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The Complete Works of George Gascoigne ...
The Complete Works of George Gascoigne Author:George Gascoigne Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: To the Readers generally a gene- ra// advertisement of the Authour. ALl that is written is written for our instruction, as the holy - ±. Apostle witnesseth t... more »o the Romaines in his .xv. Chapter. And in his ninth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, hee glorieth that hee coulde (as it were) transforme himself into all professions, therby to winne all kinde of men to God: saying that with the Jewes he became a Jew: with them that were under the law, he seemed also under the lawe: with the feeble, he shewed himselfe feeble. And to conclude, he became all things to all men, to the ende that hee might thereby winne some to salvation. My Schoolemaster which taught me Gram- mer, woulde alwayes say that some schollers he woonne to studie by strypes, some other by fayre meanes, some by promises, some other by prayses, some by vainglorie, and some by verie shame. But I never hard him repent him that ever he had persuaded any scholler to become studious, in what sort soever it were that hee woonne him. For whether the brave Gennet be broken with the bitte, or with the snaffle, whither he be brought in awe with a Spurre, or with a wand, all is one if he prove readie and well mouthed. Thus much I write (gentle Reader) to the ende that myne intent may appeare in publishing of these Posies. Wherein as there are many things morall, so are there also some verses more sauced with wantonnesse than with wisedome. And as there are some ditties which may please and delight the godly and graver sort, so are there some which may allure the yonger sort unto fond attempts. But what for that ? Hath Terence bene forbidden to be read, bicause his Comedies are rehearsals of many madde prankes played by wanton youthes ? No surely. Paracelsus, and sundrie other Phisitions and Philosophers, de...« less