Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

XXVII. E UPHUES AND HIS EPHCEBUS. 33zeale, of profound. knowledge, of absolute perfection, Mat beinstructed in Philosophy, whereby he may atteine learning,and haue in al sciences a smacke, whereby he may readilydispute of any thing. That his body be kept in his purestrength by honest exercise, his wit and memory by diligent 125study.There is nothing more swifter then time, nothing moresweeter : wee haue not, as Seneca saith, little time to Hue,but we leese muche ; neither haue we a short life by Nature,but we make it shorter by naughtynesse ; our life is long 130if we know how to vse it. Follow Appel/es, that cunningand wise Painter, which would lette no day passe ouer hishead without a lyne, without some labour. It was pretelysayde of Hesiodas, lette vs endeauour by reason to excellbeastes, seeinge beasts by nature excell men ; although, 135strick[t]ely taken, it be not so, (for that man is endewed witha soule), yet taken touching their perfection of sences in theirkind, it is most certeine. Doth not the Lyon for strength,the Turtle for loue, the Ante for labour, excell man ? Dothnot the Eagle see cleerer, the Vulter smel better, the Mowle 140heare lyghtlyer ? Let vs therefore endeauour to excell invertue, seeing in qualities of fke body we are inferiour tobeastes. And heere I am most earnestly to exhort you tomodesty in your behauiour, toduetye to your elders, to dylligencein your studyes. I was of late in I/a/jy, where mine 145eares gloed, and my heart was galled to heare the abusesthat reygne in Athens : I cannot tell whether those thingssprang by the lewde and lying lippes of the ignoraunt, whichare alwayes enimyes to learning, or by the reports of suchas saw them and sorrowed at them. It was openly reported 150of an olde man in Naples, that there was more lightnesseinAthens then in all Italy; more wanton youths of schollers,