THE SECOND BOOK. 129 



make them not withal circular, and non-promovent, or incurring 

 into themselves ; but yet the intention was excellent. 



(13) The other considerations of method, concerning pro 

 positions, are chiefly touching the utmost propositions, which 

 limit the dimensions of sciences : for every knowledge may be 

 fitly said, besides the profundity (which is the truth and sub 

 stance of it, that makes it solid), to have a longitude and a 

 latitude ; accounting the latitude towards other sciences, and 

 the longitude towards action ; that is, from the greatest 

 generality to the most particular precept. The one giveth 

 rule how far one knowledge ought to intermeddle within the 

 province of another, which is the rule they call Kaflavro ; the 

 other giveth rule unto what degree of particularity a knowledge 

 should descend : which latter I find passed over in silence, being 

 in my judgment the more material. For certainty there must 

 be somewhat left to practice ; but how much is worthy the in 

 quiry ? We see remote and superficial generalities do but offer 

 knowledge to scorn of practical men ; and are no more aiding 

 to practice than an Ortelius universal map is to direct the way 

 between London and York. The better sort of rules have been 

 not unfitly compared to glasses of steel unpolished, where you 

 may see the images of things, but first they must be filed : so 

 the rules will help if they be laboured and polished by practice. 

 But how crystalline they may be made at the first, and how far 

 forth they may be polished aforehand, is the question, the in 

 quiry whereof seemeth to me deficient. 



(14) There hath been also laboured and put in practice a 

 method, which is not a lawful method, but a method of im 

 posture : which is, to deliver knowledges in such manner as 

 men may speedily come to make a show of learning, who have 

 it not. Such was the travail of Raymundus Lullius in making 

 that art which bears his name ; not unlike to some books of 

 typocosmy, which have been made since ; being nothing but a 

 mass of words of all arts, to give men countenance, that those 

 which use the terms might be thought to understand the art ; 

 which collections are much like a fripper s or broker s shop, 

 that hath ends of everything, but nothing of worth. 



XVIII. (1) Now we descend to that part which concerneth 

 the illustration of tradition, comprehended in that science 

 which we call rhetoric, or art of eloquence, a science excellent, 

 and excellently well laboured. For although in true value it is 

 inferior to wisdom (as it is said by God to Moses, when he dis 

 abled himself for want of this faculty, &quot;Aaron shall be thy 

 speaker, and thou shalt be to him as God &quot;), yet with people 

 it is the more mighty ; for so Solomon saith, Sapiens cordt 



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