Commentary on Obadiah and a Philological Study of Enoch

It is better to revere in silence your pure zeal for Religion, your astounding learning, your guiding prudence, your love for your subjects, your fairness toward all, and your unshakable spirit amidst both prosperity and adversity—a truly PRINCELY SPIRIT—than to obscure these virtues with ill-fitting words. Allow me now at least to proclaim YOUR most merciful affection for the humanities original: "bonas literas." Literally "good letters," referring to the liberal arts, classical literature, and scholarly pursuits., which, since YOU YOURSELF understand to a miraculous degree and even today deign to lower those hands accustomed to Scepters toward them, you are deservedly called the MOST LEARNED OF PRINCES and the PRINCE OF THE LEARNED. You extend that same favor toward all scholars, and among them, toward me, the least of all.

For it did not seem enough to YOUR SERENITY Serenity: A formal title of address (Latin: Serenitas) used for high-ranking royalty, signifying a calm and clear majesty. to have most mercifully summoned me three years ago to the governance of the School original: "Scholæ regimen." This refers to the author's appointment as a rector or headmaster of a gymnasium or academy, a position granted by the Duke.—perhaps having become known to you through the kind report of others—but you also recently wished to reward my devotion, expressed in a multilingual yet modest poem original: "Polyglotto, sed tenui carmine." A "polyglot" work written in multiple languages (likely including Latin, Greek, and Hebrew), which was a common way for scholars to demonstrate their skill to a patron., with Royal generosity, and at the same time to give me hope for that future which the prayers of myself and my family strive toward.

Furthermore, since I currently possess nothing besides a barren will to obey, except for this present little book, may the simple devotion of it please YOUR SERENITY, I beseech you. Though it can produce nothing worthy of YOUR AUGUST height, it nevertheless longs to reveal a perpetual pledge of my devotion. The excellence of the subject matter will somehow compensate for what the smallness of its size denies the book. Not everything that is large is always good, but that which is good is, by that very fact, great. Moreover, it seemed impolite original: "incivile." Lacking in courtly manners or social grace. to thrust massive volumes upon YOUR SERENITY whenever you might find a spare moment to devote to reading. If, therefore, YOUR SERENITY [looks upon] these first [fruits] with a favorable countenance and...