APPENDIX

ESSAIES

OF STUDIES

CAP: I

TUDIES serue for pastimes, for ornaments,

:

in privatenes, and retiring: for ornaments, in discourse; and for ability in Iudgement: for expert men can execute, but learned are men more fit to Iudge, and censure: to spende to much time in them is sloth: to vse them to much for ornament is affectation: to make Iudgement wholely by their rules is the humor of a scholler: they perfect nature, and are themselues perfected by experience: crafty men contemne them, wise men vse them, simple men admire them. for they teache not their owne vse, but that there is a wisdome wthout them, and aboue them wonne by observation: Reade not to contradict, nor to beleeue, but to weigh, and consider. Some

bookes are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some fewe to be chewed, and disgested: that is some are to be reade onely in partes, others to be reade but curiously, and some fewe to be reade wholely wth diligence, and attention. Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready, and writing an exact man: therefore if a man write litle he had neede of a greate memory; if he confer litle, he had neede of a present wit, and if he reade litle, he had neede haue much cunning to seeme to knowe that he doth not knowe: Histories make men wise; Poets witty: the Mathematiques subtile; Naturall Philosophie deepe: Morall graue: Logique, and Rethorique able to contende.

OF DISCOURSE

CAP: 2

OME in their discourse desire rather com

all arguments, then of Iudgement in discerning what is true: as if it were a praise to knowe what might be saide, and not what should be thought: some haue certaine common places, and theames, wherein they are good, and want variety: wch kinde of Poverty is for the most parte tedious, and now, and then ridiculous: the honorablest parte of talke is to giue the occasion, and againe to moderate, and passe to somewhat else: It is good to vary, and mixe speache of the present occasion wth arguments; tales wth reasons: asking of questions wth telling of opinions and Iest wth earnest: but some thinges are priviledged from Iest, namely, Religion, matters of state, greate persons, all mens present busines of Importaunce, and any case that deserveth pitty: He that questioneth much, shall learne much, and content much, especially if he apply his questions to the skill of the party of whom he asketh : for he shall giue them occa

sion to please themselues in speaking, and himselfe shall continually gather knowledge: if sometimes you dissemble your knowledge of that you are thought to knowe, you shallbe thought another time to knowe, that wch you knowe not: speache of a mans selfe is not good often; and there is but one thing wherein a man may commend himselfe wth good grace, and that is commending vertue in another: especially if it be such a vertue as wherevnto himselfe pretendeth: Discretion of speache is more then eloquence, and to speake agreeably to him wth whome we deale, is more then to speake in good wordes, or in good order: a good continued speache, wthout a good speache of Interloquution showeth slownes; and a good second speache wth out a good set speache showeth shallownes. to vse to many circumstaunces ere one come to the matter is wearisome, and to vse none at all is blunt.