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THE SECOND BOOKE 173
as that of hooke and line about our angling-rods, so
have beasts amongst themselves. Aristotle reporteth
that the cuttle-fish casteth a long gut out of her throat,
which like a line she sendeth forth, and at her pleasure
pulleth it in againe, according as she perceiveth some
tittle fish come neere her, who being close hidden in the
gravell or stronde, letteth him nible or bite the end of
it, and then by little and little drawes it in unto her,
untill the fish be so neere that, with a soudaine leape,
she may catch it. Touching strength, there is no
creature in the world open to so many wrongs and
injuries as man : we need not a whale, an elephant,
nor a crocodile, nor any such other wilde beast, of
which one alone is of power to defeat a great number
of men ; seely lice are able to make Silla give over his
Dictatorship: the heart and life of a mighty and triumphant
emperor is but the break-fast of a seely little
worme. Why say we that skill to discerne and knowledge
to make choyce (gotten by art and acquired by
discourse) of things good for this life, and availfull
against sicknesse, and to distinguish of those which are
hurtfull, and to know the vertue of reubarb, qualitie of
oake feme, and operation of polipodie, is only peculiar
unto man ? When we see the Goats of Candia being
shot with an arrow to choose from out a million of
simples the herb Dittany or Garden-ginger, and therewith
cure themselves; and the Tortoise having eaten
of a Viper immediately to seek for Origon or wild Mar-
oram to purge herselfe : the Dragon to run and cleare
j
lis eies with Fenel : the Cranes with their bils to
minister glisters of sea-water unto themselves ; the
Elephants to pull out, not only from themselves and
their fellowes, but also from their masters (witnesse
that of King Porus, whom Alexander defeated) such
javelins or darts as in fight have beene hurled or shot
at them, so nimbly and so cunningly as ourselves could
never do it so easily and with so little paine : Why say
wee not likewise that that is science and prudence in
them ? For, if to depress them some would alleage it
is by the onely instruction and instinct of Nature they