preft without the fall of learning, and of all ability in difputation, and that these books of either fort are most and fooneft catching to the learned, from whom to the common people what ever is hereticall or diffolute may quickly be convey'd, and that evill manners are as perfectly learnt without books a thousand other ways which cannot be ftopt, and evill doctrine not with books can propagate, except a teacher guide, which he might also doe without writing, and fo beyond prohibiting, I am not able to unfold, how this cautelous enterprise of licencing can be exempted from the num ber of vain and impoffible attempts. And he who were pleafantly difpos'd, could not well avoid to lik'n it to the exploit of

that gallant man who thought to pound up the crows by fhutting his Parkgate. Befides another inconvenience, if learned men be the first receivers out of books & difpredders both of vice and error, how fhall the licencers themselves be confided in, unleffe we can conferr upon them, or they affume to themselves above all others in the Land, the grace of infallibility, and uncorruptedneffe? again, if it be true, that a wife man like a good refiner can gather gold out of the droffieft volume, and that a fool will be a fool with the best book, yea or without book, there is no reason that we fhould deprive a wife man of any advantage to his wifdome, while we seek to reftrain from a fool, that which being reftrain'd

And

reftrain'd will be no hindrance to his folly. For if there fhould be fo much exactneffe always us'd to keep that from him which is unfit for his reading, we fhould in the judgement of Ariftotle not only, but of Salomon, and of our Saviour, not voutsafe him good precepts, and by confequence not willingly admit him to good books; as being certain that a wife man will make better ufe of an idle pamphlet, than a fool will do of facred Scripture. 'Tis next alleg'd we must not expose ourselves to temptations without neceffity, and next to that, not imploy our time in vain things. To both thefe objections one anfwer will ferve, out of the grounds already laid, that to all men fuch books are not temptations,

nor vanities; but usefull drugs and materialls wherewith to temper and compofe effective and ftrong med'cins, which mans life cannot want. The reft, as children and childish men, who have not the art to qualifie and prepare these working mineralls, well may be exhorted to forbear, but hinder'd forcibly they cannot be by all the licencing that Sainted Inquifition could ever yet contrive; which is what I promis'd to deliver next, That this order of licencing conduces nothing to the end for which it was fram'd; and hath almoft prevented me by being clear already while thus much hath bin explaining. See the ingenuity of Truth, who when he gets a free and willing hand, opens her felf fafter, then

the

the pace of method and difcours can overtake her. It was the task which I began with, To fhew that no Nation or well instituted State, if they valu'd books at all, did ever ufe this way of licencing; and it might be anfwer'd, that this is a piece of prudence lately dif cover'd, To which I return, that as it was a thing flight and obvious to think on, fo if it had bin difficult to finde out, there wanted not among them long fince, who fuggefted fuch a cours; which they not following, leave us a pattern of their judgement, that it was not the not knowing, but the not approving, which was the cause of their not ufing it. Plato, a man of high autority indeed, but leaft of all for his Commonwealth, in the