not done it perfitelie enough for example: which he did, neither
for lacke of skill, nor by negligence, but of purpose, contented
with one or two examples bicause he was mynded in those two
bookes, to write of it both shortlie, and also had to touch other
matters.
_Barthol. Riccius Ferrariensis_ also hath written learnedlie,
diligentlie and verie largelie of this matter euen as hee did before
verie well _de Apparatu linguæ Lat._ He writeth the better in
myne opinion, bicause his whole doctrine, iudgement, and
order, semeth to be borowed out of _Io. Stur._ bookes. He
addeth also examples, the best kinde of teaching: wherein he
doth well, but not well enough: in deede, he committeth no
faulte, but yet, deserueth small praise. He is content with the
meane, and followeth not the best: as a man, that would feede
vpon Acornes, whan he may eate, as good cheape, the finest
wheat bread. He teacheth for example, where and how, two
or three late _Italian_ Poetes do follow _Virgil_: and how _Virgil_
him selfe in the storie of _Dido_, doth wholie Imitate _Catullus_ in
the like matter of _Ariadna_: Wherein I like better his diligence
and order of teaching, than his iudgement in choice of examples
for _Imitation_. But, if he had done thus: if he had declared
where and how, how oft and how many wayes _Virgil_ doth folow
_Homer_, as for example the comming of _Vlysses_ to _Alcynous_ and
_Calypso_, with the comming of _æneas_ to _Cartage_ and
_Dido_: Like-
wise the games running, wrestling, and shoting, that _Achilles_
maketh in _Homer_, with the selfe same games, that _æneas_
maketh in _Virgil_: The harnesse of _Achilles_, with the harnesse
of _æneas_, and the maner of making of them both by _Vulcane_:
The notable combate betwixt _Achilles_ and _Hector_, with as
notable a combate betwixt _æneas_ and _Turnus_. The going
downe to hell of _Vlysses_ in _Homer_, with the going downe to hell
of _Æneas_ in _Virgil_: and other places infinite mo, as similitudes,
narrations, messages, discriptions of persones, places, battels,
tempestes, shipwrackes, and common places for diuerse purposes,
which be as precisely taken out of _Homer_, as euer did Painter in
London follow the picture of any faire personage. And when
thies places had bene gathered together by this way of diligence
than to haue conferred them together by this order of teaching
as, diligently to marke what is kept and vsed in either author,
in wordes, in sentences, in matter: what is added: what is left
_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 273
out: what ordered otherwise, either _præponendo, interponendo_, or
_postponendo_: And what is altered for any respect, in word,
phrase, sentence, figure, reason, argument, or by any way of
circumstance: If _Riccius_ had done this, he had not onely bene
well liked, for his diligence in teaching, but also iustlie com-
mended for his right iudgement in right choice of examples for
the best _Imitation_.
_Riccius_ also for _Imitation_ of prose declareth where and how
_Longolius_ doth folow _Tullie_, but as for _Longolius_, I would not
haue him the patern of our _Imitation_. In deede: in _Longolius_
shoppe, be proper and faire shewing colers, but as for shape,
figure, and naturall cumlines, by the iudgement of best iudging
artificers, he is rather allowed as one to be borne withall, than
especially commended, as one chieflie to be folowed.
If _Riccius_ had taken for his examples, where _Tullie_ him selfe
foloweth either _Plato_ or _Demosthenes_, he had shot than at the
right marke. But to excuse _Riccius_, somwhat, though I can
not fullie defend him, it may be sayd, his purpose was, to teach
onelie the Latin tong, when thys way that I do wish, to ioyne
_Virgil_ with _Homer_, to read _Tullie_ with _Demosthenes_ and
_Plato_,
requireth a cunning and perfite Master in both the tonges. It
is my wish in deede, and that by good reason: For who so euer
will write well of any matter, must labor to expresse that, that
is perfite, and not to stay and content himselfe with the meane:
yea, I say farder, though it be not vnposible, yet it is verie rare,
and meruelous hard, to proue excellent in the Latin tong, for
him that is not also well seene in the Greeke tong. _Tullie_ him
selfe, most excellent of nature, most diligent in labor, brought
vp from his cradle, in that place, and in that tyme, where and
whan the Latin tong most florished naturallie in euery mans
mouth, yet was not his owne tong able it selfe to make him so
cunning in his owne tong, as he was in deede: but the
knowledge and _Imitation_ of the Greeke tong withall.
This he confesseth himselfe: this he vttereth in many places,
as those can tell best, that vse to read him most.
Therefore thou, that shotest at perfection in the Latin tong,
thinke not thy selfe wiser than _Tullie_ was, in choice of the way,
that leadeth rightlie to the same: thinke not thy witte better
than _Tullies_ was, as though that may serue thee that was not
sufficient for him. For euen as a hauke flieth not hie with one