The courtier's calling, shewing the ways of making a fortune, and the art of living at court, according to the maxims of policy & morality in two parts, the first concerning noblemen, the second concerning gentlemen / by a person of honour.

CHAP. XIV. That a Gentleman who perceives in himself a natural disposi∣tion to Study, ought to apply himself thereto: And that no man can be learned with∣out his inclination.

I Will not deny that a Souldier cannot well be without the po∣liteness of discourse and knowledge, which are necessary for an expert Secretary; so I look not upon this Employ as a thing, to which every Nobleman can aspire. I pretend on∣ly to prove that it is not beneath a Gentleman, and that such as are sensible they have Wit and Capacity enough to discharge themselves well thereof, ought not to contemn it. I farther add to this proposition, that the Designe being to make his For∣tune, he comprehends very ill his own Interest, to refuse the most cer∣tain means that conduce thereto, when they are honourable; and I

see no reason why he who knows how to serve a Prince-in his Cabi∣net with his Pen, should not serve him honourably with his Sword a∣gainst his Enemies.

I have formerly said, that there is no Obligation in cumbent on a Gen∣tleman to render himself learned, if he designes to follow the War: But I have ever recourse to the Ge∣neral Thesis which I establish'd, that every one ought to know his own inclination and natural disposition. This would render a person unwor∣thy of the benefits of Nature, not to improve a good Wit; the love of learning, which she inspires into him, is a signe that being not able to prevail against Destiny nor the Laws which deprive him of worldly Goods, she has reserv'd for his Portion, Worth and the Sciences. It is his duty to advantage himself by this Present, which he ought so much the less to neglect, as it is impossible to obtain it whithout her succour: 'Tis she that carries the Flambo before him, when he searches to discover obscure and difficult matters; 'tis she that makes

him admired in the Pulpit; 'tis she that makes him prevail in Councils; 'tis she that sweetens his Manners, and rendering him amiable to all the World, raises him from the dust to exalt him above other men.

It would most certainly be a very judicious and advantageous Law, not to permit any to the study of the Arts and Sciences, but such as Nature has disposed thereto. There is no fear, that by the retrenching of Scho∣lars, the number of the Learned would be diminished. This promis∣cuous throng of all sorts of People, who flock to the gates of Colledges, and who loyter under Tutors, scarce produces one accomplisht and under∣standing Person among a thousand Students. That which they learn, serves only to render them importu∣nate, and make them enterprise de∣signes above their forces; they per∣swade themselves that all the Truths of Philosophy are shut up in their Note-book: and the dulness of their brains not being able to conceive a∣ny objection, they believe that they have attain'd to the utmost perfecti∣on

of Knowledge; because they see nothing but with the eyes of their Tutor, and Nature seems not to have given any other faculty to their friends but Memory. We daily ob∣serve, that there is nothing more hurtful than this sort of People, who doubt of things, and do not under∣stand them. 'Tis from them, that so many Heresies have infected Re∣ligion, and so many Scruples have troubled the best Consciences; 'tis from them, proceeded those rash judgements which fill'd the world with Libertines.

I remember, that I once heard it asserted before a Great and Wise Prince, that there was never any worse Policie, than that of Francis the First; who not being contented with having acquired the Renown of a Valiant Prince, thought that his Glory would be imperfect, if Poste∣rity should not one day publish that he had also been the Father of the Learned, and the Restorer of Lear∣ning. This Passion caus'd him to erect more Colledges in his Domini∣ons, and in divers places establish

Conveniencies for Scholars. But this Prince did not perceive that he pro∣cured to himself a certain Evil, in seeking an uncertain good: He thought by this establishment to peo∣ple France with Learned men, but he made very few thereby, but in∣fected it with an infinite number of Persons unuseful to the Common∣wealth. I mean to say, that he fil∣led the Bar with Pettifoggers and Lawyers, the Cities with imperti∣nent idle Fellows, and the Cloysters with lazy Monks. In the mean time, he neither extended the Do∣ctrine nor augmented Piety in his Kingdom; but diminished the num∣ber of Souldiers, of Merchants, of La∣bourers, and of Mechanicks, from whom the State hath its Defence, its Riches, its Food and Manufactures. I cannot forbear admiring the Policy of the Turks, which I finde as pru∣dent, as their Religion ridiculous. It is not out of sottishness, that they banished Learning out of Greece, which was heretofore the great Nurse of the Muses, when they subdued its Inhabitants, and rendered them tribu∣tary

to their Empire: Their Conduct is too discreet, to impute to them that Barbarism; of which the World accuses them, and which they seem to affect. They understood more judiciously than we, the value of the Sciences, when they rendred them not so common; and to conclude im∣partially, they have done them far less injury by restraining them to a small number of Ingenious persons, than we in prostituting them to all sorts of men. They considered, that as too great a quantity of Flam∣bo's in a Salle filled with people, offends them by their heat and smoak, so a vast number of Scholars might very much prejudice the State, by thinking to instruct their Coun∣try-men. Thus they have not re∣nounced the Lights of the Arts and Sciences, but have moderated the number of Students; and 'tis in this particular chiefly, that I admire their Judgement, that they follow Nature as a Soveraign Mistriss in the instru∣ction of their Children; they consti∣tute Judges of their inclinations to this or that Profession, and according

to their natural dispositions they are encouraged and employed.

Notes

• Neque enini natae sunt haereses, ni∣si dum scri∣pturae bonae intelligun∣tur non benè Aug.