170 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [XVll. 15, 



For certainly there must be somewhat left to practice ; 

 but how much is worthy the inquiry. 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 

 De produc- be laboured and polished by practice. But 

 Hone axio- how crystalline they may be made at the 

 niattim. nrS |- ? anc j h ow f ar forth they may be polished 

 aforehand is the question; the inquiry whereof seemeth 

 to me deficient. 



14. There hath been also laboured and put in prac 

 tice a method, which is not a lawful method, but a 

 method of imposture ; 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 flipper s or broker s 

 shop, that hath ends of everything, but nothing of worth. 



XVIII. i. Now we descend to that part which con- 

 cerneth 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 disabled himself for 

 want of this faculty, Aaron shall be thy speaker, and thou 



