Familiar Colloquies/The Notable Art
THE NOTABLE ART.
Desiderius, Erasmus.
De. How do you succeed in your studies, Erasmus? Er. But very slowly; but I should make a better proficiency if I could obtain one thing of you. De. You may obtain anything of me, provided it be for your good; do but tell me what it is. Er. I believe there is nothing of the most hidden arts but what you are acquainted with. De. I wish I were. Er. I am told there is a certain compendious Art, that will help a Man to accomplish himself with all the liberal Sciences by a very little Labour. De. What is that you talk of? Did you ever see the Book? Er. I did see it, and that was all, having no Body to instruct me in the Use of it. De. What was the Subject of the Book? Er. It treated of various Forms of Dragons, Lions, Leopards; and various Circles, and Words written in them, some in Greek, some in Latin, and some in Hebrew, and other barbarous Languages. De. Pray, in how many Days Time did the Title-Page promise you the Knowledge of the Arts and Sciences? Er. In fourteen. De. In Truth a very noble Promise. But did you ever know any Body that has become learned by that notable Art? Er. No. De. No, nor no Body ever did, or ever will, till we can see an Alchymist grow rich. Er. Why, is there no such Art then? I wish with all my Heart there was. De. Perhaps you do, because you would not be at the Pains which is requir’d to become learned. Er. You are right. De. It seem’d meet to the divine Being, that the common Riches, Gold, Jewels, Silver, Palaces, and Kingdoms, should be bestow’d on the slothful and undeserving; but the true Riches, and such as are properly our own, must be gotten by Labour. Nor ought we to think that Labour troublesome, by which so valuable a Thing is procured; when we see a great many Men run thro’ dreadful Dangers, and work their Way thro’ unimaginable Labours, to get temporary Things, and such as are really vile too, if compar’d to Learning; and do not always attain what they strive for neither. But indeed the Pains that Studies cost, are mingled with a great Deal of Sweetness, if you make but a little Proficiency in ’em. And again, it is for the most Part in your own Power to cut off the greatest Part of the Tiresomness of attaining them.
Er. How is that to be done? De. In the first Place, by bringing your Mind to the Love of Studies. And secondly to admire ’em. Er. How must that be done? De. Consider how many Learning has enrich’d, how many it has promoted to the highest Honours: Then again, consider with yourself, how great the Difference is between a Man and a Beast. Er. You give very good Advice. De. Then you ought to tame, and bring your Mind to be consistent with itself; and to take Pleasure in those Things that bring Profit rather than Pleasure. For those Things that are honourable in themselves, altho’ they are something troublesome in the Beginning, yet they grow pleasant by Use; and by that Means you will give the Master less Trouble, and you will more easily make a Progress; according to the Saying of Isocrates, which deserves to be written in Gold Letters on the Cover of your Book; Ἐὰν ᾐ̑ς ϕιλομαθὴς ἔσῃ πολυμαθής, If thou be desirous to learn, thou shalt learn many Things well. Er. I am quick enough at Apprehension, but I presently forget what I have learned. De. Then you tell me your Vessel is leaky. Er. You’re much about the Matter; but what Remedy is there for it? De. Why, you must stop the Chinks that it don’t run out. Er. What must I stop ’em with? De. Not with Moss, nor Mortar, but with Diligence. He that learns Words, and does not understand the Meaning of ’em, soon forgets ’em; For Words, as Homer says, have Wings, and easily fly away, unless they be kept down by the Weight of the Meaning. Therefore let it be your first Care thoroughly to understand the Meaning of them, and then frequently revolve them in your Mind, and repeat them; and then, as I have said, you ought to break your Mind, that it may be able to use Application as often as is necessary; for that Mind that is so wild, that it can’t be brought to this, is not fit for Learning. Er. I know too well how hard a Matter that is.
De. Whosoever has so voluble a Mind, that it cannot fix itself upon any Thought, he neither can attend long on the Person teaching, nor fix what he has learn’d in the Memory. An Impression may be made even upon Lead, because it is fixed; but no Impression can be set upon Water or Quicksilver, because they are fluid. But if you can but bring your Mind to this, if you converse constantly with Men of Learning, whose Discourses do daily produce so many Things worthy Notice, you may learn a great Deal with but little Pains. Er. That is very right. De. For besides the Table-Talk, their daily Conversation after Dinner, you hear eight fine Sentences, collected out of the most approv’d Authors; and after Supper as many. Now do but reckon up what a Sum this will amount to in a Month, and how many more in a Year. Er. A very large Sum, if I could but remember them all. De. And then, again, when you hear nothing but true Latin spoken, what hinders you, but that you may learn Latin in a very few Months, when Lads, who have no Learning, do learn the French or Spanish Tongue in a very little Time? Er. I will take your Course, and try whether I can bring this Mind of mine to submit to the Yoke of the Muses. De. I know no other notable Art, but Industry, Delight, and Assiduity.