228 ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



tion seems to be no more than dexterously to draw out from 

 the stock of knowledge laid up in the mind such things as 

 make to the present purpose; for one who knows little 

 or nothing of a subject proposed, has no use of topics or 

 places of invention, while he who is provided of suitable 

 matter, will find and produce arguments, without the help 

 of art and such places of invention, though not so readily 

 and commodiously ; whence this kind of invention is rather 

 a bare calling to memory, or a suggestion with application, 

 than a real invention. But since the term is already re 

 ceived, it may still be called invention, as the hunting in a 

 park may be called hunting no less than that in the open 

 field. But not to insist upon the word, the scope and the 

 end of the thing itself, is a quick and ready use of our 

 thoughts, rather than any enlargement or increase of them. 



There are two methods of procuring a stock of matter for 

 discourse; viz., 1, either by marking out, and indicating 

 the parts wherein a thing is to be searched after, which is 

 what we call the topical way ; or 2, by laying up arguments 

 for use, that were composed beforehand, relating to such 

 things as frequently happen and come in dispute; and this 

 we call the promptuary way: but the latter can scarce be 

 called a part of science, as consisting rather in diligence 

 than any artificial learning. Aristotle on this head ingen 

 iously derides the Sophists of his time, saying, they acted 

 like a professed shoemaker, who did not teach the art of 

 shoemaking, but set out a large stock of shoes, of different 

 shapes and sizes. 1 But it might be replied, that the shoe 

 maker who should have no shoes in his shop, and only 

 make them as they were bespoke, would find few custom 

 ers. Our Saviour speaks far otherwise of divine knowl 

 edge, saying, &quot;Therefore every scribe which is instructed 

 into the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an 

 householder, which brings forth out of his treasure things 

 new and old.&quot; 3 



We find also that the ancient rhetoricians gave it in 



1 De Keprehen. Soph. ii. 9,, 2 St. Matt. xiii. 52. 



