Abstract of Logic, Title page – Poem 3
Monitio Logica OR, An Abſtract AND TRANSLATION OF Burgerſdicius HIS LOGICK.
By a Gentleman.
Quod fuit in Logicis—accipe, & ecce! tuum eſt.—
LONDON, Printed for Ric. Cumberland at the Angel in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1697.
Mar. 25, 1697. Mr. Houghton,
I have look'd over this Verſion, and do think it well done.
M. S.
TO THE READER.
SInce Logick is encourag'd and adorn'd by the Care and Pains of ſo many Learn'd Men, and is in the Hands of ſo many Youths, as are not only in our own, …ut Foreign Univerſities alſo, who all ſtudy and practiſe it; What need I ſay any more in the Praiſe of it? If we conſider it but ſlightly, it will appear …o be neceſſary: And if we pry into its Nature, we ſhall find ſomething in it that …s Divine: The Ʋnderſtanding of Mankind is ſo Clouded with Ignorance, …hat, no Wonder if almoſt every thing ſeems either Sophiſtical or Obſcure, un…eſs regulated by the Rules of Logick. What more requiſite for the acquiring the …rue Knowledge of things, or more profitable and conducive to the Explaining …he Eſſence of them, than that Science, to which it is proper to define the Manner of defining and dividing?
Let other Arts have their peculiar Dignities and Advantages, whilſt this triumphs over all, improves the Reaſon, adorns the Mind, and nobilitates the Ʋnderſtanding: By this it is that we are enabl'd, with more Eaſe, to unfold the Myſteries of Nature, and inveſtigate the occult Qualities of things. Let Democritus feign that Truth lies hidden at the Bottom of a Well, Logick will dive and fetch it out: Let Anaxagoras affirm that all things are involv'd with thick Darkneſs, this will bring them to Light, and exhibit them to our View: This informs our Judgments, whets our Minds, and when wandring in Error, reduces them to the right Way: This detects the Frauds of Sophiſters, and undoes their Knots: So that not unworthily might it be called by the Philoſophers, ARS ARTIUM & SCIENTIA SCIENTIARUM.
Let the Geometricians then be confin'd to their Circles and Meaſures, the Arithmeticians to their Numbers, the Politicians to their Republick, the Aſtronomers to the Stars, the Oeconomiſts to their Houſhold Affairs; yet this our Logick will be free and aſſociate it ſelf with every thing. What Confuſion and Noiſe do we often hear among the Vulgar, who have no Knowledge of theſe things, and are perfectly unskill'd in the making of Syllogiſms? This Learning belongs to the Logician; this chiefly is the Product of his Rules. Lay we aſide then the Ludicrous Fables of Poets, and the wonderful Figments of Orators, as being more grateful to the Ears, than profitable to the Minds of Men. 'Tis Logick, only, which inſtructs the Judgment, and informs the Minds of the Erroneous: To this, properly, it belongs to ſpeak of Reaſon with Reaſon: This ſearches out the Meanings of Words and Things, and explains them; leſt our Minds ſhould be impoſed upon, and our Ʋnderſtandings brought into Snares. We admire Grammar, which has deliver'd the Rudiments of Languages. We admire alſo Rhetorick, which has taught us the Way of Adorning our Speech; with other Arts, which ſeem either Profitable or Delightful to us: But let Logick have the Praeeminence, which ſerves not only for one, but many Ʋſes; which corrects as well the External as Internal Acts of our Minds, delivering us from BARBARISM, as well as anſwering our Doubts. —
How much then is owing to the Honourable and Ingenious Author of this Tranſlation and Abridgment, who by Contracting and Improving BURGERSDICIUS, and by putting him into ENGLISH has accommodated the Rules and Precepts thereof to Vulgar Capacity? To a Work ſo well done, and upon ſo good an Account, Let the beſt of Orators endeavour to give due Praiſe. I do not think fit to attempt it, leſt my Ʋnskilfulneſs in ſpeaking ſhould ſeem to fall far ſhort of its deſerved Commendation. Take in good Part what this Noble Perſon has deſign'd for the Publick Good The Work commends it ſelf: Read it, therefore, with Diligence, and Candour, and whatſoever thou findeſt in it either profitable or delightful, To the Author be the Glory, Thee the Advantage.
Farewel.
VIRO Nobili & Amico Clariſſimo Interpreti Burgerſdiciano Doctiſſimo.
ARtes didicit Graecia primum.
Logicen Primas inter & Artes.
Graecia docuit Literis Clara;
Graiiſque dedit, quas viciſſent
Primùm Gentes, Ore rotundo,
Pugno funditùs hinc contracto,
Perdere totas.
Logicen Rerum Domini Romae
Bellis Alti coluêre Patres;
Logicen coluit Docta Juventus,
Grandior illâ, quàm de Perſis,
Quos ducebat Roma Triumphis,
Atque Auguſtior.
Hinc Gallos & Britonas viſit:
Viſit, ſed vix cognita Veſte
Quâ delituit, Viſu horridior,
Nec Romanâ, nec Graecanicâ,
Romanam ex Graecanicâ, licet
Sunt qui dicunt Logices linguam,
Factam ab utriſque.
Sic delituit tot per ſaec'la,
Sic latuiſſet ſaec'la per omnia,
Ignota ſibi, nec nota ſuis;
Veſtris donec fulgida Curis,
Vir de Logicis, qui ſis maxime
Meritus, vitam vivit nobilem,
Cunctis, & ſibi poſt haec cognita,
Linguâ callent, quam Anglica Regna
Et callebunt Gentes diſſitae,
Ex auſpiciis Principis optimi
Soli ſimilis ſibi WILLELMI PII ET INVICTI.
Salve, Ratio, Particula Aurae
Divinae! Dux Vitae, Ratio,
Salve! Coelo dilapſa breves
Animae vires renovatura!
Per te, noſmet quod novimus eſt;
Te quòd novimus acceptum damus
(Quotcunque Angli) Burgenſdicii
Interpreti; In hoc Burgerſdicio
Majori, quòd cùm verba dedit
Sola Ille, Hic Res, Logicénque docet,
Logicen, Ipſa ut voluit diſci,
Clarè, brevitèr, Methodo certâ,
Sermone, Pari Rebus, Forti,
Dulci & Acuto.
Hoc Vir Nobilis eſt tuum, & eſt Tibi, ut
Totum quod ineſt Logicae Noſtrum eſt:
Parvum hoc. Totum quod habet Logice,
Gaudetque Suo, Tuum Opus magnum eſt;
Generoſum Ardens, Arduum, & omni Laude Perennius.
S. W.
A L'Autheur ſur ſon ingenieuſe Logique Anglois. Stances.
ANglois qui n'éntendez ni Francois ni Latin;
Qui pourtant deſirez ſçavoir bien la Phisique
Et de châque Science apprendre tout le fin,
Il vous faut en Anglois apprendre la Logique.
Ariſtôte, Platôn, Scotus, Saint Auguſtin,
L'expert Legiſlateur, l'habile Politique;
Celuy qui ſçait le Droit ſoit humain ſoit divin,
Ce qu'il ſçait, il le doit à l'Art de la Logique.
Le Stile en celle cy me paroiſt élegant;
Son ſubjet eſt choiſi; la Phraſe eſt naturelle.
Lis la done, cher Lecteur, tu deviendras ſçavant,
Elle eſt claire, elle eſt courte, elle eſt ſolide & belle.
P. Berault.
By the Ingenious Mrs. L. C. upon the ſame Occaſion.
GO on great Sir, ſucceſsfully implant
Good Rules of Learning in ſuch
Youth as want;
And then, no doubt, Poſterity will praiſe
Thy Excelently well improved Days.
This admirable Work with ſpeed diſplay,
And to great Truth direct the perfect way.
Thus, the inſtructed World ſhall thankful be,
And gratefully extol thy Charity.
Which like the Sun, extends it uſeful Light,
And diſſipates the Shadows of our Night;
Whilſt Wiſdom here in England does remain,
Like Benefits impart and Fame obtain.
L. C.