Ignorantia animae.--I know no disease of the soul but ignorance, not
of the arts and sciences, but of itself; yet relating to those it is
a pernicious evil, the darkener of man's life, the disturber of his
reason, and common confounder of truth, with which a man goes
groping in the dark, no otherwise than if he were blind. Great
understandings are most racked and troubled with it; nay, sometimes
they will rather choose to die than not to know the things they
study for. Think, then, what an evil it is, and what good the
contrary.
Scientia.--Knowledge is the action of the soul and is perfect
without the senses, as having the seeds of all science and virtue in
itself; but not without the service of the senses; by these organs
the soul works: she is a perpetual agent, prompt and subtle; but
often flexible and erring, entangling herself like a silkworm, but
her reason is a weapon with two edges, and cuts through. In her
indagations oft-times new scents put her by, and she takes in errors
into her by the same conduits she doth truths.
Otium Studiorum.--Ease and relaxation are profitable to all studies.
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