to in his Protagoras well saith, a good philosopher as much
excels other men, as a great king doth the commons of his country; and
again, [2062]_quoniam illis nihil deest, et minime egere solent, et
disciplinas quas profitentur, soli a contemptu vindicare possunt_, they
needed not to beg so basely, as they compel [2063]scholars in our times to
complain of poverty, or crouch to a rich chuff for a meal's meat, but could
vindicate themselves, and those arts which they professed. Now they would
and cannot: for it is held by some of them, as an axiom, that to keep them
poor, will make them study; they must be dieted, as horses to a race, not
pampered, [2064]_Alendos volunt, non saginandos, ne melioris mentis
flammula extinguatur_; a fat bird will not sing, a fat dog cannot hunt, and
so by this depression of theirs [2065]some want means, others will, all
want [2066]encouragement, as being forsaken almost; and generally
contemned. 'Tis an old saying, _Sint Mecaenates, non deerunt Flacce
Marones_, and 'tis a true saying still. Yet oftentimes I may not deny it
the main fault is in ourselves. Our academics too frequently offend in
neglecting patrons, as [2067]Erasmus well taxeth, or making ill choice of
them; _negligimus oblatos aut amplectimur parum aptos_, or if we get a good
one, _non studemus mutuis officiis favorem ejus alere_, we do not ply and
follow him as we should. _Idem mihi accidit Adolescenti_ (saith Erasmus)
acknowledging his fault, _et gravissime peccavi_, and so may [2068]I say
myself, I have offended in this, and so peradventure have many others. We
did not _spondere magnatum favoribus, qui caeperunt nos amplecti_, apply
ourselves with that readiness we should: idleness, love of liberty,
_immodicus amor libertatis effecit ut diu cum perfidis amicis_, as he
confesseth, _et pertinaci pauperate colluctarer_, bashfulness, melancholy,
timorousness, cause many of us to be too backward and remiss. So some
offend in one extreme, but too many on the other, we are most part too
forward, too solicitous, too ambitious, too impudent; we commonly complain
_deesse Maecenates_, of want of encouragement, want of means, when as the
true defect is in our own want of worth, our insufficiency: did Maecenas
take notice of Horace or Virgil till they had shown themselves first? or
had Bavius and Mevius any patrons? _Egregium specimen dent_, saith Erasmus,
let them approve themselves worthy first, sufficiently qualified for
learning and man