For Rome, she had ingenium par ingenio, was as
learned as great, and held our College of Augurs in much
reverence. Venice has taken her religion upon trust. Holland
cannot attend it to be very studious. Nor does Switzerland mind
it much; yet are they all addicted to their universities. We cut
down trees to build houses; but I would have somebody show me, by
what reason or experience the cutting down of a university should
tend to the setting up of a commonwealth. Of this I am sure, that
the perfection of a commonwealth is not to be attained without
the knowledge of ancient prudence, nor the knowledge of ancient
prudence without learning, nor learning without schools of good
literature, and these are such as we call universities.
"Now though mere university learning of itself be that which
(to speak the words of Verulamius) 'crafty men contemn, and
simple men only admire, yet is it such as wise men have use of;
for studies do not teach their own use, but that is a wisdom
without and above them, won by observation. Expert men may
execute, and perhaps judge, of particulars one by one; but the
general councils and the plots, and the marshalling of affairs,
come best from those that are learned.' Wherefore if you would
have your children to be statesmen, let them drink by all means
of these fountains, where perhaps there were never any.
Pages:
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338