No More Learning

It is
so light it ought not to be heard. It is scarce worth While to relate.
It is not of such Value as to be heard. It is too silly to be heard. It
is not worth While to tell it.

_Ch. _ How many Ways may this Sentence be turn'd, _Magno mihi constat? _

* * * * *

_The Ratio of varying this Sentence. _

_Magno mihi constat. _

_Au. _ By these Words, _impendo, insumo, impertio, constat_, as: I have
taken Pains much in teaching you. I have taken much Pains in that
Matter. I have not spent less Money than I have Care upon that Matter. I
have not spent a little Money, but much Time, and very much Labour, and
some Study. I have spent much Study. This Thing has cost me many a
Night's Sleep, much Sweat, much Endeavour, very much Labour, a great
Expence, a great Deal of Money. It has cost me more than you believe. My
Wife stands me in less than my Horse.

_Ch. _ But what is the meaning, _Austin_, that you put sometimes an
Ablative, and sometimes a Genitive Case to the Verb _constat_?

_Au. _ You have stated a very useful and very copious Question. But that
I may not be troublesome to the Company by my too much Talk, I will
dispatch it in a few Words. But I desire to hear every Man's Opinion,
that I may not be troublesome to any Man, as I have said.

_Ch. _ But why may not the Damsels desire the same?

_Au. _ Indeed they do nothing else but hear. I'll attempt it with
_Grammatica_'s Assistance. "You know that Verbs of buying and selling,
and some others, are of a like Signification, to which these Genitives
are put alone, without Substantives, _tanti, quanti, pluris, minoris,
tantidem, quantivis, quanticunque_: But in Case Substantives be not
added, which, if they happen to be put, they are both turned into the
Ablative Case; so that if a certain Price be set down, you put it in the
Ablative Case; if by an Adjective put substantively, you put it in the
Ablative Case, unless you had rather make Use of an Adverb. "

_Ch. _ What are those Verbs that you speak of?

_Au. _ "They are commonly _emo, mereor; redimo_, (that is a Thing either
taken or lost) _vendo, venundo; revendo_, (that is, I sell again that
which was sold to me) _veneo_, (that is, I am sold) whose Prater Tense
is _venivi_, or _venii_, the Supine _venum_; hence comes _venalis_; and
from that, _i. e. _ _vendo_, comes _vendibilis; mereo_, for _inservio et
stipendium_ _facio_, _i. e. _ to serve under (as a Soldier). _Comparo_,
that is, to buy, or commit. _Computo_, I change, I exchange with.
_Cambire_ is wholly barbarous in this Sense. _Æstimo_, to tax. _Indico_,
for I estimate, rate. _Liceor, liceris; licitor, licitaris_, to cheapen,
to bid. _Distrahor_, _i. e. _ I am carried about to be sold. _Metior_, for
I estimate or rate. _Constat_, for it is bought. _Conducere_, to let to
hire. _Fænero_, I put to Interest. _Fæneror_, I take at Interest (to
Usury. ) _Paciscor, pactus sum pango, pepigi_, _i. e. _ I make a Bargain. "

_Ch. _ Give an Example.

* * * * *

_Of selling and buying. _

_The Forms. _

_Au. _ How much do you lett that Field for by the Year. We will answer.
For twenty _French_ Pounds. Whoo! You lett it too dear. Nay, I have lett
it for more before now. But I would not give so much for it. If you hire
it for less I'll be hang'd. Nay, your Neighbour _Chremes_ offer'd me a
Field, and asks for it--How much? Just as much as you ask for yours.
But it is much better. That's a Lye. I do as they use to do who cheapen
a Thing. Do you keep it yourself at that Price. What, do you cheapen,
ask the Price, when you won't buy any Thing. Whatsoever you shall lett
it me for shall be paid you very honestly.

_Of Selling and Buying. _

_Another Example. _

How much do you sell that Conger Eel for?

_Syra. _ For five Pence. That's too much, you nasty Jade. Nay, 'tis too
little, no Body will sell you for less. Upon my Life it cost me as much
within a Trifle. You Witch, you tell a Lie, that you may sell it for
twice or three Times as much as it cost you. Ay, I'll sell it for a
hundred Times as much if I can, but I can't find such Fools. What if I
should ask the Price of yourself? What do you value yourself at?
According as I like the Person. What do you prize yourself at? What
Price do you set upon yourself? Tell me, what Price do you rate yourself
at? Ten Shillings. Whoo, so much? O strange! Do you value me at less?
Time was when I have had as much for one Night. I believe you may, but I
believe you an't now worth so much as a Fish by a great Deal. Go hang
yourself, you Pimp. I value you as little as you do me. He that shall
give a Farthing for you buys you too dear. But I'll be sold for more, or
I won't be sold at all. If you would be sold at a great Rate you must
get you a Mask, for those Wrinkles in your Forehead won't let you be
sold for much. He that won't give so much for me shan't have me. I would
not give a Straw for you. I cost more.

_A third Example. _

I have been at an Auction to-Day. Say you so? I bid Money for a Share in
the Customs. But how much? Ten Thousand Pound. Whoo! what, so much?
There were those that bid a great Deal more; very few that offer'd less.
Well, and who had the Place at last? _Chremes_, your Wife's great
Friend. But guess what it was sold for. Ten. Nay, fifteen. O good God! I
would not give Half so much for him and all his Family together. But he
would give twice as much for your Wife. "Do you take Notice, that in all
these, wheresoever there is a Substantive of the Price, that is put in
the Ablative Case; but that the rest are either put in the Genitive
Case, or are changed into Adverbs. You have never heard a Comparative
without a Substantive, except in these two, _pluris_, and _minoris_.
There are some other Verbs, of which we have spoken, that are not very
much unlike these, _sum, facio, habeo, duco, æstimo, pendo_, which
signify (in a Manner) the same Thing; likewise _fio_, and they are for
the most Part join'd with these Genitives, _multi, parvi, magni, pluris,
plurimi, minoris, minimi, maximi, tanti, quanti, flocci, pili, nihili,
nauci, hujus_, and any other like them. " _Ch. _ Give Examples.

_Of valuing. The Form. _

_Au. _ Do you know how much I have always valu'd you? You will always be
made of such Account by Men as you make Account of Virtue. Gold is
valued at a great Rate now a-Days, Learning is valued at a very little,
or just nothing at all. I value Gold less than you think for. I don't
value your Threats of a Rush. I make a very little Account of your
Promises. I don't value you of a Hair. If Wisdom were but valued at so
great a Rate as Money, no Body would want Gold. With us, Gold without
Wisdom is esteem'd to be of more Worth than Wisdom without Gold. I
esteem you at a greater Rate, because you are learned. You will be the
less esteem'd on here because you don't know how to lye. Here are a
great many that will persuade you that Black is White. I set the
greater Value upon you because you love Learning. So much as you have,
so much you shall be esteem'd by all Men; so much as you have, so much
you shall be accounted of every where. It is no Matter what you are
accounted, but what you are. I value my _Christian_ above any Man else
in the World. "There are some other Verbs found with these Genitives and
Ablatives, which in their own Nature don't signify buying, or anything
like it. " _Peter_ bought a Kiss of the Maid for a Shilling. Much good
may it do him. I would not kiss at that Rate. How much do you play for?
What did you pay for Supper? We read of some that have spent Six hundred
Sesterces for a Supper. But the _French_ often sup for a Half-penny.
What Price does _Faustus_ teach for? A very small Matter. But for more
than _Delius_. For how much then? For nineteen Guineas. I won't learn to
lye at so dear a Rate. _Phædria_ in _Terence_ lost both his Substance
and himself. But I would not love at that Rate. Some Persons pay a great
Price for sleeping. _Demosthenes_ had more for holding his Tongue than
others had for speaking. I pray you to take it in good Part. "There is
another Sort of Verbs, that require an Accusative Case, with a Genitive
or Ablative, which are, _accuso_, _i. e. _ I object a Crime, or _culpo_,
also one that's absent; _Incuso_, _i. e. _ I blame without Judgment;
_arguo_, I reprehend, _insimulo_, _i. e. _ I throw in a Suspicion of a
Fault. _Postulo_, _i. e. _ I require you to answer at Law, _accerso_, I
impeach, _damno_, I condemn, I pronounce him to be in Fault. _Admoneo_,
I admonish. "

_Ch. _ For Example Sake?

_Forms of Accusing. _

_Au. Scipio_ is accused of courting the Populace. Thou who art the most
impudent, accusest me of Impudence. _Lepidus_ is accused of Bribery. You
are accus'd of a capital Crime. If you shall slily insinuate a Man to
be guilty of Covetousness, you shall hear that which is worse again. Put
him in Mind of his former Fortune. Men are put in Mind of their
Condition, by that very Word. Put _Lepidus_ in Mind of his Promise.
"There are many that admit of a double Accusative Case. I teach thee
Letters. He entreats you to pardon him. I will unteach thee those
Manners. "

"Here I must put you in Mind of that Matter, that in these the Passives
also obtain a second Accusative Case. The others will have a Genitive. "
You are taught Letters by me. They accuse me of Theft. I am accused of
Theft. Thou accusest me of Sacrilege. I am accused of Sacrilege.
I know
you are not satisfied yet. I know you are not satisfied in Mind. For
when will so great a Glutton of Elegancies be satisfy'd? But I must have
Regard to the Company, who are not all equally diverted with these
Matters. After Supper, as we walk, we will finish what is behind, unless
you shall rather chuse to have it omitted.

_Ch. _ Let it be as you say. Let us return Thanks to divine Bounty and
afterwards we'll take a little Walk.

_Mi. _ You say very well, for nothing can be more pleasant, nor wholsome
than this Evening Air.

_Ch. Peter_, come hither, and take the Things away in Order, one after
the other, and fill the Glasses with Wine.

_Pe. _ Do you bid me return Thanks?

_Ch. _ Aye, do.

_Pe. _ Had you rather it should be done in _Greek_, or in _Latin_.

_Ch. _ Both Ways.

_Pe. Gratias agimus tibi, pater coelestis, qui tua ineffabili potentia
condidisti omnia, tua inscrutabili sapientia gubernas universa, tua
inexhausta bonitate cuncta pascis ac vegetas: largire filiis tuis, ut
aliquando tecum bibant in regno tuo nectar illud immortalitatis, quod
promisisti ac praeparasti vere diligentibus te, per Iesum Christum.
Amen. _

We thank thee, heavenly Father, who by thy unspeakable Power, hast
created all Things, and by thy inexhaustible Wisdom governest all
Things, and by thy inexhaustible Goodness feedest and nourishest all
Things: Grant to thy Children, that they may in due Time drink with thee
in thy Kingdom, that _Nectar_ of Immortality; which thou hast promis'd
and prepar'd for those that truly love thee, through Jesus Christ,
_Amen_.

_Ch. _ Say in _Greek_ too, that the rest mayn't understand what thou
sayest.

_Pe. _ [Greek: Heucharistoumen soi, pater ouranie, ho tê arrêtô sou
dunamei ktisas ta panta, ho tê anexereunêtô sou sophia kubernôn
hapaxapanta, ho tê anexantlêtô sou chrêstotêti hekasta trephomenos te
kai auxanon. Charizou tois yiois sou to meta sou pote piein to tês
athanasias nektar, ho upechou kai êtoimasas tois alêthôs agapôsi se, dia
Iêsou Christou, tou yiou sou, tou kyriou hêmôn, tou meta sou zôntos kai
basileuontos en henotêti tou pneumatos hagiou, eis tous aiônas. Amên. ]

_Ch. _ My most welcome Guests, I give you Thanks that you have honour'd
my little Entertainment with your Company. I intreat you to accept it
kindly.

_Gu. _ And we would not only have, but return our Thanks to you. Don't
let us be over ceremonious in thanking, but rather let us rise from
Table, and walk out a little.

_Au. _ Let us take these Virgins along with us, so our Walk will be more
pleasant.

_Ch. _ You propose very well. We'll not want Flowers, if the Place we
walk in don't afford any. Had you rather take a Turn in our Garden, in a
poetical Manner, or walk out abroad by the River-Side.

_Au. _ Indeed, your Gardens are very pleasant, but keep that Pleasure for
Morning Walks. When the Sun is towards setting, Rivers afford wonderful
pleasant Prospects.

_Ch. Austin_, do you walk foremost as a Poet should do, and I'll walk by
your Side.

_Au. _ O good God, what a jolly Company we have, what a Retinue have I!
_Christian_, I can't utter the Pleasure I take, I seem to be some
Nobleman.

_Ch. _ Now be as good as your Word. Perform the Task you have taken upon
you.

_Au. _ What is it you'd have me speak of chiefly?

_Ch. _ I us'd formerly to admire many Things in _Pollio_'s Orations; but
chiefly this, that he us'd so easily, so frequently and beautifully to
turn a Sentence, which seemed not only a great Piece of Wit, but of
great Use.

_Au. _ You were much in the Right on't, _Christian_, to admire that in
_Pollio_. For he seems, in this Matter, to have had a certain divine
Faculty, which I believe, was peculiar to him, by a certain Dexterity of
Art, and by much Use of Speaking, Reading and Writing, rather than by
any Rules or Instructions.

_Ch. _ But I would fain have some Rule for it, if there be any to be
given.

_Au. _ You say very well; and since I see you are very desirous of it,
I'll endeavour it as much as I can: And I will give those Rules, as well
as I can, which I have taken Notice of in _Pollio_'s Orations.

_Ch. _ Do, I should be very glad to hear 'em.

_Au. _ I am ready to do it.


* * * * *


The ARGUMENT.

_A short Rule concerning this Copia, it teaches how to
vary a Sentence pleasantly, copiously, easily,
frequently, and elegantly; by short Rules given, and by a
Praxis upon these Rules, in an elegant Turning of one
Phrase. _


In the first Place, it is to be set forth in pure and choice _Latin_
Words; which to do is no mean Piece of Art: For there are a great many,
who do, I don't know after what Manner, affect the _Copia_ and Variation
of Phrase, when they don't know how to express it once right. It is not
enough for them to have babbled once, but they must render the Babble
much more babbling, by first one, and then by another turning of it; as
if they were resolv'd to try the Experiment, how barbarously they were
able to speak: And therefore, they heap together, certain simple
synonymous Words, that are so contrary one to the other, that they may
admire themselves how they do agree together. For what is more absurd,
than that a ragged old Fellow, that has not a Coat to his Back, but what
is so ragged that he may be ashamed to put it on, should every now and
then change his Rags, as though he design'd to shew his Beggary by Way
of Ostentation: And those Affectators of Variety seem equally
ridiculous, who, when they have spoken barbarously once, repeat the same
Thing much more barbarously; and then over and over again much more
unlearnedly. This is not to abound with Sentences, but Solæcisms:
Therefore, in the first Place, as I have said, the Thing is to be
express'd in apt and chosen Words. 2. And then we must use Variety of
Words, if there are any to be found, that will express the same Thing;
and there are a great many. 3. And where proper Words are wanting, then
we must use borrow'd Words, so the Way of borrowing them be modest. 4.
Where there is a Scarcity of Words, you must have Recourse to Passives,
to express what you have said by Actives; which will afford as many Ways
of Variation, as there were in the Actives. 5. And after that, if you
please, you may turn them again by verbal Nouns and Participles. 6. And
last of all, when we have chang'd Adverbs into Nouns, and Nouns
sometimes into one Part of Speech, and sometimes into another; then we
may speak by contraries. 7. We may either change affirmative Sentences
into negative, or the contrary. 8. Or, at least, what we have spoken
indicatively, we may speak interrogatively. Now for Example Sake, let us
take this Sentence.

_Literæ tuæ magnopere me delectârunt.

Your Letters have delighted me very much. _

_Litertæ. _

Epistle, little Epistles, Writings, Sheets, Letters.

_Magnopere. _

After a wonderful Manner, wonderfully, in a greater, or great Manner, in
a wonderful Manner, above Measure, very much, not indifferently (not a
little) mightily, highly, very greatly.

_Me. _

My Mind, my Breast, my Eyes, my Heart, _Christian_.

_Delectârunt. _

They have affected, recreated, exhilarated with Pleasure, have been a
Pleasure, have delighted, have bath'd me with Pleasure; have been very
sweet, very pleasant, &c.

Now you have Matter, it is your Business to put it together: Let us try.

_Ch. _ Thy Letters have very greatly delighted me. Thy Epistle has
wonderfully chear'd me.

_Au. _ Turn the Active into a Passive, then it will look with another
Face. As, It can't be said how much I have been chear'd by thy Writings.

_Also by other Verbs effecting the same Thing. _

I have received an incredible Pleasure from thy Writings. I have
receiv'd very much Pleasure from your Highness's Letter. Your Writings
have brought me not an indifferent Joy. Your Writings have overwhelmed
me all over with Joy. "But here you can't turn these into Passives, only
in the last, _perfusus gaudio_, as is commonly said, Pleasure was taken
by me, Joy was brought, is not so commonly used, or you must not use so
frequently. "

_By Affido. _

Thy Letter hath affected me with a singular Pleasure.

_Change it into a Passive. _

I am affected with an incredible Pleasure by thy Letter. Thy little
Epistle has brought not a little Joy.

_By_ Sum _and Nouns Adjectives. _

Thy Letters have been most pleasant to me many Ways. That Epistle of
thine was, indeed, as acceptable, as any Thing in the World.

_By Nouns Substantives. _

Thy Letter was to us an unspeakable Pleasure. Your Letter was an
incredible Pleasure to us.

_Change it into a Negative. _

Thy Letter was no small Joy. Nothing in Life could happen more
delightful than thy Letters. "Although I have sometimes already made Use
of this Way, which is not to be pass'd over negligently. For when we
would use _multum, plurimum_, to signify, _singulariter_, we do it by a
contrary Verb. " As, _Henry_ loves you mightily: He loves you with no
common Love. Wine pleases me very much: It pleases me not a little. He
is a Man of a singular Wit: A Man of no ordinary Wit. He is a Man of
admirable Learning: He is a Man not of contemptible Learning. _Thomas_
was born in the highest Place of his Family: Not in the lowest Place.
_Austin_ was a most eloquent Man: He was not ineloquent. _Carneades_ the
Orator was noble: Not an ignoble, not an obscure Man. "And the like,
which are very frequently used. " But the Mention of a Thing so plain is
enough: Nor are you ignorant, that we make Use of a two-fold Manner of
Speech, of this Kind: For Modesty Sake, especially, if we speak of our
selves; also for Amplification Sake. For we use rightly and elegantly,
not ungrateful, for very grateful; not vulgarly for singularly.

_For Modesty Sake. _

I have by my Letters gain'd some Reputation of Learning. I have always
made it my Business not to have the last Place in the Glory of Learning.
The Examples of Amplification are mention'd before: Now let us return to
our own. Nothing ever fell out to me more gratefully, acceptably, than
thy Letter. Nothing ever was a greater Pleasure than your Letter. I
never took so much Pleasure in any Thing, as in thy most loving Letters.
"After this Manner all the before-mention'd Sentences may be vary'd by
an Interrogation. " What in Life could be more pleasant than thy Letters?
What has happened to me more sweet, than thy Letter? What has ever
delighted me like your last Letter? And after this Manner you may vary
almost any Sentence.

_Ch. _ What shall we do now?

_Au. _ We will now turn the whole Sentence a little more at large, that
we may express one Sentence, by a Circumlocution of many Words.

_Ch. _ Give Examples.

_Au. _ "That which was sometimes express'd by the Noun _incredibile_, and
then again, by the Adverb _incredibiliter_, we will change the Sentence
in some Words. " I can't express how much I was delighted with your
Letters. It is very hard for me to write, and you to believe how much
Pleasure your Letter was to me. I am wholly unable to express how I
rejoic'd at your Letter. "And so _in infinitum_: Again, after another
Manner. For hitherto we have varied the Sentences by Negations and
Interrogations, and in the last Place by Infinitives. Now we will vary
by Substantives or Conditionals, after this Manner. " Let me die if any
Thing ever was more desired and more pleasant than thy Letters. Let me
perish if any Thing ever was more desired, and more pleasant than thy
Letter. As God shall judge me, nothing in my whole Life ever happen'd
more pleasant than thy Letters. "And also a great many more you may
contrive after this Manner. "

_Ch. _ What is to be done now?

_Au. _ Now we must proceed to Translations, Similitudes and Examples.

_There is a Translation in these. _

I have received your Letters, which were sweet as Honey. Your Writings
seem to be nothing but meer Delight. Your Letters are a meer Pleasure;
and a great many of the like Kinds. "But Care is to be taken not to make
Use of harder Translations; such as this that follows,

_Jupiter hybernas canâ nive conspuit Alpes. _

such as this is. " The Suppers of thy Writings have refreshed me with
most delicious Banquets.

_A Comparison by Simile. _

Thy Writings have been sweeter than either _Ambrosia_ or _Nectar_. Thy
Letters have been sweeter to me than any Honey. Your kind Letter has
excell'd even Liquorish, Locusts, and _Attic_ Honey, and Sugar; nay,
even the _Nectar_ and _Ambrosia_ of the Gods. "And here, whatsoever is
ennobled with Sweetness, may be brought into the Comparison. "

_From Examples. _

I will never be induc'd to believe, that _Hero_ receiv'd the Letters of
her _Leander_, either with greater Pleasure, or more Kisses, than I
received yours. I can scarce believe that _Scipio_, for the Overthrow of
_Carthage_, or _Paulus Æmylius_, for the taking of _Perseus_, ever
triumphed more magnificently than I did, when the Post-man gave me your
most charming Letter. "There are a thousand Things of this Nature, that
may be found in Poets and Historians. Likewise Similitudes are borrow'd
from Natural Philosophy; the Nature of a great many of which, it is
necessary to keep in Memory. Now if you please, we will try in another
Sentence. "

_I will never forget you while I live. _

I will always remember you, as long as I live. Forgetfulness of you,
shall never seize me as long as I live. I will leave off to live, before
I will to remember you.

_By Comparisons. _

If the Body can get rid of its Shadow, then this Mind of mine may forget
you. The River _Lethe_ itself shall never be able to wash away your
Memory.

"Besides, by an Impossibility, or after the Manner of Poets by
contraries.

_Dum juga montis aper, fluvios dum piscis amabit.
Ante leves ergo pastentur in athere cervi. _

which is no hard Matter to invent.