For , In Ep. ad Rest . & alibi . Cominius tels vs , that the best Grammarians haue from Age to Age successiuely quoted the defects and errors of each other . Grammarians dissenting . Donatus , Seruius , and Priscianus , accused their predecessors ; and were afterwards themselues taxed by Beroaldus , Politianus , Philelphus , and Laurentius Valla : and these , by Baptista Pius , Georgius and Petrus Valla , Aldus Romanus , Perottus Sipuntinus , &c: and these , by Pylades Brixianus ; and hee , and the former by Quintianus Stoa : and Stoa , by Phineus , Domitius and others : and to come to our owne times , Martinus Crusius was inuay'd against by Frischlinus ; and our English Lilie by the Spanish Aluarus ; Mr. Ralph Gittins . and , as I heare , by a gentleman of our owne Nation , who brings him on the stage for many errors .

Some of these call the rest Grammatistae , Stoa in arte versif . Suetonius . Zuing. l. 1. Th. seu literatores ; Grammaticuli ; Grammatociphones ; and by other names of ignorance ; as , incuriosi , and Scioli : yea , and some of them tell their companions , that their works , and precepts are tedious ; and that they are not able to vtter their owne name in good latine ; as Valla tels Priscianus . 〈◊〉 c. 1. Com. in Ep. And this Valla tels others , that they vnteach the latine tongue . But , Pius Bononiensis honestly reprehends his own iudgement formerly deliuered vppon Plautus , and Sidonius Apolinaris ; making ( with others ) the world a witnesse of his retractations . So that I may , according to the Prouerb , conclude with Horace , " Grammatici certant , In arte poetica . et adhuc sub Iudice lis est . Now , if these men may be credited , the Art of Grammar is vnperfect : if wee should not credit them , wee are but fooles in my conceit to follow them . For , to learne what is vnperfect , breeds but imperfect knowledge : and I despaire of better ; in that I am not able to conceiue how those defects which could not in a thousand eight hundred years past ( from the time of Ennius , till this daie ) be corrected , can at anie time heereafter by the same course that others haue hitherto followed , bee amended ; * * V.S. Alb. Organo mag. Aph. 6. It beeing a follie and against all sense to conceiue that those things which were neuer heretofore brought-to-passe , can bee effected by other means then such as no man yet attempted .

But leauing this vnattempted means to languages till a fitter opportunitie ; let vs , Grammarians censured . while these Grammarians are at variance , giue eare to what the Standers-by and men of credit wil say of them .

Crassus was of opinion , Cic. in . Or. l. 3 that they took a course to dull yong wits , & make them shameless , In learning that which among men of sort was thought ridiculous .

Plinie tells vs , Com. in Ep. they corrupt the bookes of auncient writers , and make them more obscure , by their vaine and ouerthwart corrections ; and that their curiosities are * * Hist. nat. l. 35. c. 3. peruerse subtilties : and that for telling these truthes hee alwaies * * In Prolog . Hist. Nat. expected something from Grammarians , in opposition of those bookes which he had written de Grammatica .

Quintilian cals their diligence mischieuous , l. 1. c. 10. or malicious ; auouching , that he holds it * * l. 1. c. 14 fitting , that amongst their other vertues , they should insert some kinde of ignorance . He also holds they are vnlearned : And * * Epig. l. 14 Martiall knew it as well as he ; and therefore said , Quamuis me Ligulam dicant equitesque patresque : Dicor ab indoctis Lingula Grammaticis . Though I be Ligula to th' wise and Noble man : Thou call'st me Lingula , vnlearn'd Grammarian .

Moreouer , Iab. 1. cap. 10. the same Quintilian tels them plainely , that they may well be able to teach their Scholars to write and speake like Grammarians , but they shall neuer be able to doe either of them like the Latines : Ibid. for they are of sundry conditions ; Aliud est Grammaticè , aliud Latinè loqui .

And further he saith , lib. 1. cap. 14. that all their Commentaries are full of impediments , & such as are for the most part vnknowne vnto themselues the Commentators .

And this made Laur : Valla say , there is nothing more arrogant then their eye ; or more insolent in the correction , or rather corruption of Authors .

Whereupon Hermolaus Barbarus reporteth , In calce castigationum suarum . that some are now adaies growne so audacious , as to hold euery thing faultie , and to be corrected , that falls not within the reach of their capacitie : which kind of haste ( saith hee ) or rather rashnesse , is the most pestilent euill that can happen in the latine language .

And ( knowing that Crassus in the time of his Censorship had by edict put such as these to silence ) he wisheth , Cic. in Ordib. 3. that ( now also ) there were a law made , whereby such bould and indiscreet attempts might hereafter wholly be forbidden : Affirming that the vnlearned may sometimes fall into this error ; but the learned more often , and with greater daunger : for , as others are wont to rely much vpon their iudgement , so are they still able to produce new false allurements to perswade them .

And Master Tho. Haine ( one of the most sufficient School-masters about this cittie of London ) in * * Fol. 1 b. a latine Discourse of his , written to the effect of this Appeale , Too too diligent . Lud. Viu . lib. 2. de caus . cor. Art . Say more then they ought , & and yet not all they should . holds some Grammarians to haue been nimiùm diligentes ; and that they fall within the compasse of Quintilian's complaint against such as Plura quam par sit dicunt , non tamen omnia : And that they haue inriched themselues , with the spoiles of Lexicons , & other arts ; and adorned their plumes with filched feathers : and that when they haue done what they can , they doe but breake young Scholars backes with the burthen of vnnecessary precepts ; Repetitions of the selfe same things with other words . and that setting their tender witts vpon the rack they pull and teare them with Tautologies .

Other some ; though ( saith he ) they be succinct , and methodicall in their precepts : yet bring they with them disaduantage . For no man can run speedily to the mark of languages , that is shackled and ingiu'd with grammar precepts . And hence it proceeds , that such as onely depend on the rules of Grammar , wrote barbarously , as appeareth ex libris Tenebrionumseu Dunsarum , et ex epistolis obscurorum virorum . And such as attribute much to precepts , and something to authoritie , must needes be fearefull , and irresolute . For , following authoritie , they many times run against rules ; and obeying rules , they disturb authoritie : without whose hand and feale , the best of rules is but irregulare .

And Cominius concludes , that they teach , Rest . lib. 1. cap. 1. and command children , and such as would learne the tongue , to follow things of a contrary nature . For , first they would haue them learn by Grammar , and then they send them to reade Authors : which things are contrary .

And Despauterius runs with him against himself : for he is constrained to say ,

And in an other place .

Wherevnto Cicero alluding , Or. l. 1 saith , I omitt to speak of Mathematicians , Grammarians , and Musicians ; with whose arts , this of Oratorie hath not so much as the least coherence .

Howbeit we are not ignorant ( saith Cominius ) that Grammarians endeuoring to vphold their errours ( either to please the people , Rest . 1.5 . or ( rather ) because they had no better way to get , or teach by ) haue wrested all the sentences & authorities of the Ancients , to the approbation of their Art of Grammar . For whereas Varro , Quintilian , and others disputing about Grammar , are inforced to alledge the arguments that may be brought on both sides ; the Grammarians catch those that make for themselues , and produce them as the iudgement , and established opinions of the same Authors on their behalf : but such arguments as made against them , as also the conclusions , & absolute determinations of those Authors in the shutting vp of their disputations , they ouerslip without remembrance . And therefore , saith hee , ( though somwhat roughly ) they haue hitherto deceiued vs , and are themselues full oft deceiued . Neither doth he exclude our new writers from this censure : Ep. Rest . for he houlds that they haue nothing , but what they haue taken from others . And he wrote since Lilies Grammar was composed .

But , saith he , Rest . l. 1.15 let these & many other Authors speak their pleasures , Grammarians wil not be reformed . Trew it is , that finding their collections taxed of being vaine , tedious , disordered and superfluous ; they affect breuitie and better method : but , as they growe shorter , so are they more insufficient , and less intelligible ; euer intricated in the self same Labyrinth , commending their reproued precepts , and perswading all the world to follow them .

Thus far our Authors haue declared themselues concerning Grammarians : Grammar censured . now let vs patiently heare them about their Art .

It is very likely ( saith our alledged Author ) that those which in speech proceed by Art , l. 1.10 . Rest . rules and reason , ought to speake better , then those that follow the people , and such as are vnlearned . So is there a likely hood in musick , that the distances of a third , a fift , a sixt , and an eight , should by reason of these numbers , make a concorde , or consonant harmonie : but ( saith hee ) this dependeth meerely vpon the iudgement of the eare , because God and nature would haue it so : And they were not found out by numbers , but by experience ; for this obseruation of numbers therein came afterwards . We may also by likelyhood say , the Suns rising is a cause of the Cocks crowing ; & the setting therof of the Owles better seeing : But presumption vpon likelyhood is often a wronger of blamelesse truth , & an ouerthrowe of greatest knowledges : and in many things there are seeming reasons at the first incounter thought to be irrefragable , which experience at length assureth vs to be vaine , and friuolous . And this appeares in Grammar , in that there is a likelyhoode , that all Nounes , and Verbes should followe by Analogie the grammaticall Declensions , and Conjugations : Prisc . lib. 7. cap. de dat . & abl. plur. sec. dec . yet looking into Custome , and Authoritie wee finde daily some irregularities , which we cannot excuse , or make good , but by new-found exceptions , and inlarging the doctrine of the Heteroclites . And all our actions that proceed from nature are sooner & better learned by vse & exercise , then by Art , Inst. Or. or Precept . For Quintilian saith , there are many things that cannot be deliuerd by Art ; as , sucking , eating , drinking , standing , running : to which we may add the actions of our outward senses and the like ; which are not onely giuen to men , but children , & vnreasonable creatures . And as in these , so in speech ( which is the sixt externall sense according to Raymundus ) we beginne not by Art , but by Art. Mag. Plato in Cratylo . Nature ; and proceed by vse , custome , authoritie , and exercise , gouern'd by the eare ; which is in this kind pleased , or displeased by an inbred , secret , & vnpenetrable harmony in nature . And let vs be content to know thus much de facto : for , of the first causes we neuer yet had solider doctrin , them those likelihoods . Neither will Nature be compeld to dance within our circle ; or haue a coat , or a cocks-comb put vpon her , by her owne Apes ; Though I must confessethat all these may be helped by Art , & also adorned : But this is not to be vnderstood in childhood ; but in men of iudgement , and of good discretion , that are capable of Art , and the reasons thereof . And that made Quintilian say , they would doe it better , conducted by nature , then by Art ; lib. 9. cap. 4. yet nature ( saith hee ) hath in it Art .

But though there be an Art of helping and adorning speech , yet is it not Grammar ; Com. lib. 1.10 . except we take it in the first simplicitie . For , our fore-alledged Author Cominius would haue vs knowe , lib. 1. cap. 9. that Grammar hindreth the elegancie of speech : because Grammaticall construction , and precepts , commande that words be otherwise placed then antient Authors placed them . And this , saith hee , is a great error amongst vs , that we are now afraide to produce the same sentences , and periods which were vsed by them , in the same words that they did , and in their manner of position : but by Art of Grammar wee inuent new words , and put them in an other order , then the best Writers placed them ; Though Quintilian say , that if any man dissolue a clause , lib. 9.4 . sentence or period that is in it selfe sweet , ful , and wel spoken ; he wil driue away all the force , pleasure & ornament thereof ; and altogither foile the composition . And he takes his authoritie from Cicero ; In Or. who , dissoluing periods of his owne , makes them harsh , & ill-sounding : and by correcting the hard , and crabbed compositions of Gracchus , makes them sweet , and pleasing ; the better to demonstrate that , which otherwise might haue beene thought but meer imaginary .

Wherfore , it appeareth , that in following Grammar , we abandon elegancie , and the pleasure of the eare ; and speake and write Grammar-latine , Englishlatin , Dutch-latine , French-latine : and , in a word , euery nation , by this Art , writes it owne peculiar latine ; and not the latine of the Latins , nor anie foraine language as it should be . For , in euery tongue there are many things , which if wee should vtter by any other order then as they are vulgarly spoken , they would not run well , and wee should be thought to speake improperly ; as euery man may iudge by the clauses , sentences , and especially Prouerbs , of his owne language : which , transposed , or made-vp with other words than common , would for the most part lose their pleasing grace , delightfull sound , and ( many times ) their sense , and meaning . Or. l. 3 Whereupon Cicero concludes , that these men separate words from sentences , in the same manner that the Soule is separated from the bodie ; which is not to be done ( saith hee ) without their manifest destructions . l. 1 of the bringing vp of youth .

By mine aduice , saith * Ascham ( who read to Queen Elizabeth ) a Scholar shall not vse the common order in common schooles , for making of Latins : whereby the child commonly learneth first an euill choice of words ( and right choise of words , Cic. de clar . Or. saith Caesar , is the foundation of eloquence ; ) then , a wrong placing of words ; and lastly , an euill framing of the sentence ; with a peruerse iudgement both of words and sentences . These faults , taking once root in youth , be neuer , or hardly pluckt-away in age .

Moreouer , there is ( saith hee ) no one thing that hath either dulled the wits , or taken away the wills of children more from learning , then the care they haue to satisfy their Masters in making Latins . For , the Scholar is commonly beaten for the making , when the Master were more worthie to be beaten for the mending , or rather marring of the same ; the Master many times being as ignorant as the childe , what to say properly , and fitly to the matter And he produceth two Schoolemasters , Horman and Whittington . which haue sett foorth in print , either of them , a book of such kinde of Latins , that ( if we beleeue him ) a childe shall learne of the better of them that which an other day ( if he be wise and com to iudgement ) he must be faine to vnlearne againe .

Further : our Cominius saith , Rest . l. 1.9 This Grammar hinders vs in writing rightly , in respect of the diuersirie of Grammaticall opinions about dipthonges , aspirations , hissings , accents , and infinite other particularities , about which they are euer in controuersie ; as appeareth by Priscianus , Tortellius , Lancilotus , Nicholaus Ferettus , Georgius Valla , Aldus Romanus , Nestor , Stoa , Frishlinus , and a thousand others ; in whom you shall finde almost nothing but contentions about letters , syllables , accents , quantities of syllables , & corrections of Authors , euery man after his owne humour and inuention : so that in so great a diuersitie , you are not able to determine how you should proceed either in speaking , or in writing rightly .

Whereupon he further inferres , Ib. that Grammar hinders men from the vnderstanding of Poets , and antient Authours , and makes them more obscure , and difficult . So that , such as are otherwise ( for the language sake ) desirous to reade them , drawe back , and are discomfited . And things are brought to that passe , that the very name of Latin is hatefull almost to euery man ; excepting such , as ( hunting after gain , and commoditie by some science , or profession ) are constrained to fall vpon the very froth , and dregges therof : and these for the most part despise elegancie , and scorn such as endeauour to attaine vnto it ; in that themselues are brought-vp vnder the discipline of Grammar ; which neither respecteth the names of things , nor the custom of antient Authors , nor the iudgement of the sense of hearing , wherein elegancy hath her maine foundation .

Besides : Ib. he holdeth it an occasion of the losse of much time , and ( consequently ) of many of the best and chiefest Arts , and knowledges . For , if any man would be exquisite therein , and speake rightly according to the rules thereof , it is necessarie hee should turne ouer the most part of Grammaticall Commentaries , that he may the better make election which of them were fittest to bee sollowed ; though he confesseth , Ibid. that it would be a perpetuall and an vnprofitable labour , to gather all rules , to examine all places of Authours , and out of all these to put all occurrent exceptions vnto rules ; in that there is no man but had rather speak after the example of Cicero , Liuius , Salustius , Virgilius , Ouidius , Plautus & Terentius , than vse the precepts of Grammarians ; Inst. Or. Fabius houlding it a more excusable errour , to fall in following of these great men , than in following of these great mens Followers . But ( to turne to our election ) our Grammarians will questionlesse reject Priscianus , as condemned by Valla ; and Valla , as found tripping by Perottus . So ( to be short ) by further inquisition he will neglect our common Grammar , Mr Gittins . as taxed by him that hath collected centum errores Lilij : And , as wel it , as all other Grammars now in vse ; De caus . linguae latinae . as branded by Iulius Caesar Scaliger , in aboue seuen hundred and fifty noted errours .

Thus hauing found all the former Grammars faulty ; hee cannot warrant the last , infallible : yet must he be constrained to follow it , or make a new one of his owne ; which will be liable with the rest to all taxation . For , by reading antient Authours , he shall still discouer something that fals not vnder the collections of other Grammarians ; and heerevpon will make an exception to some former rule ; or make a new rule , and call the former Collecters , block-heads . Thus did our Fathers to our Grandfathers : thus will our children deal with vs .

But stay : If , before we can justly tax our Predecessors of ignorance , we must necessarily take pains in reading them ; and to read both new and ould Grammarians , were worke enough for a Methushelah ; what shall we be able to elect or judge of , that haue but a span of life ; and in it , before our toppes be ripe , our roots bee rotten ? Certainly wee may commence the sute : but we shal neuer liue to hear the Sentence . For , besides the infinite number of them , the very thought of one onely Quint. l. 1.14 Arist. Rhet. 3. Zuing. l. 1. Th. Didymus , which wrote but three thousand and fiue hundred volumes , makes me despair of doing well amongst Grammarians ; In moriae encomio . Insomuch that Erasmus concludeth well , that only Grammar is enough to make a man spend the circuit of his whole life in tortures .

And , Rest . l. 1.9 saith Haloinus , we haue this experience , that many of the Master-grammarians ( which lost no time , either in writing of Grammar , or in teaching it ) haue been so far from perfection in their owne profession , that they were neither able to speak Latine rightly , nor to write it with elegancy .

Further : wee may note a number of their scholars which haue taken infinite pains til twenty years of age , sometimes till thirty , and yet are not able to write or speake any thing worth the reading : nor haue they any knowledge in other arts or professions ; though they haue suffered many stripes , and are almost deaf with cries and exclamations .

Half our age , Essaies , l. 1. c. 25 saith Montaigne , is consumed that way : we are kept foure or fiue years in learning to vnderstand bare words , and to join them into clauses ; then , as long in proportioning a great bodie extended into foure or fiue parts ; and fiue yeares more at least , ere we can succinctly knowe how to mingle , joyn , and interlace them handsomely into a subtile fashion , and into one coherent orb .

I remember , saith Ascham , when I was young , l. 2. in the North they went to the Grammar-schoole little children , they came from thence great lubbers ; alwaies learning , but little profiting ; learning without book euery thing , vnderstanding within booke very little : their whole knowledge , by learning without book , was tied onely to their tongue and lips , and neuer ascended vp to the braines or head ; and therefore was soon spet out again . They were as men alwaies going , but euer out of the way : and why ? for , their whole labour ( or rather great toile without order ) was euen vaine idlenesse without profit . Indeed , they took great paines about learning ; but imployed small labour in learning .

Now , if Grammar should be the best Course to languages , and Kings may haue their choise of best Courses ; I wonder what choise of Grammars was made by Mithridates . And that , that makes mee wonder more : we , that haue no businesse but a language , spend all our life , and are not perfect in one ; and hee , that had a Kingdomes affairs to look vnto , had two and twenty compleat languages . Val. Max. l. 8. c. 7

I wonder also how the Romans came all to be expert in Oratory , Husbandry , Astrologie , Geometry , Arithmetick , Musick , and many other sciences , before they were admitted to martiall discipline , or other imployment : as by Livius , Valerius , Plutarch , Suetonius , Frontinus , Vegetius , and many others , is recorded . Assuredly , they knew no Grammar : or , knowing it , they did neglect it .

And no maruell : for , Alexander , Amigonus , Achilles , Themistocles , Epaminondas , Hanibal , Scipio , and a thousand others , were instructed by Aristotle , Calisthenes , Leonides , Perseus , Phenix , Phreareus , Lysias , Socilaus , Terentius , and the like . And all these former Potentates were knowne learned , almost in all sciences , through the assistance of these and other Masters . Of whom , some were Oratours ; some , Poets ; some , Philosophers , and of other professions : but , none of them were found to bee Grammarians .

Yet now adaies , lib. 1.9 . saith Cominius , they are so frequent , that if a man would pen an eloquent Oration after the manner of the Antients , were it neuer so pleasing and sufficient ; if hee obserue not , euerie where , the Grammar-rules , hee dares not vtter it , for fear of being thought to speak incongruously . And of this I was lately my self a witnes ; where a Gentleman , making a Verse to his owne purpose , and imitating in all points Martiall , was by one , that thought himselfe a great Proficient , reprehended for false Latine : But , the Gentleman producing his Authour , the Critick was half disparaged .

Haloinus , l. 〈◊〉 1. Rest . coming yet a little neerer the quick , tels vs ( and it stands with reason ) that no Grammar can bee made perfect , vnlesse it were as often renewed as new words are coined , or ould ones newly receiued . Neither can it , saith he , be perfect , vnlesse it teach vs the Dialects of Nations , or the diuersities of language and pronounciation in sundry Regions , Prouinces , and distant places ; with the changes and alterations in the maner of speaking , as well in Latine as in other languages .

And our experience giues vs to vnderstand , that not onely those of Flanders , Brabant , Holland , Zeland , and others in the lower - Germanie ; and those of Navar , Aragon , Catalonia , Galicia and Portugall , in Spain ; and our owne Eastern , Western , Northerne , Southern , and middle parts of England , doe much vary one and the self-same language : but euery twenty-miles-distance from any place , yeelds a manifest difference in the tongues of all , or any of these parts or Prouinces ; as also euery twenty yeares alters euery one of the said differences . Insomuch that few of vs , if we consider the antient Records and Authours of our Nation , can beleeue , that a Grammar made in the time of Chaucer , Robert of Gloster , or of Aelsrick , can be vsefull now in ours ; though doubtlesse these men wrote in the choisest Dialect the time afforded . And , certainely , all other Dialects are and will be changed in the same proportion .

Now , if Grammars bee composed according to the purity of speech especially ; and the puritie of speech in any nation is thought to be at the height , at that very instant that the Grammar was or is composed ; and that euery time and place , according to the alteration & inconstancy of that instant , is likewise altered and inconstant : I cannot see how anie Grammars of any languages , that are not daily ( according to these alterations ) altered , can be of any certainty or perfection ; in that , as a Grammar is made to be vniuersall , so should it , according to the Authours intention , be perpetuall : which , for the reasons alledged , is in both impossible .

For , l. 1.2 saith my Author , if words be changed , it is necessary that Conjugations , Declensions , Numbers , Tenses , Moods , and all other Grammaticall obseruations ( in what tongue soeuer ) be also changed : which since it is impossible , the perfection also is impossible .

And Ludovicus Vives saith , Be corr . art. l. 2 that after Grammarforms or precepts were inuented out of a proportionable correspondencie of Art ; some haue attempted to draw the immeasurable stream of vse through them , as through fitting trenches or chanels : whereas Grammar , with Logick and Rhetorick , were obserued and deriued from vse ; and not vse , from them . Therefore they haue not onely weakned and broken speech , by reducing it vnto the poore and penurious prescript of Grammar-rules ; but haue also corrupted it with many errors , in that they haue spoken otherwise than they ought to doo : well , in respect of rules ; but ill , in respect of custome , which is the Lady and Mistresse of speaking . You may see full many most exact Masters of th' Art in this manner pollute their speech with foule enormities , whil'st they follow Art , which is not capable of vse ; because vse is various or changeable : neither doth it follow Grammar or Analogie ; and therefore all things could not bee rightly gathered .

This beeing sufficiently knowne vnto the Antients ; though this Art , as suetonius reporteth , de claris Gram. began at the first to draw many ( as is vsuall ) through the nouelty thereof , and by a likelyhood of reason , and vain hopes that depended thereon : yet Cominius , In Ep. Rest . subscribing to the fore-alledged opinion of Martial , saith , If any man read with diligence , and examine antient Authors , hee shall finde , that the Roman Nobility , the men of authority , the Gentry , and the learnedest Citizens , neuer followed that Art , or euer approued it : neither was it at any time praised or receiued by Poets , Orators , Historians , or any other of perfection : but , true it is , saith he , they discommended , scorned and rejected , as well Grammar , as Grammarians .

Neither did Quintilian think , l. 1. c. 10 that this Art was sent from heauen when men were first formed , to giue lawes of speaking ; but that it was found out after they spake , and had taken notice how euerie thing did sound in vtterance : for many , saith Cominius , whose labours for the most part perished in the combustion of the Gothes , as Actius , Pacuvius , Plautus , Navius , Livius , Andronicus , Laberius , Lucretius , and manie others , wrote Latine before this Art of Grammar was inuented ; and are cited by Nonius Marcellus , Aulus Gellius , Macrobius , Priscianus , and other Writers . And no man doubteth , but the Inuenters of Grammar had the language before they had the Art ; and must therefore conclude , that it may be learned without Art .

And the same Quintilian , lib. 1. Inst. considering how much this Art had ( by the best sort of people ) been reproued , ingenuously confesseth , that hee , in what he wrote of Grammar , did not vndertake to compose an Art thereof : but , it comming in the way of his discourse , he would not omit to speak of it , lest exceptions might bee taken , that hee should slight and vnder-value it .

Cicero , Or. l. 1. alluding heerunto , saith , I vnderstand the power and force of all precepts to be thus ; not that Orators had the name of being eloquent by following them ; but that some obserued and did those things , which of their owne accord had made men eloquent : so that eloquence is not bred of Art ; but Art , of eloquence . Yet I reject it not , saith he : for , though it bee not so necessary to teach a man to speak well , yet the knowledge thereof is not illiberall . And in the same maner may we say , that speech was not bred of Grammar ; but it , of speech : and , if the precepts of Orators are not so necessary in well-speaking , what shall we gather of the precepts of Grammarians ?