kept for the ayd of that knowledg, which he learned of
Aristotle: And also to be had with him alwayes a greate numbre
of learned men. And in the moste busye tyme of all his warres
against Darius kinge of Persia, when he harde that Aristotle had
putte forthe certaine bookes of suche knowledge wherein he hadde
before studied, hee was offended with Aristotle, and wrote to
hym this letter.

#Alezandros Arisotelei eu pratteim.#

#Ouk ortho:s epoie:sas ekdous tous akroamatikous to:m logo:m, tini
gar dioisome:n he:meis to:m allo:m, ei kath' hous epaideuthe:men
logous, houtoi panto:m esontai koinoi, ego: de bouloi me:m am tais
peri ta arista empeiriais, e: tais dunamesi diapherim. erro:so.#
that is

Alexander vnto Aristotle sendeth greeting.

You haue not doone well, to put forthe those bookes of secrete
phylosophy intituled, #akroamatikoi#. For wherin shall we excell
other, yf that knowledge that wee haue studied, shall be made
commen to all other men, namely sithe our desire is to excelle
other men in experience and knowledge, rather then in power and
strength. Farewell.

By whyche lettre it appeareth that hee estemed learninge and
knowledge aboue power of men. And the like iudgement did he
vtter, when he beheld the state of Diogenes Linicus, adiudginge
it the beste state next to his owne, so that he said: If I were
not Alexander, I wolde wishe to be Diogenes. Whereby apeareth,
how he esteemed learning, and what felicity he putte therin,
reputing al the worlde saue him selfe to be inferiour to
Diogenes. And bi al coniecturs, Alexander did esteme Diogenes
one of them whiche contemned the vaine estimation of the
disceitfull world, and put his whole felicity in knowledg of
vertue, and practise of the same, though some reporte that he
knew more vertue then he folowed: But whatso euer he was, it
appeareth that Socrates and Plato and many other did forsake
their liuings and sel away their patrimony, to the intent to
seeke and trauaile for learning, which examples I shall not need
to repete to your Maiesty, partly for that your highnes doth
often reade them and other lyke, and partly sith your maiesty
hath at hand such learned schoolemaysters, which can much better
then I, declare them vnto your highnes, and that more largely
also then the shortenes of thys epistle will permit. But thys
may I yet adde, that King Salomon whose renoume spred so farre
abroad, was very greatlye estemed for his wonderfull power and
exceadin