Phisicke against fortune, aswell prosperous, as aduerse conteyned in two bookes. Whereby men are instructed, with lyke indifferencie to remedie theyr affections, aswell in tyme of the bryght shynyng sunne of prosperitie, as also of the foule lowryng stormes of aduersitie. Expedient for all men, but most necessary for such as be subiect to any notable insult of eyther extremitie. Written in Latine by Frauncis Petrarch, a most famous poet, and oratour. And now first Englished by Thomas Twyne.

Of an excellent Schoolmaister. The .lxxx. Dialogue.

IOY.

I Vaunt of myne excellent schoolemaister.

Reason.

Thou ceassest not yet to boast of that which is another mans: For what doeth the excellencie of thy schoolemaister apparteine vnto thee? Beleeue me, which I repeate oftentymes, it must be within thee, which must make thee glorious.

Ioy.

I glo∣rie in an excellent schoolemaister.

Reason.

Let hym in the meane tyme enioye as he list that which is his owne, and glorie also if he please, although yf he be very excellent in deede, he wyll not doo it, and touchyng thy selfe we wyl say somewhat hereafter.

Ioy.

I haue a notable schoolemaister.

Reason.

I long to heare what manner scholar 〈◊〉〈◊〉 art? For before I know that, I can pronounce no certeintie. How many fooles and dullardes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thou were ••here in the schooles of Socrates and Plato? Howe many without any schoolemaister at all, haue by their owne industrie become excellent, insomuch that they became schoolmaisters vnto ether, that had no schoolemaisters thēselues? We reade not that Virgil had any schoolemaister. The Poet Horace speaketh nothyng of his schoolemaister, but that he was very liberal of his whipping cheare, which I suppose he meant of the stripes whiche he receiued beyng a chylde. Cicero would not aduaunce his schoolemaister with great and most woorthie prayse, neyther coulde he: On the other syde, his sonne, by what instructers and schoolemaisters he was brought vp, namely his owne father, and Cratippus prince of Philosophers at that tyme, yf we beleeue Cicero, it is apparant, neuerthelesse howe

notable a knaue, and famous drunkarde, he became, it is well knowne, who myght haue ben learned and sober, had it ben with the only looke and example of his father. Plato hymselfe, al∣though as I haue sayde before, he boast of his schoolemaister So∣crates, yet is it more for his glory that he excelled Socrates, then that he learned vnder him.

Ioy.

I haue a verie learned school∣maister.

Reason.

The schoolemaisters learning may be pro∣fitable vnto the scholar, but it cannot be glorious: yea, whereat thou mayest the more maruayle, he may diminysh thy fame, and exaggerate thy slouthfulnesse: but thou hast shut from thy selfe all meanes of boastyng, and of excuse: thy knowledge shalbe as∣cribed to thy schoolemaister, and thyne ignoraunce to thy selfe: And therfore thou hast no cause to glory, but rather to aspire vnto glory. Thou hast suche an one whom thou wouldest be wyl∣l••ng to folowe and attayne vnto, not whom thou must ••••••nke thy selfe to be, for that thou art his scholar. To be short, there is in hym not whiche thou hast, but whiche thou couetest and hopest to haue, and that not without thy great study and trauayle.

Ioy.

I haue a woorthy man to my dayly schoole∣maister.

Reason.

Ciceroes sonne, of whom we spake erwhile, had two notable men to his schoolemaisters, whereof the one instructed hym with bookes at hande, the other with woordes from a far, but howe muche he pr••••••••d thou hast hearde. Do we not knowe, that many Princes chyldren haue had many excellent schoolemaisters at one tyme? But what auayleth it to haue them that teache, yf there be none to learne? If the patient be not aptly disposed, the force of the Agent woorketh in vaine. Veryly, yf to looke vpon, and to speake with learned men, would make the lookers on, and the conferrers learned, although we see fewe desirous of vertue or learnyng, notwithstandyng we shoulde see great concourse and resort vnto them.