A Preoccupation against an inveterate Opinion.

"I fhall fo order the Matter, as that you may understand in the whole Cause, what "the Nature of the thing fuggefted, what "Mistake hath added, and what Envy hath " raised.

СНАР, ХХІН.

Of Critical and Pedantical Knowledge.

De Augmentis Scientiarum.

Lib. 6. Cap. 4.

T

HERE remain two General Appendages touching the Tradition of Knowledge; The one Critical; The other Pedantical. For as the principal Part of Tradition of Knowledge confifts in Writing of Books; fo the Relative Part thereof confifts in Reading of Books: Now Reading is governed and directed by Masters and Teachers, or perfected by every Man's particular Industry; And to this purpose ferve the two Knowledges

men

mentioned, whereunto appertain incidently thefe Confiderations.

TO the Critical Part appertain, Firft an exact Correction, and true Edition of approved Authors; whereby both the Honour of Authors themselves is vindicated, and a Light given to the Studious. Wherein, neverthe lefs, the rafh Diligence of fome Men hath done great Prejudice to Studies. For it is the Manner of many Criticks, when they meet with a Paffage they do not underftand, prefently to prefume it a Fault in the Copy; As the Prieft, that, where he found it written of St. Paul, Demiffus eft per Sportam, mended his Book, and made it, Demiffus eft per Portam, because Sporta was an hard Word, and out of his Reading, and furely their Errors, tho' they are not fo palpable and ridiculous, yet are of the fame Kind; as in that Paffage of Tacitus: When a certain Colony claim'd the Privilege of the Sanctuary in the Senate, Tacitus reports, that what they alledg'd was not favourably receiv'd by the Emperor and the " Senate: Upon which the Embaffadors dif trufting their Cause, gave Titus Vinius a round Sum of Money to maintain their Suit; and by this means the Thing was granted. Then (fays Tacitus) the Dignity and Antiquity of the Colony prevailed: As if the Arguments, that feemed light before, receiv'd then a Weight by the Addition of a Bribe. Here a

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certain Critick, none of the meaneft, expunges the Word Tum, and inftead thereof reftores Tantúm. And by this perverse Custom of Criticks, it hath come to pafs, (as one wifely noted) That the moft Corrected Copies are commonly leaft Correct. And indeed, to speak Truth, unless the Criticks be well skill'd in the Knowledges handled in the Books they put out, their Diligence is not without Danger,

SECONDLY, There belong to the Cri tical Art, the Interpretation and Expofition of Authors, Commentaries, Scholia's, Notes, Spicilegies, and the like. And in Labours of this Kind, that fcurvy (as I may call it) Dif eafe of Criticks hath feiz'd many, of paffing over most of the obfcurer Paffages, and dwelling and expatiating even to Naufeousness upon things that are plain and perfpicuous. For the thing intended is not fo much to illustrate the Author, as that the Critick himself upon every Occafion may fhew his manifold Learning, and various Reading. It were much to be wifh'd, that the Writer that handles obfcure and noble Arguments, would annex his own Explications, that neither the Text it felf may be broken off by Digreffions or Explanation; and that the Notes may not depart from the Mind and Intention of the Writer. Some fuch thing we fufpect of Theon upon Euclid

THE

THE Third is concerning the Times, which in many Cafes give great Light to true Interpretations.

THE Fourth is concerning the Syntax and Difpofition of Studies, that Men may know in what Order or Pursuit to Read.

FIFTHLY, It belongs to the Art Critical (from whence alfo it had its Name) to interpose fome brief Cenfure and Judgment of the Authors they publifh; and to compare them with other Writers that handle the fame Subjects; to the end that by fuch a Confure Students may be both advertis'd of the Choice of Books, and come better provided to the Perufal of them. And this laft Part is as it were the Chair of the Criticks, which certainly has been ennobled by fome Great Men in our Age, Greater furely in my Judgment, than for the Model of Criticks.

FOR Pedantical Knowledge, it contains that Difference of Tradition, which is proper for Youth: In which Point it were foon faid, Confult the Schools of the Jefuits; for nothing that has come into Ufe and Practice, can be better than they are. However, we will, according to our Fashion, fuggeft a few Things after the Manner of Gleaners. We do by all means approve a Collegiate Education of

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Child