sinceritie are true Philosophie; as for other Sciences,
and tending elsewhere, they are but garish paintings.
I would faine have Paluel or Pompey, those two excellent
dauncers of our time, with all their nimblenesse, teach
any man to doe their loftie tricks and high capers,
only with seeing them done, and without stirring out
of his place, as some Pedanticall fellowes would instruct
our minds without moving or putting it in practice.
And glad would I be to find one that would teach us
how to manage a horse, to tosse a pike, to shoot-off
a peece, to play upon the lute, or to warble with
the voice, without any exercise, as these kind of
men would teach us to judge, and how to speake well,
without any exercise of speaking or judging.
In which kind of life, or as I may terme it, Prentiship,
what action or object soever presents itselfe into
our eies, may serve us in stead of a sufficient booke.
A prettie pranke of a boy, a knavish tricke of a page,
a foolish part of a lackey, an idle tale or any discourse
else, spoken either in jest or earnest, at the table
or in companie, are even as new subjects for us to
worke upon: for furtherance whereof, commerce
or common societie among men, visiting of forraine
countries, and observing of strange fashions, are
verie necessary, not only to be able (after the manner
of our yong gallants of France) to report how many
paces the Church of Santa Rotonda is in length or breadth,
or what rich garments the curtezan Signora Livia weareth,
and the worth of her hosen; or as some do, nicely
to dispute how much longer or broader the face of
Nero is, which they have seene in some old ruines
of Italie, than that which is made for him in other
old monuments else-where. But they should principally
observe, and be able to make certaine relation of
the humours and fashions of those countries they have
seene, that they may the better know how to correct
and prepare their wits by those of others. I would
therefore have him begin even from his infancie to
travell abroad; and first, that at one shoot he may
hit two markes he should see neighbour-countries,
namely where languages are most different from ours;
for, unlesse a mans tongue be fashioned unto them
in his youth, he shall never attaine to the true pronunciation
of them if he once grow in yeares. Moreover,
we see it received as a common opinion of the wiser
sort, that it agreeth not with reason, that a childe
be alwaies nuzzled, cockered, dandled, and brought
up in his parents lap or sight; forsomuch as their
naturall kindnesse, or (as I may call it) tender fondnesse,
causeth often, even the wisest to prove so idle, so
over-nice, and so base-minded. For parents are
not capable, neither can they find in their hearts
to see them checkt, corrected, or chastised, nor indure
to see them brought up so meanly, and so far from
daintinesse, and many times so dangerously, as they
must needs be. And it would grieve them to see
their children come home from those exercises, that