Fo◅s in ciuill actions he is the greater and deeper pollitique that can make other men the Instruments of his will and endes and yet neuer acquaint them with his purpose So as they shall doe it and yet not knowe what they doe then hee that imparteth his meaning to those he employeth So is the wisdome of God more admirable when Nature intendeth one thing and Prouidēce draweth forth another then if hee had communicated to particular Creatures and Motions the Characters and Impressions of his Prouidence And thus much for METAPHISICKE the later part wherof I allow as extant but wish it confined to his proper place Neuerthelesse there remaineth yet another part of NATVRALL PHILOSOPHIE which is commonly made a principall part and holdeth ranke with PHISICKE speciall and METAPHISICKE which is Mathematicke but I think it more agreable to the Nature of things and to the light of order to place it as a Branch of Metaphisicke For the subiect of it being Quantitie not Quantitie Indefinite which is but a Relatiue and belongeth to Philosophia Prima as hath beene said but Quantitie determined or proportionable it appeareth to bee one of the essentiall formes of things as that that is causatiue in Nature of a number of Effects insomuch as wee see◅ the Schooles both of Democritus and of Pithagoras that the one did ascribe Figure to the first seedes of things and the other did suppose numbers to bee the principalles and originalls of things And it is true also that of all other formes as wee vnderstand formes it is the most abstracted and separable from matter and therefore most proper to Metaphisicke which hath likewise beene the cause why it hath beene better laboured and enquired then any of the other formes which are more immersed into Matter For it beeing the Nature of the Minde of Man to the extreame preiudice of knowledge to delight in the spacious libertie of generalities as in a champion Region and not in the inclosures of particularitie the MATHEMATICKS of all other knowledge were the goodliest fieldes to satisfie that appetite But for the placing of this Science it is not much Materiall onely we haue endeuoured in these our Partitions to obserue a kind of perspectiue that one part may cast light vpon another The MATHEMATICKS are either PVRE or MIXT To the PVRE MATHEMATICKS are those Sciēces belonging which handle Quantitie determinate meerely seuered from any Axiomes of NATVRALL PHLOSOPHY and these are two GEOMETRY and ARITHMETICKE The one handling Quantitie continued and the other disseuered MIXT hath for subiect some Axiomes or parts of Naturall Philosopie and considereth Quantitie determined as it is auxiliarie and incident vnto them For many parts of Nature can neither be inuented with sufficient subtiltie nor demonstrated with sufficient perspicuitie nor accommodated vnto vse with sufficient dexteritie without the aide and interueyning of the Mathematicks of which sorte are Perspectiue Musicke Astronomie Cosmographie Architecture Inginarie and diuers others In the Mathematicks I can report noe deficience except it be that men doe not sufficiently vnderstand the excellent vse of the pure Mathematicks in that they doe remedie and cure many defects in the Wit and Faculties Intellectuall For if the wit bee to dull they sharpen it if to wandring they fix it if to inherent in the sense they abstract it So that as Tennis is a game of noe vse in it selfe but of great vse in respect it maketh a quicke Eye and a bodie readie to put it selfe
other bodies than the bodie of the Imaginant for of that we spake in the proper place wherein the Schoole of Paracelsus and the Disciples of pretended Naturall Magicke haue beene so intemperate as they haue exalted the power of the imagination to be much one with the power of Miracle-working faith others that drawe neerer to Probabilitie calling to their view the secret passages of things and specially of the Contagion that passeth from bodie to bodie doe conceiue it should likewise be agreeable to Nature that there should be some transmissions and operations from spirit to spirit without the mediation of the sences whence the conceits haue growne now almost made ciuile of the Maistring Spirite the force of confidence and the like Incident vnto this is the inquirie how to raise and fortifie the imagination for if the Imagination fortified haue power then it is materiall to know how to fortifie and exalt it And herein comes in crookedly and dangerously a palliation of a great part of Ceremoniall Magicke For it may bee pretended that Ceremonies Characters and Charmes doe worke not by any Tacite or Sacramentali contract with euill spirits but serue onely to strengthen the imagination of him that vseth it as Images are said by the Romane Church to fix the cogitations and raise the deuotions of them that pray before them But for mine owne iudgment if it be admitted that Imagination hath power and that Ceremontes fortifie Imagination that they be vsed sincerely intentionally for that purpose yet I should hold them vnlawfull as opposing to that first edict which God gaue vnto man In sudore vultus comedes Panem tuum For they propound those noble effects which God hath set foorth vnto man to bee bought at the price of Laboure to bee attained by a fewe easie and slothful obseruances Deficiences in these knowledges I wil report none other than the generall deficience that it is not knowne how much of them is veritie and how much vanitie THE KNOVVLIDGE WHICH RESPECTETH THE FACVLTIES OF THE MINDE OF MAN is of two kinds The one respecting his VNDERSTANDING and REASON and the other his WILL APPETITE AFFECTION wherof the former produceth POSITION or DECREE the later ACTION or EXECVTION It is true that the Imagination is an Agent or Nuntius in both Prouinces both the Iudiciall and the Ministeriall For Sence sendeth ouer to Imagination before Reason haue iudged and Reason sendeth ouer to Imagination before the Decree can be acted For Imagination euer precedeth Voluntary Motion Sauing that this Ianus of Imagination hath differing faces for the face towards Reason hath the print of Truth But the face towards Action hath the print of Good which neuerthelesse are faces Quales decet esse sororum Neither is the Imagination simply and onely a Messenger but is inuested with or at least wise vsurpeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no small authoritie in it selfe besides the duty of the Message For it was well sayd by Aristotle That the minde hath ouer the Bodie that commaundement which the Lord hath ouer a Bond-man But that Reason hath ouer the Imagination that Commandement which a Magistrate hoth ouer a free Citizen who may come also to rule in his turne For we see that in matters of Faith Religion we raise our Imagination aboue our Reason which is the cause why Religion sought euer accesse to the Minde by Similitudes Types Parables Visions Dreames And againe in all perswasions that are wrought by eloquence and other impression of like Nature which doe paint and disguise the true appearance of thinges the cheefe recommendation vnto Reason is from the Imagination Neuerthelesse because I finde not any Science that doth properly or fitly pertaine to the. IMAGINATION I see no cause to alter the former diuision For as for Poelie it is rather a pleasure or play of imagination than a worke or dutie thereof And if it be a worke wee speake not nowe of such partes of learning as the Imagination produceth but of such Sciences as handle and consider of the Imagination No more than wee shall speake nowe of such Knowledges as reason produceth for that extendeth to all Philosophy but of such Knowledges as doe handle and enquire of the facultie of Reason So as Poesie had his true place As for the power of the Imagination in nature and the manner of fortifying the same wee haue mentioned it in the Doctrine De Anima whervnto most fitly it belongeth And lastly for Imaginatiue or Insinuatiue Reason which is the subiect of Rhetericke wee thinke it best to referre it to the Arts of Reason So therefore we content our selues with the former diuision that Humane Philosophy which respecteth the faculties of the minde of man hath two parts RATIONALL and MORALL The part of humane Philosophie which is Rationall is of all knowledges to the most wits the least delightfull and seemeth but a Net of subtilitie and spinositie For as it was truely sayd that Knowledge is Pabulumanimi So in the Nature of mens appetite to this foode most men are of the tast and stomach of the Israelites in the desert that would faine haue returned Adollas carnium and were wearie of Manna which though it were celestiall yet seemed lesse nutritiue and comfortable So generally men tast well knowledges that are drenched in flesh and blood Câ—…ile Historie Moraâ—…litie Policie about the which mens affections praises fortunes doe turne and are conuersant But this same Lumensiccum doth parch and offend most mens watry and soft natures But to speake truly of thinges as they are in worth RATIONALL Knowledges are the keyes of all other Arts For as Aristotle sayth aptly and elegantly That the hand is the Instrument of Instruments and the minde is the Fourme of Fourmes So these be truely said to be the Art of Arts Neither do they onely direct but likewise confirme and strengthen euen as the habite of shooting doth not onely inable to shoote a neerer shoote but also to draw a stronger Bowe The ARTS INTELLECTVALL are foure in number diuided according to the ends whereunto they are referred for mans labour is to inuent that which is sought or propounded or to iudge that which is inuented or to retaine that which is iudged or to deliuer ouer that which is retained So as the Arts must bee foure ARTE of ENQVIRIE or INVENTION ART of EXAMINATION or IVDGEMENT ART of CVSTODIE or MEMORIE and ART of ELOCVTION or TRADITION INVENTION is of two kindes much differing The one of ARTS and SCIENCES and the other of SPEECH and ARGVMENTS The former of these I doe report deficient which seemeth to me to be such a deficience as if in the making of an Inuentorie touching the State of a defunct it should be set downe That there is no readie money For as money will fetch all other commodities so this knowledge is that which should purchase all the rest And like as the West Indies had neuer been discouered if the vse of the Mariners
miseries of his state and life and the like Adiuncts of his common and vndeuided Nature but chiefely in regard of the knowledge concerning the SYMPATHIES AND CONCORDANCES BETVVEENE THE MIND AND BODY which being mixed cannot be properly assigned to the sciences of either This knowledge hath two branches for as all leagues and Amities consist of mutuall Intelligence and mutuall Offices So this league of mind and body hath these two parts How the one discloseth the other and how the one worketh vpon the other Discouerie Impression The former of these hath begottē two Arts both of Predictiō or Prenotion where of the one is honoured with the enquirie of Aristotle the other of Hippocrates And although they haue of later time beene vsed to be coupled with superstitious and fantasticall arts yet being purged and restored to their true state they haue both of them a solide ground in nature and a profitable vse in life The first is PHYSIOGNOMIE which discouereth the disposition of the mind by the Lyneaments of the bodie The second is the EXPOSITION OF NATVRALL DREAMES which discouereth the state of the bodie by the imaginations of the minde In the former of these I note a deficience For Aristotle hath verie ingeniously and diligently handled the factures of the bodie but not the gestures of the bodie which are no lesse comprehensible by art and of greater vse and aduantage For the Lyneaments of the bodie doe disclose the disposition and inclination of the minde in generall but the Motions of the countenance and parts doe not onely so but doe further disclose the present humour and state of the mind will For as your Maiestie sayth most aptly and elegantly As the Tongue speaketh to the Eare so the gesture speaketh to the Eye And therefore a number of subtile persons whose eyes doe dwell vpon the faces and fashions of men doe well know the aduantage of this obseruation as being most part of their abilitie neither can it bee denied but that it is a great discouerie of dissimulations and a great direction in Businesse The later Braunch touching IMPRESSION hath not beene collected into Art but hath beene handled dispersedly and it hath the same relation or Antistrophe that the former hath For the consideration is double EITHER HOVV AND HOVV FARRE THE HVMOVRS AND A◅FCTS OF THE BODIE DOE ALTER OR WORKE VPON THE MIND or againe HOVV AND HOVV FARRE THE PASSIONS OR APPREHENSIONS OF THE MINDE DOE ALTER OR WORKE VPON THE BODIE The former of these hath beene enquired and considered as a part and appendix of Medicine but much more as a part of Religion or superstition For the Phisitian prescribeth Cures of the minde in Phrensies and melancholy passions and pretendeth also to exhibite Medicines to exhilarate the minde to confirme the courage to clarifie the wits to corroborate the memorie and the like but the scruples and superstitions of Diet and other Regiment of the body in the sect of the Pythagoreans in the Heresy of the Manicheas and in the Lawe of Mahumet doe exceede So likewise the ordinances in the Ceremoniall Lawe interdicting the eating of the blood and the fatte distinguishing between beasts cleane and vncleane for meat are many and strict Nay the faith it selfe being cleere and serene from all cloudes of Ceremonie yet retaineth the vse of sastings abstinences and other Macerations and humiliations of the bodie as things reall not figuratiue The roote and life of all which prescripts is besides the Ceremonie the consideration of that dependancie which the affections of the mind are submitted vnto vpon the state and disposition of the bodie And if any man of weake iudgement doe conceiue that this suffering of the minde from the bodie doth either question the Immortalitie or derogate from the soueraigntie of the soule hee may be taught in easie instances that the Infant in the mothers wombe is compatible with the mother and yet separable And the most absolute Monarch is sometimes ledde by his seruants and yet without subiection As for the reciprocall knowledge which is the operation of the conceits and passions of the minde vppon the bodie We see all wise Phisitians in the prescriptions of their regiments to their Patients doe euer consider Accidentia animi as of great force to further or hinder remedies or recoueries and more specially it is an inquirie of great depth and worth concerning IMAGINATION how and howe farre it altereth the bodie proper of the Imaginant For although it hath a manifest power to hurt it followeth not it hath the same degree of power to helpe No more than a man can conclude that because there be pestilent Ayres able sodainely to kill a man in health therefore there should bee soueraigne ayres able sodainly to cure a man in sicknesse But the inquisition of this part is of great vse though it needeth as Socrates sayd A Delian diuer being difficult profound But vnto all this knowledge DE COMMVNI VINCVLO of the Concordances betweene the Mind and the bodie that part of Enquirie is most necessarie which considereth of the Seates and Domiciles which the seuerall faculties of the minde doe take and occupate in the Organs of the bodie which knowledge hath been attempted and is controuerted and deserueth to bee much better inquired For the opinion of Plato who placed the Vnderstanding in the Braine Animositie which hee did vnfitly call Anger hauing a greater mixture with Pride in the Heart and Concupiseence or Sensualitie in the Liuer deserueth not to bee despised but much lesse to be allowed So then we haue constituted as in our own wish and aduise the inquirie TOVCHING HVMANE NATVRE ENTYER as a iust portion of knowledge to be handled apart The knowledge that concerneth mans bodie is diuided as the good of mans bodie is diuided vnto which it referreth The good of mans body is of foure kindes Health Beautie Strength and Pleasure So the knowledges are Medicine or Art of Cure Art of Decoration which is called Cosmetike Art of Actiuitie which is called Athletike and Art Voluptuarie which Tacitus truely calleth Eruditus Luxus This Subiect of mans bodie is of all other thinges in Nature most susceptible of remedie but then that Remedie is most susceptible of errour For the same Subtilitie of the subiect doth cause large possibilitie and easie fayling and therefore the enquirie ought to be the more exact To speak therfore of Medicine to resume that we haue sayd ascending a litle higher The ancient opinion that Man was Microcosmus an Abstract or Modell of the world hath beene fantastically streyned by Paracelsus and the Alchimists as if there were to be found in mans body certaine correspondences parallells which shold haue respect to all varieties of things as starres planets minerals which are extant in the great world But thus much is euidently true that of all substances which Nature hath produced mans bodie is the most extreamly compounded For we see hearbs plants are
tied In these thinges therefore it is left vnto vs to proceede by application Vincenda est omnis fortuna serendo and so likewise vincenda est omnis Natura serendo But when that wee speake of sufferinge wee doe not speake of a dull and neglected sufferinge but of a wise and industrious sufferinge which draweth and contriueth vse and aduantage out of that which seemeth aduerse and contrary which is that property which we cal Accomodating or Applying Now the wisedome of Application resteth principally in the exact distinct knowledge of the precedent state or disposition vnto which we do apply for we cannot fit a garment except wee first take measure of the Body So then the first Article of this knowlede is to set downe Sound and true distributions and descriptions of the seueral characters tempers of mens Natures and dispositions specially hauing regard to those differences which are most radicall in being the fountayns and Causes of the rest or most frequent in Concurrence or Commixture wherein it is not the handling of a fewe of them in passage the better to describe the Mediocrities of vertues that can satisfie this intention for if it deserue to be considered That there are minds which are proportioned to great mattes others to smal Which Aristotle handleth or ought to haue handled by the name of Magnaminity doth it not deserue as well to be Considered That there are mindes proportioned to intend many matters and others to few So that some can deuide them selues others can perchance do exactly wel but it must bee but in fewe things at once And so there cometh to bee a Narrownes of mind as wel as a Pusillanimity And againe That some mindes are proportioned to that which may bee dispatched at once or within a short return of time others to that which begins a farre of and is to be won with length of pursute Iam tuÌ„ tenditque foâ—…etque So that there may be fitly said to be a long animity which is Comonly also ascribed to God as a Magnanimity So further deserued it to be consideted by Aristotle That there is a disposition in Conuersation supposing it in things which doe in no sort tonch or concerne a mans selfe to soothe and please And a disposition contrary to Contradict and Crosse And deserueth it not much better to be considered That there is a disposition not in conuersation or talke but in matter of mere serious Nature and supposing it still in things meerly indifferent to take pleasure in the good of another and adisposition contrarywise to take distast at the good of another which is that properly which we call good Nature or ill Nature benignity or Malignity And therefore I cannot sufficiently Maruayle that this parte of knowledge touching the seuerall Characters of Natures and dispositions should bee omitted both in Morality and policy considering it is of so great Ministery and suppeditation to them both A man shall find in the traditions of Astrology som prety and apt diuisions of mens Natures according to the predominances of the Planets Louers of Quiet Louers of action louers of victory louers of Honour louers of pleasure louers of Arts louers of Change and so forth A man shall find in the wisest sort of these Relations which the Italians make touching Conclaues the Natures of the seuerall Cardinalls handsomlye and liuely painted fourth A man shall meete with in euery dayes Conference the denominations of Sensitiue dry formall reall humorous certayne Humo di Prima impressione Huomo di vltima impressione and the like and yet neuerthelesse this kind of obseruations wandreth in wordes but as not fixed in Enquiry For the distinctions are found many of them but we conclude no precepts vpon them wherein our faulte is the greater because both History Poesye and daylie experience are as goodly fields where these obseruations grow whereof wee make a few poesies to hould in our hands but no man bringeth them to the confectionary that Receits mought be made of them for vse of life Of much like kinde are those impressions of Nature which are imposed vpon the Mind by the Sex by the Age by the Region by health and sicknesse by beauty and deformity and the like which are inherent and not externe and again those which are caused by extern fortune as Soueraygnty Nobility obscure birth ritches want Magistracye priuatenesse prosperity aduersity Constant fortune variable fortune rising per saltum per gradus and the like And therefore we see that Plautus maketh it a wonder to see an oulde man beneficent Benignitas huius vt adolescentuli est Saint Paul concludeth that seuerity of discipline was to be vsed to the Cretans Increpa eos durè vpon the disposition of their Country Cretenses semper mendaces malae Bestiae ventres pigri Salust noteth that it is vsuall with Kinges to desire Contradictoryes sed plerunque Regiae voluntates vt vehementes sunt fic mobiles saepeque ipsae sibi aduersae Tacitus obserueth how rarely-raising of the fortune mendeth the disposition solus Vespasâ—…anus mutatus in melius Pindarus maketh an obseruation that greate and suddaine fortune for the most parte defeateth men Qui magnam foelicitatem concoquere non possunt So the Psalme sheweth it is more easie to keep a measure in the enioying of fortune then in the increase of fortune Diuitiae si affluant nolite Cor apponere These obseruations and the like I denye not but are touched a little by Aristotle as in passage in his Rhetoricks and are handled in some scattered discourses but they were neuer incorporate into Morall Philosophy to which they doe essentiallye appertayne as the knowledg of the diuersitye of groundes and Mouldes doth to Agriculture and the knowledge of the diuersity of Complexions and Constitutions doth to the Phisition except we meane to follow the indiscretion of Empe riques which minister the same medicines to all patients Another Article of this knowledge is the Inquirye touching the affections for as in Medicining of the body it is in order first to know the diuers Complexions and constitutions secondlye the diseases and lastlye the Cures So in medicining of the Minde after knowledge of the diuers Characters of mens natures it foloweth in order to know the diseases and infirmites of the mind which ar no other theÌ„ the perturbations distempers of the affections For as the aunciente in politiques in populer Estates were woont 〈◊〉 to Compare the people to the sea and the Orators to the winds because as the sea would of it selfe be caulm and quiet if the windes did not mooue and trouble it so the people would be peaceable and tractable if the seditious ora tors did not set them in working and agitation So it may be fitly said that the mind in the nature thereof would be temperate and stayed if the affections as winds did not put it into tumulte and perturbation And here againe I find straunge as before that Aristotle shoulde haue written
fewe pleasing receits whereupon they are confident and aduenturous but know neither the causes of diseases nor the complexions of Patients nor perill of accidents nor the true methode of Cures We see it is a like error to rely vpon Aduocates or Lawyers which are onely men of practise and not grounded in their Bookes who are many times easily surprised when matter falleth out besides their experience to the preiudice of the causes they handle so by like reason it cannot be but a matter of doubtfull consequence if States bee managed by Emperique Statesmen not well mingled with men grounded in Learning But contrary wise it is almost without instance contradictorie that euer any gouernement was disastrous that was in the hands of learned Gouernors For howsoeuer it hath beene ordinarie with politique men to extenuate and disable learned men by the names of Pedantes yet in the Records of time it appeareth in many particulers that the Gouernements of Princes in minority notwithstanding the infinite disaduantage of that kinde of State haue neuerthelesse excelled the gouernement of Princes of mature age euen for that reason which they seek to traduce which is that by that occasion the state hath been in the hands of Pedantes for so was the State of Rome for the first fiue yeeres which are so much magnified during the minoritie of Nero in the handes of Seneca a Pedanti So it was againe for ten yeres space or more during the minoritie of Gordianus the younger with great applause and contentation in the hands of Misiâ—…heus a Pedanti so was it before that in the minoritie of Alexander Seuerus in like happinesse in hands not much vnlike by reason of the rule of the women who were ayded by the Teachers and Preceptors Nay let a man looke into the gouernement of the Bishops of Rome as by name into the gouernement of Pius Quintus and Sexâ—… Quintus in out times who were both at their entrance esteemed but as Pedanticall Friers and he shall find that such Popes doe greater thinges and proceed vpon truer principles of Estate than those which haue ascended to the Papacie from an education breeding in affaires of Estate and Courts of Princes for although men bred in Learning are perhaps to seeke in points of conuenience and accommodating for the present which the Italians call Ragioni di 〈◊〉 whereof the same Pius Quintus could not heare spoken with patience tearming them Inuentions against Religion and the morall vertues yet on the other side to recompence that they are perfite in those same plaine grounds of Religion Iustice Honour and Morall vertue which if they be well and watchfully pursued there will bee seldome vse of those other no more than of Phisicke in a sound or well dieted bodie neither can the experience of one mans life furnish examples and presidents for the euents of one mans life For as it happeneth sometimes that the Graund child or other descendent resembleth the Ancestor more than the Sonne so many times occurrences of present times may sort better with ancient examples than with those of the later or immediate times and lastly the wit of one man can no more counteruaile learning than one mans meanes can hold way with a common purse And as for those particular seducements or indispositions of the minde for policie and gouernement which learning is pretended to insinuate if it be graunted that any such thing be it must be remembred withall that learning ministreth in euery of them greater strength of medicine or remedie than it offereth cause of indisposition or infirmitie For if by a secret operation it make men perplexed and irresolute on the other side by plaine precept it teacheth them when and vpon what ground to resolue yea and how to carrie thinges in suspence without preiudice till they resolue If it make men positiue and reguler it teacheth them what thinges are in their nature demonstratiue what are coniecturall and aswell the vse of distinctions and exceptions as the latitude of principles and rules If it mislead by disproportion or dissimilitude of Examples it teacheth men the force of Circumstances the errours of comparisons and all the cautions of application so that in all these it doth rectifie more effectually than it can peruert And these medicines it conueyeth into mens minds much more forcibly by the quicknesse and penetration of Examples for let a man looke into the errours of Clement the seuenth so liuely described by Guicciardine who serued vnder him or into the errours of Cicero painted out by his owne pensill in his Epistles to Atticus and he will flye apace from being irresolute Let him looke into the errors of Pâ—…ion and he will beware how he be obstinate or inflexible Let him but read the Fable of Ixion and it will hold him from being vaporous or imaginatiue let him look into the errors of Cato the second and he will neuer be one of the Antipodes to tread opposite to the present world And for the conceite that Learning should dispose men to leasure and priuatenesse and make men slouthfull it were a strange thing if that which accustometh the minde to a perpetuall motion and agitation should induce slouthfulnesse whereas contrariwise it may bee truely affirmed that no kinde of men loue businesse for it selfe but those that are learned for other persons loue it for profite as an hireling that loues the worke for the wages or for honour as because it beareth them vp in the eyes of men and refresheth their reputation which otherwise would weare or because it putteth them in mind of their fortune and giueth them occasion to pleasure and displeasure or because it exerciseth some faculty wherein they take pride and so entertaineth them in good humor and pleasing conceits toward themselues or because it aduanceth any other their ends So that as it is sayd of vntrue valors that some mens valors are in the eyes of them that look on So such mens industries are in the eyes of others or at least in regard of their owne designements onely learned men loue businesse as an action according to nature as agreable to health of minde as exercise is to health of bodie taking pleasure in the action it selfe not in the purchase So that of all men they are the most indefatigable if it be towards any businesse which can hold or detaine their minde And if any man be laborious in reading and study and yet idle in busines action it groweth froÌ„ some weakenes of body or softnes of spirit such as Seneca speaketh of Quidam tam sunt vmbratiles vt putent in turbido esse quicquid in luce est and not of learning wel may it be that such a point of a mans nature may make him giue himselfe to learning but it is not learning that breedeth any such point in his Nature And that learning should take vp too much time or leasure I answere the most actiue or busie man that hath
faith and for the better illumination of the Church touching those parts of Prophecies which are yet vnfulfilled allowing neuerthelesse that Latitude which is agreable and familiar vnto diuine Prophecies being of the nature of their Author with whom a thousande yeares are but as one day and therefore are not fulfilled punctually at once but haue springing and germinant accomplishment throughout many ages though the height or fulnesse of them may referre to some one age This is a worke which I finde deficient but is to bee done with wisedom sobrietie and reuerence or not at all The third which is HISTORY of PROVIDENCE containeth that excellēt correspondence which is betweene Gods reuealed will and his secret will which though it be so obscure as for the most part it is not legible to the Naturall Man no nor many times to those that behold it from the Tabernacle yet at some times it pleaseth God for our better establishment and the confuting of those which are as without God in the world to write it in such Text and Capitall Letters that as the Prophet saith He that runneth by may read it that is meere sensual persons which hasten by Gods iudgements and neuer bend or fixe their cogitations vpon them are neuerthelesse in their passage and race vrged to discerne it Such are the notable euents and examples of Gods iudgements chastizements deliuerances and blessings And this is a work which hath passed through the labour of many and therefore I cannot present as omitted There are also other parts of learning which are APPENDICES to HISTORY for al the exterior proceedings of man consist of Wordes and Deeds whereof History doth properly receiue and retaine in Memory the Deedes and if Wordes yet but as Inducements and passages to Deedes So are there other Books and Writings which are appropriat to the custodie and receite of Wordes onely which likewise are of three sorts ORATIONS LETTERS BRIEFE SPEECHES or SAYINGS ORATIONS are pleadings speeches of counsell Laudatiues Inuectiues Apologies Reprehensions Orations of Formalitie or Ceremonie and the like Letters are according to all the varietie of occasions Aduertisments Aduises Directions Propositions Peticions Commendatorie Expostulatorie Satisfactorie of complement of Pleasure of Discourse and all other passages of Action And such as are written from wise men are of all the words of Man in my iudgement the best for they are more Naturall then Orations and publike speeches more aduised then cōferences or present speeches So againe Letters of Affaires from such as Manage them or are priuie to them are of all others the best instructions for History and to a diligent reader the best Histories in themselues For APOTHEGMES It is a great losse of that Booke of Caesars For as his History and those fewe Letters of his which wee haue and those Apothegmes which were of his owne excell all mens else So I suppose would his collection of APOTHEGMES haue done For as for those which are collected by others either I haue no tast in such Matters or else their choice hath not beene happie But vpon these three kindes of Writings I doe not insist because I haue no deficiēces to propound concerning them Thus much therefore concerning History which is that part of learning which answereth to one of the Celles Domiciles or offices of the Mind of Man which is that of the Memorie POESIE is a part of Learning in measure of words for the most part restrained but in all other points extreamely licensed and doth truly referre to the Imagination which beeing not tyed to the Lawes of Matter may at pleasure ioyne that which Nature hath seuered seuer that which Nature hath ioyned and so make vnlawfull Matches diuorses of things Pictoribus atque Poetis c. It is taken in two senses in respect of Wordes or Matter In the first sense it is but a Character of stile and belongeth to Arts of speeche and is not pertinent for the present In the later it is as hath beene saide one of the principalll Portions of learning and is nothing else but FAINED HISTORY which may be stiled as well in Prose as in Verse The vse of this FAINED HISTORIE hath beene to giue some shadowe of satisfaction to the minde of Man in those points wherein the Nature of things doth denie it the world being in proportion inferiour to the soule by reason whereof there is agreeable to the spirit of Man a more ample Greatnesse a more exact Goodnesse and a more absolute varietie then can bee found in the Nature of things Therefore because the Acts or Euents of true Historie haue not that Magnitude which satisfieth the minde of Man Poesie saineth Acts and Euents Greater and more Heroicall because true Historie propoundeth the successes and issues of actions not so agreable to the merits of Vertue and Vice therefore Poesie faines them more iust in Retribution and more according to Reuealed Prouidence because true Historie representeth Actions and Euents more ordinarie and lesse interchanged therefore Poesie endueth them with more Rarenesse and more vnexpected and alternatiue Variations So as it appeareth that Poesie serueth and conferreth to Magnanimitie Moralitie and to delectation And therefore it was euer thought to haue some participation of diuinesse because it doth raise and erect the Minde by submitting the shewes of things to the desires of the Mind whereas reason doth buckle and bowe the Mind vnto the Nature of things And we see that by these insinuations and congruities with mans Nature and pleasure ioyned also with the agreement and consort it hath with Musicke it hath had accesse and estimation in rude times and barbarous Regions where other learning stoode excluded The diuisiō of Poesie which is aptest in the proprietie therof besides those diuisiōs which are cōmon vnto it with history as fained Chronicles fained liues the Appēdices of History as fained Epistles fained Orations and the rest is into POESIE NARRATIVE REPRESENTATIVE and ALLVSIVE The NARRATIVE is a meere imitation of History with the excesses before remembred Ohoosing for subiect cōmonly Warrs and Loue rarely State and sometimes Pleasure or Mirth REPRESENTATIVE is as a visible History and is an Image of Actions as if they were present as History is of actions in nature as they are that is past ALLVSIVE or PARABOLICALL is a NARRTION applied onely to expresse some speciall purpose or conceit Which later kind of Parabolical wisedome was much more in vse in the ancient times as by the Fables of Aesope and the briefe sentences of the seuen and the vse of Hieroglyphikes may appeare And the cause was for that it was then of necessitie to expresse any point of reason which was more sharpe or subtile then the vulgar in that maner because men in those times wanted both varietie of examples and subtiltie of conceit And as Hierogliphikes were before Letters so parables were before arguments And neuerthelesse now and at all times they doe retaine much life and vigor
norished by earth waer Beasts for the most part by hearbs fruits Man by the flesh of Beasts Birds Fishes Hearbs Grains Fruits Water the manifold alterations dressings and preparations of these seuerall bodies before they come to be his food aliment Adde hereunto that Beasts haue a more simple order of life and lesse change of Affections to worke vppon their bodies whereas man in his Mansion sleepe exercise passions hath infinit variations and it cannot be denied but that the bodie of Man of all other things is of the most compounded Masse The soule on the other side is the simplest of substances as is well expressed Purumque reliquit Aethereum sensum atque Aurai simplicis ignem So that it is no maruaile though the soule so placed enioy no rest if that principle be true that Motus rerum est rapidus extra locum Placidus in loco But to the purpose this variable composition of mans bodie hath made it as an Instrument easie to to distemper and therefore the Poets did well to conioyne MVSICKE and MEDICINE in Apollo because the Office of Medicine is but to tune this curious Harpe of mans bodie and to reduce it to Harmonie So then the Subiect being so Variable hath made the Art by consequent more coniecturall and the Art being Coniecturall hath made so much the more place to bee left for imposture For almost all other Arts and Sciences iudged by Acts or Master peeces as I may terme them and not by the successes and euents The Lawyer is iudged by the vertue of his pleading and not by the yssue of the cause The Master in the Shippe is iudged by the directing his course aright and not by the fortune of the Voyage But the Phisitian and perhaps the Politique hath no particular Acts demonstratiue of his abilitie but is iudged most by the euent which is euer but as it is taken for who can tell if a Patient die or recouer or if a State be preserued or ruyned whether it be Art or Accident And therefore many times the Impostor is prized and the man of vertue taxed Nay we see weakenesse and credulitie of men is such as they will often preferre a Montabanke or Witch before a learned Phisitian And therefore the Poets were cleere sighted in discerning this extreame folly when they made Aesculapius and Circe Brother and Sister both Children of the Sunne as in the verses Ipse repertorem medicinae talis artis Fulmine Phoebigenam stygias detrusit ad vn◅as And againe Diues inaccessos vbi Solis filia Lucos c. For in all times in the opinion of the multitude Witches and old women and Impostors haue had a Competicion with Phisitians And what followeth Euen this that Phisitians say to themselues as Salomon expresseth it vpon an higher occasion If it befall to me as befalleth to the fooles why should I labour to be more wise And therefore I cannot much blame Phisitians that they vse commonly to intend some other Art or practise which they fancie more than their profession For you shall haue of them Antiquaries Poets Humanists States-men Marchants Diuines and in euerie of these better seene than in their profession no doubt vpon this ground that they find that mediocrity excellency in their Art maketh no difference in profite or reputation towards their fortune for the weakenesse of Patients and sweetnesse of life and Nature of hope maketh men depend vpon Phisitians with all their defects But neuerthelesse these things which we haue spoken of are courses begotten betweene a little occasion and a great deale of sloath and default for if we will excite and awake our obseruation we shall see in familiar instances what a predominant facultie The Subtiltie of Spirite hath ouer the Varietie of Matter or Fourme Nothing more variable then faces and countenances yet men can bea◅e in memorie the infinite distinctions of them Nay a Painter with a fewe shelles of colours and the benefite of his Eye and habite of his imagination can imitate them all that euer haue ben ar or may be if they were brought before him Nothing more variable than voices yet men can likewise discern them personally nay you shall haue a Buffon or Pantomimus will expresse as many as hee pleaseth Nothing more variable than the differing sounds of words yet men haue found the way to reduce thē to a few simple Letters so that it is not the insufficiency or incapacity of mans mind but it is the remove standing or placing thereof that breedeth these Mazes and incomprehensions for as the sence a far off is full of mistaking but is exact at hand so is it of the vnderstanding The remedie whereof is not to quicken or strengthen the Organ but to goe neerer to the obiect and therefore there is no doubt but if the Phisitians will learne and vse the true approaches and Auenues of Nature they may assume as much as the Poet sayth Et quoniam variant Morbi variabimus artes Mille Mali species mille Salutis erunt Which that they should doe the noblenesse of their Art doth deserue well shadowed by the Poets in that they made Aesculapius to be the sonne of Sunne the one being the fountaine of life the other as the second streame but infinitely more honored by the example of our Sauiour who made the body of man the obiect of his miracles as the soule was the obiect of his Doctrine For wee reade not that euer he vouchsafed to doe any miracle about honor or money except that one for giuing Tribute to Caesar but onely about the preseruing sustayning and healing the bodie of man Medicine is a Science which hath beene as wee haue sayd more professed than labored yet more labored than aduanced the labor hauing been in my iudgement rather in circle than in progression For I finde much Iteration but small Addition It considereth causes of Diseases with the occasions or impulsions The Discases themselues with the Accidents and the Cures with the Preseruations The Deficiences which I thinke good to note being a few of many those such as ar of a more open and manifest Nature I will enumerate and not place The first is the discontinuance of the auncient and serious diligence of Hippocrates which vsed to set downe a Narratiue of the speciall cases of his patientes and how they proceeded how they were iudged by recouery or death Therefore hauing an example proper in the father of the art I shal not neede to alledge an example forraine of the wisedome of the Lawyers who are carefull to reporte new cases and decisions for the direction of future iudgements This continuance of Medicinall History I find deficient which I vnderstand neither to be so infinite as to extend to euery common Case nor so reserued as to admit none but Woonders for many thinges are new in the Manner which are not new in the Kinde and if men will intend to
vpon and not to be lightly passed ouer for if any man shall thinke by view and enquiry into these sensible and material things to attaine that light whereby he may reueale vnto himselfe the nature or will of God then indeed is he spoyled by vaine Philosophie for the contemplation of Gods Creatures and works produceth hauing regard to the works and creatures themselues knowledge but hauing regard to God no perfect knowledg but wonder which is brokē knowledge And therefore it was most aptly sayd by one of Platoes Schoole That the sence of man caryeth a resemblance with the Sunne which as we see openeth and reuealeth all the terrestriall Globe but then againe it obscureth and concealeth the stars celestiall Globe So doth the Sence discouer naturall thinges but it darkeneth and shutteth vp Diuine And hence it is true that it hath proceeded that diuers great learned men haue beene hereticall whilest they haue sought to flye vp to the secrets of the Deitie by the waxen winges of the Sences And as for the conceite that too much knowledge should encline a man to Atheisme and that the ignorance of second causes should make a more deuoute dependance vppon God which is the first cause First it is good to aske the question which Iob asked of his friends Will you lye for God as one man will doe for another to gratifie him for certaine it is that God worketh nothing in Nature but by second causes and if they would haue it otherwise beleeued it is meere imposture as it were in fauour towardes God and nothing else but to offer to the Author of truth the vncleane sacrifice of a lye But further it is an assured truth and a conclusion of experience that a little or superficiall knowledge of Philosophie may encline the minde of Man to Atheisme but a further proceeding therein doth bring the mind backe againe to Religion for in the entrance of Philosophie when the second Causes which are next vnto the sences do offer themselues to the minde of Man if it dwell and stay there it may induce some obliuion of the highest cause but when a man passeth on further and seeth the dependance of causes and the workes of prouidence then according to the allegorie of the Poets he will easily beleeue that the highest Linke of Natures chaine must needes be tyed to the foote of Iupiters chaire To conclude therefore let no man vppon a weake conceite of sobrietie or an ill applyed moderation thinke or maintaine that a man can search too farre or bee too well studied in the Booke of Gods word or in the Booke of Gods workes Diuinitie or Philosophie but rather let men endeauour an endlesse progresse or proficience in both only let men beware that they apply both to Charitie and not to swelling to vse and not to ostentation and againe that they doe not vnwisely mingle or confound these learnings together And as for the disgraces which learning receiueth from Politiques they bee of this nature that learning doth soften mens mindes and makes them more vnapt for the honour and exercise of Armes that it doth marre and peruert mens dispositions for matter of gouernement and policie in making them too curious and irresolute by varietie of reading or too peremptorie or positiue by stricktnesse of rules and axiomes or too immoderate and ouerweening by reason of the greatnesse of examples or too incompatible and differing from the times by reason of the dissimilitude of examples or at least that it doth diuert mens trauailes from action and businesse and bringeth them to a loue of leasure and priuatenesse and that it doth bring into States a relaxation of discipline whilst euerie man is more readie to argue than to obey and execute Out of this conceit Cato surnamed the Censor one of the wisest men indeed that euer liued when Carneades the Philosopher came in Embassage to Rome and that the young men of Rome began to flocke about him being allured with the sweetnesse and Maiestie of his eloquence and learning gaue counsell in open Senate that they should giue him his dispatch with all speede least hee should infect and inchaunt the mindes and affections of the youth and at vnawares bring in an alteration of the manners and Customes of the State Out of the same conceite or humor did Virgill turning his penne to the aduantage of his Countrey and the disaduantage of his owne profession make a kind of separation betweene policie and gouernement and betweene Arts and Sciences in the verses so much renowned attributing and challenging the one to the Romanes and leauing yeelding the other to the Grecians Turegere imperio populos Romane mem◅to Hae tibi erūt artes c. so likewise we see that Anytus the accuser of Socrates layd it as an Article of charge accusation against him that he did with the varietie and power of his discourses and disputations withdraw young men from due reuerence to the Lawes and Customes of their Countrey and that he did professe a dangerous and pernitious Science which was to make the worse matter seeme the better and to suppresse truth by force of eloquence and speech But these and the like imputations haue rather a countenance of grauitie than any ground of Iustice for experience doth warrant that both in persons and in times there hath beene a meeting and concurrence in learning and Armes flourishing and excelling in the same men and the same ages For as for men there cannot be a better nor the like instance as of that payre Alexander the Great and Iulius Caesar the Dictator whereof the one was Aristotles Scholler in Philosophie and the other was Ciceroes Riuall in eloquence or if any man had rather call for Schollers that were great Generals then Generals that were great Schollers let him take Epaminondas the Thebane or Xenophon the Athenian whereof the one was the first that abated the power of Sparta and the other was the first that made way to the ouerthrow of the Monarchie of Persia And this concurrence is yet more visible in times than in persons by how much an age is greater obiect than a Man For both in Aegypt Assyria Persia Grecia and Rome the same times that are most renowned for Armes are likewise most admired for learning so that the greatest Authors and Philosophers and the greatest Captaines and Gouernours haue liued in the same ages neither can it otherwise be for as in Man the ripenesse of strength of the bodie and minde commeth much about an age saue that the strength of the bodie commeth somewhat the more early So in States Armes and Learning whereof the one correspondeth to the bodie the other to the soule of Man haue a concurrence or nere sequence in times And for matter of policie and gouernement that Learning should rather hurt than inable thereunto is a thing verie improbable we see it is accounted an errour to commit a naturall bodie to Emperique Phisitions which commonly haue a