The Hartlib Papers

               Præcognita Brookiana

                    Dogmatica.

I haue read over Mr Brooks's Præcognita cursorily. But j find not that in them which j did expect. If j can get time j will shew him by a Letter that which j would haue him to thinke vpon. Hee doth but intimate some little matters, which j suppose in my discourse of Iconologie is clearly enough expressed. But in a discourse of Præcognitions the true grounds of the capacity of Ages and the degrees of matters fitted therunto and the Method of applying matters to the Capacity in respect of different Scopes and not only that which in all these respects serueth the Sensual and imaginarie part, but also that which serueth the Intellectuals of a Child and his Conscience by which his Affections are ruled must bee explained. And then also his forme of discoursing in this subject by certain divisions and subdivisions like vnto those trivial ones of Keckerman doeth not much like mee. In a discourse of Præcognitions mee thinke that every thing should bee so ordered that what goeth before should bee a Præcognition to that which followeth and also more cleare by itself then anything else, but here in these generalities and superficial kindes of divisions the definition of every member canot bee vnderstood till you come to the particulars. To cast a Science in this mould after it is vnderstood that it may be kept in memory is not amisse, but to deliver it vnto one that hee may vnderstand it this way is not the best because it is not a way of Præcognition in my judgment but of Post-cognition. This is in short my judgment of that Treaty which j doe not set vpon as yet because j haue only lookt as j said cursorily vpon it. Therfore if you communicat my opinion to him pray him in my name that hee take nothing in ill part what j say, for it is but a flash that j for the present conceive; perhaps more leisure will let mee see further in that tract of his Præcognita. Mr dury. 26 Aug.

                     1637.

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    In the Enumeration and Representation of Sensuals j

                                   Pell. 7 Aug. 1637. --

    To his complaint of the obscurity of Mr Brooks's style especially in Latin j canot but subscribe. I doe not remember that ever j saw any Mans writings (of matters that j vnderstood) so cloudy and tedious as his are. And j believe there are few that thinke otherwise. Is it not a strange thing that a Man canot be vnderstood when he discourseth What and How young Children should be taught? Sure j am they must not be taught with such obscure Language as that the Learnedst Men of our times can scarce tell what to make of it vnder 3. or 4. times attentive reading over. It were no hard matter to finde the Causes of his obscurity, but j thinke it incurable in him.

    In the matter itself j doe not remember any such perfection as that one should rather finde what to praise then what to adde. It is true indeed that it is easy to praise and good words (wee say) are good cheape. But withall wee know it is easy Inventis addere especially in Enumeration of things fit to bee learned. For in a great multitude of things there is a Probability of over-sight, so that a poore gleaner coming after may finde something passed by and count it worth the taking vp. For if wee say that his Words are so general that they comprehend all that their Age is capable of, Verulam will tell vs that Orteliuses map of the World is no good director for him that would travel from London to Yorke. It is not enought to say all but let him tell vs distinctly What all those things are and How they may bee best represented taught and kept in mind. In this hee must needes faile and that very much. The perfecting of this Idea will require much time and cost many heads and hands. Amongst which some may bee lesse able none can bee more willing then j to make one, but my fruites must needes ripen slowly, whilest j stand so much in the shade. Idem

----------------------- 16 Sept. 1637. -----------------

 1. Enumerationes. 2. descriptiones. 3. Representationes.

 4. didacticæ.

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   NB.         1646. 18. Febr.

1. Sensualia (non vt Dominus Bauvius) absque vlla Methodo ab Infante et Puero imbibenda sunt relicta methodica cognitione ad Præceptorem tantum.

2.    Absoluto Curriculo nudæ Enumerationis et Perceptionis Methodus per Tabulas oculis obiicienda et memoriæ imprimenda est.

3. Post Historiam est Vberior sensualis Cognitio ostendenda et Docenda.

4. Tandem scientificè et vltimo Pansophicè [perd^..anda?] omnia.

           NB.

1 Methodus Polit [sumenda?] ex Appar. [Th?] Philos. Præ Keckerman.

2. Enumeratio Artium Mechanicarum ex Catalogo operibus Verulamij

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