And although the Latin tong did faire blome and blossome
in _L. Crassus_, and _M. Antonius_, yet in _Tullies_ tyme onely, and
in Tullie himselfe chieflie, was the Latin tong fullie ripe, and
growne to the hiest pitch of all perfection.
And yet in the same tyme, it began to fade and stoupe, as
_Tullie_ him selfe, in _Brutus de Claris Oratoribus_, with weeping
wordes doth witnesse.
And bicause, emongs them of that tyme, there was some
difference, good reason is, that of them of that tyme, should be
made right choice also. And yet let the best _Ciceronian_ in
Italie read _Tullies_ familiar epistles aduisedly ouer, and I beleue
he shall finde small difference, for the Latin tong, either in
propriety of wordes or framing of the stile, betwixt _Tullie_, and
those that write vnto him. As _ser. Sulpitius, A. Cecinna,
M. Cælius, M. et D. Bruti, A. Pollio, L. Plancus_, and diuerse
Epi. Planci // other: read the epistles of _L. Plancus_ in _x. Lib._
x. lib. Epist. // and for an assay, that Epistle namely to the _Coss._
8. // and whole _Senate_, the eight Epistle in number,
and what could be, eyther more eloquentlie, or more wiselie
written, yea by _Tullie_ himselfe, a man may iustly doubt. Thies
men and _Tullie_, liued all in one tyme, were like in authoritie,
not vnlike in learning and studie, which might be iust causes of
this their equalitie in writing: And yet surely, they neyther
were in deed, nor yet were counted in mens opinions, equall
with _Tullie_ in that facultie. And how is the difference hid in
his Epistles? verelie, as the cunning of an expert Sea man, in
a faire calme fresh Ryuer, doth litle differ from the doing of
a meaner workman therein, euen so, in the short cut of a
priuate letter, where, matter is common, wordes easie, and
order not moch diuerse, small shew of difference can appeare.
But where _Tullie_ doth set vp his saile of eloquence, in some
broad deep Argument, caried with full tyde and winde, of his
witte and learnyng, all other may rather stand and looke after
him, than hope to ouertake him, what course so euer he hold,
either in faire or foule. Foure men onely whan the Latin tong
was full ripe, be left vnto vs, who in that tyme did florish, and
did leaue to posteritie, the fruite of their witte and learning:
_Varro, Salust, Cæsar_, and _Cicero_. Whan I say, these foure
onely, I am not ignorant, that euen in the same tyme, most
excellent Poetes, deseruing well of the Latin tong, as _Lucretius_,
_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 295
_Cattullus, Virgill_ and _Horace_, did write: But, bicause, in this
litle booke, I purpose to teach a yong scholer, to go, not to
daunce: to speake, not to sing, whan Poetes in deed, namelie
_Epici_ and _Lyrici_, as these be, are fine dauncers, and trime
singers, but _Oratores_ and _Historici_ be those cumlie goers, and
faire and wise speakers, of whom I wishe my scholer to wayte
vpon first, and after in good order, & dew tyme, to be brought
forth, to the singing and dauncing schole: And for this consi-
deration, do I name these foure, to be the onelie writers of that
tyme.
¶ _Varro._
_Varro_, in his bookes _de lingua Latina, et Analogia_ as these be
left mangled and patched vnto vs, doth not enter // _Varro._
there in to any great depth of eloquence, but as
one caried in a small low vessell him selfe verie nie the common
shore, not much vnlike the fisher men of Rye, and Hering men
of Yarmouth. Who deserue by common mens opinion, small
commendacion, for any cunning saling at all, yet neuertheles
in those bookes of _Varro_ good and necessarie stuffe, for that
meane kinde of Argument, be verie well and learnedlie gathered
togither.
His bookes of Husbandrie, are moch to be regarded, and
diligentlie to be read, not onelie for the proprietie, // De Rep.
but also for the plentie of good wordes, in all // Rustica.
contrey and husbandmens affaires: which can not
be had, by so good authoritie, out of any other Author, either
of so good a tyme, or of so great learnyng, as out of _Varro_.
And yet bicause, he was fourescore yeare old, whan he wrote
those bookes, the forme of his style there compared with _Tullies_
writyng, is but euen the talke of a spent old man: whose
wordes commonlie fall out of his mouth, though verie wiselie,
yet hardly and coldie, and more heauelie also, than some eares
can well beare, except onelie for age, and authorities sake. And
perchance, in a rude contrey argument, of purpose and iudge-
ment, he rather vsed, the speach of the contrey, than talke of
the Citie.
And so, for matter sake, his wordes sometyme, be somewhat
rude: and by the imitation of the elder _Cato_, old and out of vse: