A Light to Grammar and All Other Arts and Sciences, Preface 2
To His worthy Friend, Mr. SAM: HARTLIB, by way of Preface.
SIR,
It was not my purpoſe that this ſhould follow at the heele of the other: But ſince it muſt be ſo, it is as neceſſary I ſhould give you ſome ſhort account of this part alſo, which promiſeth more then the firſt: That ſetting forth a light to Grammar onelyonly; this a greater, and brighter light; That opening a gate to words or languages; this to a world of Diſciplines. Libri titulus ingentis cujuſdāillecebre ad legendum. Ant. Cel. 18. 6. Meliſſus ibid.There cannot bee a fairer frontiſpice, for it seemes to hold forth the great Volume of Gods workes; And this was but a good Lure to call every man to the reading of the booke, which was the policy of an old Grammarian before me, who gave an high Title to a low Booke; and it may bee ſuſpected to bee my end alſo. But I can ſpeake clearely here, I had not a thought that way, nor could I ever bend to a mercenary deſigne.
I have well weighed Plinies Counſell aSaepe reſpiciendum eſt ad litulum., Hee that writes, muſt ſtill have an eye backe to the Title; elſe it will ſtand as ſome Portall I have ſeene, alone from the houſe, and holding no correſpondency thereunto. I cannot judge how cloſe I have kept hereto, but it was the White in my eye all along: I am ſure I had a good reſpect therunto. The firſt promiſed to ſet open the naturall Gate whereat Arts and Sciences muſt enter, and Grammar is gone in firſt of all. you may ſay now, I ſhould have carried in other Arts and Sciences after Grammar, and by the ſame way, the way of anticipation or precognition. But I have (ſo the objection may runne on) done, as if one, that profeſſed the Art of Shoo-making, ſhould not know how to make up a Shoo, but onelyonly exhibit in a readineſſe a of Shoes of all faſhious, and ſizes.
True it is, and ſo I could tell my ſelfe, That in a direct proceeding, I ſhould have made proviſion, or preparatory ſtore,for the conveying of all the Sciences into the underſtanding. But do we well conſider what a worke this had beene?
I muſt have ſet downe Generall precognitions firſt, then the particular to ſuch and ſuch Sciences, beginning in true method with the Mathematickes: for if the wit be dull, they ſharpen it; if too wandring they fixe it; if too inherent in the ſenſe, they abſtract it; ſo neceſſary they are. But what a worke had this beene to him, who is ſo ſcanted of time and abilities too? Againe, I muſt not have ſtaied here, and then when ſhould I have left off? for there are a world of diſciplines. I thought it not impoſſible, but tedious and uſeleſs to tread ſuch a maze with the Child. The Title tels us that all Sciences are lighted into the underſtanding, through the doores of the Senſes. And this is true enough, ſo certaine it is, that a child, yea a man alſo, doth taſte or reliſh no knowledge, but what he finds drencht in fleſh, and blood. Therefore in reference to my Title, my ayme was to ſteepe the Childs little judgement, as deepe as I could in his ſenſes, and from that groſſe ſubſtance to Light the Candle, whereby to convey Grammar into his underſtanding, which without doubt I have done. I hen can it not bee doubted neither, but ſith Grammar is gone in, all Sciences will, and muſt follow by the ſame light, and at the ſame doores. Thereafter my practiſe here is, by the ſenſes to enfranchiſe the underſtanding, and to make it a free Denizon of the world, which I could not doe in a readier way, then by apprompting ſingulars, ſo helping not invention only, but directing an inquiry alſo; for the faculty of wiſe interrogating is halfe Adv. 197.a knowledge: As in going of a way, we do not only gaine that part of the way which is paſſed, but wee gaine the better ſight of that part which remaineth. So every degree of proceeding giveth a light to ſomewhat more, which light, if wee ſtrengthen by drawing it forth into queſtions or places of enquiry, we do greatly advance our purſuit.
And ſo I ſhould have done; I ſhould have workt up the underſtanding by degrees, beginning at the loweſt ſtep firſt, and ſo upward, whereas I run uppreſently. It could not be otherwiſe here, for I workt with the pen: To proceed by queſtion, and anſwer (the moſt naturall way) is to goe by the hand, and by making experiments, and thence enquiries, thereby to ſteep the childs judgement the deeper in his ſenſe. And this I ſuppoſe was your ſcope when you enjoyned me this taske, ſpeaking to mee of ſenſuals (the word is ill ſpoken of as it doth deſerve, but not in this place: What ever the Logicians doe, you muſt take it in good part, or take an other) ſpeaking to mee of ſingulars (an infinite circuit to our ſcant compaſſe.) But where the way is ſo various, I muſt take a compendious path: and where the plenty ſo copious, I had beene infinite, had I minced it into particulars by way of queſtion. This is the account I can give you here, you will not ſee what all amounts unto till you come to the bottome. In the meane time, alwaies thinke me your ready friend to take part with you in the labour of love,
Hezekiah Woodward.