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THE SECOND BOOKE 109
common use, but in my conceit more proper, particular,
and more solid. It appeareth in Seneca that he somewhat
inclineth and yeeldeth to the tyrannie of the
Emperors which were in his daies ; for I verily believe,
it is with a forced judgement he condemneth the cause
of those noblie-minded murtherers of Caesar ; Plutarke
is every where free and open hearted; Seneca fullfraught
with points and sallies; Plutarke stuft with
matters. The former doth move and enflame you more ;
the latter content, please, and pay you better : This
doth guide you, the other drive you on. As for Cicero,
of all his works, those that treat of Philosophie (namely
morall) are they which best serve my turne, and square
with my intent. But boldly to confess the truth (for,
since the bars of impudencie were broken downe, all
curbing is taken away), his manner of writing seemeth
verie tedious unto me, as doth all such like stuffe. For
his prefaces, definitions, divisions, and Etymologies
consume the greatest part of his works; whatsoever
quick, wittie, and pithie conceit is in him is surcharged
and confounded by those his long and far-fetcht preambles.
If I bestow but one hour in reading them,
which is much for me, and let me call to minde what
substance or juice I have drawne from him, for the
most part I find nothing but wind and ostentation in
him; for he is not yet come to the arguments which
make for his purpose, and reasons that properly concerne
the knot or pith I seek after. These Logicall and Aristptelian
ordinances are not availfull for me, who onely
endeavour to become more wise and sufficient, and not
more wittie or eloquent. I would have one begin with
the last point; I understand sufficiently what death
and voluptuousnesse are: let not a man busie himself©
to anatomize them. At the first reading of a booke I
seeke for good and solid reasons that may instruct me
how to sustaine their assaults. It is neither grammaticall
subtilties nor logicall quiddities, nor the wittie
contexture of choice words or arguments and syllogismes,
that will serve my turne. I like those discourses that
give the first charge to the strongest part of the doubt ;