the advancement of learning-第6部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ion of their works with tropes and figures； than after the weight of matter； worth of subject； soundness of argument； life of invention or depth of judgment。 Then grew the flowing and watery vein of Osorius the Portugal bishop； to be in price。 Then did Sturmius spend such infinite and curious pains upon Cicero the Orator； and Hermogenes the Rhetorician； besides his own books of Periods and Imitation； and the like。 Then did Car of Cambridge； and Ascham with their lectures and writings almost deify Cicero and Demosthenes； and allure all young men that were studious； unto that delicate and polished kind of learning。 Then did Erasmus take occasion to make the scoffing Echo： DECEM ANNOS CONSUMPSI IN LEGENDO CICERONE； and the Echo answered in Greek； 《 w（/ve 》； ASINE。 Then grew the learning of the schoolmen to be utterly despised as barbarous。 In sum； the whole inclination and bent of those times was rather towards copie than weight。
3。 Here； therefore； is the first distemper of learning； when men study words and not matter； whereof； though I have represented an example of late times； yet it hath been and will be SECUNDUM MAJUS ET MINUS in all time。 And how is it possible but this should have an operation to discredit learning； even with vulgar capacities； when they see learned men's works like the first letter of a patent； or limned book； which though it hath large flourishes； yet is but a letter？ It seems to me that Pygmalion's frenzy is a good emblem or portraiture of this vanity： for words are but the images of matter； and except they have life of reason and invention； to fall in love with them is all one as to fall in love with a picture。
4。 But yet notwithstanding it is a thing not hastily to be condemned； to clothe and adorn the obscurity even of Philosophy itself with sensible and plausible elocution。 For hereof we have great examples in Xenophon； Cicero； Seneca； Plutarch； and of Plato also in some degree； and hereof likewise there is great use： for surely； to the severe inquisition of truth and the deep progress into philosophy； it is some hindrance； because it is too early satisfactory to the mind of man； and quencheth the desire of further search； before we come to a just period。 But then if a man be to have any use of such knowledge in civil occasions； of conference； counsel； persuasion； discourse； or the like； then shall he find it prepared to his hands in those authors which write in that manner。 But the excess of this is so justly contemptible that as Hercules； when he saw the image of Adonis； Venus' minion； in a temple； said in disdain； NIL SACRI ES； so there is none of Hercules' followers in learning； that is； the more severe and laborious sort of inquirers into truth； but will despise those delicacies and affectations； as indeed capable of no divineness。 And thus much of the first disease or distemper of learning。
5。 The second which followeth is in nature worse than the former： for as substance of matter is better than beauty of words； so contrariwise vain matter is worse than vain words： wherein it seemeth the reprehension of St。 Paul was not only proper for those times； but prophetical for the times following； ＇10＇ and not only respective to divinity； but extensive to all knowledge； DEVITA PROFANAS VOCUM NOVITATES； ET OPPOSITIONES FALSI NOMINIS SCIENTIAE。 For he assigneth two marks and badges of suspected and falsified science： the one； the novelty and strangeness of terms； the other； the strictness of positions； which of necessity doth induce oppositions； and so questions and altercations。 Surely； like as many substances in nature which are solid do putrify and corrupt into worms； so it is the property of good and sound knowledge to putrify and dissolve into a number of subtle； idle； unwholesome； and； as I may term them； vermiculate questions； which have indeed a kind of quickness and life of spirit； but no soundness of matter or goodness of quality。 This kind of degenerate learning did chiefly reign amongst the Schoolmen： who having sharp and strong wits； and abundance of leisure； and small variety of reading； but their wits being shut up in the cells of a few authors （chiefly Aristotle their dictator） as their persons were shut up in the cells of monasteries and colleges； and knowing little history； either of nature or time； did out of no great quantity of matter and infinite agitation of wit spin out unto those laborious webs of learning which are extant in their books。 For the wit and mind of man； if it work upon matter； which is the contemplation of the creatures of God； worketh according to the stuff； and is limited thereby； but if it worl； upon itself； as the spider worketh his web； then it is endless； and brings forth indeed cobwebs of learning； admirable for the fineness of thread and work； but of no substance or profit。
6。 This same unprofitable subtility or curiosity is of two sorts； either in the subject itself that they handle； when it is a fruitless speculation or controversy； （whereof there are no small number both in Divinity and Philosophy；） or in the manner or method of handling of a knowledge； which amongst them was this； upon every particular position or assertion to frame objections； and to those objections； solutions； which solutions were for the most part not confutations but distinctions： whereas indeed the strength of all sciences is； as the strength of the old man's fagot； in the band。 For the harmony of a science； supporting each part the other； is and ought to be the true and brief confutation and suppression of all the smaller sort of objections。 But； on the other side； if you take out every axiom； as the sticks of the fagot； one by one； you may quarrel with them； and bend them； and break them at your pleasure： so that； as was said of Seneca； VERBORUM MINUTIIS RERUM FRANGIT PONDERA； so a man may truly say of the schoolmen； QUAESTIONUM MINUTIIS SCIENTIARUM FRANGUNT SOLIDITATEM。 For were it not better for a man in a fair room to set up one great light or branching candlestick of lights； than to go about with a small watch candle into every corner？ And such is their method； that rests not so much upon evidence of truth proved by arguments； authorities； similitudes； examples； as upon particular confutations and solutions of every scruple； cavilation； and objection； breeding for the most part one question as fast as it solveth another； even as in the former resemblance； when you carry the light into one corner； you darken the rest； so that the fable and fiction of Scylla seemeth to be a lively image of this kind of philosophy or knowledge； which was transformed into a comely virgin for the upper parts； but then
Candida succinctam latrantibus inguina monstris：
so the generalities of the schoolmen are for a while good and proportionable； but then； when you descend into their distinctions and decisions； instead of a fruitful womb for the use and benefit of man's life； they end in monstrous altercations and barking questions。 So as it is not possible but this quality of knowledge must fall under popular contempt； the people being apt to contemn truth upon occasion of controversies and altercations； and to think they are all out of their way which never meet； and when they see such digladiation about subtilties； and matters of no use or moment； they easily fall upon that judgment of Dionysius of Syracuse； VERBA ISTA SUNT SENUM OTIOSORUM。
7。 Notwithstanding； certain it is that if those Schoolmen to their great thirst of truth and unwearied travail of wit had joined variety and universality of reading and contemplation； they had proved excellent lights； to the great advancement of all learning and knowledge： but as they are； they are great undertakers indeed； and fierce with dark keeping： but as in the inquiry of the divine truth； their pride inclined to leave the oracle of God's word； and to vanish in the mixture of their own inventions； so in the inquisition of nature； they ever left the oracle of God's works； and adored the deceiving and deformed images which the unequal mirror of their own minds； or a few received authors or principles did represent unto them。 And thus much for the second disease of learning。
8。 For the third vice or disease of learning； which concerneth deceit or untruth； it is of all the rest the foulest； as that which doth destroy the essential form of knowledge； which is nothing but a representation of truth： for the truth of being and the truth of knowing are one； differing no more than the direct beam and the beam reflected。 This vice therefore brancheth itself into two sorts； delight in deceiving； and aptness to be deceived； imposture and credulity； which； although they appear to be of a diverse nature； the one seeming to proceed of cunning and the other of simplicity； yet certainly they do for the most part concur： for； as the verse noteth；
Percontatorem fugito； nam garrulus idem est；
an inquisitive man is a prattler； so； upon the like reason a credulous man is a deceiver： as we see it in fame； that he that will easily believe rumours； will as easily augment rumours； and add somewhat to them of his own； which Tacitus wisely noteth； when he saith； FINGUNT SIMUL CREDUNTQUE： so great an affinity hath fiction and belief。
9。 This facility of credit and accepting or admitting things weakly authorised or warranted； is of two kinds according to the subject： for it is either a belief of history （as the lawyers speak； matter of fact）； or else of matter of art and opinion。 As to the ＇11＇ former； we see the experience and inconvenience of this error in ecclesiastical history； which hath too easily received and registered reports and narrations of miracles wrought by martyrs； hermits； or monks of the desert； and other holy men； and their relics； shrines； chapels； and images： which though they had a passage for a time by the ignorance of the people； the superstitious simplicity of some； and the politic toleration of others holding them but as divine poesies； yet after a period of time； when the mist began to clear up； they grew to be esteemed but as old wives' fables； impostures of the clergy； illusions of spirits； and badges of Antichrist； to the great scandal and detriment of religion。
10。 So in natural history； we see there hath not been that choice an
