Page:The Whetstone of Witte.djvu/12

 ters, I will saie, as Plato saieth in his Booke De sum mo bono, Take awaie Arithmetike, with measure and weightes, from all other artes, and the reste that remaineth is but base, and of noe estimation. Where although Plato dooe name three thinges in appearaunce, that is Nomber, Measure, and Weighte.

What are Measure and Weighte, but nomber applied to seueralle vses? For Measure is but the nombryng of the partes of lengthe, bredthe, or depthe. And so weighte (as here it is taken) is nomberyng of the heuinesse of any thyng. So that if nomber were withdrawen, no manne could either measure, or weigh any quantitie. And therfore it must followe: that nomber onely maketh all artes perfecte, and worthie estimation: seyng that without it, all artes are but base, and without commendation. This maie suffice for the iuste cōmendation of Arithmetike. But yet one commoditie moare, whiche all menne that studie that arte, doe fele, I can not omitte. That is the filyng, sharpenyng, and quickenyng of the witte, that by practice of Arithmetike doeth insue. It teacheth menne and accustometh them, so certainly to remember thynges paste: So circumspectly to consider thynges presense: And so prouidently to forsee thynges that followe: that it maie truelie bee called the File of witte. Yea it maie aptly bee named the Scholehouse of reason. The like iudgemente had Plato of it, as appeareth by his woordes in the seuenth booke Dere publica. Where he saieth thus: ''Thei that be apte of nature to Arithmetike, bee readie and quicke to attaine all kindes of learnyng. And thei that bee dulle witted, and yet bee instructed and exercised init, though thei gette nothyng else, yet this shall thei all obtain, that thei shall bee moare sharpe witted, then thei were before''. What a benifite that onely thyng is, to haue the witte whetted and sharpened, I neade not trauell to declare, sith all menne confesse it to be as greate as maie be. Excepte any witlesse per-