Works of Joseph Hall, Section 10
SECT. X.
YEA ſo farre is our ordinary Trauell from perfecting the intellectiue powers of our Gentrie, that it rather robs them of the very deſire of perfection. For what diſcouragements ſhall they finde from the louelove of ſtudies, in thoſe parts which are moſt ſought to for ciuility? Who knowes not that they are growne to that height of debauchment, as to hold learning a ſhame to Nobility; eſteeming it as a fit guard for the long robe only, too baſe for their Tiſſues? An opinion ſo ſauouring of proud ignorance, and ignorant looſeneſſe; that I cannot honour it with a confutation. Who would thinke that the reaſonable ſoule of men not profeſſedly barbarous, ſhould bee capable of ſuch a monſter? What is learning, but reaſon improued? And can reaſon ſo farre degenerate, as to hate and contemne it ſelfe? Were theſe men made only for a ſword, or a dogge, or an horſe? OnelyOnly for ſport or execution? I know not wherein Lewis the Eleuenth ſhewed himſelfe vnwitty, but in the charge which hee gaue to his Sonne, to learne no more Latine, but, Qui neſcit diſsimulare, neſcit viuere: and would this alone teach him to rule well? Doth the Art of Arts (ſuch is the gouernment of men) require no grounds but diſſimulation, or ignorance? Euen to the feeding of hogges, or ſheepe, there is more or better skill neceſſarie. How vnlike is this to a ſucceſſor of Charles the great, whoſe word it had wont to bee, that hee had rather abound in knowledge, than wealth? In the Court of our King Henry the Eighth, a certaine great Peere (of this diet) could ſay, it was enough for Noblemens ſonnes to winde their horne, and carry their Hawke faire; that ſtudie was for the children of a meaner ranke: To whom Pace iuſtly replied, that then Noblemen muſt be content that their children may winde their hornes, and carry their Hawkes, while meaner mens ſonnes do weild the affaires of State. Certainly, it is a blinde and lame gouernment that lacks learning; whoſe ſubiects, what are they elſe, but as lims of a body whoſe head wanteth ſenſes, which muſt needs therefore faile of either motion, or ſafety? From hence it is, that ſo few of the forraine Nobles are ſtudious, in compariſon of ours; (in which regard I am not aſhamed to recant that which myvn-experience hath (out of hearſay) written in praiſe of the French education) and thoſe few that hauehave ſtolne the turning ouer of bookes, hide their skill, leſt they ſhould be made to bluſh at their vertue. What braue Trophees and rich monuments hath the pen of our gracious Soueraigne raiſed of himſelf vntounto all poſterities? When ignorance and malice hauehave ſhot their bolt, the glory of his great wiſdome, and knowledge, ſhall more fill the mouthes and affect the hearts of all ſucceeding ages,Edicto del Rey Don Phelippe a Eſpana contra e Tractado della Monarchia de Sicilia enxerido por Ceſar Baronio Cardinal on el Tomo vndecimo de ſus Annales E…cleſiaſticos. than of his greatneſſe. Paul the fift, and his greateſt Chaplaines, Bellarmine and Perron, hauehave felt the weight of his hand; whereas the great King that ſtiles himſelfe Catholike, when hee comes to paſſe his cenſorious edict vponupon Cardinall Baronius (who in the eleuenth Tome of his Hiſtorie ſeemed too buſie in faſtening the Title of the Kingdome of Sicilie vponupon the Pope) profeſſeth to ground his intelligence of this wrong onelyonly vponupon others eyes; as if a booke (though of a Cardinall) were too meane an obiect for the view of Maieſtie. And as all ſubordinate greatneſſe flowes from the head, ſo doe commonly alſo the diſpoſitions; Neither hauehave the Doctors of the Romiſh Church (vponupon whom the implicite faith of the Laitie is ſuſpended) found it any ill policie, to cheriſh this diſlike of bookiſhneſſe in the great: for whiles the candle is out, it is ſafe for them to play their tricks in the darke: and if the Aſsyrians be once blinded, how eaſily may they bee lead into the midſt of any Samaria? If the light of knowledge might freely ſhine to the world, Popery would ſoone be aſhamed of it ſelfe, and vaniſh amongſt the workes of darkneſſe. Now how well theſe examples, and this conuerſation, ſhall whet the appetite vntounto good ſtudies, it cannot be hard to iudge.