3i6 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



The defects in the labour of Aristotle are three : one, 

 that there be but a few of many; another, that their 

 Elenches are not annexed : and the third, that he con- 

 ceived but a part of the use of them : for their use is not 

 only in probation, but much more in impression. For 

 many forms are equal in signification which are differing 

 in impression ; as the difference is great in the piercing of 

 that which is sharp and that which is flat, though the 

 strength of the percussion be the same ; for there is no 

 man but will be a little more raised by hearing it said, 

 ' Your enemies will be glad of this ' : 



Hoc Ithacus velit, et magno mercentur Atridae: 



than by hearing it said only, c This is evil for you/ 



Secondly, I do resume also that which I mentioned 

 before touching Provision or Preparatory store for the 

 furniture of speech and readiness of invention ; which 

 appeareth to be of two sorts ; the one in resemblance to a 

 shop of pieces unmade up, the other to a shop of things 

 ready made up ; both to be applied to that which is 

 frequent and most in request : the former of these I will 

 call Antitheta, and the latter Formulae. 



Antitheta are Theses argued pro et contra ; wherein men 

 Antitheta ma Y be more large and laborious : but (in such as 

 Rerum. are ^[Q to (j o it) to avoid prolixity of entry, I 

 wish the seeds of the several arguments to be cast up into 

 some brief and acute sentences ; not to be cited, but to be 

 as skeins or bottoms of thread, to be unwinded at large 

 when they come to be used; supplying authorities and 

 examples by reference. 



PRO VERBIS LEGIS. 



Non est interpretation sed divinatio^ quae re c edit a liter a. 

 Cum receditur a literd^ judex transit in legislatorem. 



PRO SENTENTIA LEGIS. 



Ex omnibus verbis est eliciendus sens us qui interpretatur singula. 

 Formulae are but decent and apt passages or conveyances 



