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worke a wavering betweene hope and feare, and so keepe the minde in suspence from setling and accommodating in patience, and resolution; hereof the common fourmes are, Better eye out, then alwayes ake, make or marre, &c.

For the second braunch of this couler, it depends upon the same generall reason: hence grew the common place of extolling the beginning of every thing,

Dimidium facti qui bene cœpit habet.

This made the Astrologers so idle as to iudge of a mans nature and destiny by the constellation of the moment of his nativitie, or conception. This couler is reprehended, because many inceptions are but as Epicurus termeth them, tentamenta, that is, imperfect offers, and essayes, which vanish and come to no substance without an iteration, so as in such cases the second degree seemes the worthyest, as the body-horse in the Cart, that draweth more then the forehorse, hereof the common fourmes are, The second blow makes the fray, The second word makes the bargaine, Alter principium dedit, alter [modum] abstulit, &c. Another reprehension of this couler is in respect of defatigation, which makes perseverance of greater dignitie then inception, [for chaunce or instinct of nature may cause inception,] but setled affection or iudgement maketh the continuance.

Thirdly, this couler is reprehended in such things which have a naturall course, and inclination contrary to an inception. So that the

inception is continually evacuated and gets no start, but there behoveth perpetua inceptio, as in the common fourme. Non progredi, est regredi, Qui non proficit, deficit: Running against the hill: Rowing against the streame, &c. For if it be with the streame or with the hill, then the degree of inception is more then all the rest.

Fourthly, this couler is to be understoode of gradus inceptionis à potentia, ad actum comparatus; cum gradu ab actu ad incrementum: For otherwise], maior videtur gradus ab impotentia ad potentiam, quàm a potentia ad actum.

FINIS.

Printed at London by Iohn Windet
for Humfrey Hooper.

1597.

APPENDIX

ESSAIES

OF STUDIES

CAP: I

TUDIES serue for pastimes, for ornaments,

STU

for abilities: their cheife vse for pastimes is in privatenes, and retiring: for ornaments, in discourse; and for ability in Iudgement: for expert men can execute, but learned are men more fit to Iudge, and censure: to spende to much time in them is sloth: to vse them to much for ornament is affectation: to make Iudgement wholely by their rules is the humor of a scholler: they perfect nature, and are themselues perfected by experience: crafty men contemne them, wise men vse them, simple men admire them. for they teache not their owne vse, but that there is a wisdome wthout them, and aboue them wonne by observation: Reade not to contradict, nor to beleeue, but to weigh, and consider. Some

bookes are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some fewe to be chewed, and disgested: that is: some are to be reade onely in partes, others to be reade but curiously, and some fewe to be reade wholely wth diligence, and attention. Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready, and writing an exact man: therefore if a man write litle he had neede of a greate memory; if he confer litle, he had neede of a present wit, and if he reade litle, he had neede haue much cunning to seeme to knowe that he doth not knowe: Histories make men wise; Poets witty: the Mathematiques subtile; Naturall Philosophie deepe: Morall graue: Logique, and Rethorique able to contende.

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