to write of it both shortly, and also had to touch other matters. * Barthol. Riccius Ferrariensis also hath written learnedly, diligently, and very largely of this matter, even as he did before very well de Apparatu Latinæ Locutionis. He writeth the better in mine opinion, because his whole doctrine, judgment, and order, seemeth to be borrowed out of Joan. Sturmius's books. He addeth also examples, the best kind of teaching; wherein he doth well, but not well enough: indeed he committeth no fault, but yet deserveth small praise. He is content with the mean, and followeth not the best as a man that would † feed upon acorns, when he may eat as good cheap the finest wheat bread. He teacheth, for example, where, and how, two or three Italian poets do follow Virgil; and how Virgil himself, in the story of Dido, doth wholly imitate Catullus in the like matter of Ariadne. Wherein I like better his diligence and order of teaching, than his judgment in choice of examples for Imitation. But if he had done thus: if he had declared where, and how, how oft, and how many ways, Virgil doth follow Homer; as for example, the coming of Ulysses to Alcinous and Calypso, with the coming of Æneas to Carthage and Dido: likewise the games, running, wrestling, and shooting, that Achilles maketh in Homer, with the selfsame games that Æneas maketh in Virgil: the harness of Achilles, with the harness of * This work Riccius published under this title, De Imitatione, Libri 3. + The same proverbial expression we meet with a little after in this book. The commentators seem very fond of it: "Post fruges inventas vesci glandibus :” ἄνδρες βαλανηφάγοι. Æneas, and the manner of making of them both by Vulcan the notable combat betwixt Achilles and Hector, with as notable a combat betwixt Æneas and Turnus the going down to heil of Ulysses in Homer, with the going down to hell of Æneas in Virgil; and other places infinite more, as similitudes, narrations, messages, descriptions of persons, places, battles, tempests, shipwrecks, and common places for divers purposes, which be as precisely taken out of Homer, as ever did painter in London follow the picture of any fair personage. And when these places had been gathered together by this way of diligence, then to have conferred them together by this order of teaching, as diligently to mark what is kept and used in either author, in words, in sentences, in matter; what is added; what is left out; what ordered otherwise, either præponendo, interponendo, or postponendo; and what is altered for any respect, in word, phrase, sentence, figure, reason, argument, or by any way of circumstance. If Riccius had done this, he had not only been well liked for his diligence in teaching, but also justly commended for his right judgment in right choice of examples for the best Imitation/ Riccius also for Imitation of prose declareth, where and how Longolius doth follow Tully; but, as for Longolius, I would not have him the pattern of our Imitation. Indeed, in Longolius's shop be proper and fair showing colours; but as for shape, figure, and natural comeliness, by the judgment of best judging artificers, he is rather allowed as one to be borne withal, than specially commended as one chiefly to be followed. If Riccius had taken for his examples, where Tully himself followeth either Plato or Demosthenes, he had shot then at the right mark. But to excuse Riccius somewhat, though I cannot fully defend him, it may be said, his purpose was, to teach only the Latin tongue; when this way that I do wish, to join Virgil with Homer, to read Tully with Demosthenes and Plato, requireth a cunning and perfect master in both the tongues. It is my wish indeed, and that by good reason for whosoever will write well of any matter, must labour to express that that is perfect; and not to stay and content himself with the mean: yea, I say farther, though it be not unpossible, yet it is very rare, and marvellous hard to prove excellent in the Latin tongue, for him that is not also well seen in the Greek tongue. Tully himself, most excellent of nature, most diligent in labour, brought up from his cradle in that place, and in that time, where and when the Latin tongue most flourished naturally in every man's mouth; yet was not his own tongue able itself to make him so cunning in his own tongue, as he was indeed; but the knowledge and Imitation of the Greek tongue withal. This he confesseth himself; this he uttereth in many places, as those can tell best that use to read him most. Therefore thou, that shootest at perfection in the Latin tongue, think not thyself wiser than Tully was, in choice of the way that leadeth rightly to the same: think not thy wit better than Tully's was, as though that may serve thee, that was not sufficient for him. For even as a hawk flieth not high with one wing, even so a man reacheth not to excellency with one tongue. I have been a looker-on in the cockpit of learning these many years; and one cock only have I known, which with one wing even at this day, doth pass all III. 15 others, in mine opinion, that ever I saw in any pit in England, though they had two wings. Yet, nevertheless, to fly well with one wing, to run fast with one leg, be rather rare masteries much to be marvelled at, than sure examples safely to be followed. A bishop that now liveth, a good man, whose judgment in religion I better like, than his opinion in perfectness in other learning, said once unto me, "We have no need now of the Greek tongue, when all things be translated into Latin." But the good man understood not, that even the best translation is for mere necessity but an evil imped wing to fly withal, or a heavy stump leg of wood to go withal. Such, the higher they fly, the sooner they falter and fail: the faster they run, the ofter they stumble, and sorer they fall. Such as will needs so fly, may fly at a pie, and catch a daw; and such runners, as commonly they shove and shoulder to stand foremost; yet, in the end, they come behind others, and deserve but the hopshackles, if the masters of the game be right judgers. Therefore, in perusing thus so many Optima ratio divers books for Imitation, it came into Imitationis. my head that a very profitable book might be made de Imitatione, after another sort than ever yet was attempted of that matter, containing a certain few fit precepts, unto the which should be gathered and applied plenty of examples, out of the choicest authors of both the tongues. This work would stand rather in good diligence for the gathering, and right judgment for the apt applying of those examples, than any great learning or utterance at all. The doing thereof would be more pleasant than painful, and would bring also much profit to all that should read it, and great praise to him that would take it in hand with just desert of thanks. 6 Svitatio Erasmus's order Erasmus, giving himself to read over all authors, Greek and Latin, seemeth to have prescribed to himself this order of reading; that is, to note out by the way three special points, all in his study. adages, all similitudes, and all witty sayings of most notable personages. And so, by one labour, he left to posterity three notable books, and namely two, his Chiliades, Apophthegmata, and Similia. Likewise, if a good student would bend himself to read diligently over Tully, and with him also at the same time as diligently Plato and Xenophon, with his books of philosophy, Isocrates, and Demosthenes with his Orations, and Aristotle with his Rhetoricks, (which five of all others be those whom Tully best loved, and specially followed,) and would mark diligently in Tully, where he doth exprimere or effingere (which be the very proper words of Imitation), either copiam Platonis, or venustatem Xenophontis, suavitatem Isocratis, or vim Demosthenis, propriam et puram subtilitatem Aristotelis; and not only write out the places diligently, and lay them together orderly, but also to confer them with skilful judgment by those few rules which I have expressed now twice before: if that diligence were taken, if that order were used, what perfect knowledge of both the tongues, what ready and pithy utterance in all matters, what right and deep judgment in all kind of learning would follow, is scarce credible to be believed. These books be not many, nor long, nor rude in speech, nor mean in matter; but next the majesty of← God's holy word, most worthy for a man, the lover of learning and honesty, to spend his life in. have heard worthy Mr. Cheke many times Yea, I say; I would have a good student pass and journey through |