In the first erection of schooles and colleges, _priuat zeale_ enflamed good founders: in altering to the better, _publicke consideration_ may cause a commoner good, and yet keepe the good founders meaning, who would very gladly embrace any auauncement to the better in any their buildinges. The nature of _time_ is vpon sting of necessitie, to enfourme what were best: and the dutie of _pollicie_ is, aduisedly to consider how to bring that about which time doth aduertise. And if time do his dutie to tell, can _pollicie_ auoide blame in sparing to trie? And why should not _publike consideration_ be as carefull to thinke of altering to fortifie the state now, as _priuat zeale_ was hoat then to strengthen that which was then in liking?
But I will open these foure interrogations better, that the considerations which leade me, may winne others vnto me, or at the least let them see, that it is no meere noueltie which moueth me thus farre.
Touching the _diuision_ of _colleges_ by professions and faculties, I alleege no president from other nations, though I could do diuerse, begining euen at _Lycæum_, _Stoa_, _Academia_, themselues, and so downeward, and in other nations east and southeast ascending vpwarde, where studentes cloystured them selues together, as their choice in learning lay: but priuate examples in their applying to our country may be controuled by generall exception. If there were one college, where nothing should be professed, but languages onely, (as there be some people which will proceede no further) to serue the realme abroad, and studies in the vniuersitie, in that point excellently and absolutelie, were it not conuenient? nay were it not most profitable? That being the ende of their profession, and nothing dealt withall there but that, would not sufficiencie be discried by witnes of a number? and would not dayly conference and continuall applying in the same thing procure sufficiencie? Wheras now euery one dealing with euery thing confusedly none can assuredly say, thus much can such a one do in any one thing, but either vpon coniecture which oftentimes deceiueth euen him that affirmes: or else vpon curtesie which as oft beguiles euen him that beleueth. These reasons hold not in this point for toungues onely: but in all other distributions, where the like matter and the like men be likewise to be matched. For where all _exercises_, all _conferences_, all both priuate and publike, _colloquies_, be of the same argument, bycause the soile bringeth foorth no other stuffe, there must needes follow great perfection. When toungues, and learning be so seuered, it will soone appeare, what ods there is betwene one that can but speake, and him that can do more, whereas now some few finish wordes, will beare away the glorie from knowledge without consideration, that the gate is without the towne as dismantling bewraies, though it be the entrie into it.
