Again, Ignorance and Ineptitude in our own proper functions and miscarriage in our own Arts and professions, is an Exprobration, either1 of indiligence, or of weakness. As want of proficiency in a Student, of Elocution in an Orator, of Military wisdom in a Soldier, &c. And therefore a Physician will seldom stay to see his Patient buried, he usually departs before the sick man, because Funerals are Convicia Medi corum. Yet all Ignorance is not matter of disgrace, for some things there are below the inquiry, or Studies of some men. And therefore though Tully tells us that when Themistocles declined2 the Lute▪ he was esteemed more Ignorant then became a person of quality, yet it was a brave Apology which he made for himself, ⟨p. 308⟩That though he knew not to handle a Lute, yet3 he knew to conquer a City. And Gel• when others after a Feast sang to an Instrument, called for his great Horse, and did excellently manage that. And as it was a cautelous Answer which Favorinus gave touching Adrian the Emperor, who had censured him in his own profession of4 Grammar. That he durst not be learnedner then he who commanded thirty legions; so it was a ruer answer which another Artificer gave in the like case unto a Prince. God forbid Sir that you5 should know things of so mean a quality, better then I who owe my subsistence unto them.6
Againe, Ignorance and Ineptitude in our own proper functions and miscarriage in our owne Arts and professions, is an Exprobration, either1 of indiligence, or of weaknesse. As want of proficiancy in a Student, of Elocution in an Orator, of Military wisedome in a Souldier, &c. And therefore a Physician will seldome stay to see his Patient buried, he usually departs before the sicke man, because Funerals are Convicia Medi corum. Yet all Ignorance is not matter of disgrace, for some things there are below the inquiry, or Studies of some men. And therefore though Tully tels us that when Themistocles declined2 the Lute▪ he was esteemed more Ignorant then became a person of quality, yet it was a brave Apologie which he made for himselfe, ⟨p. 308⟩That though he knew not to handle a Lute, yet3 he knew to conquer a Citie. And Gel• when others after a Feast sang to an Instrument, called for his great Horse, and did excellently manage that. And as it was a cautelous Answer which Favorinus gave touching Adrian the Emperour, who had censured him in his owne profession of4 Grammer. That he durst not be learnedner then he who commanded thirtie legions; so it was a ruer answer which another Artificer gave in the like case unto a Prince. God forbid Sir that you5 should know things of so meane a quality, better then I who owe my subsistence unto them.6
- 1Ar•ium peccata artificibus pu•ori sunt &c.—Sen. Ep. 97.
- 2Cic. Tusc. qu. lib. 1.
- 3[…].〈…〉.
- 4Spa•tian in Adrian•.
- 5Plutarch.
- 6[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
