CHAP. III. Of the Division of that which the Schools call Humane Learning, and first of Tongues or Languages.
THose Sciences that the Schools usually comprehend un∣der the title of Humane, are by them divided divers and sundry waies, according to several fancies or Authors; but most usually into two sorts, Speculative and Practick: wherein their greatest crime lies in making some meerly Spe∣culative, that are of no use or benefit to mankind unless they be reduced into practice, and then of all other most profita∣ble, excellent and usefull; and these are natural Philosophy and Mathematicks, both of which will clearly appear to be practical, and that in a few reasons.
1. Can the Science of natural things, whose subject they hold to be corpus naturale mobile, be only speculative, and not practical? is there no further end nor consideration in Physicks but onely to search, discuss, understand, and dispute of a natural movable body, with all the affections, accidents and cir••umstances thereto belonging? Is he onely to be ac∣counted —Faelix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas? Then surely we may justly conclude with Seneca, Nostra quae erat Philosophia, facta Philologia est, ex qua disputare docemus, non vivere! That which was our Philosophy is made Philologie, from whence we teach to dispute, not to live. Surely natural Philosophy hath a more noble, sublime, and ultimate end, than to rest in speculation, abstractive no∣tions, mental operations, and verball disputes: for as it should lead us to know and understand the causes, proper∣ties, operations and affections of nature; so not onely to rest