to be; and therefore now not fo fitte a place as fome do counte it, for yong men to fetch "either wifedome or honefty from thence. For "furelie they will make others but bad fcholers, "that be fo ill masters to themselves."

"If you think," fays this learned man in another place," that we judge amiffe, and write ❝too fore against you, heare what the Italian

fayth of the Englishman; what the master "reporteth of the scholer, who uttereth plainlie "what is taught by him, and what is learned

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by you, faying, Englefe Italianato, e un Diabolo "incarnato: that is to fay, You remain men in "fhape and facion, but become Devils in life and converfation.

I was once in Italie myfelf, but I thank "God my abode there was but nine daies; and yet I fawe in that little tyme in one citie (Venice) more libertie to finne, than I ever yet heard tell of in London in nine yeare."

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Afcham thus excellently illuftrates the dif ference between perfons of quick and of sound parts:

"Commonlie, men very quicke of witte be "alfo very light of conditions; and thereby very "readie of difpofition to be carried over quick.

"lie by any light companie to any riot and un"thriftineffe when they be young; and there"fore feldom either honeft of life, or riche in "living, when they be old. For quicke in wit "and light in manners be either feldome "troubled, or very foon wery, in carrying a "verie hevie pursfe. Quick wittes also be in "most part of all their doings over quick, haftie, "rafhe, headie, and brainficke. These two last "wordes, Headie and Brainficke, be fitte and proper wordes, rifing naturally of the matter, "and tearmed aptlie by the condition of over "much quicknesse of witte."

"They be like trees, that fhew forth faire "bloffoms and broad leaves in fpring time, but "bring out fmall and not long lasting fruit in

ye

harvest time, and that only fuch as fall and "rotte before they be ripe, and fo never or fel"dome come to any good at all. For this "fhall find most true by experience, that amongst " a number of quicke wittes in youth, fewe be "found, in the end, either verie fortunate for

themselves, or very profitable to ferve the "Commonwealth, but decay and vanish, men "know not which way, except a verie fe ve, to whom peradventure blood and happy parent"age

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age may perchance purchase a long standing upon the stage."

"Contrariewife, a witte in youth that is not "over dulle, heavie, knottie, and lumpishe, but "hard, tough, and though fomewhat staffifhe (as

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Tullie wifheth, otium quietum non languidum, "et negotium cum laborẻ, non cum periculo); fuch a witte, I fay, if it be at the firft well handled "by the mother, and rightlie fmoothed and wrought as it fhould, not overwartlie, and "against the wood, by the fcholemaster, both "for learning and hole course of living, proveth "alwaies the best. In woode and stone, not the "foftest but hardest be alwaies apteft for por"traiture, both faireft for pleasure, and moft "durable for profit. Hard wittes be hard to "receive, but fure to keepe; painful without "wearieneffe, heedfull without wavering, con"ftant without newfangleneffe; bearing heavy

thinges, though not lightlie yet willinglie; entring hard thinges, though not eafilie yet deeplie; and fo come to that perfectneffe of learning in the end, that quick wittes feem in hope, but do not in dede, or else verie seldome, ever attaine unto. Alfo, for manners and "lyfe, hard wittes commonlie are hardlie carried "either to defire everie newe thinge, or else to "marvel

04

"marvel at everie strange thinge; and therefore 66 they be carefull and diligent in their own mat→ "ters, not curious and bufey in other men's "affaires, and fo they become wife themselves, "and alfo are counted honeft by others. They "be grave, ftedfaft, filent of tongue, fecret of "hart: not hastie in making, but constant in

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keepinge any promise: not rafhe in uttering, "but ware (wary) in confidering every matter: "and thereby not quicke in speaking, but deepe "of judgement, whether they write or give "counfell in all weightie affaires. And theis be "the men that become in the ende both most "happie for themselves, and alwaies beft efteemed "abrode in the world."

MR. PAGE.

IN the golden days of good Queen Befs, those halcyon days to which every Englishman affects to look up with rapture, the punishment for a libel was fometimes striking off the hand of the unfortunate offender. Mr. Page, who had written a pamphlet upon the Queen's marriage with the Duke of Anjou, fuffered that punishment; and, according to that very elegant miscellany the "Nuga Antique," made the following manly > and

and spirited speech upon the fcaffold before hist hand was chopped off.

"Fellow-countrymen, I am come hither to "receive the law according to my judgment, and "thanke the God of all; and of this I take "God to witness, (who knoweth the hartes of "all men,) that as I am forrie I have offended "her Majeftie, fo did I never meane harme to "her Majestie's perfon, crown or dignity, but "have been as true a fubject as any was in "England to the best of my abilitie, except

none. Then holding up his right hand, he "faid, This hand did I put to the plough, and ແ got my living by it many years. If it would "have pleased her Highnefs to have taken my ❝ left hand, or my life, fhe had dealt more fa"vourably with me; for now I have no means "to live; but God (which is the Father of us "all) will provide for me. I beseech you all,

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good people, to pray for me, that I may take "my punishment patiently. And fo he laid "his right hand upon the block, and prayed the "executioner to dispatch him quickly. At two "blows his hand was taken off. So lifting up "the bleeding stump, and pointing to the block, "he faid to the by-ftanders, See, I have left "there a true Englishman's hand. And fo he "went from the scaffold very stoutly, and with "great courage."