as that of
Matthiolus upon Dioscorides, Delacampius, Lobel, Bauhinus, and that last
voluminous and mighty herbal of Beslar of Nuremberg, wherein almost every
plant is to his own bigness. To see birds, beasts, and fishes of the sea,
spiders, gnats, serpents, flies, &c., all creatures set out by the same
art, and truly expressed in lively colours, with an exact description of
their natures, virtues, qualities, &c., as hath been accurately performed
by Aelian, Gesner, Ulysses Aldrovandus, Bellonius, Rondoletius, Hippolitus
Salvianus, &c. [3326]_Arcana coeli, naturae secreta, ordinem universi scire
majoris felicitatis et dulcedinis est, quam cogitatione quis assequi
possit, aut mortalis sperare_. What more pleasing studies can there be than
the mathematics, theoretical or practical parts? as to survey land, make
maps, models, dials, &c., with which I was ever much delighted myself.
_Tails est Mathematum pulchritudo_ (saith [3327] Plutarch) _ut his indignum
sit divitiarum phaleras istas et bullas, et puellaria spectacula
comparari_; such is the excellency of these studies, that all those
ornaments and childish bubbles of wealth, are not worthy to be compared to
them: _credi mihi_ ( [3328]saith one) _extingui dulce erit Mathematicarum
artium studio_, I could even live and die with such meditation, [3329]and
take more delight, true content of mind in them, than thou hast in all thy
wealth and sport, how rich soever thou art. And as [3330]Cardan well
seconds me, _Honorificum magis est et gloriosum haec intelligere, quam
provinciis praeesse, formosum aut ditem juvenem esse_. [3331]The like
pleasure there is in all other studies, to such as are truly addicted to
them, [3332]_ea suavitas_ (one holds) _ut cum quis ea degustaverit, quasi
poculis Circeis captus, non possit unquam ab illis divelli_; the like
sweetness, which as Circe's cup bewitcheth a student, he cannot leave off,
as well may witness those many laborious hours, days and nights, spent in
the voluminous treatises written by them; the same content. [3333]Julius
Scaliger was so much affected with poetry, that he brake out into a
pathetical protestation, he had rather be the author of twelve verses in
Lucan, or such an ode in [3334]Horace, than emperor of Germany.
[3335]Nicholas Gerbelius, that good old man, was so much ravished with a
few Greek authors restored to light, with hope and desire of enjoying the
rest, that he exclaims forthwith, _Arabibus atque Indis omnibus er