Books, Authors.
THE giving a Bookseller his Price for his Books has this Advantage, he that will do so, shall have the Refusal of whatsoever comes to his Hand, and so by that means get many things, which o∣therwise he never should have seen. So ’tis in giving a Bawd her Price.
In buying Books or other Com∣modities, ’tis not always the best way to bid half so much as the Seller asks: witness the Country Fellow that went to buy two groat Shillings, they ask’d him three Shillings, and he bad them eighteen Pence.
They counted the Price of the Books (Acts 19. 19.) and found Fifty Thousand Pieces of Silver, that is so ma∣ny Sextertii, or so many Three-half-pence of our Money, about Three Hundred Pound Sterling.
Popish Books teach and inform, what we know, we know much out of them. The Fathers, Church Story, School∣men, all may pass for Popish Books, and if you take away them, what Learning will you leave? Besides who must be Judge? The Customer or the Writer? If he disallows a Book, it must not be brought into the Kingdom, then Lord have Mercy upon all Scholars. These Puritan Preachers, if they have any things good, they have it out of Popish Books, tho’ they will not acknowledge it, for fear of displeasing the People: he is a poor Divine that cannot severe the Good from the Bad.
’Tis good to have Translations, be∣cause they serve as a Comment, so far as the Judgment of the Man goes.
In answering a Book, ’tis best to be short, otherwise he that I write against will suspect I intend to weary him, not to satisfie him. Besides in being long I shall give my Adversary a huge Advan∣tage, somewhere or other he will pick a Hole.
In quoting of Books, quote such Authors as are usually read, others you may read for your own Satisfaction, but not name them.
Quoting of Authors is most for matter of Fact, and then I write them as I would produce a Witness, sometimes for a free Expression, and then I give the Author his Due, and gain my self Praise by reading him.
To quote a Modern Dutch Man, where I may use a Clasic Author, is as if I were to justifie my Reputation, and I neglect all Persons of Note and Qua∣lity that know me, and bring the Testi∣monial of the Scullion in the Kitchen.