At the end of the glossary in which the hardest words in _The Trissotetras_ are explained, the author addresses a word in season to the persons into whose hands his book may fall. He expects that "learned and judicious mathematicians" will welcome it, and he promises them more of the same kind. His dignified attitude towards carping critics is very impressive. "But as for such," he says, "who, either understanding it not, or vain-gloriously being accustomed to criticise on the works of others, will presume to carp therein at what they cannot amend, I pray God to illuminate their judgments and rectifie their wits, that they may know more and censure lesse; for so by forbearing detraction, the venom whereof must needs reflect upon themselves, they will come to approve better of the endeavours of those that wish them no harme."[174]
[151] "EPIGRAMS: DIVINE AND MORAL. _By Sir Thomas Urchard, Knight._ London: Printed by Barnard Alsop and Thomas Fawcet, in the Yeare 1641."
[152] It is only fair, however, to Urquhart to remember that his idea of an Epigram was probably different from ours. In modern times point or "bite" is regarded as essential to such kind of compositions. The original idea of them was that they should contain a single distinct thought, and be brief enough to serve as inscriptions.
[153] Granger's _Biographical History_, iii, 160.
[155] Charles Whibley, _New Review_, July 1897.
[156] A school-girl once wrote in a copy of _Moral Tales_, which she used for her Italian lessons, that they were "moral to the last degree." The same may be said of Sir Thomas Urquhart's _Moral Epigrams_.
[157] This reminds one of Alice's subtraction sum. "Take a bone from a dog. What remains?... The dog's temper would remain" (_Through the Looking-Glass_, chap. ix.). A somewhat different and more sombre turn of thought than the above was suggested to Southey's Dr Dove by the resemblance between the words. "_Woman_," he says, "evidently meaning either _man's woe_--or abbreviated from _woe to man_, because by woman was woe brought into the world" (_The Doctor_, chap. ccviii.).
[158] The title is as follows:--"_Ten Books of Epigrams: the Curiositie whereof, for Conception, stile, instruction, and Other mixtures of show and substance, being no lesse fruitfull then [than] pleasing to the diligent Peruser, are entitled_ APOLLO _and the_ MUSES. _Written by the Right Worshipfull_ SIR THOMAS URCHARD, _Knight_." The volume is now in the possession of Professor Ferguson, of Glasgow University. From it our specimen of his handwriting is taken.