THE FIRST BOOK. 



29 



argument ; wherein my purpose is not to mako a justification 

 of the errors, but by a censure and separation of the errors to 

 make a justification of that which is good and sound, and to 

 deliver that from the aspersion of the other. For we see that 

 it is the manner of men to scandalise and deprave that which 

 retaineth the state and virtue, by taking advantage upon that 

 which is corrupt and degenerate, as the heathens in the primi 

 tive Church used to blemish and taint the Christians with the 

 faults and corruptions of heretics. But nevertheless I have no 

 meaning at this time to make any exact animadversion of the 

 errors and impediments in matters of learning, which are more 

 secret and remote from vulgar opinion, but only to speak unto 

 such as do fall under or near unto a popular observation. 



(2) There be therefore chiefly three vanities in studies, 

 whereby learning hath been most traduced. For those things 

 we do esteem vain which are either false or frivolous, those 

 which either have no truth or no use ; and those persons we 

 esteem vain which are either credulous or curious ; and curiosity 

 is either in matter or words : so that in reason as well as in 

 experience there fall out to be these three distempers (as I 

 may term them) of learning the first, fantastical learning ; 

 the second, contentious learning ; and the last, delicate learn 

 ing ; vain imaginations, vain altercations, and vain affecta 

 tions ; and with the last I will begin. Martin Luther, &quot;con 

 ducted, no doubt, by a higher Providence, but in discourse of 

 reason, finding what a province he had undertaken against the 

 Bishop of Eome and the degenerate traditions of the Church, 

 and finding his own solitude, being in nowise aided by the 

 opinions of his own time, was enforced to awake all antiquity, 

 and to call former times to his succours to make a party 

 against the present time. So that the ancient authors, both 

 in divinity and in humanity, which had long time slept in 

 libraries, began generally to be read and revolved. This, by 

 consequence, did draw on a necessity of a more exquisite 

 travail in the languages original, wherein those authors did 

 write, for the better understanding of those authors, and the 

 better advantage of pressing and applying their words. And 

 thereof grew, again, a delight in their manner of style and 

 phrase, and an admiration of that kind of writing, which was 

 I much furthered and precipitated by the enmity and opposition 

 that the propounders of those primitive but seeming new 

 opinions had against the schoolmen, who were generally of 

 the contrary part, and whose writings were altogether in a 

 | differing style and form ; taking liberty to coin and frame new 

 terms of art to express their own sense, and to avoid circuit of 



