After this would be the proper time for reading Aristotle’s Rhetoric:  for, as is well remark’d by that great man, who possessed all the arts and sciences in an eminent degree, from Morals and Politics must the arguments be drawn that are to convince mens understandings; that is to say, it is impossible to be truly eloquent without extensive knowledge.  The better to perceive the use of the precepts it would be proper to read with attention some Orations of Demosthenes and Cicero, particularly those which relate to public Affairs, such as the Philippics, the Olinthiacs, the Oration pro lege Manilia, that against the Agrarian Law, and some others.  The next thing, to be applied to is Jus publicum, that is to say, the knowledge of the different forms of government, the Conventions between Nations, and, in fine, whatever regards Peace and War.  The treatises of Plato and Cicero On Laws shew in what manner the principles of this law are to be deduced from morality.  It will not be unprofitable to read likewise, or at least to run over the second book of St. Thomas Aquinas, especially what he says of Justice and Laws:  The Pandecta, particularly the first and last book, the first and the three last books of Justinian’s Codex, point out the use to be made of those principles.  The Lawyers who have best handled the questions relating to the Law of Nations and Jus publicum, are Vasques, Hotoman, and Gentilis.  After the acquisition of these several branches of knowledge, the study of History will be extremely useful, by the application which may be made of the examples to the precepts.  History is to be begun with an abridgement of universal history; such as Justin, Florus, and the abridgement of Livy.  But in reading History a man ought to please his own taste:  for they all contain many useful things:  and we retain best those we read with pleasure.  In general, we ought not to begin with the most ancient, but with such as, being nearer our own times, have greater relation with what we know already:  we may afterwards go back to what is more distant.  It is proper to observe, that there is more advantage to be reaped from reading the Greek historians who have written the history of Rome, than the Latin, who have treated the same subject; because Foreigners give more attention to the public manners and customs, than the Natives.

M. du Maurier received this Letter with the highest satisfaction; he permitted several copies to be taken of it, and it was printed by the Elzevirs in 1637, in a collection of several Methods of Study, under the title of De omni genere studiorum recte instituendo.

Grotius acquaints us[70] that it was published with out his consent.

FOOTNOTES: 

[69] Ep. 54. p. 17.

[70] Ep. 740. p. 976.

BOOK II.