the advancement of learning-第30部分

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t　it　is　fit　men　be　not　ignorant　that　moneys　may　be　of　another　kind　than　gold　and　silver；）　I　thought　good　to　propound　it　to　better　inquiry。

4。　Concerning　speech　and　words；　the　consideration　of　them　hath　produced　the　science　of　grammar：　for　man　still　striveth　to　reintegrate　himself　in　those　benedictions；　from　which　by　his　fault　he　hath　been　deprived；　and　as　he　hath　striven　against　the　first　general　curse　by　the　invention　of　all　other　arts；　so　hath　he　sought　to　come　forth　of　the　second　general　curse；　which　was　the　confusion　of　tongues；　by　the　art　of　grammar；　hereof　the　use　in　a　mother　tongue　is　small；　in　a　foreign　tongue　more；　but　most　in　such　foreign　tongues　as　have　ceased　to　be　vulgar　tongues；　and　are　turned　only　to　learned　tongues。　The　duty　of　it　is　of　two　natures；　the　one　popular；　which　is　for　the　speedy　and　perfect　attaining　languages　as　well　for　intercourse　of　speech　as　for　understanding　of　authors；　the　other　philosophical；　examining　the　power　and　nature　of　words；　as　they　are　the　footsteps　and　prints　of　reason：　which　kind　of　analogy　between　words　and　reason　is　handled　SPARSIM；　brokenly；　though　not　entirely；　and　therefore　I　cannot　report　it　deficient；　though　I　think　it　very　worthy　to　be　reduced　into　a　science　by　itself。

5。　Unto　grammar　also　belongeth；　as　an　appendix；　the　consideration　of　the　accidents　of　words；　which　are　measure；　sound；　and　elevation　or　accent；　and　the　sweetness　and　harshness　of　them；　whence　hath　issued　some　curious　observations　in　rhetoric；　but　chiefly　poesy；　as　we　consider　it　in　respect　of　the　verse　and　not　of　the　argument；　wherein　though　men　in　learned　tongues　do　tie　themselves　to　the　ancient　measures；　yet　in　modern　languages　it　seemeth　to　me　as　free　to　make　new　measures　of　verses　as　of　dances：　for　a　dance　is　a　measured　pace；　as　a　verse　is　a　measured　speech。　In　these　things　the　sense　is　better　judge　than　the　art；

Coenae　fercula　nostrae　Mallem　convivis　quam　placuisse　cocis。

＇52＇　And　of　the　servile　expressing　antiquity　in　an　unlike　and　an　unfit　subject；　it　is　well　said；　QUOD　TEMPORE　ANTIQUUM　VIDETUR；　ID　INCONGRUITATE　EST　MAXIME　NOVUM。

6。　For　ciphers；　they　are　commonly　in　letters　or　alphabets　but　may　be　in　words。　The　lands　of　ciphers；　besides　the　simple　ciphers；　with　changes；　and　intermixtures　of　nulls　and　non…significants；　are　many；　according　to　the　nature　or　rule　of　the　infolding；　wheel…ciphers；　key…ciphers；　doubles；　etc。　But　the　virtues　of　them；　whereby　they　are　to　be　preferred；　are　three；　that　they　be　not　laborious　to　write　and　read；　that　they　be　impossible　to　decipher；　and；　in　some　cases；　that　they　be　without　suspicion。　The　highest　degree　whereof　is　to　write　OMNIA　PER　OMNIA；　which　is　undoubtedly　possible；　with　a　proportion　quintuple　at　most　of　the　writing　infolding　to　the　writing　infolded；　and　no　other　restraint　whatsoever。　This　art　of　ciphering　hath　for　relative　an　art　of　deciphering；　by　supposition　unprofitable；　but；　as　things　are；　of　great　use。　For　suppose　that　ciphers　were　well　managed；　there　be　multitudes　of　them　which　exclude　the　decipherer。　But　in　regard　of　the　rawness　and　unskilfulness　of　the　hands　through　which　they　pass；　the　greatest　matters　are　many　times　carried　in　the　weakest　ciphers。

7。　In　the　enumeration　of　these　private　and　retired　arts；　it　may　be　thought　I　seek　to　make　a　great　muster…roll　of　sciences；　naming　them　for　show　and　ostentation；　and　to　little　other　purpose。　But　let　those　which　are　skilful　in　them　judge　whether　I　bring　them　in　only　for　appearance；　or　whether　in　that　which　I　speak　of　them；　though　in　few　marks；　there　be　not　some　seed　of　proficience。　And　this　must　be　remembered；　that　as　there　be　many　of　great　account　in　their　countries　and　provinces；　which；　when　they　come　up　to　the　seat　of　the　estate；　are　but　of　mean　rank　and　scarcely　regarded；　so　these　arts；　being　here　placed　with　the　principal　and　supreme　sciences；　seem　petty　things；　yet　to　such　as　have　chosen　them　to　spend　their　labours　and　studies　in　them；　they　seem　great　matters。

XVII。　1。　For　the　Method　of　Tradition；　I　see　it　hath　moved　a　controversy　in　our　time。　But　as　in　civil　business；　if　there　be　a　meeting；　and　men　fall　at　words；　there　is　commonly　an　end　of　the　matter　for　that　time；　and　no　proceeding　at　all；　so　in　learning；　where　there　is　much　controversy；　there　is　many　times　little　inquiry。　For　this　part　of　knowledge　of　Method　seemeth　to　me　so　weakly　inquired　as　I　shall　report　it　deficient。

2。　Method　hath　been　placed；　and　that　not　amiss；　in　Logic；　as　a　part　of　Judgment；　　for　as　the　doctrine　of　Syllogisms　comprehendeth　the　rules　of　Judgment　upon　that　which　is　invented；　so　the　doctrine　of　Method　containeth　the　rules　of　Judgment　upon　that　which　is　to　be　delivered；　for　Judgment　precedeth　Delivery；　as　it　followeth　Invention。　Neither　is　the　Method　or　the　nature　of　the　tradition　material　only　to　the　use　of　knowledge；　but　likewise　to　the　progression　of　knowledge：　for　since　the　labour　and　life　of　one　man　cannot　attain　to　perfection　of　knowledge；　the　wisdom　of　the　tradition　is　that　which　inspireth　the　felicity　of　continuance　and　proceeding。　And　therefore　the　most　real　diversity　of　method；　is　of　Method　referred　to　use；　and　Method　referred　to　progression：　whereof　the　one　may　be　termed　Magistral；　and　the　other　of　Probation。

3。　The　latter　whereof　seemeth　to　be　VIA　DESERTA　ET　INTERCLUSA。　For　as　knowledges　are　now　delivered；　there　is　a　kind　of　contract　of　error　between　the　deliverer　and　the　receiver：　for　he　that　delivereth　knowledge；　desireth　to　deliver　it　in　such　form　as　may　be　best　believed；　and　not　as　may　be　best　examined；　and　he　that　receiveth　knowledge；　desireth　rather　present　satisfaction；　than　expectant　inquiry；　and　so　rather　not　to　doubt；　than　not　to　err：　glory　making　the　author　not　to　lay　open　his　weakness；　and　sloth　making　the　disciple　not　to　know　his　strength。

4。　But　knowledge　that　is　delivered　as　a　thread　to　be　spun　on；　ought　to　be　delivered　and　intimated；　if　it　were　possible；　in　the　same　method　wherein　it　was　invented：　and　so　is　it　possible　of　knowledge　induced。　But　in　this　same　anticipated　and　prevented　knowledge；　no　man　knoweth　how　he　came　to　the　knowledge　which　he　hath　obtained。　But　yet　nevertheless；　SECUNDUM　MAJUS　ET　MINUS；　a　man　may　revisit　and　descend　unto　the　foundations　of　his　knowledge　and　consent；　and　so　transplant　it　into　another；　as　it　grew　in　his　own　mind。　For　it　is　in　knowledges　as　it　is　in　plants：　if　you　mean　to　use　the　plant；　it　is　no　matter　for　the　roots；　but　it　you　mean　to　remove　it　to　grow；　then　it　is　more　assured　to　rest　upon　roots　than　slips：　so　the　delivery　of　knowledges；　as　it　is　now　used；　is　as　of　fair　bodies　of　trees　without　the　roots；　good　for　the　carpenter；　but　not　for　the　planter。　But　if　you　will　have　sciences　grow；　it　is　less　matter　for　the　shaft　or　body　of　the　tree；　so　you　look　well　to　the　taking　up　of　the　roots：　of　which　kind　of　delivery　the　method　of　the　mathematics；　in　that　subject；　hath　some　shadow：　but　generally　I　see　it　neither　put　in　use　　nor　put　in　inquisition：　and　therefore　note　it　for　deficient。

5。　Another　diversity　of　Method　there　is；　which　hath　some　affinity　with　the　former；　used　in　some　cases　by　the　discretion　of　the　ancients；　but　disgraced　since　by　the　impostures　of　many　vain　persons；　who　have　made　it　as　a　false　light　for　their　counterfeit　merchandises；　and　that　is；　enigmatical　and　disclosed。　The　pretence　whereof　is；　to　remove　the　vulgar　capacities　from　being　admitted　to　the　secrets　of　knowledges；　and　to　reserve　them　to　selected　auditors；　or　wits　of　such　sharpness　as　can　pierce　the　veil。

6。　Another　diversity　of　Method；　whereof　the　consequence　is　great；　is　the　delivery　of　knowledge　in　Aphorisms；　or　in　Methods；　wherein　we　may　observe　that　it　hath　been　too　much　taken　into　custom；　out　of　a　few　axioms　or　observations　upon　any　subject；　to　make　a　solemn　and　formal　art；　filling　it　with　some　discourses；　and　illustrating　it　with　examples；　and　digesting　it　into　a　sensible　Method。　But　the　writing　in　Aphorisms　hath　many　excellent　virtues；　where　to　the　writing　in　Method　doth　not　approach。

7。　For　first；　it　trieth　the　writer；　whether　he　be　superficial　or　solid：　for　Aphorisms；　except　they　should　be　rediculous；　cannot　be　made　but　of　the　pith　and　heart　of　sciences；　for　discourse　of　illustration　is　cut　＇53＇　off：　recitals　of　examples　are　cut　off；　discourse　of　connection　and　order　is　cut　off；　descriptions　of　practice　are　cut　off。　So　there　remaineth　nothing　to　fill　the　Aphorisms　but　some　good　quantity　of　observation：　and　therefore　no　man　can　suffice；　nor　in　reason　will　attempt　to　write　Aphorisms；　but　he　that　is　sound　and　grounded。　But　in　Methods；

Tantum　series　juncturaque　pollet；　Tantum　de　medio　sumptis　accedit　honoris；

as　a　man　shall　make　a　great　shew　of　an　art；　which；　if　it　were　disjointed；　would　come　to　little。　Secondly；　methods　are　more　fit　to　win　consent　or　belief；　but　less　fit　to　point　to　action；　for　they　carry　a　kind　of　demonstration　in　orb　or　circle；　one　part　illuminating　another；　and　therefore　satisfy；　but　particulars；　being　dispersed；　do　best　agree　with　dispersed　directions。　And　lastly；　Aphorisms；　representing　a　knowledge　broken；　do　invite　men　to　inquire　further；　whereas　Methods；　carrying　the　show　of　a　total；　do　secure　men；　as　if　they　were　at　farthest。

8。　Another　diversity　of　Method；　which　is　likewise　of　great　weight；　is　the　handling　of　knowledge　by　assertions　and　their　proofs；　or　by　questions　and　their　determinations；　the　latter　kind　whereof；　if　it　be　immoderately　followed；　is　as　prejudicial　to　the　proceeding　of　learning；　as　it　is　to　the　proceeding　of　an　army　to　go　about　to　besiege　every　little　fort　or　hold。　For　if　the　field　be　kept；　and　the　sum　of　the　enterprise　pursued；　those　smaller　things　will　come　in　of　themselves：　indeed　a　man　would　not　leave　some　important　piece　enemy　at　his　back。　In　like　manner；　the　use　of　confutation　in　the　delivery　of　sciences　ought　to　be　very　sparing；　and　to　serve　to　remove　strong　preoccupations　and　prejudgments；　and　not　to　minister　and　excite　disputations　and　doubts。

9。　Another　diversity　of　methods　is　according　to　the　subject　or　matter　which　is　handled；　for　there　is　a　great　difference　in　delivery　of　the　mathematics；　which　are　most　abstracted　of　knowledges；　and　policy；　which　is　the　most　immersed：　and　howsoever　contention　hath　been　moved　touching　a　uniformity　of　method　in　multiformity　of　matter；　yet　we　see　how　that　opinion；　besides