The Custodie of Knowledge

The Custodie or retayning of Knowledge, is either in Writing or Memorie; whereof Writinge hath twoo partes; The Nature of the Character, and the order of the Entrie: for the Art of Characters, or other visible notes of Wordes or thinges, it hath neerest conjugation with Grammar, and therefore I referre it to the due place; for the Disposition and Collocation of that Knowledge which wee preserve in Writing; It consisteth in a good Digest of Common Places, wherein I am not ignorant of the prejudice imputed to the use of Common-Place Bookes, as causing a retardation of Reading, and some sloth or relaxation of Memorie. But because it is but a counterfeit thing in Knowledges to be forward and pregnant, except a man bee deepe and full; I hould the Entrie of Common places, to bee a matter of great use and essence in studying; as that which assureth copie of Invention and contracteth Judgment to a strength. But this is true, that of the Methodes of Common places, that I have seen, there is none of any sufficient woorth, all of them carying meerely the face of a Schoole, and not of a World, and referring to vulgar matters, and Pedanticall Divisions without all life, or respect to Action.

For the other Principall Parte of the Custodie of Knowledge, which is Memorie; I finde that facultie in my Judgement weakely enquired of; An Art there is extant of it; But it seemeth to me that there are better Precepts, than that Art; and better practises of that Art, than those received. It is certaine, the Art as it is) may bee raysed to points of ostentation prodigious: But in use (as it is nowe mannaged) it is barrein, not burdensome, nor dangerous to Naturall Memorie, as is imagined, but barren, that is, not dexterous to be applyed to the serious use of businesse and occasions. And therefore I make no more estimation of repeating a great number of Names or Wordes uppon once hearing; or the powring foorth of a number of Verses or Rimes ex tempore; or the making of a Satyricall Simile of everie thing, or the turning of everie thing to a Jest, or the falsifying or contradicting of everie thing by Cavill, or the like (wherof in the faculties of the Minde, there is great Copie, and such, as by devise and practise may bee exalted to an extreame degree of woonder;) than I doe of the trickes of Tumblers, Funambuloes, Baladynes; the one being the same in the Minde, that the other is in the bodie; Matters of strangenesse without worthynesse.

This Art of Memorie, is but built upon two Intentions: The one Prænotion; the other Embleme: Prænotion, dischargeth the Indefinite seeking of that we would remember, and directeth us to seeke in a narrowe Compasse: that is, somewhat that hath Congruitie with our Place of Memorie: Embleme reduceth conceits intellectuall to Images sensible, which strike the Memorie more; out of which Axiomes may bee drawne much better Practique, than that in use, and besides which Axiomes, there are divers moe, touching helpe of Memorie, not inferior to them. But I did in the beginning distinguish; not to report those thinges deficient, which are but onely ill Managed.