The Royal Exchange Contayning sundry aphorismes of phylosophie, and golden principles of morrall and naturall quadruplicities. Vnder pleasant and effectuall sentences, dyscouering such strange definitions, deuisions, and distinctions of vertue and vice, as may please the grauest cittizens, or youngest courtiers. Fyrst written in Italian, and dedicated to the Signorie of Venice, nowe translated into English, and offered to the cittie of London. Rob. Greene, in Artibus Magister.

Senso. Sence.

Foure things doo sharpen the sense.

• 1. Desire to profit.
• 2. Necessary consideration.
• 3. Cōference with wise mē.
• 4. And the occasion of a be∣nefite.

Marcus Aurelius the Emperour béeing verie old, and yet of verie quicke memorie, béeing demaunded on a time how béeing so farre in yeeres his sense•• were fre••h, made this aunswer, as a knife i•• kept bright from rust by scow∣ring, so are the senses preserued by reading & conference.

There are foure sense•• neces∣sarie aboue the rest to man.

• 1. Seeing.
• 2. Hearing.
• 3. Touching.
• 4. And tasting.

Foure things doo great∣lie dull the senses.

• 1. Delight in women.
• 2. Cruell aduersitie.
• 3. Oppression through famine
• 4. And too much prosperitie.

Plato admitted no Auditour in his Academie, but such as while they were his schollers woulde abstaine frō wo∣men: for he was wont to say, that the greatest enemie to the m••morie, was venerie. Aduersitie so troubleth the heade, which is the seate of the sences, with cares, as by continuall r••minating of thoughts, it wearieth out the senses with yrkesomnesse. And prosperitie so puffeth vppe

the minde with pride, that it maketh a man not oneli•• to defect in his senses, but euen to forget hymselfe.