What the Great Philosopher1 hath observed of Mens Bodies, is, upon so much stronger Reasons, true of their Minds, by how much our Intellectual Maturity is more lingering, and sluggish than our Natural, That the too Early Conceptions and Issues of them do usually ⟨image 3⟩prove but weak and unuseful. And we shall seldom find, but that those venturous Blossoms, whose over-hasty obedience to the Early Spring doth anticipate their proper season, and put forth too soon, do afterwards for their former boldness suffer from the injury of severer weather, except at least some happy shelter, or more benign influence redeem them from danger. The like Infelicity I find my self obnoxious unto at this time. For I know not out of what disposition of mind, whether out of love of Learning (for *Love is venturous, and conceives difficult things easier then they are) or whether out of a Resolution to take some account from my self of those few years wherein I had then been planted in the happiest of all Soils, the Schools of Learning; whether upon these, or any other Inducements, so it hath happened, that I long since have taken boldness in the Minority of my Studies to write this ensuing Treatise: That before I adventured on the endeavour of ⟨image 3⟩knowing other things, I might first try whether I knew my self. Least I should justly incur the Censure, which that *sour Philosopher past upon Grammarians. That they were better acquainted with the evils of Ulysses then with their own. This hasty resolution having produced so untimely an issue, It happened by some accident to be like Moses in his Infancy exposed to the Seas. Where I made no other account, but that its own weakness would there have revenged my former boldness, and betrayed it unto perishing. But as he then, so this now, hath had the marvellous felicity to light on the view, and fall under the compassion of a very Gracious Princess. For so far hath your Highness vouchsafed (having happened on the sight of this Tractate) to express favour thereunto, as not only to spend hours in it, and require a Transcript of it, but further to recommend it by your Gracious judgement unto public view. In which particular I was not to advice with mine own Opinion, ⟨image 4⟩being to express my humblest acknowledgement to your Highness.
WHat the Great Philosopher1 hath observed of Mens Bodies, is, upon so much stronger Reasons, true of their Mindes, by how much our Intellectuall Maturity is more lingring, and sluggish than our Naturall, That the too Early Conceptions and Issues of them doe usually ⟨image 3⟩proove but weake and unusefull. And we shall seldome find, but that those venturous Blossoms, whose over-hastie obedience to the Early Spring doth anticipate their proper season, and put forth too soone, doe afterwards for their former boldnesse suffer from the injury of severer weather, except at least some happy shelter, or more benigne influence redeeme them from danger. The like Infelicity I finde my selfe obnoxious unto at this time. For I know not out of what disposition of minde, whether out of love of Learning (for *Love is venturous, and conceives difficult things easier then they are) or whether out of a Resolution to take some account from my selfe of those few yeares wherein I had then been planted in the happiest of all Soyles, the Schooles of Learning; whether upon these, or any other Inducements, so it hath happened, that I long since have taken boldnesse in the Minority of my Studies to write this ensuing Treatise: That before I adventured on the endevour of ⟨image 3⟩knowing other things, I might first try whether I knew my selfe. Least I should justly incurre the Censure, which that *sowre Philosopher past upon Grammarians. That they were better acquainted with the evils of Vlysses then with their owne. This hasty resolution having produced so untimely an issue, It hapned by some accident to be like Moses in his Infancy exposed to the Seas. Where I made no other account, but that its own weaknesse would there have revenged my former boldnesse, and betrai'd it unto perishing. But as he then, so this now, hath had the marvellous felicity to light on the view, and fall under the compassion of a very Gracious Princesse. For so farre hath your Highnesse vouchsafed (having hapned on the sight of this Tractate) to expresse fauour thereunto, as not onely to spend houres in it, and require a Transcript of it, but further to recommend it by your Gracious judgement vnto publike view. In which particular I was not to advice with mine owne Opinion, ⟨image 4⟩being to expresse my humblest acknowledgement to your Highnesse.
- 1Aristot. polit. lib. 7, cap. 16.
- *Amo• dixit […]. [Greek or Hebrew] •l. R•dig. l. 16. […]. 15.Amo• dixit 〈…〉. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 •l. R•dig. l. 16. 〈…〉. 15.
- *[…] […] […] •. 6.〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 •. 6.
