Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

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good wittes, except they be let downe like a treble
firing, and vnbent like a good calling bowe, they wil
neuer lafl and be able to continue in fludie. And I
know where I fpeake this Philologe, for I wolde not
faye thus moche afore yong men, for they wil take
foone occafion to fludie litle ynough. But I faye it
therfore bicaufe I knowe, as litle fludie getteth litle
learninge or none at all, fo the moofl fludie getteth
not ye moofl learning of all. For a mans witte fore
occupied in ernefl fludie, mufl be as wel recreated
with fome honefl paflime, as the body fore laboured,
mufl be refrefhed with flepe and quietneffe, or els it
can not endure very longe, as the noble poete fayetru
What thing wants quiet and men reft endures but a final while.

Ouid.

And I promife you fhoting by my Judgement, is jj
ye moofl honefl paflime of al, and fuche one I am
fure, of all other, that hindreth learning litle or nothing at
all, whatfoeuer you and fome other faye, whiche are a
gret dele forer againfl it alwaies than you nede to be,

•pfju Hindereth learninge litle or nothinge at all?
that were a meruayle to me truelie, and I am fure feing
you fay fo, you haue fome reafon wherewith you can
defende mooting withall, and as for wyl (for the loue
that you beare towarde fhotinge) I thinke there Ihall
lacke none in you. Therfore feinge we haue fo good
leyfure bothe, and no bodie by to trouble vs : and you
fo willinge and able to defende it, and I fo redy and
glad to heare what may be fayde of it I fuppofe we
canne not paffe the tyme better ouer, neyther you for
ye honeflie of your fhoting, nor I for myne owne
rnindfake, than to fe what can be fayed with it, or
agaynfle it, and fpeciallie in thefe dayes, whan fo many
doeth vfe it, and euerie man in a maner doeth com-
mon of it.

BCcx* To fpeake of fhootinge Philologe, trulye I
woulde I were fo able, either as I my felfe am willing
or yet as the matter deferueth, but feing with wiffhing
we can not haue one nowe worthie, whiche fo worthie