THE SECOND BOOK 153 



"besides the weakness of it, hath been of ill desert to- 

 wards learning, as that which taketh the way to reduce 

 learning to certain empty and barren generalities ; being 

 but the very husks and shells of sciences, all the kernel 

 being forced out and expulsed with the torture and press 

 of the method. And therefore as I did allow well of 

 particular topics for invention, so I do allow hkewise of 

 particular methods of tradition. 



10. Another diversity of judgement in the delivery 

 and teaching of knowledge is, according unto the hght 

 and presuppositions of that which is delivered. For 

 that knowledge which is new, and foreign from opinions 

 received, is to be delivered in another form than that 

 that is agreeable and famihar ; and therefore Aristotle, 

 when he thinks to tax Democritus, doth in truth com- 

 mend him, where he saith, ' If we shall indeed dispute, 

 and not follow after similitudes, &c.' For those whose 

 conceits are seated in popular opinions, need only but 

 to prove or dispute ; but those whose conceits are be- 

 yond popular opinions, have a double labour ; the one 

 to make themselves conceived, and the other to prove 

 and demonstrate. So that it is of necessity with them 

 to have recourse to similitudes and translations to 

 express themselves. And therefore in the infancy of 

 learning, and in rude times, when those conceits which 

 are now trivial were then new, the world was full of 

 parables and similitudes ; for else would men either 

 have passed over without mark, or else rejected for 

 paradoxes that which was offered, before they had 

 understood or judged. So in divine learning, we see 

 how frequent parables and tropes are : for it is a rule, 

 that whatsoever science is not consonant to presuppo- 

 sitions, must pray in aid of simihtudes. 



11. There be also other diversities of methods vulgar 

 and received : as that of resolution or analysis, of con- 

 stitution or systasis, of concealment or cryptic, &c., 

 which I do allow well of, though I have stood upon those 

 which are least handled and observed, ^e pruden- 

 All which I have remembered to this pur- Ua tradu 

 pose, because I would erect and constitute **<"***• 



