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of scholers, to go to the vniuersities. Whereof cummeth
partelie, that lewde and spitefull prouerbe, sounding to the
greate hurte of learning, and shame of learned men, that, the
greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.
And though I, in all this discourse, seem plainlie to prefer,
hard and roughe wittes, before quicke and light wittes, both for
learnyng and maners, yet am I not ignorant that som quicknes
of witte, is a singuler gifte of God, and so most rare emonges
men, and namelie such a witte, as is quicke without lightnes,
sharpe without brittlenes, desirous of good thinges without
newfanglenes, diligent in painfull thinges without werisomnes,
and constant in good will to do all thinges well, as I know was
in Syr Iohn Cheke, and is in som, that yet liue, in whome all
theis faire qualities of witte ar fullie mette togither.
But it is notable and trewe, that Socrates saith in Plato to
Plato in // his frende Crito. That, that number of men is
Critone. // fewest, which far excede, either in good or ill, in
wisdom of folie, but the meane betwixt both, be
the brynging vp of youth. 193
the greatest number: which he proueth trewe in diuerse other
thinges: as in greyhoundes, emonges which fewe // Verie
are found, exceding greate, or exceding litle, // good, or
exceding swift, or exceding slowe: And therfore/ verie ill
I speaking of quick and hard wittes, I ment, the // men, be
common number of quicke and hard wittes, // fewest in
emonges the which, for the most parte, the hard // number.
witte, proueth manie times, the better learned, wiser and
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