I beseech you all this while, what news at _Cambridge_? _Tully_ and _Demosthenes_ nothing so much studied as they were wont: _Livy_ and _Sallust_ perhaps more, rather than less: _Lucian_ never so much: _Aristotle_ much named but little read: _Xenophon_ and _Plato_ reckoned amongst discoursers, and conceited superficial fellows; much verbal and sophistical jangling; little subtle and effectual disputing. _Machiavel_ a great man: _Castilio_, of no small repute: _Petrarch_ and _Boccace_ in every man's mouth: _Galateo_ and _Guazzo_ never so happy: but some acquainted with _Unico Aretino_: the _French_ and _Italian_ highly regarded: the _Latin_ and _Greek_ but lightly. The _Queen Mother_ at the beginning or end of every conference: all inquisitive after news: new _books_, new fashions, new laws, new officers, and some after new elements, some after new heavens and hells too. _Turkish_ affairs familiarly known: castles built in the air: much ado, and little help: in no age so little so much made of; every one highly in his own favour. Something made of nothing, in spight of Nature: numbers made of cyphers, in spight of Art. Oxen and asses, notwithstanding the absurdity it seemed to _Plautus_, drawing in the same yoke: the Gospel taught, not learnt; Charity cold; nothing good, but by imputation; the Ceremonial Law in word abrogated, the Judicial in effect disannull'd, the Moral abandon'd; _the Light, the Light_ in every man's lips, but mark their eyes, and you will say they are rather like owls than eagles. As of old books, so of ancient virtue, honesty, fidelity, equity, new abridgments; every day spawns new opinions: heresy in divinity, in philosophy, in humanity, in manners, grounded upon hearsay; doctors contemn'd; the _devil_ not so hated as the _pope_; many invectives, but no amendment. No more ado about caps and surplices; Mr. _Cartwright_ quite forgotten. * * * * * _David_, _Ulysses_, and _Solon_, feign'd themselves fools and madmen; our fools and madmen feign themselves _Davids_, _Ulysses's_, and _Solons_. It is pity fair weather should do any hurt; but I know what peace and quietness hath done with some melancholy pickstraws.