CHAPTER II.
OF GRAMMATICAL AUTHORSHIP.
"Respondeo, dupliciter aliquem dici grammaticum, arte et professione.
Grammatici vera arte paucissimi sunt: et hi magna laude digni sunt, ut patuit: hos non vituperant summi viri; quia ipse Plinius ejusmodi grammaticus fuit, et de arte grammatica libelos edidit.

Et Grellius verae grammaticae fuit diligentissimus doctor; sic et ipse Datus.

Alii sunt grammatici professione, et ii plerumque sunt inceptissimi; quia scribimus indocti doctique, et indignissimus quisque hanc sibi artem vindicat:----hos mastigias multis probris docti summo jure insectantur."-- DESPAUTER.
_Syntaxis_, fol.

1.
1.

It is of primary importance in all discussions and expositions of doctrines, of any sort, to ascertain well the _principles_ upon which our reasonings are to be founded, and to see that they be such as are immovably established in the nature of things; for error in first principles is fundamental, and he who builds upon an uncertain foundation, incurs at least a _hazard_ of seeing his edifice overthrown.