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CHAP. 3.
Of Grammar.
YET out of these so inconstant, and in all Ages mutable Principles of Letters and Languages, Grammar first, then the other Arts of well speaking proceeded: For when it seem'd to be of little use to know Letters, unless they were joyn'd together in a certain Method and Form, and Syllables fram'd there∣of, which at length might grow into Words and Sen∣tences
Page 13
for the understanding of Speech; then did cer∣tain Ingenious Men undertake to Ordain Rules of speaking; that is to say, the Construction of govern∣ment of Words and things signifi'd, imposing as it were a bridle upon Speech, that whatever was writ∣ten or said according to those Rules, should be well written or said, and should be the Art of well speaking, which Art they call'd Grammar. The first Inventor whereof among the Grecians is said to be Prometheus. Crates Mallotes was the first that brought it into Rome, being sent by Attalus between the second and third Punic War; which afterwards Palaemo Profess'd with great Ostentation, so that he gave a new Name thereto, calling Grammar the Po∣laemonian Art: A man so Arrogant, that he boasted That Letters had their beginning, and should dye with him; so prov'd, that he despis'd all the most Learned men of this Age; not forbearing to call Marcus Va•∣ro Hog. However, the Latin Grammar is so bar∣ren, and so much beholden to Greek Literature, that whoever understands not so much, is to be ejected out of the Number of Grammarians. Therefore all the Foundation and Reason of Grammar consists on∣ly in the use and Authority of our Ancestors, who have been pleas'd, that a thing shall be so call'd and so written, that words shall be so compounded and construed; which being so done, they esteem well done. From whence though Grammar boast it self to be the Art of well-speaking, yet doth it falsly claim that Pre-eminence, seeing that with more advantage we learn that very thing from our Mothers and Nurses, rather than from the Grammarians. The Language and Speech of the Gracchi, (who were most Eloquent Men) their Mother Cornelia polish'd and adorn'd. Istria taught her Son Siles, Son of Aripethis King of Scy∣thia, the Greek Tongue. And it is well known, that
Page 14
in many Provinces where Forreign Colonies have been introduc'd, the Children have still retain'd the Dialect of their Mothers. Hence it is, that Plato and Quin∣tilian are so careful in appointing Rules for the choice of a fit Nurse. Far be it from us therefore to acknow∣ledge the reason of well-speaking to these Gramma∣rians; who professing Grammar only, and making that their only business, yet are skill'd in nothing less. Priscian could not learn this Art in the whole time of his Life. And Didymus is said to have four, some say six thousand Books upon this Subject. They re∣port that Claudius Caesar was so given to the Greek Tongue, that he added three new Letters thereto, which he afterwards made use of when he was a Prince. Charles the Great is said to have Compil'd a Gram∣mar for the German Tongue, giving new Names to the Months and Winds. Even to this hour how men toyl and labour Day and Night! scribling con∣tinually of all sorts, Commentaries, Forms of Elegan∣cy, or Phrases, Questions, Annotations, Animadversi∣ons, Observations, Castigations, Centuries, Miscella∣nies, Antiquities, Paradoxes, Collections, Additions, Lucubrations, Editions upon Editions. And yet not one of them all, whether Grecian or Latine hath given any accompt how the Parts of Speech are to be distinguish'd, or what order is to be observ'd in their Construction; or whether there be only fifteen Pronouns, as Priscian believes, or whether more, as Di•medes and Focas will have it: whether a Participle put by its self, be some∣times a Participle, or whether Gerunds are Nouns or Verbs: why among the Greeks, Nouns plural of the Neuter Gender are joyn'd with a Verb of the singu∣lar Number: upon what accompt it may be lawful to pronounce in um, Latine words terminating a and us, as for Margarita, Margaritum; for Punctus, Punctum: how it comes that the Word Jupiter makes Jovis in
Page 15
the Genitive Case: Why many write most Latin words with a Greek Diphthong, others not; as Foelix, Quaestio: whether the Latin Diphthongs are only written, and not pronounced; or whether there be a double pronunci∣ation in one Syllable: Likewise, why in some Latine words some use the Greek y, and some the Latin i only; as in considero: Why in some words some dou∣ble the Letters, some not; as causa, caussa; religio, relli∣gio: Why the word Caccabus, by position long, by rea∣son of the double cc, is notwithstanding most com∣monly by the Poets made a Dactyle: Whether Ari∣stotles word for the Soul, ought to be writ endelechia with a Delta, or entelechia with a Tau. I omit their infinitie and never-to-be-reconcil'd contentions about Accents, Orthography, Pronounciation of Letters, Fi∣gures, Etymologies, Analogies, Declinings, manner of Signification, change of Cases, variety of Tenses, Moods, Persons, Numbers; as also about the various impediments and order of Construction. Lastly, con∣cerning the Number and Pedigree of the Latin Let∣ters, whether H be a Letter or not; and many other trifles of the same Nature: so that not only as to Words and Syllables, but also in the very Elements and Foundations of Grammar it self, no reason can be given of such their continual warfare. Such a kind of Battel as this, Lucian of Samos has very elegant∣ly describ'd, about the Consonants S and T, whether should have the Victory in the word Tbalassa, or Tha∣latta: Answerable to which, one Andreas Salernita∣nus hath with very much wit compil'd his Gramma∣tical War. But these are poor and low things; but more, and of greater Consequenc•, could we urge concerning their deprav'd significations of Words, with which they impose upon the greatest part of the Uni∣verse, not a little to the damage of the Publick Weal, while they interpret subjection to the Law, Servitude;
Page 16
Liberty of the People, they call that when every one has Liberty to do what he pleases; Acrisonomie or Equality of right they call that, when there is the same punishment, the same reward to all alike. In like manner they call that a quiet and peaceable Govern∣ment, when all things submit to the inordinate will of the Prince; That a happy Government, when the People wallow in ease and luxury. By such-like ex∣positions as these, and many other, Physick and Law are corrupted: nay, the very Scriptures, and Christ him∣self, are compell'd to be at a kind of variance one with another, and himself with himself; wresting those holy words not according to the meaning of the holy Ghost, nor to the Advantage of humane Salvation, but to the sense and meaning of their insignificant Com∣pendiums and discants thereupon: whence arise most eminent mischiefs; Error in Words, being many times the parent of Error in Matter. This mistake was grievous to Saul first King of the Jews, in the word Zobar, which signifies both a Male, and the Memory. So that when God said, I will root out the memory of Amalech, Saul thought he had sufficiently executed the Command, in destroying all the Males. The like Error befell the Greeks and Latines in the word Phos, which signifies both Light, and Man; by which ambi∣guity of the word, the ancient adorers of Saturn be∣ing deceiv'd, were wont to Sacrifice a Man in their usual Ceremonies; whereas otherwise they might have as well appeas'd their Deity by the only kindling of proper Lights and Fires: which Error was afterwards reform'd by the prudence of Hercules. Last of all, Divines and holy Friers mixing themselves among the Tribe of Grammarians, are forc'd to make use of He∣resie to make good their Contests about the significa∣tion of Words, overturning the Scriptures for Gram∣mars sake; evil Interpreters of words well spoken:
Page 17
men truly vain, and truly unhappy, blinding themselves with their own Art, and flying the Light of Truth; who while they over-diligently scrutinize into the sorce of Words, lose the sence of the Scripture, not willing to understand the word of Truth: which puts us in mind of the story of the Priest, who having many Hosts at one Elevation, for fear of committing a Grammar-absurdity, cry'd out, These are my Bodies. Whence arose that execrable Heresie of the Antidicomarianites and the Elvidians, denying the perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin, but from that one word until, where it is said, Because Joseph did not know her until she had brought forth her first-born? What strife and contention have those two Syllables from and through rais'd between the Latin and Greek Church! The Latines asserting the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and from the Son; the Greeks denying him to proceed from the Son, but from the Father through the Son. How many Tragedies has the word Nisi been the occasion of in the Council of Basil! the Bohemians asserting the Lords Supper to be necessary in both kinds, because it is written, Vnless ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, ye shall not have life in ye. Whence that Opinion of the Waldenses and others their fol∣lowers concerning the Eucharist, but from the word is, which they will have Symbolically understood, which the Roman Church would have meant Essentially? There are other pernicious Heresies of the Grammari∣ans, but so nice, so subtile, that unless the Oxonians the most acute Divines of England, or the Sorbonists of Paris, had discovered them with their Lynx's eyes, and condemned 'um under their great Seals, it would be difficult to shun them▪ of this nature are those sub∣tleties, which is best said, Christ thou Preachest, Christ Preacheth; I Believest, thou Believeth, Believing am I: also that the Word, the permanent Word, may be
Page 18
depriv'd of all its accidents: also that there is no name of the Third Person, and the like; which if they be Heretical, then are Isaias and Malachy in the first place to be accompted Hereticks, who both introduce God speaking of himself in the Third Person: the first, when God speaks to Ezechiel, saying, Ego addet, not addam super dies tuos. The other is this, Et Do∣mini Ego, ubi est timor meus? In which place he makes God giving himself the appellation of Dominos in the plural Number. Much rather ought they to be ac∣compted Hereticks, who are now esteem'd the chief Divines in the Roman World, amusing and clouding the whole Doctrine of the Orthodox Church, with noveltie of Pronunciation contrary to all the rules and maximes of Grammar, with far-strain'd words, new-made Vocabularies, and abstruse Sophisms; teaching moreover, That the Doctrine of Theology cannot be truly delivered in neat and genuine Language. And a miserable thing it is to consider, what Debates, what Errors these obstinate Grammarians and proud Sophists are the occasion of, by means of their perverse and impe∣rious Interpretations of Words; while some out of words gather Sentences; others, out of Sentences ga∣ther Words. Hence in Physick, in both Laws, in Philoso∣phy, in Theology, infinite Arguments and Errors arise. For Grammarians demonstrate nothing, but solely lean upon Authorities, which are oft-times so various and discordant among themselves, that of necessity the most of them must be false; insomuch that they who most confide in their Precepts, must be thought to ut∣ter least of all to the purpose. For all the Laws of Speech abide not with the Grammarians, but with the People, that by continual custom attain the use and ha∣bit of well-speaking. Now the vigor of the Latine Tongue after it ceased among the People, through the Invasion of barbarous Nations, the true substance thereof
Page 19
is not to be sought among the Grammarians, but among the most Authentick and Learned Authors, as Cicero, Cato, V•rro, both Plinies, Quintilian, Seneca, Sue∣tonius, Quintus Curtius, Livie, Salust, and such-like; in whose Writings only remain the delights of the Latine Language, and the Custom of well-Speaking; not in the scribblements of Grammatical Letter-mongers, who by their starch'd Rules concerning declining of Verbs and Cases, Compounds and Deponents, impose more up∣on the Latine Tongue, and oftentimes frame to them∣selves stranger words than is fit for the Latine Lan∣guage to own. Though it be apparent to the World, that there is no faith to be given to these Grammari∣ans touching the truth of the Latine Tongue, yet these impertinent Scriblers arrogate to themselves to be the only Censurers of other Mens Writings, their Judges and Interpreters, and all Books and Authors to reduce into Method, and to allow or reject at their pleasures. Never was any Author of so sublime a wit whatever extant, which has scap'd their malicious slanders, or whom they have not tax'd and calumniated as they thought good. They accuse Plato of Confusion, of whose faults George Trap•zund hath put forth several Books, who as Crinitus declares, is therefore by others call'd the Parent of Truth and Verity. They seek per∣spicuity in Aristotle, condemn him of Obscurity, giv∣ing him the nickname of Sepi• (or Cuttle-fish.) Ver∣gil they condemn for little Wit, and for being a Pla•a∣rie, and an Usurper of other mens Works. Demosthenes displeases Tully. On the ot••r side, Tully that great Rhetorician of the Latines, is accus'd of Bribery, re∣proach'd for being Fearful, superfluous in Repetitions, cold in his Joking, tedious in his Exordiums, idle in his Digressions, seldome growing Warm, slowly Swel∣ling, yea, reprehended by those even of our Age, and by Capella tax'd for his disorderly Stile, but more by
Page 20
Apollinaris branded for being Flat and Insipid. Trogus condemns Livies Orations for Fictions. Plautus and Horace cannot agree. Lucilius is damn'd for the rustick∣ness of his hobling Verse. Pliny like a Rapid Stream is said to grasp and overflow with too much Matter. Ovid is complain'd of, for too much Indulging his own Fancy. Salust is accus'd of affectation, by Assinius Pollio. Terence could do little without the assistance of Labeo and Scipio. Seneca is adjudg'd to be Lime without Sand; whom Quintilian taxed in these words: If he had not contemn'd his Equals, had he not been Co∣vetuous, had he not too much lov'd and admir'd his own things, if he had not injur'd weighty Matters with trivial Sentences, he then might have been esteemed more in the judgment of Learned Men, than in the Love of Children. Marcus Varro is call'd a Hog. Macrobius a most Learn∣ed man degraded, as one of an impudent and ungrate∣ful Genius: neither is there any that ever wrote in Latine, whom Laurentius Valla the Learnedest of all the Grammarians hath spar'd in his Anger; and yet him hath Mancinellus most cruelly butchered. Servius of old was thought to have well deserved of the Latine Tongue, yet hath Bero•ldus most furiou•ly oppos'd him; and our later Grammarians altogether shun him as a Barbarian. Thus all the Grammarians rage one against another: but lastly, by their means it comes to pass, that the Translation of the Holy Scriptures, under pretence of Correction, hath been so often chang'd, that now it seems altogether to differ from it self: Through their devices and censures, those doubts now raigning have been rais'd concerning the Revelation, the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews, the Epistle of Jude; and many other places and Chapters of the New Testament by many call'd in question, even to an endeavour of sub∣verting the Evangiles themselves. But now to the Poets
Of Grammar.
YET out of these so inconstant, and in all Ages mutable Principles of Letters and Languages, Grammar first, then the other Arts of well speaking proceeded: For when it seem'd to be of little use to know Letters, unless they were joyn'd together in a certain Method and Form, and Syllables fram'd there∣of, which at length might grow into Words and Sen∣tences
Page 13
for the understanding of Speech; then did cer∣tain Ingenious Men undertake to Ordain Rules of speaking; that is to say, the Construction of govern∣ment of Words and things signifi'd, imposing as it were a bridle upon Speech, that whatever was writ∣ten or said according to those Rules, should be well written or said, and should be the Art of well speaking, which Art they call'd Grammar. The first Inventor whereof among the Grecians is said to be Prometheus. Crates Mallotes was the first that brought it into Rome, being sent by Attalus between the second and third Punic War; which afterwards Palaemo Profess'd with great Ostentation, so that he gave a new Name thereto, calling Grammar the Po∣laemonian Art: A man so Arrogant, that he boasted That Letters had their beginning, and should dye with him; so prov'd, that he despis'd all the most Learned men of this Age; not forbearing to call Marcus Va•∣ro Hog. However, the Latin Grammar is so bar∣ren, and so much beholden to Greek Literature, that whoever understands not so much, is to be ejected out of the Number of Grammarians. Therefore all the Foundation and Reason of Grammar consists on∣ly in the use and Authority of our Ancestors, who have been pleas'd, that a thing shall be so call'd and so written, that words shall be so compounded and construed; which being so done, they esteem well done. From whence though Grammar boast it self to be the Art of well-speaking, yet doth it falsly claim that Pre-eminence, seeing that with more advantage we learn that very thing from our Mothers and Nurses, rather than from the Grammarians. The Language and Speech of the Gracchi, (who were most Eloquent Men) their Mother Cornelia polish'd and adorn'd. Istria taught her Son Siles, Son of Aripethis King of Scy∣thia, the Greek Tongue. And it is well known, that
Page 14
in many Provinces where Forreign Colonies have been introduc'd, the Children have still retain'd the Dialect of their Mothers. Hence it is, that Plato and Quin∣tilian are so careful in appointing Rules for the choice of a fit Nurse. Far be it from us therefore to acknow∣ledge the reason of well-speaking to these Gramma∣rians; who professing Grammar only, and making that their only business, yet are skill'd in nothing less. Priscian could not learn this Art in the whole time of his Life. And Didymus is said to have four, some say six thousand Books upon this Subject. They re∣port that Claudius Caesar was so given to the Greek Tongue, that he added three new Letters thereto, which he afterwards made use of when he was a Prince. Charles the Great is said to have Compil'd a Gram∣mar for the German Tongue, giving new Names to the Months and Winds. Even to this hour how men toyl and labour Day and Night! scribling con∣tinually of all sorts, Commentaries, Forms of Elegan∣cy, or Phrases, Questions, Annotations, Animadversi∣ons, Observations, Castigations, Centuries, Miscella∣nies, Antiquities, Paradoxes, Collections, Additions, Lucubrations, Editions upon Editions. And yet not one of them all, whether Grecian or Latine hath given any accompt how the Parts of Speech are to be distinguish'd, or what order is to be observ'd in their Construction; or whether there be only fifteen Pronouns, as Priscian believes, or whether more, as Di•medes and Focas will have it: whether a Participle put by its self, be some∣times a Participle, or whether Gerunds are Nouns or Verbs: why among the Greeks, Nouns plural of the Neuter Gender are joyn'd with a Verb of the singu∣lar Number: upon what accompt it may be lawful to pronounce in um, Latine words terminating a and us, as for Margarita, Margaritum; for Punctus, Punctum: how it comes that the Word Jupiter makes Jovis in
Page 15
the Genitive Case: Why many write most Latin words with a Greek Diphthong, others not; as Foelix, Quaestio: whether the Latin Diphthongs are only written, and not pronounced; or whether there be a double pronunci∣ation in one Syllable: Likewise, why in some Latine words some use the Greek y, and some the Latin i only; as in considero: Why in some words some dou∣ble the Letters, some not; as causa, caussa; religio, relli∣gio: Why the word Caccabus, by position long, by rea∣son of the double cc, is notwithstanding most com∣monly by the Poets made a Dactyle: Whether Ari∣stotles word for the Soul, ought to be writ endelechia with a Delta, or entelechia with a Tau. I omit their infinitie and never-to-be-reconcil'd contentions about Accents, Orthography, Pronounciation of Letters, Fi∣gures, Etymologies, Analogies, Declinings, manner of Signification, change of Cases, variety of Tenses, Moods, Persons, Numbers; as also about the various impediments and order of Construction. Lastly, con∣cerning the Number and Pedigree of the Latin Let∣ters, whether H be a Letter or not; and many other trifles of the same Nature: so that not only as to Words and Syllables, but also in the very Elements and Foundations of Grammar it self, no reason can be given of such their continual warfare. Such a kind of Battel as this, Lucian of Samos has very elegant∣ly describ'd, about the Consonants S and T, whether should have the Victory in the word Tbalassa, or Tha∣latta: Answerable to which, one Andreas Salernita∣nus hath with very much wit compil'd his Gramma∣tical War. But these are poor and low things; but more, and of greater Consequenc•, could we urge concerning their deprav'd significations of Words, with which they impose upon the greatest part of the Uni∣verse, not a little to the damage of the Publick Weal, while they interpret subjection to the Law, Servitude;
Page 16
Liberty of the People, they call that when every one has Liberty to do what he pleases; Acrisonomie or Equality of right they call that, when there is the same punishment, the same reward to all alike. In like manner they call that a quiet and peaceable Govern∣ment, when all things submit to the inordinate will of the Prince; That a happy Government, when the People wallow in ease and luxury. By such-like ex∣positions as these, and many other, Physick and Law are corrupted: nay, the very Scriptures, and Christ him∣self, are compell'd to be at a kind of variance one with another, and himself with himself; wresting those holy words not according to the meaning of the holy Ghost, nor to the Advantage of humane Salvation, but to the sense and meaning of their insignificant Com∣pendiums and discants thereupon: whence arise most eminent mischiefs; Error in Words, being many times the parent of Error in Matter. This mistake was grievous to Saul first King of the Jews, in the word Zobar, which signifies both a Male, and the Memory. So that when God said, I will root out the memory of Amalech, Saul thought he had sufficiently executed the Command, in destroying all the Males. The like Error befell the Greeks and Latines in the word Phos, which signifies both Light, and Man; by which ambi∣guity of the word, the ancient adorers of Saturn be∣ing deceiv'd, were wont to Sacrifice a Man in their usual Ceremonies; whereas otherwise they might have as well appeas'd their Deity by the only kindling of proper Lights and Fires: which Error was afterwards reform'd by the prudence of Hercules. Last of all, Divines and holy Friers mixing themselves among the Tribe of Grammarians, are forc'd to make use of He∣resie to make good their Contests about the significa∣tion of Words, overturning the Scriptures for Gram∣mars sake; evil Interpreters of words well spoken:
Page 17
men truly vain, and truly unhappy, blinding themselves with their own Art, and flying the Light of Truth; who while they over-diligently scrutinize into the sorce of Words, lose the sence of the Scripture, not willing to understand the word of Truth: which puts us in mind of the story of the Priest, who having many Hosts at one Elevation, for fear of committing a Grammar-absurdity, cry'd out, These are my Bodies. Whence arose that execrable Heresie of the Antidicomarianites and the Elvidians, denying the perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin, but from that one word until, where it is said, Because Joseph did not know her until she had brought forth her first-born? What strife and contention have those two Syllables from and through rais'd between the Latin and Greek Church! The Latines asserting the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and from the Son; the Greeks denying him to proceed from the Son, but from the Father through the Son. How many Tragedies has the word Nisi been the occasion of in the Council of Basil! the Bohemians asserting the Lords Supper to be necessary in both kinds, because it is written, Vnless ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, ye shall not have life in ye. Whence that Opinion of the Waldenses and others their fol∣lowers concerning the Eucharist, but from the word is, which they will have Symbolically understood, which the Roman Church would have meant Essentially? There are other pernicious Heresies of the Grammari∣ans, but so nice, so subtile, that unless the Oxonians the most acute Divines of England, or the Sorbonists of Paris, had discovered them with their Lynx's eyes, and condemned 'um under their great Seals, it would be difficult to shun them▪ of this nature are those sub∣tleties, which is best said, Christ thou Preachest, Christ Preacheth; I Believest, thou Believeth, Believing am I: also that the Word, the permanent Word, may be
Page 18
depriv'd of all its accidents: also that there is no name of the Third Person, and the like; which if they be Heretical, then are Isaias and Malachy in the first place to be accompted Hereticks, who both introduce God speaking of himself in the Third Person: the first, when God speaks to Ezechiel, saying, Ego addet, not addam super dies tuos. The other is this, Et Do∣mini Ego, ubi est timor meus? In which place he makes God giving himself the appellation of Dominos in the plural Number. Much rather ought they to be ac∣compted Hereticks, who are now esteem'd the chief Divines in the Roman World, amusing and clouding the whole Doctrine of the Orthodox Church, with noveltie of Pronunciation contrary to all the rules and maximes of Grammar, with far-strain'd words, new-made Vocabularies, and abstruse Sophisms; teaching moreover, That the Doctrine of Theology cannot be truly delivered in neat and genuine Language. And a miserable thing it is to consider, what Debates, what Errors these obstinate Grammarians and proud Sophists are the occasion of, by means of their perverse and impe∣rious Interpretations of Words; while some out of words gather Sentences; others, out of Sentences ga∣ther Words. Hence in Physick, in both Laws, in Philoso∣phy, in Theology, infinite Arguments and Errors arise. For Grammarians demonstrate nothing, but solely lean upon Authorities, which are oft-times so various and discordant among themselves, that of necessity the most of them must be false; insomuch that they who most confide in their Precepts, must be thought to ut∣ter least of all to the purpose. For all the Laws of Speech abide not with the Grammarians, but with the People, that by continual custom attain the use and ha∣bit of well-speaking. Now the vigor of the Latine Tongue after it ceased among the People, through the Invasion of barbarous Nations, the true substance thereof
Page 19
is not to be sought among the Grammarians, but among the most Authentick and Learned Authors, as Cicero, Cato, V•rro, both Plinies, Quintilian, Seneca, Sue∣tonius, Quintus Curtius, Livie, Salust, and such-like; in whose Writings only remain the delights of the Latine Language, and the Custom of well-Speaking; not in the scribblements of Grammatical Letter-mongers, who by their starch'd Rules concerning declining of Verbs and Cases, Compounds and Deponents, impose more up∣on the Latine Tongue, and oftentimes frame to them∣selves stranger words than is fit for the Latine Lan∣guage to own. Though it be apparent to the World, that there is no faith to be given to these Grammari∣ans touching the truth of the Latine Tongue, yet these impertinent Scriblers arrogate to themselves to be the only Censurers of other Mens Writings, their Judges and Interpreters, and all Books and Authors to reduce into Method, and to allow or reject at their pleasures. Never was any Author of so sublime a wit whatever extant, which has scap'd their malicious slanders, or whom they have not tax'd and calumniated as they thought good. They accuse Plato of Confusion, of whose faults George Trap•zund hath put forth several Books, who as Crinitus declares, is therefore by others call'd the Parent of Truth and Verity. They seek per∣spicuity in Aristotle, condemn him of Obscurity, giv∣ing him the nickname of Sepi• (or Cuttle-fish.) Ver∣gil they condemn for little Wit, and for being a Pla•a∣rie, and an Usurper of other mens Works. Demosthenes displeases Tully. On the ot••r side, Tully that great Rhetorician of the Latines, is accus'd of Bribery, re∣proach'd for being Fearful, superfluous in Repetitions, cold in his Joking, tedious in his Exordiums, idle in his Digressions, seldome growing Warm, slowly Swel∣ling, yea, reprehended by those even of our Age, and by Capella tax'd for his disorderly Stile, but more by
Page 20
Apollinaris branded for being Flat and Insipid. Trogus condemns Livies Orations for Fictions. Plautus and Horace cannot agree. Lucilius is damn'd for the rustick∣ness of his hobling Verse. Pliny like a Rapid Stream is said to grasp and overflow with too much Matter. Ovid is complain'd of, for too much Indulging his own Fancy. Salust is accus'd of affectation, by Assinius Pollio. Terence could do little without the assistance of Labeo and Scipio. Seneca is adjudg'd to be Lime without Sand; whom Quintilian taxed in these words: If he had not contemn'd his Equals, had he not been Co∣vetuous, had he not too much lov'd and admir'd his own things, if he had not injur'd weighty Matters with trivial Sentences, he then might have been esteemed more in the judgment of Learned Men, than in the Love of Children. Marcus Varro is call'd a Hog. Macrobius a most Learn∣ed man degraded, as one of an impudent and ungrate∣ful Genius: neither is there any that ever wrote in Latine, whom Laurentius Valla the Learnedest of all the Grammarians hath spar'd in his Anger; and yet him hath Mancinellus most cruelly butchered. Servius of old was thought to have well deserved of the Latine Tongue, yet hath Bero•ldus most furiou•ly oppos'd him; and our later Grammarians altogether shun him as a Barbarian. Thus all the Grammarians rage one against another: but lastly, by their means it comes to pass, that the Translation of the Holy Scriptures, under pretence of Correction, hath been so often chang'd, that now it seems altogether to differ from it self: Through their devices and censures, those doubts now raigning have been rais'd concerning the Revelation, the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews, the Epistle of Jude; and many other places and Chapters of the New Testament by many call'd in question, even to an endeavour of sub∣verting the Evangiles themselves. But now to the Poets