The Elements of Logic, Title page – Dedication 1
THE ELEMENTS OF LOGICK By PETER DV MOVLIN.
Tranſlated out of the French Copie by NATHANAEL DE-LAVVNE, Bachelour of Arts in Cambridge.
With the Authors approbation.
LONDON, Printed by I. D. for Nicholas Bourne, at the Royall Exchange. 1624.
TO THE RIGHT VVorſhipfull, Robert Debney, Eſquire, Maior of the Citie of Norwich, Sir Thomas Hyrne, Knight, Sir Peter Gleane, Knight, and the reſt of the Worſhipfull Iuſtices of Peace, with the Sherifs and Aldermen of the Citie of Norwich.
Right Worſhipfull and right Worthy SENATORS;
SOme ignorant People imagining Logick to be nothing elſe but a kind of Sophiſtrie to deceiue the ſimple, hauehave not ſpared to caſt aſperſions vponupon this noble Art, and alſo vponupon the publick Schooles where it is taught; affirming that ſuch as were ſent thither did but learne to turne white into black, & black into white, to ſerve their owne purpoſes, and to make people beleeue what they liſt. I wiſh that ſuch men would take the paines to reade over this Booke, or at leaſt conſider but the definition and nature of Logick here ſet downe in the very firſt lines of the ſame, and then I ſuppoſe they will eaſily perceiue that they hauehave but ſmall reaſon to ſpeake againſt the rule of reaſon. The beſt things may be abuſed; and ſo may Logick by a contentious caviling ſpirit: but the fault is not to be imputed to the thing, no more then drunkenneſſe to good Wine; but to the perſon, as good meates are corrupted by a bad ſtomacke, or ſweet oyle by a ſtinking veſſell For Logick teacheth not to practice quirkes and deceits, but to diſcover and avoyde them; as the laſt lines of this booke doe ſhew. All Iudicious Authors both ſacred and prophane hauehave ever honoured this Art, and endowed it with right noble Titles. They hauehave ſtyled it the Art of Arts, the ſcience of ſciences, Dounhami Orat: ad auditores.the learning of learnings, the chiefe of all knowledges, the inſtrument of inſtruments, the hand of Philoſophy, an Art ſent from God, yea and ſaid that God himſelfe is foreign, the beſt Logician: for indeed He is the beſt and trueſt Rule of all reaſon and vnderſtanding. Which being that facultie that Logick laboureth to perfect, this Art is ſo much more excellent then all other Arts and Sciences, by how much the vnderſtanding ſurpaſſeth other faculties and powers of ſoule and bodie. It is the mould and frame into the which all other Arts and Profeſſions muſt be caſt, and without which they are no arts. It frames it ſelfe and them, and trieth them all by the infallible Rules of Truth, Iuſtice, and Prudence, termed by the Greekes foreign, and foreign. It is the liuely ſpring of invention, the tribunall of iudgement, and the beſt Art of memorie. And ſay that a man be of the ſoundeſt braine and beſt naturall parts that can be, yet he may be bettered by this Art of Logick. For Art perfects Nature. And indeed without this helpe, nothing can be ſo wittily and readily invented, nor ſo truely and confidently affirmed, nor ſo methodically and orderly diſpoſed, nor ſo well and ſafely remembred. This is the onelyonly Art which diving into the depth of mans vnderſtanding, teacheth how to teach, and how to learne, and makes a man know that he knoweth; as the eye ſeeth that it doth ſee, by reflection vponupon a looking Glaſſe.
Now conſidering that every man hath a ſpeciall intereſt in the vſe of naturall reaſon, why ſhould any man envie another the ſight and knowledge of this Art, which ſhould direct it. The learned Author having long ſince publiſhed a very excellent Logick in Latin for the Schooles, hath notwithſtanding thought it not amiſſe to giuegive his Countrymen this other in their vulgar Language. I hope therefore that ſheltring my ſelfe vnderunder the Shield of ſo judicious a Precedent, I ſhall eaſily eſcape the darts of ſuch as would carpe at this my Tranſlation of it out of the French into Engliſh; ſeeing it may as well profit the Engliſh as the French. And howſoever our Country wanted not this Art alreadie in Engliſh, yet the more Candles the better light. I will not heere enter vponupon the commendation of this learned man, or of his Worke: I ſhould but leſſen his worth by the meaneſs of my perſon and skill, and as it were light a Candle to the Sunne.
I had rather turn my ſpeech vntounto You, (worthy Senators,) vntounto whom I hauehave emboldened my ſelfe to Dedicate theſe firſt fruits of my Studies, hūbly entreating your Worſhips to accept of this my poore labour, as a publicke teſtimony of my deſire to bee thankefull vntounto you all, for that it pleaſed your worthy Senatehouſe to chooſe me out of your Grammer Free-Schoole, & to ſend me as your poore Scholar to Corpus Chriſti Colledge in Cambridge in the yeare 1618. Thus craving pardon for my boldneſs, hoping your kinde acceptance, I ſhall ſtill pray for your Worſhips long liues, and happie governement of this famous Citie, reſting
Your Worſhips in all Chriſtian dutie to be commanded, NATHANAEL DE-LAVVNE.