962 Wisconsin. Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
tomime. You cannot make yourself understood to them un¬ 
less you answer them in their own words and say the things 
which they are accustomed to hear. Though they may he too 
scrupulous to speak upon the questions which you propound yet 
they are entirely ignorant of the solutions. In one thing, how¬ 
ever, they look out for their own interests more cautiously, for 
they put everything into their purses so these may be filled 
thereby; yet every one of them is satisfied with one little word 
of wisdom even though that word be hidden in a multitude of 
fallacies. 
“I do not consider those more fitted for a philosophical dis¬ 
cussion, however, who hang a long oration onto every little 
word as if a speech has to be delivered to the people upon every 
question that was asked of them. It is a rule if any problem 
is brought forth that he who answers more or less than what is 
asked, is ignorant of the true line of disputation. So also when 
any one is to be taught, only those things ought to be mentioned 
■which offer assistance to the solution. Wherefore it is clear that 
those who read everything in a single incident and when only 
one thing is sought try to explain everything, do not possess 
the formula for correct teaching. Either they do not know 
what the correct mode of teaching is or perchance they are try¬ 
ing to earn more money by misrepresenting their obligation and 
as Cicero says, they show not what the subject calls for but 
everything that they can. 
“Therefore, those who fill the Porphyry with all the parts of 
philosophy, befog the minds of those who are being introduced 
to the study and spoil their memory, and the pupil who ought 
to be given an introduction they load down with so great a 
weight that he considers the burden which he has undertaken 
unbearable. I should perhaps grant that the books of the 
Scriptures, everyone of whose smallest particles is full of 
Divine sacrament ought to be read with great weight because 
the treasure of the Holy Spirit, by whose indication they were 
written can never be exhausted. Though the externals of the 
letters may be suited to one sense entirely yet within it are con¬ 
cealed numberless mysteries. By the same reason allegory 
builds up faith, while tropology builds up character in various 
