VII. 20.] THE FIRST BOOK. 63 
Guise, of whom it was usually said, that he was the 
greatest usurer in France, because he had turned all his 
estate into obligations. 
21. To conclude therefore: as certain critics are used 
to say hyperbolically, Zhat ¢f all sctences were lost they 
might be found in Virgil, so certainly this may be said 
truly, there are the prints and footsteps of learning in 
those few speeches which are reported of this prince: 
the admiration of whom, when I consider him not as 
Alexander the Great, but as Aristotle’s scholar, hath 
carried me too far. 
22. As for Julius.Czsar, the _excellency of his learning 
needeth not to be argued from his education, or his 
company, or his speeches; but in a further degree doth 
declare itself in his writings and works; whereof some 
are extant and permanent, and some unfortunately 
perished, For first, we see there is left unto us that 
excellent history of his own wars, which he intituled only 
a Commentary, wherein all succeeding times have admired 
the solid weight of matter, and the real passages and 
lively images of actions and persons, expressed in the 
greatest propriety of words and perspicuity of narration 
that ever was; which that it was not the effect of a 
natural gift, but of learning and precept, is well witnessed 
by that work of his intituled De Analogia, being a gram- 
matical philosophy, wherein he did labour to make this 
same Vox ad placttum to become Vox ad licitum, and to 
reduce custom of speech to congruity of speech; and 
took as it were the pictures of words from the life of 
reason. 
23. So we receive from him, as a monument both of 
his power and learning, the then reformed computation 
of the year; well expressing that he took it to be as 
