He was no Plodder upon Books; Though he read much; And that, with great Judgement, and Rejection of Impertinences, incident to many Authours:  For he would ever interlace a Moderate Relaxation of His Minde, with his Studies; As Walking; Or Taking the Aire abroad in his Coach; or some other befitting Recreation:  And yet he would loose no Time, In as much as upon his First and Immediate Return, he would fall to Reading again:  And so suffer no Moment of Time to Slip from him, without some present Improvement.

His Meales were Refections, of the Eare, as well as of the Stomack:  Like the Noctes Atticae; or Convivia Deipno-Sophistarum; Wherein a Man might be refreshed, in his Minde, and understanding, no lesse then in his Body.  And I have known some, of no mean Parts, that have professed to make use of their Note-Books, when they have risen from his Table.  In which Conversations, and otherwise, he was no Dashing Man; As some Men are; But ever, a Countenancer, and Fosterer, of another Mans Parts.  Neither was he one, that would appropriate the Speech, wholy to Himself; or delight to out-vie others; But leave a Liberty, to the Co-Assessours, to take their Turns, to Wherein he would draw a Man on, and allure him, to speak upon such a Subject, as wherein he was peculiarly Skilfull, and would delight to speak.  And, for Himself, he condemned no Mans Observations; But would light his Torch at every Mans Candle.

His Opinions, and Assertions, were, for the most part, Binding; And not contradicted, by any; Rather like Oracles, then Discourses.  Which may be imputed, either to the well weighing of his Sentence, by the Skales of Truth, and Reason; Or else, to the Reverence, and Estimation, wherein he was, commonly, had, that no Man would contest with him.  So that, there was no Argumentation, or Pro and Con, (as they term it,) at his Table:  Or if there chanced to be any, it was Carried with much Submission, and Moderation.

I have often observed; And so have other Men, of great Account; That if he had occasion to repeat another Mans Words, after him; he had an use, and Faculty, to dresse them in better Vestments, and Apparell, then they had before:  So that, the Authour should finde his own Speech much amended; And yet the Substance of it still retained.  As if it had been Naturall to him, to use good Forms; As Ovid spake, of his Faculty of Versifying;

  Et quod tentabam Scribere, Versus erat.