Iv.6.] — THE FIRST BOOK. 33 
truth proved by arguments, authorities, similitudes, ex- 
amples, as upon particular confutations and solutions of 
every scruple, cavillation, 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 trans- 
formed into a comely virgin for the upper parts ; but 
then Candida succinclam 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 alter-: 
cations, and to think they are all out of their way which 
never meet; and when they see such digladiation about 
subtilties, and matter of no use or moment, they easily 
fall upon that judgement of Dionysius of Syracusa, Verda 
tsta sunt senum oliosorum. 
7. Notwithstanding, certain it is that if those -school- 
men_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 remy ga oe 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 
, D Q 
GArsr fam pa 
Ray Gu De domo, c= iN 
Kao 
