reading, that have lust to look upon the description of such a worthy commonwealth.

And to know what worthy fruit did Good seed worspring of such worthy seed, I will tell thy fruit. you the most marvel of all, and yet such a truth as no man shall deny it, except such as be ignorant in knowledge of the best stories.

Athens, by this discipline and good ordering of youth, did breed up, within the circuit of that one city, within the compass of one hundred year, within the memory of one man's life, so many notable captains in war, for worthiness, wisdom, and learning, as be scarce matchable, no, not in the state of Rome, in the compass of those seven hundred years, when it flourished most.

And because I will not only say it, but also prove it, the names of them be these: Mil- The noble captiades, Themistocles, Xanthippus, Pericles, tains of Athens. Cimon, Alcibiades, Thrasybulus, Conon, Iphicrates, Xenophon, Timotheus, Theopompus, Demetrius, and divers other mo[re]; of which every one may justly be spoken that worthy praise which was given to Scipio Africanus, who Cicero doubteth, "whether he were more noble captain in war, or more eloquent and wise counsellor in peace." And if ye believe not me, read diligently* Æmilius Probus in Latin, and Plutarch in Greek; which two had no cause either to flatter or lie upon any of those which I have recited.

And beside nobility in war, for excellent and match

* Cornelius Nepos, whose works by mistake have gone under the name of Æmilius Probus; who seems to have no other title to them, than as he took care to have them copied out for the use of the Emperor Theodosius.

Now let Italian, and Latin itself, Spanish, French, Dutch, and English, bring forth their learning, and Leaning only recite their authorities; Cicero only exthe Greek and cepted, and one or two mo[re] in Latin, Мини they be all patched clouts and rags, in comparison of fair woven broad-cloths; and truly, if there be any good in them, it is either learned, borrowed, or stolen from some of those worthy wits of Athens.

The remembrance of such a commonwealth, using such discipline and order for youth, and thereby bringing forth to their praise, and leaving to us for our example, such captains for war, such counsellors for pence, and matchless masters for all kind of learning, is pleasant for me to recite, and not irksome, I trust,

for other to hear, except it be such as make neither account of virtue nor learning.

Gentlemen of

France.

And whether there be any such or no, I cannot well tell yet I hear say, some young gentlemen of ours count it their shame to be counted Contemners of learned; and perchance they count it their learning. shame to be counted honest also; for I hear say, they meddle as little with the one as with the other. A marvellous case, that gentlemen should so be ashamed of good learning, and never a whit ashamed of ill manners! Such do say for them, that the gentlemen of France do so; which is a lie, as God will have it: Langæus and Bellæus, that be dead, and the noble Vidam of Chartres, that is alive, and infinite mo[re] in France, which I hear tell of, prove this to be most false. And though some in France, which will needs be gentlemen, whether men will or no, and have more gentleness in their hat than in their head, be at deadly feud with both learning and honesty; yet I believe, if that noble prince, King Francis the First, were alive, they Franciscus I., should have neither place in his court, nor pension in his wars, if he had knowledge of them. This opinion is not French, but plain Turkish, from whence some French fetch more faults than this; which I pray God keep out of England, and send also those of ours better minds, which bend themselves against virtue and learning, to the contempt of God, dishonour of their country, to the hurt of many others, and at length to the greatest harm and utter destruction of themselves.

nobilis. Francorum rex.

Some other, having better nature but less wit (for ill commonly have over much wit), do not Experience withutterly dispraise learning, but they say, out learning.

that without learning, common experience, knowledge of all fashions, and haunting all companies, shall work in youth both wisdom and ability to execute any weighty affair. Surely long experience doth profit much, but most, and almost only to him (if we mean honest affairs) that is diligently before instructed with precepts of well doing. For good precepts of learning be the eyes of the mind, to look wisely before a man, which way to go right, and which not.

Learning teacheth more in one year than experience Learning- in twenty; and learning teacheth safely, when experience maketh mo[re] miseraHe hazardeth sore that waxeth wise

experience.

ble, than wise. by experience. An unhappy master he is that is made cunning by many shipwrecks; a miserable merchant, that is neither rich nor wise but after some bankrouts. It is costly wisdom that is bought by experience. We know by experience itself, that it is a marvellous pain to find out but a short way by long wandering. And surely, he that would prove wise by experience, he may be witty indeed, but even like a swift runner, that runneth fast out of his way, and upon the night, he knoweth not whither. And verily they be fewest in number that be happy or wise by unlearned experience. And look well upon the former life of those few, whether your example be old or young, who without learning have gathered by long experience a little wisdom and some happiness; and when you do consider what mischief they have committed, what dangers they have escaped, (and yet twenty for one do perish in the adventure,) then think well with yourself, whether you would that your own son should come to wisdom and happiness by the way of such experience

or no.

It is a notable tale, that old Sir Roger Chamloe, sometime chief justice, would tell of him- Sir Roger Chamself. When he was ancient in inn of loe.

court, certain young gentlemen were brought before him to be corrected for certain misorders: and one of the lustiest said, "Sir, we be young gentlemen ; and wise men before us have proved all fashions, and yet those have done full well." This they said, because it was well known that Sir Roger had been a goodfellow in his youth. But he answered them very wisely: "Indeed," saith he, "in youth I was, as you are now; and I had twelve fellows like unto myseif, but not one of them came to a good end. And therefore follow not my example in youth, but follow my counsel in age, if ever ye think to come to this place, or to these years that I am come unto; lest you meet either with poverty or Tyburn in the way."

This experience of all fashions in youth, being in proof always dangerous, in issue seldom lucky, is a way indeed to over-much knowledge, yet used commonly of such men, which be either carried by some curious affection of mind, or driven by some hard necessity of life, to hazard the trial of over-many perilous adventures.

schoolhouse of fools and ill

men.

Erasmus, the honour of learning of all our time, said wisely, "That experience is the common Experience the schoolhouse of fools and ill men. Men of wit and honesty be otherwise instructed. For there be, that keep them out of fire, and yet was never burned; that be ware of water, and yet was never nigh drowning; that hate harlots, and was never at the stews; that abhor falsehood, and never brake promise themselves."

But will ye see a fit similitude of this adventured