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The LXXIV. ADVERTISEMENT.
Apollo shews unto his Litterati the true meaning of the La∣tin Sentence, Homo longus, raro sapiens, A tale man is seldom wise.
TO the wonder of Apollo, and all the standers by, above 300 Litte∣rati, all of them beyond the usual size of men, appeared on Tuesday last in the publike Audience. Every one knew that the assembling to∣gether of so many Vertuosi, all of them of extraordinary stature and greatness, must needs have somewhat of meaning in it, and so it had; for reverend Cino, Auditor di Rota in Parnassus said, in the name of all his fellows, that all those Vertuosi who his Majestie saw there, were known by the whole world to be well skilled in the Liberal Arts, which his Majesties Delfick Library might likewise sufficiently witness; and that notwithstanding they were scoft and laught at by most of the Litte∣rati in Parnassus, and held for fools and shallow witted people: Where∣fore, such injuries being altogether insupportable, they were forced to have recourse unto his Majestie. And to the end that some remedy might be found for so great an abuse, which might occasion many in∣conveniences, those Litterati of a more then usual stature and greatness of body, demanded place and time (always provided it might stand with his Majesties Approbation) where and when, hand to hand, two to two, three to three, or in what greater numbers the contrary party should choose, they would dispute vvith the Vertuosi of small, and of middle stature in all sorts of Sciences, and venture their reputations thereupon: But that vvhen his Majestie should think they had given sufficient Tryal of themselves, and should have proved themselves to be real Vertuosi; their humble request was, That he vvould be pleased to dec•…•…e the pro∣verb to be false and erronous, vvhich says. Homo longus, raro sapiens, vvhich vvas the rise of all the scandal. His Majestie gave ear to Cino's complaint vvith a pleasing countenance; and told him, That he vvas sensible of the rash judgement vvhich his Vertuosi gave of them; but that the proverb being true, he neither could nor vvould declare it to be false; and that Homo longus vvas not to be understood (according to the vulgar misinterpretation) for any extraordinary proportion of body, but in respect of resolution and deliberations taken in affairs; for too much delay and length of time in dispatching business, vvas a clear evidence of vvant of vvit, simplicity, and of a drousie understanding; for he vvas onely to be accounted vvise, vvho vvas resolute in his affairs, and vvho being able to resolve upon any sudden occasion, dispatched business vvith admirable dexterity of vvit.