Manr. I have lost it again; you have shaken it out of mind by interrupting so disagreeably.
Mend. What, so soon!
Manr. Now it comes back to me. He stated on the authority of some writer (I don’t know who it was) that nothing is more fitted as a help to great erudition than to write clearly and quickly.
Mend. Who was the writer quoted?
Manr. I have often heard his name, but it has escaped my memory.
Nobles
Mend. As have the other things! But the crowd of our nobility do not follow the precept (as to the value of writing), for they think it is a fine and becoming thing not to know how to form their letters. You would say their writing was the scratching of hens, and unless you were warned beforehand whose hand it was, you would never guess.
Manr. And for this reason you see how thick-headed men are, how foolish, and imbued with corrupt prejudices.
Mend. What are the common run of people, if the nobles are so skilless? or are the classes little different from each other?