214 ADVANCEMENT OP LEARNING. [bOOK V^ 



lectual things. And, therefore, it is easier to retain the 

 image of a sportsman hunting the hare, of an apothecary 

 ranging his boxes, an orator making a speech, a boy re- 

 peating verses, or a player acting his part, than the corre- 

 sponding notions of invention, disposition, elocution, memory, 

 and action. Tliere are also other things that contribute to 

 assist the memory, but the art at present in use consists of 

 the two above mentioned ;^ and to treat of the particular 

 defects of the arts is foreign to our present purpose. 



SIXTH BOOK. 



CHAPTER I. 



Division of Tradition into the Doctrine of the Organ, the Method and 

 the Illustration of Speech. The Organ of Speech divided into the 

 Knowledge of the Marks of Things, of Speaking, and "Writing. The 

 two last comprise the two Branches of Grammar. The Marks of 

 Things divided into Hieroglyphics and Real Characters. Grammar 

 again divided into Literary and Philosophical. Prosody referred to 

 the Doctrine of Speech, and Ciphers to the Department ot Writing. 



Ant man may, excellent King, when he pleases, take the 

 liberty to jest and laugh at himself or his own projects. 

 Who, then, knows, — as there is a book in the famous library 

 of St. Victor, entitled " Formicarum Artium,"^ whether our 

 book may not be an accidental transcript of its contents. 

 We have indeed only accumulated a little heap of dust, and 

 deposited therein many grains of the arts and sciences 

 whereto ants may creep to repose awhile, and then betake 

 themselves to their labours : nay, the wisest of kings points 

 out the ant as an example to those whose only care is to 



^ I suppose that the art of memory, now commonly taught by memory- 

 masters, is little more than a lecture upon the foundations here laid 

 down; and perhaps their secrets are disclosed in Sir Hugh Plat's 

 "Jewel House of Art and Nature," printed in London in the year 1653. 

 See page 77 — 80 of that edition. Consult also upon the means of im- 

 proving the memory, Morhof's "Polyhistor," torn. i. lib. ii. cap. 4, 

 de Subsidiis dirigendi Judicii. Shaw. [Grey's " Memoria Technica ** 

 and Piinagle'a "Art of Memory" are the modern works on the same 

 •ubject. £d.} • Pantagrusl, ii. 7, p. 76, 



