204 ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING. [BOOK Vt. 



is well acquainted with the sciences treated in the books he 

 publishes, his diligence will be attended with danger. 



A second thing belonging to criticism is the explanation 

 and illustration of authors, comments, notes, collections, &amp;lt;feo. 

 But here an ill custom has prevailed among the critics of 

 skipping over the obscure passages, and expatiating upon 

 such as are sufficiently clear, as if their design were not so 

 much to illustrate their author, as to take all occasions ct 

 showing their own learning and reading. It were therefore 

 to be wished, that every original writer who treats an obscur-3 

 or noble subject, would add his own explanations to his own 

 work, so as to keep the text continued and unbroken by 

 digressions or illustrations, and thus prevent any wrong in 

 terpretation by the notes of others. 



Thirdly, there belongs to criticism the thing from whence* 

 its name is derived ; viz., a certain concise judgment or cen 

 sure of the authors published, and a comparison of them witl 

 other writers who have treated the same subject. Whence 

 the student may be directed ia the choice of his books, and 

 come the better prepared to their perusal ; and this seems tc 

 be the ultimate office of the critic, and has indeed been 

 honoured by some greater men in our age than critics are 

 usually thought. 



For the doctrine of school-learning, it were the shortest 

 way to refer it to the Jesuits, who, in point of usefulness, 

 have herein excelled ; yet we will lay down a few admoni 

 tions about it. We highly approve the education of youth 

 in colleges, and not wholly in private houses or schools. b For 

 in colleges, there is not only a greater emulation of the 

 youth among their equals, but the teachers have a venerable 

 aspect and gravity, which greatly conduces towards in 

 sinuating a modest behaviour, and the forming of tender 

 minds from the first, according to such examples ; and be 

 sides these, there are many other advantages of a collegiate 

 education. But for the order and manner of discipline, it ia 

 of capital use to avoid too concise methods and too hasty an 

 opinion of learning, which give a pertness to the mind, and 

 rather make a show of improvement than procure it. But 

 excursions of genius are to be somewhat favoured ; so that 

 if a scholar perform his usual exercises, he may be suffered 

 b See Osboru s Advice to a Son. 



