But notwithstanding that the utility of writing is such as I have described, there have not been lacking men who have blushed not to proclaim writing and letters a poison and a public curse and have wished them put at as a great a distance as possible from human use.   So Coelius Rhodiginus, Bk. XXII. c. 15 relates of Thamus.  Sabellicus Ennuid. Vol. I, of certain nations; and Sextus Aurelius Victor, of Emperor Licimius.  Also, the story of  Cadmus sowing the teeth of the dead dragon points in this direction; see Desiderius Erasmus, Dial.de Pronunciat.  These men, however, prating thus with inconsiderate mouth the thoughts of a vicious and perverted mind, would, if they received their just dues, accomplish their desired banishment of letters to the tune of the docking of their own tongue.  For, the tongue may be abused quite as much as letters, and by such inconsiderate censure (itself an actual abuse of the tongue) they have furnished the plainest proof of their own obtuseness; for they have quite overlooked the fact that letters are images of the voice itself and that the voice is the image of the mind or thought.  They would have acted much more to the purpose, therefore, if they had really preferred to escape the danger of the tongue, - a danger which even Rhodamanthius himself, justest of the judges, would have pronounced an impending one, - surely much more to the purpose, I say, would they have acted, had they kept these distorted judgments hidden far within the recesses of their own mind and allowed them to die with themselves, instead of trying thus presumptuously, through the instrumentality of a thing of worth, human speech, to scatter the evil seed in foreign soil.  But to pursue this argument further is not within my purpose.  We cannot deny, however, that writing, besides being subject to abuse, has, further, certain defects and imperfections.  For just as it is not expedient and proper to speak all things, or to speak in the presence of all persons, or to speak to all persons, so also it is not expedient and proper to write under all circumstances.  And yet there are many occasions when it is in the highest degree necessary for us to leave for those who are to come after us (only, however, for the man of learning) the traces of occult lore; as well as other occasions when it is necessary for us to reveal without the risk of danger matters of business to distant friends.  Wherefore, if some art were given us whereby we might remedy this defect or imperfection, should we not commend it and embrace it with open arms?  And indeed, human daring has in this matter suffered no bounds to be set up before it, but here, as elsewhere, it has steadily followed the principle PLUS ULTRA.  For, letters having now been invented and their use perfected, it was at once open to all to know that which the letters symbolized.  But, lo, it seeming neither of public nor of private utility that the knowledge should be thus promiscuous, a way was found whereby the bright light of letters, radiating on all sides, should be veiled in cloud, or should be obscured in the mystery of images, or should, through successive efforts at innovation in the forms of the characters, pale some slight amount.  Thus, the Egyptians, who are called the inventors of the letters (Tac. A nn., Bk.XI.), invented, along with letters, their hieroglyphical notes; of which I shall treat in detail farther on Bk. VII.c.15.  So, all the wise men of old left their sacred and occult learning in hidden writing; and, to pass by other names, Cicero, Caesar and Augustus, men of the highest excellence in war and peace, all made use of Cryptography.  This is made clear in fuller detail by Giovanni Battista della Porta, De Occult.Lit.Notis, Bk.I.cc.2, & 4, and I therefore omit consideration of the subject in this place.  But these rude contrivances of a primitive age have wholly failed, as Porta, Bk.I.c.14, shows, to satisfy the refined ingenuity of modern times, and have in fact seemed quite valueless.  The words of Scaliger, Exerc., 327, to the effect that “this institution is not so much an art as an imposture and madness”, would apply quite aptly to them.  And thus it has come to pass that in