THE SECOND BOOK 73 



have not gathered that which Cicero calleth sylva and 

 supellex, stuff and variety, to begin with those arts (as 

 if one should learn to weigh, or to measure, or to paint 

 the wind) doth work but this effect, that the wisdom 

 of those arts, which is great and universal, is almost 

 made contemptible, and is degenerate into childish 

 sophistry and ridiculous affectation. And further, the 

 untimely learning of them hath drawn on by con- 

 sequence the superficial and unprofitable teaching and 

 writing of them, as fitteth indeed to the capacity of 

 children. Another is a lack I find in the exercises 

 used in the universities, which do make too great 

 a divorce between invention and memory. For their 

 speeches are either premeditate, in verbis conceptis, 

 where nothing is left to invention ; or merely extem- 

 poral, wh.ere Httle is left to memory. Whereas in hfe 

 and action there is least use of either of these, but 

 rather of intermixtures of premeditation and invention, 

 notes and memory. So as the exercise fitteth not the 

 practice, nor the image the life ; and it is ever a true 

 rule in exercises, that they be framed as near as may 

 be to the life of practice ; for otherwise they do pervert 

 the motions and faculties of the mind, and not prepare 

 them. The truth whereof is not obscure, when scholars 

 come to the practices of professions, or other actions of 

 civil life ; which when they set into, this want is soon 

 found by themselves, and sooner by others. But this 

 part, touching the amendment of the institutions and 

 orders of imiversities, I will conclude with the clause 

 of Caesar's letter to Oppius and Balbus, ' Hoc quemad- 

 modum fieri possit, nonnuUa mihi in mentem veniunt, 

 et multa reperiri possunt : de iis rebus rogo vos ut 

 cogitationem suscipiatis.' 



13. Another defect which I note, ascendeth a little 

 higher than the precedent. For as the proficience of 

 learning consisteth much in the orders and institutions 

 of universities in the same states and kingdoms, so it 

 would be yet more advanced, if there were more in- 

 telligence mutual between the universities of Europe 

 than now there is. We see there be many orders and 



