this should serve as an introductory to my thoughts
If indeed I have no power to quote from authors as they have, it is a far bigger and more worthy thing to read by the light of experience, which is the instuctress of their masters. They strut about puffed up and pompous, decked out and adorned not with labours but by those of others, and they will not even allow me my own. And if they despise me who am inventor how much more should blame be given to themsekves, who are not inventors but trumpeters and recieters of the works of others?
Those who are inventors and interpreters between Nature and Man as compared with the reciters and trumpeters of the works of others, are to be considered simply as in an object in front of a mirror, the one being something in itself, the other nothing: people whose debt to nature is small, for it seems only by chance that they wear human form, and but for this one might class them with the herds of beast.
C.A. 117 r. b
Fin
Seeing that I cannot choose any subject of great utility or pleasure, because my predecessors have already taken as there own all useful and necessary themes, I will do like one who, because of poverty, is the last to arrive at the fair, and not being able otherwise to provide himself, chooses all the things which others have already looked over and not taken, but refused as being of little value. With these despised and rejected wares- the leavings of many buyers- I will load my modest pack, and therewith take my course, distributing, not indeed amid the great cities, but among the mean hamlets, and taking such rewards as befits the things I offer.
I am fuly aware that the fact of my not being a man of many letters may cause certain arrogant persons to theink that they may with reason censure me, alleging that I am a man ignorant of book-learning. Foolish Folk! Do they not know that I might retort by saying, as did Marius to the Roman Patricians: 'They who themselves go about adorned in the labour of others will not permit me my own'? They will say because of my lack of book-learning, I cannot properly express what I desire to treat of. Do they not know that my subjects require for their exposition experience rather then words of others? And since experience has been the mistress of whoever has written well, I take her as my mistress, and to her in all points make my appeal.
Many will believe thay can with reason censure me, alleging that my proofs are contrary to the authority of certian men who are held in great reverence by their inexperienced judgements, not taking into account that my conclusions were arrived at as a result of simple and plain experience, which is the true mistress.
These rules enable you to discern the true from the false and thus to set before yourselves only things possible and of more moderation and they forbid you to use a cloak of ignorance, which will bring about that you attain to no result and in despair abandon yourself to meloncholy.
The natural desire of good men is knoledge.
I know that many will call this a useless work, and they will ba those of whom Demetrius said he took no more account of the wind that produced the words in their mouth than of the wind that came out of their hinder parts: men whose only desire is for material riches and luxury and who are entirely destitute of the desire of wisdom, the sustenacne and the only true riches of the soul. For as the soul is more worthy than those of the body so much are the soul's riches more worthy than those of the body. And often when I see one of these men take this work in hand I wonder wether he will not put it to his nose like the ape, and ask me wether it is something to eat..
C.A. 119 v. a