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64 Erasmus
further design than to understand one another?
What use of Logick, where there was no bickering
about the double-meaning words? What need
of Rhetorick, where there were no Law-suits ?
Or to what purpose Laws, where there were no
ill manners? from which without doubt good
Laws first came. Besides, they were more
religious than with an impious curiosity to dive
into the secrets of Nature, the dimension of
Starrs, the motions, effects, and hidden causes
of things; as believing it a crime for any man
to attempt to be wise beyond his condition.
And as to the Inquiry of what was beyond
Heaven, that madness never came into their
heads. But the purity of the golden age declin¬
ing by degrees, first, as I said before, Arts were
invented by the evil Genii; and yet but few,
and those too receiv’d by fewer. After that the
Chaldean Superstition and Greek newfangled¬
ness, that had little to do, added I know not
how many more; meer torments of Wit, and
that so great that even Grammar alone is work
enough for any man for his whole life.
Though yet amongst these Sciences those
only are in esteem that come nearest to common