first imitated Praeceptor legit vos vero negligitis The Master readeth and ye regard not The Pastors preach and people regard not I speak and ye hear not We have read and thou mindest not And the like may be propounded as whilest the Cat sleepeth the Mice dance When the Master is away the boyes will play Thou neglectest when I write And these the children should make out of English into Latine unto which you should still adde more till they be able by themselves to practise according to the Rule 3. After they have thus gone over the general Rules Let them together with one Rule get its exceptions and observations as they lie in order and learn how they differ from the Rule and be sure that they construe and parse every example and imitate and make another agreeable to the Rule observation or exception as is shewed before N. B. Now forasmuch as little ones are too too apt to forget any thing that hath been told them concerning the meaning of a rule and the like and some indeed are of more leasurely apprehensions then others that require a little consideration of a thing before they can conceive it rightly they may be helped by making use of the second part of the Accidents examined wherein 1. The Rules are delivered by easie and short questions and answers and all the examples are Englished and the words wherein the force of the example lyeth are applyed to the rule 2. The examples are Grammatically construed and all the first words in them set down in the margent and referred to an Index which sheweth what part of Speech they are and how to be declined or conjugated This I contrived at the first as a means to prevent Childrens gadding out of their places under a pretence of asking abler boyes to help them in construing and parsing these examples but upon tryal I found it a great ease to my self for telling the same things often over and a notable encouragement to my Scholars to go about their lessons who alwayes go merrilier about their task when they know how to resolve themselves in any thing they doubt 4. When they have got the second Part of the Accidents well by heart and understand it at least so far as to be able to give you any rule you call for you may divide it also into eight parts according to the heads set down in the book whereof the First May be concerning the first second and third Concord The second concerning the case of the relative and the Construction of Substantives The third concerning the Construction of Adjectives and of a Pronoune The fourth concerning the construction of Verbs with a Nominative and Genitive Case The fifth concerning the construction of Verbs with a Dative Accusative and Ablative Case The sixth concerning the construction of Passives Gerunds and Supines The seventh concerning time space place and impersonals The eighth concerning the Participle the Adverb the Conjunction the Praeposition and the Interjection which being added to the foregoing twelve the whole Accidents may be easily passed over at twenty Parts and kept surely in mind by repeating it once a moneth for morning Parts and examining it every Tuesday and Thursday in the afternoon As they made use of the Vocabulary together with the first part of the Accidents so may they joyn Sententiae Puerilis with the second which book I would have them to provide both in English and Latine 1. Because it renders the Book more grateful to Children who by reading their Lessons in their Mothers tongue know better what to make of them 2. Because they are apt to mistake what they have been construed especially in words that have various significations 3. Their memories being short they must be told the same word as oft as they ask it ere they come to say and when they come perhaps they cannot construe one Sentence to any purpose As they learn this book let them but take three or four lines at once which they should 1. Construe out of Latine into Egnlish and then out of English into Latine 2. Decline the Nounes and form the Verbs in it throughout and give the rules for the concordance and construction of the Words 3. Bring their lessons fair writ out both in English and Latine in a little paper book which will exceedingly further them in spelling and writing truly 4. To fix their Lessons the better in their memorie you may ask them such plain questions as they can easily answer by the words in the Sentence 5. Let them also imitate a Sentence sometimes by changing some of the words and sometimes altering their Accidents 6. Give them sometimes the English of a Sentence to make into Latine of themselves and then let them compare it with the Latine in the book and see wherein they come short of it or in what Rule they faile For though the main end of this Book which is full of plain lessons both of honesty and godliness be to instill those grave sayings into childrens minds some of which notwithstanding are too much beyond their reach and it be not perhaps so useful as some others are for the speedy gaining of Latine yet by being thus made use of it may be very much improved to both purposes Here I think it no digression to tell how I and some School-fellowes yet living and eminent in their Scholar-like professions were nusled two or three years together in learning this book of Sentences After we had gone over our Accidents several times by heart and had learned part of Propria quae maribus we were put into this Book and there made to construe and parse two or three Sentences at once out of meer Latine and if in any thing we missed we were sure to be whipt It was well if of 16. or 20. boyes two at any time could say and that they did say right was more by hap-hazard then any thing that they knew For we knew not how to apply one rule of Grammar to any word nor could we tell what part of Speech it was or what belonged to it but if the Master told us it was a Noun to be sure we said it was of the Nominative case and singular number and if a Verb we presently guessed it to be of the Indicative Mood Present tense singular number and third person because those coming so frequent we erred the lesse in them And an ignorant presumption that we could easily say made us spend our time in idle chat or worse employment and we thought it in vain for us to labour about getting a lesson because we had no help at all provided to further us in so doing Yet here and there a Sentence that I better understood then the rest and with which I was more affected took such imimpression as that I still remember it as Gallus in suo stirquilinio plurimum potest Vbi dolor ibi digitus c. This I have related by the by to manifest by mine
of every word which is proper for its place Right choyce of words being indeed the foundation of all eloquence On Saturdayes after they can say the Lords Prayer the Creed and the ten Commandements in English and Latine they may proceed to the Assemblies Catechisme first in English and then in Latine or the like This second form then is to be exercised 1. In repeating the Accidents for morning parts 2. In saying Propria quae maribus Quae genus As in praesenti for Fore-noon Lessons 3. In reading the larger Vocabulary for Noon parts 4. In learning Qui mihi and afterwards Cato for Afternoons Lessons on Mondayes and Wednesdayes and Pueriles Confabulatiunculae and afterwards Corderii Colloquia on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes And 5. Translating a verse out of English into Latine every evening at home which they may bring to be corrected on Fridayes after all the weeks Repetitions ended and return written as fair as possibly they can write on Satturday mornings after examinations ended And thus they may be made to know the Genders of Nouns and Preter-perfect tenses and Supines of Verbs and initiated to speak and write true Latine in the compasse of a second yeare So that to children of betwixt seven and nine years of age in regard of their remedilesse inanimadvertency I allow two whole years to practise them well in the Rudiments or Grounds of Grammar in which I would have the variation of Nouns and Verbs to be specially minded for till they be very ready in those their progress in other things will be full of uncertainties and troublesomely tedious but if those be once well got all other rules which have not perhaps been so well understood will more easily as age increaseth be better apprehended and put in use CHAP. IIII. How to make Children of the third Forme perfect in the Latine Syntaxis commonly called Verbum Personale as also to acquaint them with Prosodia and how to help them to construe and parse and to write and speak true and elegant Latine CHildren are commonly taught the Latine Syntaxis before they be put to make use of any Latine book besides it and so they but can say it readily by heart construe it and give the force of its rules out of the examples they are thought to learn it well enough But the very doing thus much is found to be a work too tedious with many and therefore some have thought good to lessen the number of the Rules others to dash out many examples as if more then one or two were needlesse so that when a Childe hath with them run over this part of the Grammar it is well if he have learnt the half of it or know at all what to do with any of it I think it not amisse therefore to shew how it may be all gotten understandingly by heart and settled in the memory by continual practise which is the life of all learning 1. Let those then of this third forme divide their Accidents and Rules of Nounes and Verbs into ten parts whereof they may repeat one every Thursday morning and make way for the getting of the Syntaxe on Mundaies Tuesdaies Wednes for morning parts 2. Let them repeat as many Rules memoriter as they are well able together with all their examples and to help their understanding therein you may do well to shew the meaning of every rule exception beforehand and to make them compare them with those in the English rules under the same head to see which are contained in the Latine which are not in the English and which are set down in the English which are left out in the Latine 3. To help them to construe well before they come to say let them make use of their Construeng books and that they may better mind what they construe you may cause them sometimes when they come to say to read the part out of Latine into English 4. In parsing let them give you the word governing and apply the word governed according to the rule and tell-you wherein the exceptions and observations differ from the General rule 5. Let them have a paper-Paper-book in Quarto in the margent whereof they may write the first words of every rule and exception and let them have as many familiar examples some in English onely and some in Latine onely as may suffice to illustrate the rule more clearly to them and do you help them extempore to turn their English ones into Latine and their Latine ones into English and having a space left under every head let them fill it up with praegnant Examples which they meet with as they read their Latine Authors or as they Translate English Sentences into Latine I observe Melancthon and Whittington of old and Mr. Clarke Mr. Comenius and others of late to have made subsidiaries of this nuture which because they seem some what to overshoot the capacities of children who as Mr. Ascham observes are ignorant what to say properly and fitly to the matter as some Masters are also many times I have taken the paines to make a praxis of all the English and Latine Rules of Construction and Syntaxis as they lie in order and to adde two Indexes The first of English words and the Latine for them The second Of Latine words and the English for them with figures directing to the examples wherein they are to be used And for more perspicuity sake I take care that no example may touch upon any rule that is not already learned for fear of pussing young beginners in this necessary and easie way of translating with the rule in their eye which doth best direct the weakest understandings Now forasmuch as the daily reading of Latine into English is an especiall means to increase the knowledge of the Tongues and to cause more heed to be taken to the Grammar Rules as they are gotten by heart I would have those in this form to read every morning after prayers four or six verses out of the Latine Testament which they will easily do having beforehand learned to construe them word by word with the help of their English Bible In this exercise let them be all well provided and do you pick out onely one boy to construe and then ask any of the others the Analysis of a Noune or Verb here or there or some rule of construction which you think they have not so well taken notice of as to understand it fully Hereby you may also acquaint them with the rule and way of construing as it is more largely touched in the following part of this chapter N. B. Those Children that are more industriously willing to thrive may advantage themselves very much by perusal of Gerards Meditations Thomas de Kempis St. Augustins Soliloquies or his Meditations or the like pious and profiting Books which they may buy both in English and Latine and continually bear about in their pockets to read on at spare times Their forenoone lessons may be in
thou mightest lay this bundle of sticks upon my shoulders 3. Let him next tell you what part of speech every word is as well English as Latine and write them down as I have also shewed formerly under so many figures joyning the English signes to the words to which they belong beginning to reckon and pick up first all the Nouns and then the rest orderly after this manner 1. Senex an old man Fascem a bundle Lignorum of sticks Humeros shoulders Nemore a forest Longa long Via a way Mortem death Fasce the bundle Humi on the ground Mors death Causam the cause 2. Quidam an or one Se him Hunc this 3. Defessus esset was weary Vocavit called Advenit cometh Vocaverat had called Rogat asketh Imponeres thou mightest lay Ait saith 4. Portans carrying Deposito being laid 5. Cùm when Ecce behold Tunc then 6. Que and. Quamobrem wherefore Vt that 7. Super upon Ex out of 4. Let him decline any one or more Nounes and Conjugate any one or all the Verbs throughout and then write them down at large according to what I have formerly directed and is practised in part in Merchant-Tailors Schoole as is to be seen in the Probation Book lately printed by my noble friend and most actively able Schoole-master Mr. W. Dugard onely I would have him joyne the English together with the Latine 5. Let him give the Analysis of any word first at large by way of question and answer and then summe it up in short as to say or write it down thus The Analysis of a Noun Substantive What part of Speech is Lignorum of sticks Lignorum of sticks is a Noun Why is lignorum a Noun Because lignum a stick is the name of a thing that may be seen Whether is lignorum a noun Substantive or a noun Adjective Lignorum is a noun Substantive because it can stand by it self in signification and requireth not another word to be joyned with it to shew its signification Whether is lignorum a noun Substantive proper or a noun Substantive common Lignorum is a noun Substantive common because it is common to more sticks then one Of what number is lignorum Lignorum is of the plurall number because it speaketh of more then one Of what case is lignorum Lignorum of sticks is of the Genitive case because it hath the token of and answereth to the question whereof or of what Of what Gender is lignorum Lignorum is of the Neuter Gender because it is declined with this Article Hoc Why is lignorum declined with this Article Hoc Because all nounes in um are Neuters according to the Rule in Propria quae maribus Omne quod exit in um c. or Et quod in on vel in um fiunt c. Of what Declension is lignorum Lignorum is of the second Declension because its Genitive case singular endeth in i. How is lignorum declined Lignorum is declined like regnorum thus Sing Nom. Hoc lignum Gen. hujus ligni c. Lignorum is a noun Substantive common of the Plurall number Genitive case Neuter Gender and second Declension like Regnorum The Analysis of a Noun Adjective What Part of Speech is Longâ long Longâ is a Noun Why is longâ a Noun Because it is the name of a thing that may be understood Whether is longâ a noun Substantive or a noun Adjective Longâ is a noun Adjective because it cannot stand by it self in signification but requireth to be joyned with another word as longâ viâ with the long way Of what number is longâ Longâ is of the singular number because its Substantive vià is of the singular number Of what case is longâ Longâ is of the Ablative case because its Substantive viâ is of the Ablative case Of what Gender is longâ Longâ is of the Feminine Gender because its Substantive viâ is of the Feminine Gender Of what Declension is Longâ Longâ is of the first Declension How is longâ declined Longâ is declined like Bonâ Sing Nom. Longus a um By what Rule can you tell that longâ is of the Feminine Gender By the Rule of the Genders of Adjectives At si tres variant voces c. Longâ is a noun Ajective of the singular number Ablative case and Feminine Gender declined like Bonâ The Analysis of a Pronoun What part of Speech is Se him Se is a Pronoun because it is like to a noun or put insted of the noun mortem death What kinde of Pronoun is se Se is a Pronoun Primitive because it is not derived of another Of what number is se Se it of the singular number because it speaketh but of one Of what case is se Se is of the Accusative case because it followeth a verb and answereth to the Question whom Of what Gender is se Se is of the Feminine Gender because the noun mortem that it is put for is of the Feminine Gender Of what Declension is se Se is of the first declension of Pronounces and it is thus declined Sing Plur. Nom caret Gen. sui c. Of what person is se Se is of the third person because it s spoken of Se is a Pronoun Primitive of the Singlur number the Accusative case Feminine Gender first declension and third person The Analysts of a Verb. What part of Speech is imponeres thou mightest lay upon Imponeres is a verb because it signifyeth to do What kinde of verb is imponeres Imponeres is a verb Personal because it hath three persons What kinde of verb Personal is imponeres Imponeres is a verb Personal Active because it endeth in o and betokeneth to do and by putting to r it may be a Passive Of what Mood is imponeres Imponeres is of the Subjunctive Mood because it hath a Conjunction joyned with it and dependeth upon another verb going before it Of what tense is imponeres Imponeres is of the Preterimperfect tense because it speaketh of the time not perfectly past Of what number is imponeres Imponeres is of the singular number because its nominative case is of the singular number Of what person is imponeres Impnoeres is of the second person because its nominative case is of the second person Of what Conjugation is imponeres Imponeres is of the third Conjugation like legeres because it hath e short before re and ris How do you conjugate imponeres Impono imponis imposui imponere imponendi imponendo imponendum impostum impositu imponens impositurus Why doth impono make imposui Because Praeteritum dat idem c. Why doth imposui make impositum Because Compositum ut simplex formatur c. Imponeres is a verb Personal Active of the Subjunctive Mood Preterimperfect tense Singular number Second Person and third Conjugation like legeres The Analysis of a Participle What part of Speech is Deposito being laid down Deposito is a Participle derived of
Authours Now the manner I would have them use them is thus Having a Theme given then to treat of as suppose this Non aestas semper suerit componite nidos Let them first consult what they have read in their own Authours concerning Tempus Aetas occasio or opportunitas and then 2. Let every one take one of those books forementioned and see what he can finde in it for his purpose and write it down under one of those heads in his Common-place book but first let the Master see whether it will suit with the Theme 3. Let them all read what they have written before the Master and every one transcribe what others have collected into his own book and thus they may alwayes have store of matter for invention ready at hand which is far beyond what their own wit is able to conceive Now to furnish themselves also with copy of good words and phrases besides what they have collected weekly and what hath been already said of varying them they should have these and the like Books reserved in the Schoole-Library viz. Sylva Synonymorum Calliepia Huisse's phrases Winchesters phrases Lloyds phrases Farnabies phrases Enchiridion Oratorium Clarkes Phraseologia and his English Adagies Willis Anglicismes Barrets Dictionary Hulaet or rather Higgins Dictionary Drax Bibliotheca Parei Calligraphia Manutii phrases A little English Dictionary 160. and Walkers Particles and if at any time they can wittily and pithily invent any thing of their own brain you may help them to express it in good Latine by making use of Cooper's Dictionary either as himselfe directeth in his preface or Phalerius will more fully shew you in his Supplementa ad Grammaticam And to draw their words and matter into the Form of a Theme with ease let them have sound Patterns to imitate because they in every thing prevaile to do it soonest and sureliest First therefore let them peruse that in Merchant Taylors School Probation book and then those at the end of Winchesters phrases and those in Mr. Clarks Formulae Oratoriae and afterwards they may proceed to those in Aphthonius Rodulphus Agricola Catineus Lorichius and the like and learne how to prosecute the severall parts of a Theme more at large by intermixing som of those Formulae Oratoriae which Mr. Clark and Mr. Farnaby have collected which are proper to every part so as to bring their matter into handsome and plain order and to flourish and adorne it neatly with Rhetorical Tropes and Figures alwayes regarding the composure of words as to make them run in a pure and even style according to the best of their Authours which they must alwayes observe as Presidents But the best way as I conceive to encourage children at the first against any seeming difficulty in this exercise of making Themes is this After you have shewed them how to finde matter and where to help themselves with words and phrases and in what order they are to dispose the Parts and what Formula's they are to use in passing from one to another propound a Theme to them in English and Latine and let them strive who can soonest return you the best Exordium in English and then who can render it into the best Latine and so you may proceed to the narration and quite thorow every part of a Theme not tying them to the words of any Authour but giving them liberty to contract or enlarge or alter them as they please so that they still contend to go beyond them in purity of expression This being done you may dismisse them to adventure to make every one his own exercise in English and Latine and to bring it fair written and be able to pronounce it distinctly memoriter at a time appointed And when once you see they have gained a perfect way of making Themes of themselves you may let them go on to attain the habit by their own constant practice ever and anon minding them what places in their Authours as they read are most worthy notice and imitation and for what purposes they may serve them 10. Touching learning to scan and prove and make all sorts of verses I have spoken in the former Chapter now for diligent practise in this kind of exercise they may constantly comprise the sum of their Themes in a Distich Tetrastich Hexastich or more verses as they grow in strength For invention of further matter upon any occasion or subject they are to treat upon they may sometimes imitate places out of the purest Poets which Mr. Farnabies Index Poeticus will point them to besides what they finde in Flores Poetarum Sabinusde Carminibus ad veterum imitationem artificiose componendis at the beginning of Textors Epistles will further direct them and sometime paraphrase or as some term it metaphrase upon a piece of an Historian or Oratour endeavouring more lively to express in verse what the Authour hath written in prose and for this Mr. Horne hath furnished you with two examples in his excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de usu Authoris For variety and copy of Poetical phrases there are many very good helps viz Phrases Poeticae besides those of Mr. Farnabies Aerarium Poeticum Enchiridion Poeticum Res Virgiliana Artis Poeticae compendium Thesaurus Poeticus and others worthy to be laid up in the Schoole-Library Textor will sufficiently supply choyce Epithites Smetii Prosodia will afford Authorities which is lately comprized and printed at the end of Lilies Grammar But for gaining a smooth way of versifying and to be able to expresse much matter in few words and very fully to the life I conceive it very necessary for Scholars to be very frequent in perusing and rehearsing Ovid and Virgil and afterwards such kind of Poete as they are themselves delighted with all either for more variety of verse or the wittinesse of conceit sake And the Master indeed should cause his Scholars to recite a piece of Ovid or Virgil in his hearing now and then that the very tune of these pleasant verses may be imprinted in their mindes so that when ever they are put to compose a verse they make it glide as even as those in their Authours Mr. Rosse his Virgilius Euangelizans will easily shew how a young Scholar may imitate Virgil to the life From this little that hath been said they that have a natural aptness delight in Poetry may proceed to more exquisite perfection in that Art then any rules of teaching can reach unto there are very few so meanly witted but by diligent use of the directions now given may attain to so much skill as to be able to judge of any verse and upon a fit occasion or subject to compose a handsome copy though not so fluently or neatly as they that have a natural sharpnesse and dexterity in the Art of Poetry 11. When they in this Form have gone thrice over the Assemblies Catechisme in Greek and Latine they may proceed in Nowels Catechisme or the Palatinate Catechisme in Greek
of the mouth But the sweet and natural pronunciation of them is gotten rather by imitation then precept and therefore the teacher must be careful to give every letter its distinct and clear sound that the childe may get it from his voice and be sure to make the child open his mouth well as he uttereth a letter lest otherwise he drown or hinder the sound of it For I have heard some foreiners to blame us English-men for neglecting this mean to a plain and audible speaking saying that the cause why we generally do not speak so fully as they proceeded from an ill habit of mumbling which children got at their first learning to read which it was their care therfore to prevent or remedy betimes and so it should be ours seeing Pronounciation is that that sets out a man and is sufficient of it self to make one an Oratour Chap. II. How a childe may be taught with delight to know all his letters in a very little time THe usual way to begin with a child when he is first brought to Schoole is to teach him to know his letters in the Horn-book where he is made to run over all the letters in the Alphabet or Christ cross-row both forwards backwards until he can tel any one of them which is pointed at and that in the English character This course we see hath been very effectual in a short time with some more ripe witted children but others of a slower apprehension as the most and best commonly are have been thus learning a whole year together and though they have been much chid and beaten too for want of heed could scarce tell six of their letters at twelve moneths end who if they had been taught in a way more agreeable to their meane apprehensions which might have wrought more readily upon the senses and affected their mindes with what they did would doubtlesse have learned as cheerfully if not as fast as the quickest I shall therefore mention sundry ways that have been taken to make a childe know his letters readily out of which the discreet Teacher may chuse what is most likely to suit with his Learner I have known some that according to Mr. Brinslâ—y's direction have taught little ones to pronounce all the letters and to spell pretty well before they knew one letter in a book and this they did by making the childe to sound the five vowels a e i o u like so many bells upon his fingers ends and to say which finger was such or such a vowel by changes 2 Then putting single consonants before the vowels leaving the hardest of them till the last and teaching him how to utter them both at once as va ve vi ve vu da de di do du 3. and again by putting the vowels before a consonant to make him say as es is os us ad ed id od ud Thus they have proceeded from syllables of two or three or more letters till a child hath been pretty nimble in the most But this is rather to be done in a private house then a publick Schoole how ever this manner of exercise now and then amongst little Scholars will make their lessons more familiar to them The greatest trouble at the first entrance of children is to teach them how to know their letters one from another when they see them in the book altogether for the greatnesse of their number and variety of shape do puzle young wits to difference them and the sence can but be intent upon one single object at once so as to take its impression and commit it to the imagination and memory Some have therefore begun but with one single letter and after they have shewed it to the childe in the Alphabet have made him to finde the same any where else in the book till he knew that perfectly and then they have proceeded to another in like manner and so gone through the rest Some have contrived a piece of ivory with twenty four flats or squares in every one of which was engraven a several letter and by playing with a childe in throwing this upon a table and shewing him the letter onely which lay uppermost have in few dayes taught him the whole Alphabet Some have got twenty four pieces of ivory cut in the shape of dice with a letter engraven upon each of them and with these they have played at vacant hours with a childe till he hath known them all distinctly They begin first with one then with two afterwards with more letters at once as the childe got knowledge of them To teach him likewise to spell they would place consonants before or after a vowel and then joyn more letters together so as to make a word and sometimes divide it into syllables to be parted or put together now this kind of letter sport may be profitably permitted among you beginers in a School in stead of ivory they may have white bits of wood or small shreads of paper or past-board or parchment with a letter writ upon each to play withall amongst themselves Some have made pictures in a little book or upon a scroll of paper wrapt upon two sticks within a box of iceing-glass and by each picture have made three sorts of that letter with which its name beginneth but those being too many at once for a childe to take notice on have proved not so useful as was intended Some likewise have had pictures and letters printed in this manner on the back side of a pack of cards to entice children that naturally love that sport to the love of learning their books Some have writ a letter in a great character upon a card or chalked it out upon a trencher and by telling a child what it was and letting him strive to make the like have imprinted it quickly in his memory and so the rest one after another One having a Son of two years and a half old that could but even go about the house and utter some few gibberish words in a broken manner observing him one day above the rest to be busied about shells and sticks and such like toys which himself had laid together in a chair and to misse any one that was taken from him he saw not how and to seek for it about the house became very desireous to make experiment what that childe might presently attain to in point of learning Thereupon he devised a little wheel with all the Capital Romane letters made upon a paper to wrap round about it and fitted it to turn in little a round box which had a hole so made in the side of it that onely one letter might be seen to peep out at once This he brought to the childe showed him onely the letter O and told him what it was The childe being overjoyed with his new gamball catcheth the box out of his Fathers hand and run's with it to his play fellow a year younger then himself and in his broken
Aesopes Fables which is indeed a book of great antiquity and of more solid learning then most men think For in it many good lectures of morality which would not perhaps have been listened to if they had been delivered in a plain and naked manner being handsomly made up and vented in an Apologue do insinuate themselves into every mans minde And for this reason perhaps it is that I finde it and Gesta Romanorum which is so generally pleasing to our Countrey people to have been printed and bound up both together in Latine even when the Latine was yet in its drosse And to let you see what Latine Aesop was there translated into out of Greek by one Romulus I will give you the first Fable in his words De Gallo Jaspide IN sterquilinio quidam pullus gallinatius dum quaereret escam invenit margaritam in loco indigno jacentem quam cum videret jacentem sic ait O bona res in stercore hic jaces Si te cupidus invenisset cum quo gaudio rapâ—isset ac in pristinum decoris tui fratum redisses Ego frustra te in hoc loco invenio jacentem Vbi potius mihi escam quaero nec ego tibi prosum nec tu mihi Haec Aesopus illis narrat qui ipsum legunt non intelligunt No sooner did the Latine Tongue endeavour to recover its pristine purity by the help of Erasmus and other eminent men of learning in his time but the Greek Coppy of Aesop is translated by him and his Contemporaries every one striving to outstrip another in rendering it into good Latine and it is observable that the Stationers Coppy which is generally used in Schooles is a meere Rapsodie of some fragments of these several mens Translations whence it is that one and the same Fable is sometimes repeated thrice over in several words and that the stile of the Book is generally too lofty in it self for Children to apprehend on a suddain I have for their sakes therefore turned the whole Book such as I found it into proper English answerable to the Latine and divided both into just periods marked with figures that they may more distinctly appear and be more easily found out for use or imitation and though I observed some words and phrases scarce allowable in many places of the book yet I was loath to make any alteration except in a few grosse errors and especially one that quite perverted the sense of the Fable and appeareth to be a mistake in the Translator from the Greek Coppy which is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is well latinized by one thus Aper Vulpes Aper quum cuidam adstaret arbori dentes accuebat But the unknown Translator of this Fable and the rest that yet passe sub incerto interprete reading perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or finding that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes signifie like an adjective solitarius solitudines captans c. renders it into pure non-sence and in other words also differing from the Greek thus Singularis animal vulpes Singularis agrestis super quadam sedens arbore dentes acuebat Which one having lately translated into English verse with the Picture before it hath prettily devised a Rhinocerate to stand by a tree and to whet his teeth against it whereas the Latine hath it super quadam sedens arbore which is impossible for such an huge beast to do I have therefore put out the word Singularis and made it Aper agrestis according to an ancient Greek Coppy which I have and I English the clause thus Lib 2. Fab. â—3 A wilde Boar standing by a tree whetted his tushes This I have noted obiter to acquaint the more judicious with my reason of altering those words and to save the lesse experienced some labour in searching out the meaning of them seeing they passe yet uncorrected in the Latine Booke Let them procure Aesops Fables then in English and Latine and the rather because they will take delight in reading the Tales and the moral in a Language which they already understand and will be helped thereby to construe the Latine of themselves And herein I would have them to take a whole Fable and its moral at one Lesson so that it do not exceed six periods which they should first read distinctly secondly construe Grammatically and then render the proper phrases thirdly parse according to the Grammatical order as they construed and not as the words stand And then be sure they can decline all the Nounes and conjugate the Verbs and give the Rules for the Genders of the one and the Preterperfect tenses and Supines of the other as also for the concordance and construction either out of the English Rules or Latine Syntaxe or both as they come to have learned them Let them sometimes write a Fable fair and truly over according to the printed Book both in English and Latine and sometimes translate one word by word in that order in which they construed it and this will inure them to Orthography That they may learn to observe and get the true Latine order of placing words and the purity of expression either in English or Latine style let them imitate a period or more in a lesson turning it out of English into Latine or out of Latine into English thus whereas they read in English A Cock as he turned over a dung-hill found a pearl saying why do I finde a thing so bright and in Latine Gallus gallinaceus dum vertit stercorarium offendit gemmam Quid inquiens rem sic nitidam reperio they may imitate it by this or the like expression As a beggar raked in a dunghill he found a purse saying why do I finde so much money here Mendicus dum vertit stercorarium offendit crumenam quid inquiens tantum argenti hic reperio By thus doing they may learn to joyne Examples out of their lessons to their Grammar Rules which is the most lively and perfect way of teaching them and to fetch a Rule out of their Grammar for every Example using the Grammar to finde Rules as they do the Dictionary for words till they be very perfect in them Their Afternoons Parts may be to construe a Chapter in Janua linguarum which will instruct them in the Nature as well as in the Names of things and after they have construed let them try who can tell you the most words especially of those that they have not met with or well observed in reading elsewhere For Afternoon lessons on Mondayes and Wednesdayes let them make use of Mantuanus which is a Poet both for style and matter very familiar and gratefull to children and therefore read in most Schooles They may read over some of the Eclogues that are less offensive then the rest takeing six lines at a lesson which they should first commit to memory as they are able Secondly Construe Thirdly Parse Then help them to
pick out the Phrases and Sentences which they may commit to a paper-book and afterwards resolve the matter of their lessons into an English period or two which they may turn into proper and elegant Latine observing the placing of words according to prose Thus out of the five first verses in the first Eclogue Fauste precor gelida quando pecus omne sub umbra Ruminat antiquos paulum recitemus amores Ne si forte sopor nos occupet â—lla ferarum Quae modo per segetes tacite insidiantur adultas Saeviat in pecudes Melior vigilantia somno One may make such a period as this Shepherds are wont sometimes to talke of their old loves whilest the cattel chew the cud under the shade for fear if they should fall asleep some Fox or Wolf or such like beast of prey which either lurk in the thick woods or lay wait in the grown corn should fall upon the cattel And indeed watching is farre more commendable for a Prince or Magistrate then immoderate or unseasonable sleep Pastores aliquando dum pecus sub umbra ruminat antiquos suos amores recitare solent ne si sopor ipsos occupet vulpes aut lupus aut aliqua ejus generis fera praedabunda quae vel in densis sylvis latitant vel per adultas segetes insidiatur in pecudes saeviat Imo enimvero Principi vel Magistratui vigilantia somno immodico ac intempestivo multo laudabilior est And this will help to prepare their invention for future exercises by teaching them to suck the marrow both of words and matter out of all their Authours The reason why I desire children especially those of more prompt wits and better memories may repeat what they read in Poets by heart as I would have them translate into English what they read in Prose is partly because the memory thrives best by being often exercised so it be not overcharged and partly because the roundnesse of the verses helpeth much to the remembrance of them wherein boyes at once gain the quantity of syllables and abundance of matter for phansie and the best choyce of words and phrases for expression of their minde On Tuesdayes and Thursdayes in the after-noon after they have done with Corderius they may read Helvici Colloquia which are selected out of those of Erasmus Ludovicus Vives and Schottenius and after they have construed a Colloquie and examined some of the hardest Grammar-passages in it let them all lay aside their books save one and let him read the Colloquie out of Latine into English clause by clause and let the rest give it him again into Latine every man saying round as it comes to his turn And this will make them to mind the words and phrases before hand and fasten many of them in their memories Help them afterwards to pick out the phrases and let them write them as they did others in a pocket paper-book Cause them sometimes to imitate a whole Colloquie or a piece of one and let them often strive to make Colloquies amongst themselves talking two three or more together about things familiar to them and inserting as many words and phrases as they can well remember to be proper for the present out of any of their Authours and these they should shew you fair written with a note of the page and line where they borrowed any expression not used before set down in the Margent of their exercise And this will make them industriously to labour every day for variety of expressions and encourage them much to discourse when they know themselves to be certain in what they say aud that they can so easily come by Latine to speak their mindes upon any occasion But if instead of Mantuan you think good sometimes to make use of Castalions Dialogues you may first make them read the history in the Bible by themselves apart then hear them construe it Dialogue-wise pronouncing every sentence as pathetically as may be Afterwards One may read it in English and the rest answer him in Latine clause by clause as is already mentioned concerning the Colloquies And to help them somewhat the better to construe of themselves you may direct them according to the golden Rule of construing commended and set down at large by industrious Mr. Brinsley in the 93. and 94. pages of his Grammar Schoole to take 1. The Vocative case and that which dependeth upon it 2. The Nominative case of the principal verb and that which dependeth upon it 3. The Principal verb and that which serveth to explain it 4. The Accusative case and the rest of the cases after it And herein cause them to observe that Interrogatives Relatives and Conjunctions use to go before all other words in construing and that the Adjective and the Substantive the Adverb and the Verb the Preposition and its casual word go for the most part together But be sure to teach them often to cast the words of a period into their natural or Grammatical order according to which they must construe and to know the signification of every word and phrase proper for its place and withall let them have in mind the chief matter drift and circumstances of a place according to the verse Quis cui causa locus quo tempore prima sequela Which biddeth one to heed who speaks what is spoken to whom he speaks upon what occasion or to what end he speaks at what time a thing was done or spoken what went immediately before and what followeth next after And if either the construing be against sense or Grammar Rule let them try again another way To exercise them in something besides the getting of Grammar parts at home let them every night turn two verses out of the Proverbs of Solomon into Latine and write out two verses of the New Testament Grammatically construed and let them evermore take heed to spell every word aright and to marke the Pauses or notes of distinction in their due places for by this meanes they will profit more in Orthography then by all the Rules that can be given them and they will mind Etymologie and Syntaxis more by their own daily practice then by ten times repetition without it On Saturdayes after they can say the Assemblies Catechisme in English Latine you may let them proceed with Perkins six Principles and when they have repeated as much as they can well by heart you may cause them to read it out of English into Latine your self ever anon suggesting to them the propriety of words and phrases where they are at a losse and directing them after they have once made it Grammatically to cast it into the artificiall order of Latine style And then let them go to their places and write it fair and truly in a little Paper book for the purpose If out of every Lesson as they passe this little Catechisme you extract the Doctrinall points by way of Propositions and annex the Proofs of Scriptures to them
which are quoted in the Margent as you see Mr. Perkins hath done in the beginning of the book and cause your Scholars to write them out all fair and at large as they finde them in their Bibles it will be a profitable way of exercising them on the Lords day and a good means to improve them in the reall knowledge of Christianity Now forasmuch as I have observed that children about nine years of age and few till then begin to relish Grammar so as of themselves to seek into the meaning of Rules thereby to conceive the reason of Speech I now judge it requisite for this form to be made throughly acquainted with the whole body of it Therefore after they have gone over the plain Syntaxis two or three times by morning parts as is shewed and have got it pretty well by heart for which I judge three quarters of a year will be time sufficient you may let them divide the whole Syntax into 12 parts reckoning them according to the severall Heads of it thus The first De Concordantia Nominativi verbi Substantivi Adjectivi Relativi Antecedentis The second de Constructione Substantivorum Adjectivorum cum Genitivo The third de constructione Adjectivorum cum Dativo Accusativo Ablative The fourth de constructione Pronominum The fifth de constructione verborum cum Nominativo Genitivo The sixth de constructione verborum cum Dativo Accusativo The seventh de constructione verborum cum Ablativo The eighth de Gerundiis Supinis de Tempore Loco The ninth de constructione Impersonalium Participiorum The tenth de constructione Adverbiorum The eleventh de constructione Conjunctionum The twelfth de constructione Praepositionum Interjectionum All which twelve you may adde to the thirty parts in the Accidents and Propria quae maribus c. and let your Scholars bestow a moneths time together in repeating and examining the Accidents and thus farre of the Grammar both for Parts and Lessons till they have thorowly made it their own and that they may the better conceive how it hangeth together and what use they are to make of its severall parts you should often make them run over the Heads of it and give them an Analysis of their dependency one upon another After this they may more understandingly proceed to the Figures of words and construction the definitions whereof and their Examples they need onely get by heart and for that purpose do you note them out with a pen and in explaining of them give as many examples as may make them fully to apprehend their meaning But when they have said the Definition of one or more Figures at a part by heart you may cause them to construe all they finde concerning it and to help them in so doing they that are otherwise lesse able may make use of Mr. Stockwoods little book of Figura construed Then let them go on to Prosodia for their more easie understanding of which as they proceed in it you may tell them the meaning of it in brief thus Prosodia being the last part of Grammar teacheth the right pronunciation of words or the tuning of Syllables in words as they are pronounced and therefore it is divided into a Tone or Accent a Spirit and a Time whereof a Tone ordereth the tune of the voyce shewing in what syllables it is to be lifted up and what to be let down in what both to be lifted up and let down So that there are three Tones a Grave which is seldome or never made but in the last syllable of such words as ought to have had an Acute in the last syllable that in the contexture of words in this manner Nè si forte sopor nos occupet an Acute which is often used to difference some words from others as uná together seduló diligently remain acuted at the end of a Speech and in continuation of speech have their acute accents turned into a Grave to make them differ from una one and sedulo diligent A Circumflex which is often marked to denote a lost syllable as amârunt for amaverunt A spirit ordereth the breath in uttering syllables shewing where it is to be let out softly and where sharply as in ara an Altar and hara a swine coate The milde Spirit is not marked but the weak letter n being used as a note of aspiration only and not reckoned as a Consonant serveth to expresse the sharp Spirit There are three Rules of Accents which are changed by Difference Transposition Attraction Concision and Idiome Time sheweth the measure how long while a syllable is to be in pronouncing not at all regarding the Tone A long syllable is to be a longer while and a short a shorter while in pronouncing Of long and short syllables put together orderly feet are made and of feet verses 4. Now to know when a syllable is long or short there are Rules concerning the first the middle and last syllables so that if one minde in what part of a word the syllable stands he may easily finde the Rule of its quantity The summe of Prosodia being thus hinted to them they may get it by heart at morning Parts if they cannot construe it well by themselves they may be helped by a little book made by Barnaby Hampton called Prosodia construed But be sure that they can read you every part into English and tell you the true meaning of it Your own frequent examination will be the best way to know whether they understand it or not And to prepare them for the practice of it in making verses I would first let them use it in learning to scan and prove Hexamiter verses onely out of Cato or Mantuan or such Authours as they have read thus 1. Let them write a verse out and divide into its just feet giving a dash or stroke betwixt every one and let them tell you what feet they are and of what syllables they consist and why they stand in such or such a place as Si Deus-est ani-mus no-bis ut-carmina-dicunt Hic tibi-praecipu-è sit-pura-mente co-lendus 2. Let them set the mark of the Time or Quantity over every syllable in every foot and give you the reason according to the Rules why it is there noted long or short as SÄ« DÄ•Ås Ä“st ănÄ-mÅ«s noÌ„ bÄ« Å«t-cÄrmÄnă-dÄ« cuÌ„nt HÄ«c tÄbÄ-praeÌ„cÄipÅ-Ä“ sÄ«t-pÅ«i-mÄ“ntÄ• cÅ-leÌ„ndÅs Let them now divide Figura and Prosodia into six parts The first de Figuris Dictionis Constructionis The second de Tonis Spiritibus The third de Carm num ratioue generibus The fourth de quantitate primarum syllabarum The fifth de mediis syllabis And the sixth de ultimis syllabis which they may adde to the forty two parts afore mentioned and keep by constant repetition of one of them every day till they can say them all very well by heart and give a perfect account of any thing in them Then let them begin the Accidents and
she would give him any plums Then the woman said I will give thee a few if thou wilt help me to set this basket upon my head Quaedam mulier prunorum calathum super caput ex horto portans cum gravi onere defessa esset calatho super scamnum posito desedit Ecce Puer advenit numque daret sibi pruna rogavit Tunc mulier pauca tibi dabo siquidem opem mihi feres ut hunc calathum super caput meum imponam ait When you have found a childe sufficiently expert in the Rudiments go on also to try how far he understandeth the whole Art of Grammar by this or the like Praxis 1. Let him take a piece of one of Castalions Dialogues or the like easie piece of Latine and write it down according to his book but as he writeth it let him divide every word of more syllables according to the Rules of right spelling and give you an account of every letter and syllable and note of distinction according to the Rules of Orthography and of every Accent that he meeteth withall as also of the Spirits and Quantities of Syllables according to the Rules in Prosodia ex gr Serpens Eva. S. Cur ve-tu-it vos De-us ve-sci ex o-mni-bus ar-bo-ribus po-ma-ri-i E. Li-cet no-bis ve-sci fru-cti-bus ar-bo-rum po-ma-ri-i tan-tum De-us no-bis in-ter-di-xit e-a ar-bo-re quae est in me-di-o po-ma-ri-o ne ve-sce-re-mur fru-ctu e-jus ne-ve e-ti-am at-tin-ge-re-mus ni-si vel-le-mus mo-ri S. Ne-qua-quam mo-ri-e-mi-ni pro-pte-re-a sed scit De-us si com-e-de-ri-tis de e-o tum o-cu-los vo-bis a-per-tum i-ri at-que i-ta vos fo-re tan-quam De-os sci-en-tes boni at-que ma-li I-ta pla-ne vi-de-tur fru-ctus i-pse est pul-cer sa-nè vi-su ne-sci-o an sit i-ta dul-cis gu-sta-tu ve-run-ta-men ex-pe-ri-ar Now if you ask him why he writeth Serpens Eva Cur Deus Nequaquam and Ita with great letters and all the other words with little letters he can tell you if he ever learned or minded his Rules that Proper names beginnings of Sentences and words more eminent then others are to begin with a great letter and in other places small letters are to be used If you ask him why he spelleth ve-tu-it and not vet-u-it he will say because a consonant set betwixt two vowels belongeth to the latter If you ask him why he spelleth ve-sci and not ves-ci he will answer you because consonants which can be joyned in the beginning of a word must not be parted in the middle of it If you ask him why he spelleth ar-bo-ri-bus and not a-rbo-ri-bus he will tell you because consonants which cannot be joyned in the beginning of a word must be parted in the middle of it If you ask him why he spelleth vel-le-mus and not ve-llemus nor vell-emus he will tell you because if a consonant be doubled the first belongeth to the fore-going and the latter to the following syllable If you ask him why he spelleth com-e-de-ri-tis and not co-me-de-ri-tis he will tell you because in words compounded every part must be separated from another and if you again ask him concerning the same syllable why it is com and not con seeing the verb is compounded of con and edo he will answer you because in words compounded with a Preposition we must respect the ear and good sound Likewise if you proceed to examine him touching the notes of distinction why one is made and not another he will tell you that a Comma distinguisheth the shorter parts of a sentence and stayeth the breath but a little while in reading that a Colon divideth a Period in the middle and holdeth the breath somewhat long that a Semicolon stayeth the breath longer then a comma but not so long as a Colon that a Period is made at the end of a perfect sentence where one may give over reading if he will and that an Interrogation denoteth that there is a question to be asked If you examine him touching the Accents why there is a grave Accent in tantùm he will tell you it is to make it being an adverb to differ from a noun and that because of contexture of words the accent which ought to have been an acute is turned into a grave If you ask him why there is a circumflex accent in eâ he will tell you it is to denote that eâ is of the Ablative case singular which hath â long And if you ask him why ne've hath an acute accent he will tell you that ne ' hath changed its grave accent into an accute because the Participle ve hath inclined its own accent into it If you ask him why omnibus arboribus are not sharply uttered he will tell you because they do not begin with h which is the note or letter of Asperation He will quickly shew you whether he understandeth his Rules touching the Quantities of Syllables or not by writing out a sentence or two and marking the syllables of every word in this manner CÅ«r vÄ•Åuit voÌ„s DÄ•Å«us veÌ„sciÌ„ eÌ„x oÌ„mnÄbÅs aÌ„rbÅrÄbÅ«s poÌ„maÌ„ÄÄ« lÄceÌ„t nÅbÄ«s veÌ„scÄ« frÅ«ctÄbÅs aÌ„rbÅrÅ«m poÌ„mÄrÄÄ« taÌ„ntÅ«m DÄ•Å«s noÌ„bÄ« ÄinteÌ„rdÄ«xÄt Ä•Ä aÌ„ boÌ„â—Ä• qÅ«ae eÌ„st Ä«n mÄ•dÄoÌ„ poÌ„mÄrÄoÌ„ neÌ„ vescÄ• Ä“mÅ«r fâ—Å«ctu Ä“Å«s neÌ„vÄ• Ä•tÄam ÄtrÄ«ngÄ• Ä“mÅ«s nÄâ—Ä veÌ„llÄ“mus mÅri 2. Let him cast the words of his Authour into the Grammatical order and analyse every one of them exactly according to Etymology and Syntaxis which is the usuall way of parsing after this manner Cur Deus vetuit vos vesci ex omnibus arboribus pomarii licet nobis vesci fructibus arborum pomarii tantùm Deus interdixit nobis eâ arbore quae est in medio pomario ne vesceremur fructu ejus ne've etiam attingeremus nisi vellemus mori Cur is an Adverb of asking Deus is a Noun Substantive Common of the Singular number Nominative case Masculine Gender because Mascula in er c. of the second Declension Sing Nom. hic Deus Gen. hujus Dei c. It maketh its Vocative case o Deus and waâ—teth the Plural number because Deus verus caret plurali It cometh before the verb vetuit Vetuit is a verb personal neuter of the Indicative mood Preterperfect tense singular number and third person because it agreeth with its Nominave case Deus by the Rule Verbum Personale cohaeret c. It is of the first Conjugation Veto vetas vetui veto quod vetui dat vetare vetandi vetando vetandum vetitum vetitu Quod dat ui dat itum vetans vetiturus Vos is a Pronoun Primitive of the Plurall number the Accusative case the Masculine Gender and the first Declension Sing Nom Tu Gen. tui c. It hath the Vocative case Et Praenomina praeter c. It is the Accusative case after vetuit because verba Transitiva c. Vesci is a verb Deponent like legi Vescor vesceris vel vescere pastus sum vel fui vesci pastus vescendus because Sic Poscunt vescor medeor c. It is of the Infinitive mood and Present Tense without number and Person and
Discretion in every particular be used which is beyond any directions that can be given So that under the Usher I admit of three forms The first of Enterers The second of Practitioners The third of Proficients in the knowledge of Grammar Having done therefore with grounding children whose inanimadvertency is the Teachers daily trouble and not to mention their other infirmities requireth that they be held long in one and the same work and be made ever and anone to repeat again what they formerly learned I shall next adde somewhat concerning teaching men at spare hours in private with whom by reason of their stronger capacities and more use of reason a far speedier course may be taken and greater Proficiency may be made in half a year then can be expected from children in three years space And what I shall here deliver is confirmed by that experiment which I have made with many young Gentlemen for these eleven or twelve years together last past in London who being very sensible of their own want of the Latine tongue and desirous if possibly to attain it have thought no cost nor pains too little to be employed for gaining of it and yet in few moneths they have either been so grounded as to be able to help themselves in a plain Authour in case they knew nothing before or so perfected as to grapple with the most difficult and exactest Authours in case they had formerly but a smattering of the Language and this they have obtained at leisure time and at far lesse expense then they now prize the jewel at which they hav In teaching of a man then I require none of those helps which I have provided for childrens uses though perhaps he may find benefit to himself by perusing them in private only I desire him at the first to get an easie entrance to the Latine tongue and by it I shew him as briefly orderly and plainly as I can 1. How he ought to distinguish words so as to know what part of Speech any word is 2. To tell what belongeth to every several Part of Speech 3. To get the Examples of the Declensions Conjugations very exactly so as to know what any Noun or Verb signifieth according to its Termination and to store him with words I advise him to peruse a Chapter in the Vocabulary at least once every day and to observe the Latine names of such things as are common in use and better known to him 4. Then I acquaint him with the most general Rules of Concordance and Construction and help him to understand them by sundry short examples appliable thereunto 5. Last of all I cause him to take some of the Collectanea and help him to construe parse imitate and alter them untill he be able to adventure upon some easy Authour After he be thus made well acquainted with the Grounds of Grammar I bid him to procure the Latine Grammar fitted for his use as well as for Schooles and together with it a Latine Testament or Bible and then I cause him to read over his Grammar by as much at once as he can well peruse in halfe an houre and be sure that he thorowly understand it and after every one of the foure Parts of Grammar I give him a Praxis of it by exercising whereof he may easily know how to use his Rules and where to find them When by this meanes he can tell what to do with his Grammar I turn him to the Latine Testament beginning with the first Chapter of Saint Johns Gospel because it is most easy and there I make him by giving him some few directions which he hath together with his Grounds of Grammar to learn to construe of himselfe six eight or ten verses with the help of his English Bible and to parse them exactly according to his Grammar and by going over three or four Chapters he will be able to proceed understandingly in his Latine Bible without help Which when he can do I advise him to get Corderius English and Latine where he is chiefly to take notice of the phrases how they differ in both languages and to imitate here and there a Colloquie to try what good Latine he can write or speak of himself And now I commend to his own private reading Dialogi Gallico Anglo-Latini by Dâ—gres Dictionarium octo-lingue or the Schoolmaster Printed formerly by Michael Sparks and Janua Linguarum or rather Janua Latinae linguae and the like by perusal of which together with Corderius he may be furnished with copy of words and phrases for common discourse in Latine Afterwards I help him in reading Aesop's Fables to consture and parse and imitate a Period or more in 〈◊〉 of them thereby to acquaint himself 〈◊〉 the artificial manner of placing words And when I see he dare adventure upon the Latine alone I make him read Terence over and over and to observe all the difficulties of Grammar that he meets in him and after he is once Master of his stile he will be pretty well able for any Latine Book of which I allow him to take his choice VVhether he will read Tully Pliny Seneca or Lipsius for Epistles Justin Salust Lucius Florus or Caesar for History Virgil Ovid Lucan or Horace for Poetry And when I see he can read these understandingly I judge him able to peruse any Latine Authour of himself by the help of Coopers Dictionary and good Commentators or Scholiasts These Authors which I have mentioned are most of them in English as also Livie Plinies natural History Tacitus and otheâ— excellent Books which he may peruse together with the Latine and by comparing both Languages together he may become very expert in both Yet I would advisâ— him to translate some little Books of himself First out of Latine into English and then out of English into Latine which will at once furnish him with all points oâ— Grammar and the right use and orderiâ—â— of words and in a short time bring 〈◊〉 to the like eloquence Mr. Ascham commendeth Tully de senctute and his Epistles Ad Quintum Fratrem ad Lentulum for this purpose If he would exercise himself in Oratory or Poetry I suppose his best way is to imitate the most excellent pieces of either that he findes in the best and purest Authors especially Tully and Virgil till he can do well of himself Horace and Buchanan's Psalms will sufficiently store him with variety of Verses And now if one should ask me before I conclude this Book and begin with the next whether it be not possible for men or children to learn Latine as well as English without Grammar-Rules I answer First that it is hardly possible because the Latine tongue is not so familiarly spoken as English which is gotten only by hearing and imitation 2. That it is not the better way partly because they that are well acquainted with Grammar know when they or others speak well and when they speak ill whereas they that are ignorant of
the Rules take any Latine for good be it never so barbarous or full of Solaecismes and partly because they that are skilful in Grammar are able to doe something in reading Authours or translating or writing Epistles or the like by themselves whereas they that learne Latine without any Rule are able to do nothing surely if their Teacher be away Besides if the Latine be once well gotten by Rule it is not so apt to be forgotten as if it be learned only by rote because the learner is at any time able to recover what he hath lost by the help of his own intellect having the habit of Grammar in his mind Yet I conceive it is the readiest way to the gaining of this Language to joyn assiduity of speaking and reading and writing and especially double translating to the Rules for as the one affordeth us words and phrase and the other directs us how to order them for a right speech so the exercise of both will at last beget such an Habit in us that we may increase our ability to speak and understand pure Latine though perhaps the Rules of Grammer be forgotten by us Having here done with the Vshers Duty I shall God willing go on to discover the Masters Method in every particular according to what I have either practised my self or observed from others of my profession And I hope this my slender discovery will excite some of greater practise and experience to commit also to publick their own observations by whom if I may be convinced that I have any where gone in an erroneous way I shall willingly retract my course and endevour to stere by any mans Chart that I finde more caste and sure to direct me In the mean time I commit my little vessel to the waters all alone and desire God that whatever Dangers attend it he would so protect and prosper it that it may safely arrive to the Port which I chiefly aim at viz. the honour and service of his divine Majesty and the benefitting of both Church and Common wealth in the good education of children THE MASTERS METHOD OR THE Exercising of Scholars In GRAMMARS Authours and Exercises GREEK LATINE and HEBREW By C. H. LONDON Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1659. CHAP. 1. How to make the Scholars of the fourth Form very perfect in the Art of Grammar and Elements of Rhetorick how to enter them upon Greek in an easy way How to practise them as they read Terence and Ovid de Tristibus and his Metamorphosis and Janua Latinae linguae and Sturmius and Textor's Epistles in getting Copy of words and learning their Derivations and Differences and in varying phrases How to shew them the right way of double translating and writing a most pure Latine style How to acquaint them with all sorts of English and Latine verses and to enable them to write faimiliar and elegant Epistles either in English or Latine upon all occasions THe Vsher having throughly performed his Duty so as to lay a sure foundation by teaching Grammar and lower Authours and using other helps for mentioned to acquaint his Scholars with the words and order of the Latine tongue as well for speaking as writing it The Master may more cheerfully proceed to build further and in so doing he should be as carefull to keep what is well gotten as diligent to adde thereunto I would advise therefore that the Scholars of this fourth form may 1. Every morning read six or ten verses as formerly out of the Latine Testament into English that thus they may be become well acquainted with the matter and words of that most holy Book and after they are acquainted with the Greek Testament they may proceed with it in like manner 2. Every Thursday morning repeat a part out of the Latine Grammar according as it is last divided that by that meanes they may constantly say it over once every quarter And because their wits are now ripe for understanding Grammar notions where ever they meet with them I would have them every one to provide a paper-Paper-book of two quires in Quarto in the beginning whereof they should write the Heads of Grammar by way of common place as they see it in my Latine Grammar and having noted the pages they should again write over the same Heads leaving a larger or lesse distance betwixt them as they conceive they may finde more or lesse matter to fill them withall in the leaves of their Book and insert all niceties of Grammar that they finde either in their daily lessons or in perusing other Books at spare houres especially such as either methodically or critically treat of Grammar amongst which I commend Mr. Brinsley's posing of the Accidents The Animadversions upon Lilies Grammar Stockwoods disputations Mr. Pooles English Accidents Hermes Anglo-Latinus Phalerii Supplementa ad Grammaticam Mr. Birds Mr. Shirleyes Mr. Burleyes Mr. Hawkins Mr. Gregories Mr. Haynes Mr. Danes Mr. Farnabies and other late printed new Grammars which they may read in private one after another will afford them several observations As for Authores Grammaticae Antiqui which are commonly printed together Dispauterius Linacer Melancthon Valerius Alvarez Rhemus Sulpitius Vossius and the like either ancient or modern they may take the opportunity to read them after they come to higher Forms and pick out of them such pretty notes as they have not formerly met withall and write them in their Common-place-booke And because it may seem a needlesse labour for every Scholar to be thus imployed and it is almost impossible for one alone to procure so many Grammars it were to be wished that in every Schoole of note there might be a Library wherein all the best Grammars that can be gotten might be kept and lent to those boyes that are more industriously addicted to Grammar Art and which intend to be Scholars that they may read them over and refer what they like in them to its proper Head And to encourage them in so doing the Master may do well at the first to direct them and afterwards at leisure times to cast an eye upon their Books and see what they have collected of themselves But be sure that they keep their paper-Paper-book fair and that they write constantly in it with a legible and even hand 3. Thus they may have liberty to learn Rhetorick on Mondayes Tuesdayes and Wednesdayes for morning Parts And to enter them in that Art of fine speaking they may make use of Elementa Rhetorices lately printed by Mr. Dugard and out of it learn the Tropes and Figures according to the definitions given by Talaeus and afterwards more illustrated by Mr. Butler Out of either of which books they may be helped with store of examples to explain the Definitions so as they may know any Trope or Figure that they meet with in their own Authours When they have throughly learnt that little book they may make a Synopsis of it whereby to see
its order and how every thing hangs together and then write the Common place heads in a paper-Paper-book as I have mentioned before touching Grammar unto which they may referre whatever they like in the late English Rhetorick Mr. Farnabies Index Rhetoricus Susenbrotus Mr. Hornes Compendium Rhetorices or the like till they be better able to peruse other Authours that more fully treat of the Art as Vossius's Partitiones Oratoriae Orator extemporaneus Tesmari exercitationes Rhetoricae Nic. Caussinus Paiot de elequentiâ and many others with which a School-Library should be very well furnished for the Scholars to make use on accordingly as they increase in ability of learning These Elementa Rhetorices in their first going over should be explained by the Master and construed by the Scholars and every example compared with its Definition And the Scholars should now be diligent of themselves to observe every Trop and Figure that occurre in their present Authours and when they say to render it with its full definition and if any be more eminent and worthy observation then others to write it down in their Common-place-book and by this means they will come to the perfect understanding of them in a quarter of a yeares time and with more ease commit it all to memory by constant parts saying a whole Chapter together at once which afterwards they may keep by constant Repetitions as they do their Grammar 4. When they have passed their Rhetorick you may let them bestow those hours which they spent about it in getting the Greek Grammar for morning parts And because in learning this Language as well as the Latine we are to proceed by one Rule which is most common and certain I preferre Camdens Greek Grammar before any that I have yet seen though perhaps it be not so facill or so compleat as some latelier printed especially those that are set out by my worthy friends Mr. Busbie of Westminster and Mr. Dugard of Merchant Taylors Schoole in the first going over of which I would have them to repeat onely the Greek letters and their divisions the Accents and eight Parts of Speech the Articles Declensions and Conjugations the Adverbs Conjunctions and Prepositions by several parts as they are best able to get them and to write down so much as they say at once in a fair paper-Paper-book very exactly observing and marking every Accent and note of distinction And this will quickly enable them to write or read Greek very truly especially if they minde the abbreviated characters which are now lately printed at the end of most of these Grammars This work will take up about a quarter of a years time In the next half year they may get over the whole Grammar in that order as it is printed And in the interim thereof they may make use of their Greek Testament every morning after prayers in like manner as they formerly used their Latine one They may begin with the Gospel of S. John which at the first you may help them to construe and parse verbatim but after a while when they have gathered strength to do somewhat of themselves you may let them make use of Pasors Lexicon which they will better do by help of the Themes which I caused to be printed in the Margent of the Greek Testament which will lead them to Pasor to see the Analysis of any word in the Testament Mr. Dugard hath lately compleated his Lexicon Graeci Testamenti Alphabeticum unâ cum explicatione Grammaticâ vocum singularum in usum Tironum nec non concordantia singulis vocibus apposita in usum Theologiae canditatorum which were it once committed to the presse as it now lyeth ready in his hand would be a most excellent help to young Scholars to proceed in the Greek Testament of themselves in an understanding and Grammatical way And I hope it will not be long ere he publish it for common use When they have gone over the Declensions and Conjugations and are able to write Greek in a very fair and legible character let them write out the Paradigmes of every Declension and Conjugation and divide the moveable part of the words from the Terminatious as you may see it done in Mr. Dugards Rudimenta Grammaticae Graecae After they are thus acquainted with every particular example they may write out all the Declensions one by another and the three voyces of the Verbs throughout all moods and tenses in all Conjugations that so they may more readily compare them one by another and see what Tenses are alike or which are wanting in every voyce If these things were drawn into Tables to be hanged up in the Schoole they would help the weaker boyes And to supply them with store of Nouns Verbs you may let them repeat as many nouns as they can wel get at once out of Mr. Gregories Nomenclatura and afterwards as many Sentences as they can wel say at once out of Seidelius or the latter end of Clavis Graecae linguae by the repeating construing and parsing whereof they will learn all the Primitive words of the Greek Tongue and be able to decline them And thus they will be very well fitted to fall upon any approved Greek Authour when they come into the next Form But if you would have them learne to speak Greeke let them make use of Posselius's Dialogues or Mr. Shirleyes Introductorium in English Latine and Greek I commonly appointed Tuesdayes and Thursdayes afternoones for this employment before or af-after my Scholars had performed their other Tasks 5. Terence of all the School-Authours that we read doth deservedly challenge the first place not onely because Tully himself hath seemed to derive his eloquence from him and many noble Romans are reported to have assisted him in making his Comedies but also because that Book is the very quintessence of familiar Latine and very apt to expresse the most of our Anglicismes withall The matter of it is full of morality and the several Actors therein most lively seem to personate the behaviour and properties of sundry of the like sort of people even in this age of ours I would have the Scholars therefore of this form to read him so thorowly as to make him wholly their own To help them in so doing I have rendred a good part of it into English answerable to the Latine line by line in the adverse page and I intend God willing ere long to compleat the whole according to what I have formerly undertaken and promised This Authour I would have the Scholars to read constantly every Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday for fore-noon Lessons taking about half a page at once till they begin to relish him and then they will easily take more and delight to be exercised in him in this manner 1. Let them write out every Lesson very fair and exactly as they see it printed before them both in English and Latine And this will be a means to perfect them in Orthography and to imprint
to try how near they can come to their Authour in the right choice and orderly placing of words in every distinct Period And because the Authours style and expression will in many particulars seem hard to those that have not formerly read some of his Epistles I have thought good at first to give my Scholars a taste of an Epistolary style by translating a Century of select Epistles out of Tully and other choice Authours making the English answer to the Latine Period by Period And these I cause them to write over and in so doing to take notice of the placing of every word and its manner of signification By this means they both better themselves in Orthography and easily become so acquainted with Tullies expressions that they can adventure to construe any of his Epistles of themselves and turn them into English as they see I have done the like before them 2. Then do I cause them as I said to make double translations of themselves one while writing down both the English and Latine together as they construe it which some call Metaphrasis an example or two whereof you may see in Merchant Taylors School Probation and another while and most frequently writing the English out of the Latine by it self which within ten dayes after they try how to turn into the like good Latine again And this is the way that Mr Brinsley so much commendeth and Mr. Aseham was moved to think to be onely or chiefly the fittest for the speedy and perfect attaining of any Tongue 3. After they are grown pretty quick in translating both wayes you may write them down a little English Epistle of like matter words to that in their book directed to some of their own acquaintance which they may turn into Latine Period after Period by themselves To begin therefore with the first Epistle in Sturmius which may be writ down translated thus M. T. C. Terentiae Salutem plurimam dicit Mark Tully Cicero sendeth hearty commendations to his wife Terentia SI vales bene est ego valâ—o If you be in good health it is well I am in good health Nos quotidie tabellarios vestros expectamus qui si venerint fortasse erimus certiores quid nobis faciendum sit faciemusque te statim certiorem We everyday expect your Letter-posts who if they come we shall be perhaps more certain what we are to do and we will certifie you forthwith Valetudinem tuam cura diligenter vale Look diligently to your health farewell Calendis Septembris The first day of September And you may shew them how to imitate it observing our English manner of writing Letters thus To his very loving Friend Mr. Stephen Primato at the Seven Stars neer Newgate LONDON these Amantissimo suo amico Domino Stephano Primatae ad insigne Septentrionum juxta novam Portam Londinensem hasce dabis Most sweet Stephen IF you be all in good health at London it is very well we are all very well at Barnet The Lord God be praised Stephane mellitissime Si vos omnes Londini valetis optime est nos quidem omnes Barnetae valemus Laudetur Dominus Deus I have every day expected a Letter from you for this whole week together which if it come is like to be very welcome to me I pray you therefore write to me and let me know what you do and I will write back again to you forthwith Ego quotidie literas tuas per hanc totam hebdomadem expectavi quae si venerint gratissimae mihi futurae sunt oro igitur ut ad me scribas certiorem me facias quid agis ego statim ad te rescribam Give your minde diligently to learning Farewell heartily Studio literarum diligenter incumbe Vale feliciter Your most loving friend Robert Burrows Barnetae Octob. 4. 1659. Amantissimus tuus amicus Robertus Burrowes They may imitate the same Epistle again in framing an answer to the particulars of the foregoing letter after this manner observing the form of composition rather then the words To his very much respected friend Mr. Robert Burrows neere the Mitre at Barnet these deliver Observantissimo suo amico Roberto Burrows haud ita procul a Mitrâ Barnetae hasce dabis Deare Robert I Am very glad I am certified by your Letter that you and all our friends are in good health Lo I have now at last sent you my letter which I am sorry that I have made you so long to look for before it came to your hand And forasmuch as you desire to know what I do I thought good to certify you that I am wholly busied at my book insomuch as I could willingly finde in my heart to die at my studies so true is that which we sometimes learned in our Accidents To know much is the most pleasant and sweetest life of all You need not therefore truly to speak plainly perswade me further to give my mind to learning which I had much rather havee then all even the most precious jewels in the world Farewell and write as often as you can to Your very loving friend Stephen Primate Charissime Roberte QVòd ex tuis literis certior fiam te omnes nostros bene valere magnopere gaudeo Ecce nostras jam tandem ad te misi Quas quoniam in causâ fui ut diutiùs expectes priusquam ad vos venerint vehementer doleo Cùm autem quid ego agam scire cupias certiorem te facere velim me totum in libris esse occupatum usque adeò ut vel emori studiis mihi dulce erit Ita verum est quod è Rudimentis Grammatices olim ebibimus Multum scire est vita jucundissima Non igitur opus est ut ulteriùs mihi suadeas studio literarum doctrinae incumbere quae quidem ut planè loquar omnibus gemmis vel pretiosissimis cupidissimè malim Vale literas quam sepissime mitte ad Amantissimum tui Robertum Burrows THus you may help them to take so much as is needfull and fit for their purpose out of any Epistle and to alter and apply it fitly to their several occasions of writing to their friends and where Tully's expressions will not serve them let them borrow words and phrases out of the books that they have learn't but especially out of Terence and take care to place them so that they may continually seem to imitate Tullie's form in writing Epistles though they be not altogether tyed to his very words And this I give as a Caution both in speaking and writing Latine that they never utter or write any words or phrases which they are not sure they have read or heard used in the same sense that they there intend them It were necessary for them as they proceed in reading Epistles to pick out all such familiar expressions as are incident to be used in writing letters and to note them in a paper book kept for the purpose digested
it is learnt it may be drawne into a Synopsis and that digested into Common-place heads to which they may easily refer what ever they read worth noting out of any Greek Grammar they peruse And that they may more freely expatiate in such Books it were good if they had Mr. Busbie's Grammar Cleonard Scotus Chrysolora Ceporinus Gaza Vrbanius Caninius Gretserus Posselii Syntaxis as many as can be gotten both ancient and modern laid up in the Schoole Librarie to collect Annotations out of as their leisure will best permits you will scarce imagine to what exactnesse a boy will attain and what a treasure of good notes he will have heaped up in these two years time if he be moderately industrious and now and then imploy himself in collecting of his own accord and I may adde that Scholars of any ordinarie ingenuitie will delight more to be doing something at their book which they well understand then to be trifling and rambling up and down about idle occasions 3. Forasmuch as it is usual commendable to bring on children towards perfection in the Greek Tongue as they proceed in Oratorie and Poetrie in the Latine I think it not amisse to exercise these two Forms in such Authours as are commonly received and may prove most advantagious to them in all these yet herein I may seem to differ from some others that in stead of Grammar parts which I reserve to be constantly repeated every Thursday I would have this Form to learn some lively patterns of Oratory by the frequent and familiar use whereof and the knowledge of the Histories themselves to which they relate they may at last obtain the Artifice of gallant expression some skil to mannage future affairs It being requisite for a Scholar more then any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be expert in speaking and doing At first therefore for morning parts on Mondaies Tuesdaies and Wednesdaies I would have them exercised in Apththonius if it can be gotten as I desire it may be reprinted both in Greek and Latine Out of which book I would have them translate the Fables and Themes so as to finish at least every week one into pure English and to repeat them being translated in both Languages that by that means they may gain the Method of these kinde of exercises and inure themselves to Pronunciation When they have gone over them they may next translate Tullies six Paradoxes and pronounce them also in English and Latine as if they were their own-And afterwards they may proceed in those pithy Orations which are purposely collected out of Salust Livy Tacitus Quintus Curtius having the Histories of their occasions summarily set down before them And of these I would have them constantly to translate one every day into English beginning with those that are the shortest and once a week to strive amongst themselves who can best pronounce them both in English and Latine I know not what others may think of this Task but I have experienced it to be a most effectual mean to draw on my Scholars to emulate one-another who could make the best exercises of their own in the most Rhetorical style and have often seen the most bashfull and least-promising boyes to out-strip their fellowes in pronouncing with a courage and comely gesture and for bringing up this use first in my School I must here thank that modest and ingenious Gentleman Mr. Edward Perkins who was then my Usher for advising me to set upon it For I found nothing that I did formerly to put such a spirit into my Scholars and make them like so many Nightingales to contend who could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most melodiously tune his voyce and frame style to pronounce and imitate the forementioned Orations 4. Their forenoon Lessons on Mondays and Wednesdays may be in Isocrates and to make them more attend the Greek 1. Let them at first especially translate every Lesson by way of interlineary writing according to the Grammaticall order 2. Let them parse the whole Lesson in that order and give you the Variation and derivation of the most difficult Nouns and Verbs throughout and the Rules of Syntaxe and of the Accents 3. Let them pick out the phrases and more elegant words as they go along and write them in a Paparbook and transcribe what Sentences they meet withall into their common-place-Common-place-book After they are well entered you may cause them to translate the Greek into elegant Latine and on Fridayes when they come to repeat to render their own Latine into Greek which they should endeavour to write down very true and fair without any help of their Authour who is then to be thrown aside but afterwards compared with what they have done Three quarters of a year I conceive will be sufficient to exercise them in Isocrates till they get a perfect knowledge of Etymologie and Syntaxe in Greek which they will more easily attain to if out of this Authour especially you teach them to translate such examples most frequently as may serve to explicate those Rules which are not to be found in their Latine Grammar and very seldom occurre in the Greek one which they commonly read And then you may let them translate a Psalme out of English into Latine and out of Latine into Greek and compare them with the Septuagint Psalter Afterwards you may give them some of Demosthenes's Sentences or Similies collected by Loinus or of Posselius Apophthegmes in Latine only and let them turn them into Greek which when they have done you may let them see the Authours that by them they may discover their own failings and endeavour to amend them Their Lessons then for the fourth quarter on Mondaies and Wednesdaies should be in Theognis in which most pleasing Poet they may be taught not onely to construe and parse as formerly but also to minde the Dialects and to prove and scan and to trie how to make Hexâ—meter and Pentameter Greek verses as they formerly did Latine ones out of Ovid de Tristibus And here I must not forget to give notice to all that are taken with this Authour that Mr. Castilion's Praelectiones which he sometimes read at Oxford in Magdalene Colledge and Mr. Langley late School-Master of Pauls transcribed when he was Student there are desirous to see the light were they but helped forward by some Stationer or Printer that would a little consider the Authours paines I need give the work no more commendations then to say that besides Mr. Langley that writ it long agoe Mr. Busbie Mr. Dugard Mr. Singleton and some others of note have seen the Book and judged it a most excellent piece not onely to help young Scholars in the understanding of Theognis but also to furnish them with abundant matter of invention and to be a President to Students in the Universities whereby they may learne to compose such kind of Lectures upon other Poets either for their own private recreation or more publick reading
for resolution But I have found it a continual provoking of Scholars to strive who should learn the fastest to let both the sides of one Form as they sit a part so to look to provide their Lessons apart and when they come to say Parts or Lessons or to perform Exercises to bicker one with another and propound those things to be resolved in by their opposites which they observe the Master to have omitted and they think they cannot tell And let it be constantly noted which side hath the better all the week that when afterwards they come to a general dispute at the weeks end for places or sides it may be considered CHAP. V. Of saying Parts and Lessons and of perusing Translations and all other kind of Exercises 1. THe best time for saying Grammar Parts or the like is the morning partly because the memory is then the freshest and partly because children may take the opportunity over night to get them perfectly at home But forasmuch as Vocabula's are more easie to be impressed in the mind and require lesse paines in getting I conceive it not amisse that children be continually exercised in saying them for afternoons parts at one a clock before which hour they may prepare themselves afore-hand even amid their play After parts said the Master or his Ushers should immediately give Lessons to every Form or appoint a boy out of an upper Form to give Lessons to that which is next below him in his hearing which he should distinctly construe once or twice over and note out all the Words wherein the most difficulty of parsing seems to lye and name the Tropes and Figures the Phrases and other elegancies that are to be found especially in higher Authours The Lessons should be got ready to be said against ten a clock in the forenoon and four in the after noon at which time the Scholars should come all orderly and quietly out of their Form and taking their places where they ought to stand so as one side may be opposite to another they should all make their salutes and then say one after another except they be appointed otherwise For sometimes when you have occasion to make more hastie dispatch with a Form you may cause any one or more to say the whole Lesson or by pieces but be sure that they all come very well provided and that every one be intent upon what another is saying for which purpose you may note him that hath been most negligent in his seat and ask him ever and anon what it was that his fellow said last To save your own lungs in asking many questions and telling Rules or the like you may let every two boyes examine one another and your self onely help them when they are both at a mistake You may easily amend that common and troublesome fault of indistinct and muttering speaking by calling out a bold spirited little boy that can speak with a grace and encouraging him to give the other an higher note for the elevation of his voyce for this will at last enforce the boy you are troubled with to speak louder and with a better grace and to strive to pronounce his words more distinctly then the other did before him After Lessons are ended you may let every one propound what questions he pleaseth for his opposite to answer and this will be a means to whet them on to more diligence in getting them before they come to say In the three lowest Forms or in others where all have the same Translations or Dictates you may cause onely him whose performance you most doubt of to read what he hath written both in English and Latine and help him as you finde his errour to correct it and see that all the rest amend their own faults accordingly Afterwards you may let one parse it both in English and Latine and order them all to write it over again fair in a paper-Paper-book for themselves and to give you also a copy of it neatly written in a loose paper every Saturday And thus you shall have every one begin to leane to his own strength a thing very necessary in all kinde of Exercises though they doe the lesse If you once take notice of any boyes strength you may easily judge of what he bringeth whether it be his own or anothers doing But in the upper Formes and where they have all several Exercises it is necessary that you peruse what every Scholar hath done And for this work you may set apart Saturday fore-noons after Grammatical Examinations are ended and before they say their Catechismes And that they may write them fair you should sometimes compare them with their copy-Copy-Books or such pieces as they writ last at the Writing-Schoole Before they bring them to you to read let them peruse one anothers Exercise amongst themselves and try what faults they can finde in it and as you read them over where you see a grosse mistake explode it where you espie any over-sight note it with a dash that they may amend it but where you see any fault which is beyond their power to avoyd or remedy do you mildely correct it for them and advise them to observe it for the future However forget not to commend him most that hath done the best and for his encouragement to make him read over his exercise aloud that others may heare it and then to hang it up in an eminent place that they may imitate it and if any one can afterwards out-doe it let his exercise be hanged up in its stead But if any one hath lazily performed his exercise so that it be worse then all the rest let it be cut in fashion of a leg and be hanged up by the heel till he make a better and deserve that that may be taken down It is not amisse also to stirre them up to more diligence to have a common-paper-Common-paper-Book wherein the names of all in every Form that have optimè and pessimè performed their weekly exercises may be written and that the one may have the priviledge to beg a Play-day once a moneth or to obtain pardon for some of his fellows and the other may be confined to some task when a Play-day is granted CHAP. VI. Of weekly Repetitions Of Grammaticall Examinations and Disputations Of collecting phrases and gathering into Common-place-Bookes Of proâ—ouncing Orations and Declamations I Have not in either of the foregoing Treatises made mention of any thing to be done on Fridaies because that day is commonly spent in most Schooles in repeating what hath been learned in the fore-going part of the week which custome because it is a mean to confim childrens memories in what they learn I willingly conform thereunto After Chapter 's therefore read in a morning let them repeat their wonted Parts and afterwards their Lessons all which they will be able to say together out of their several Authours so that some be made to repeat out of one book and some out of another For if
and withall how little you delight in his skin you may at some time when he hath cause to think that he hath well deserved a whipping and when you have him ready for the rod pass him over with an admonition to beware another time and if he again be peccant in the same kinde you may give him more cause at present to remember both his faults together and for the future to avoid them This even and indifferent carriage in rewards and punishments will make these Scholars that have any ingenuity in them less willing to offend and incline the rest to behave more dutifully because they see their Master beare such a loving minde towards them all and to be sharp in punishing none but those that know they well deserved what blowes they had As for those boyes that do slight good order and are apt to stirre up others to reject them which are usually those of bigger stature that perhaps have nâ—t been acquainted with your Teaching or Government or know they shall shortly remove from under your command or those that without any cause love to truant it abroad or by other licentious demeanor bring disgrace to your Schoole or offer any affronts to your selfe I conceive your best way is at a fitting opportunity to send for their Parents or friends with 1 or 2 Judicious neighbours to be by where there are no Governours of the School to let them justly know the fault and adjudge what punishment such a boy deserveth but if the Parents be unwilling to have him corrected for his peremptory disorders choose rather to send him home with them then retain him any longer to the disturbance of the Schoole or your own unquiet This you shall finde as an especial remedy to prevent such clamorous out-cries of supposed Tyranny when every jerk that is given to a notorious unhappy boy for his insolent misbehaviour shall chance to be multiplyed in the relating like Scoggins Crowes from three to thirty Which base obloquie and mis-report what hinderance it bringeth to the flourishing of a Schoole and what unseemly disgrace to a worthy Master I need not mention But because such boyes as these sometimes are apt to take it as an argument of the Masters pusillanimity thus to send for their Parents who generally do not love to heare of their childrens faults the Master may take an occasion where he sees adamonitions will not prevaile to watch them more strictly at every turn and having found them to have committed some grosse enormity to chastise them more smartly then ordinarily yet so as to shew no rigour And if after that he perceive them wilfully to rush into the same acts of lewdnesse let him fairly turne them out of his Schoole and signify the cause to their friends at whose entreaties he should never take them again except they will engage to forfeit a sum of money to be bestowed in publick Books in case they offend in that nature again As for the lesser sort of children that are apt to reiterate the same fault too often for which they have sometimes been already corrected your surest way to reclaim them is after you have once given them warning to whip them for a fault and if that will do no good to double your strokes the second time but if a third time they come under the rod and beg heartily for pardon as commonly then they will do fearing lest their punishment should be tripled you should not let them pass except they can procure two of your more orderly boys or one that is in your favour for his constant well-doing to give their words for them and to engage to be whipt for them if ever they do the like If you see they get sureties to your likeing you may let them escape so but if they cannot you may adventure to take their own single words and the care of their sureties and fear to displease you again will so work upon them that they will seldom or never do the like afterwards Such faults as are vitiously enormous are to be duely punished with a rod according as the obliquity of the will appeareth in them more or less as for such as are committed for want of understanding they are to be remedied by due instruction but those that seem to offend through laziness and careless neglect should be abridged of desired liberty when others have leave to play The shutting of children up for a while into a dark room and depriving them of a meals meat or the like which are used in some Tabling Schools as they are not of good report so they cannot be commendably or conveniently used in our greater Schooles But these things I leave to the discretion of every prudent Master who is able to judg of every particular action by its several circumstances to take such course as he sees best availeable for the orderly management of his own Schoole especially where he is not tied to any Rules of Government CHAP. VIII Of Scholars writing their exercises fair and of keeping their books handsome And of erecting a Schoole-Library for the Masters Recreation therein at vacant houres THough the teaching of children to write a fair hand doth properly belong to writing-Masters as professors of that Art yet the care of seeing that all they write in paper-Paper-books and loose papers by way of Exercises be neatly done doth pertain to every Schoole-Masters and therefore we shall here touch a little concerning that and also shew what heed is to be taken about keeping their Books The usual way for Scholars learning to write at the Country Grammar-Schooles is to entertain an honest and skilful Pen-man that he may constantly come and continue with them about a moneth or six weeks together every year in which time commonly every one may learn to write legibly The best season for such a mans coming is about May-day partly because the dayes are then pretty long and partly because it will be requisite for such as are then getting their Grammar Rudiments to learne to write before they come to Translations The Parents of all other children would be advised to let them take that opportunity to improve their hands forasmuch as the benefit thereof will far exceed the charge it will be a means of better order to have all employed together about a thing so necessary The Master of the Schoole should often have an eye upon them to see what they do and how they profit and that they may not slack in their other learning he may hear them a part at morn and a lesson at noon before their Copies be set or their books can be provided for them and proportion their weekly exercises accordingly And that the stock which they then get may be better increased against the next year the Pen-man should cause them to write a piece a day or two before he leave them as fair as they can with the date above it and their names subscribed underneath
which the Schoole-Master may safely keep by him as a Testimony of what they can perform take care to see that their writing for the future be not much worse This Pattern or Copy I formerly received from that industrious pen-man Mr. Roger Evans who had sometimes taught me to write being a Scholar at Wakefield and afterwards yearly taught my Scholars whilest I was School-Master at Rotherham June 1. 1635. A man cannot any way enter into the canonized rule to come to Gods holy will and kingdome except he reform and become acquainted with vertuous manners in most prudent sort that may be c. Roger Evans But in London which of all places I know in England is best for the full improvement of children in their education because of the variety of objects which daily present themselves to them or may easily be seen once a year by walking to Mr. John Tradescants or the like houses or gardens where rarities are kept a Book of all which might deserve to be printed as that ingenuous Gentleman hath lately done his by the name of Musaeum Tradescantianum a Collection of Rarities could Parents at home but halfe so well look to their behaviour as the Masters do to their learning at Schoole it is ordinary for Scholars at eleven and five a clock to go to the Writing-Schooles and there to benefit themselves in writing In that City therefore having the opportunity of the neighbourhood of my singular loving friend Mr. James Hodder whose Coppy bookes of late printed do sufficiently testify his ability for the profession he hath undertaken and of whose care and pains I have had abundant triall by his profiting of my Scholars for at least twelve years together who had most of them learned of him to write a very fair hand not to speak of Arithmetick or Merchants Accounts which they gained also by his teaching at spare times In the Token-house garden in Lothbury somewhat near the Old-Exchange I so ordered the business with him that all my lower Scholars had their little paper-Paper-books ruled wherein they writ their lessons fair and then their Translations and other Exercises in loose papers in his sight untill they were able to do every thing of themselves in a handsome manner And afterwards it is not to be expressed what pleasure they took in writing and flourishing their Exercises all the while they continued with me at the Schoole This or a better course perhaps may be taken at other Schooles where they have a Writing-Master constant and ready to attend them every day throughout the year as I have heard Mr. Farnaby made use of Mr. Taylor a famous Pen-man for the teaching his Scholars to write If at any time a Scholar doth not write his Exercises in the fairest manner that he is able his punishment may be to write them over again whilest others play I have been told of a Porter that could neither write nor read who if at any time he had seen his son write his Exercises at home in a worse hand then he thought he was able to do would teare them to pieces and thus at last enforced the young Scholar upon a very good hand of writing which rude kinde of dealing with a childe though I would have no Parents to imitate yet I would advise them sometimes to look upon their childrens writing at home and to encourage them to do it in the neatest fashion For as it will be an ornament to them in their learning and an especiall furtherance of their Studies or future employments elsewhere so it will be a great ease to the Master in the perusal of what they have written I with some others have bin sorry to see some of that reverend and learned Mr. Hookers Sermons come in manuscript to the presse and not to have been possible to be printed because they were so scriblingly written that no body could read three words together in them It is commonly objected to the best Scholars in any of the three Professions that they write the worst hands and therefore I wish that care may be taken to prevent that objection at the Schoole to a future generation Now to train up Scholars as well in Calligraphy as Orthography whilst they write their Translations in a Paper-book they should often be admonished 1. To keep a large Margent on both â—â—des to leave the space of a long letters â—ength betwixt every line and of a small â—â—tters breadth betwixt every word â—nd to regard the Proportion of every particular letter and the difference betwixt j and i and v and u and above â—â—l to beware of blotting or soyling their â—ooks 2. To make every Comma Colon Semicolon Period notes of Interrogation Parenthesis and notes of Admiration c. in their due places 3. To write all their words in an even line with the tops bellies and bottomes of the letters of an even size and when they have an occasion to divide any word to part it by its just syllables making this mark Hyphen at the end of the line And 4. In Latine to give an Adverb or other word its note of difference the like as the Grammar will further direct them But for directions in fair writing I refer him to that sheet which Mr. Hodder hath caused to be printed before his Copy-book which will sufficiently commend its Authour After they have once got an habit of these things they wil more easily observe them in future Exercises the neglect whereof will be harder to remedie afterwards which I have seen too grosse in some mens letters that have come from the Universities As for Books a care would be first had to procure those of a faire print in good paper and strongly bound then the Master may more easily see that his Scholars keep them all fafe and cleanly and free from scribling or rending by causing them at a time unexepcted to bring all their books before him and to shew their names together with a note of the price fairly writ in the middle of every one of them as well as at the beginning or end And that none may squander his own or pilfer away anothers book or have it carelesly thrown about or to seek when he should use it the Master may do well to make every Scholar once a quarter to deliver him a Catalogue of his Books with the day of the moneth and his name subscribed which he may lay by him so as at any time to call him whom he suspecteth to be negligent of his books to a private and particular account of them That the Schoole may be furnished with all kind of Subsidiary books for the general use of all the Scholars to be laid up in Repositories or Presses as so many little Libraries belonging to every Form and to be safely kept under lock and key whereof the headst boy in each Form should take the charge to deliver them out and see they be brought in every night without being abused
the rest 2. Then practise him likewise in consonants that end syllables Sect. 8 make him first to give the force of the joyned consonants and then to put the vowels before them as ble with the vowels before them sound able eble ible oble uble to all which you may prefix other consonants and change them into words of one syllable as fable peble bible noble bubble with a b inserted or the like Where observe that e in the end of many words being silent doth qualifie the sound of the foregoing vowel so as to make words different from those that have not e as you may see made differeth quite from mad bete from bet pipe from pip sope from sop and cube from cub Whereby I think them in an error that leave out e in the end of words and them that in pronouncing it make two syllables of one in stable bible people c. which judicious Mr. Mulcaster will not allow In this exercise of spelling you may do well sometimes to make all the young beginners stand together and pose them one by one in all sorts of syllables till they be perfect in any and to make them delight herein 1. Let them spell many syllables together which differ onely in one letter as and band hand land sand 2. Teach them to frame any word of one syllable by joyning any of the consonants which go before vowels with those that use to follow vowels and putting in vowels betwixt them as black blâ—ck clack clock And this they may do afterwards amongst themselves having severall loose letters made and given them to compose or divide in a sporting manner which I may rightly terme the Letter-sport When a childe is become expert in joyning Consonants with the vowels then take him to the Diphthongs Sect. 9. and there 1. Teach him the naturall force of a Diphthong which consists of two vowels joyned together and make him to sound it distinctly by it self as ai ei c. 2. Let him see how it is joyned with other letters and learne to give its pronountiation together with them minding him how the same Diphthong differs from its self sometimes in its sound and which of the two vowels in it hath the greatest power in pronouncation as in people e seemeth to drown the o. And besides those words in the Book you may adde others of your own till by many examples the childe do well apprehend your meaning and so as that he can boldly adventure to imitate you and practise of himself Thus after a childe is throughly exercised in the true sounding of the vowels and consonants together let him proceed to the spelling of words first of one syllable Sect. 10. then of two Sect. 11. then of three Sect. 12. then of four Sect. 13. in all which let him be taught how to utter every syllable by it self truly and fully and be sure to speak out the last But in words of more syllables let him learn to joyne and part them according to these profitable rules 1. An English syllable may sometimes consist of eight letters but never of more as strength 2 In words that have many syllables the consonant between two vowels belongeth to the latter of them as Hu-mi-li-tie 3. Consonants which are joyned in the beginning of words are not to be parted in the middle of them as My-ste-ry 4. Consonants which are not joyned in the beginning of words are to be parted in the middle of them as for-get-ful-ness 5. If a consonant be doubled in the middle of a word the first belong's to the syllable foregoing and the latter to the following as pos-ses-si-on 6. In compound words every part which belongeth to the single words must be set by it self as In-a-bi-li-ty And these rules have I here set down rather to informe the less skilful teacher how he is to guide his learner then to puzle a childe about them who is not yet so well able to comprehend them I have also divided those words in the Book to let Children see how they ought to divide other polysyllable words in which they must alwayes he very carefull as I said to sound out the last syllable very fully To enable a child the better to pronounce any word he meets withall in reading I have set down some more hard for pronuntiation Sect. 14 in often reading over which he may be exercised to help his utterance and the Master may adde more at his own discretion till he see that his willing Scholar doth not stick in spelling any be it never so hard And that the child may not be amused with any thing in his book when he cometh to read I would have him made acquainted with the pauses Sect. 15. with the figures Sect. 16. numerall letters Sect. 17. Quotations Sect. 18. and Abbreviations Sect. 19 which being but a work of few houres space may easily be performed after he can readily spell which when he can do he may profitably be put to reading but not before for I observed it a great defect in some of Mr. R. Scholars whose way was to teach to read presently without any spelling at all that when they were at a losse about a word they made an imperfect confused sound in giving the force of the consonants which if they once missed they knew not which way to help themselves to find what the word was whereas if after a childe know his letters he be taught to gather them into just syllables and by the joyning of syllables together to frame a word which as it is the most antient so certainely it is the most naturall method of teaching he will soon be able if he stick at any word in reading by the naming of its letters and pronouncing of its syllables to say what it is and then he may boldly venture to read without spelling at all touching the gaining of a habit whereof I shall proceed to say somewhat in the next chapter Chap. IIII. How a child may be taught to read any English Book perfectly THe ordinary way to teach children to read is after they have got some knowledge of their letters a smattering of some syllables and words in the horn-book to turn them into the A B C. or Primar and therein to make them name the letters and spell the words till by often use they can pronounce at least the shortest words at the first sight This method take's with those of prompter wits but many of more slow capacities not finding any thing to affect them and so make them heed what they learne go on remissely from lesson to lesson and are not much more able to read when they have ended their book then when they begun it Besides the A B C. being now I may say generally thrown aside and the ordinary Primar not printed and the very fundamentalls of christian Religion which were wont to be contained in those books and were commonly taught children at home by heart before they went to
orderly taught and disciplined What I have here writ concerning the Teaching and ordering of a Petty-Schoole was in many particulars experienced by my self with a few little boyes that I taught amongst my Grammar-Scholars in London and I know those of eminent worth and great learning that upon tryal made upon their own children at home and others at Schoole are ready to attest the ease and benefit of this method Insomuch as I was resolved to have adjoyned a Petty-Schoole to my Grammar-Schoole at the Token-house in Lothbury London and there to have proceeded in this familiar and pleasing way of Teaching had I not been unhansomly dealt with by those whom it concerned for their own profit sake to have given me lesse discouragement Neverthelesse I think it my duty to promote Learning what I can and to lay a sure foundation for such a goodly structure as learning is And though perhaps I may never be able to effect what I desire for its advancement yet it will be my comfort to have imparted somwhat to others that may help thereunto I have here begun at the very ground work intending by Gods blessing forthwith to publish The New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching which doth properly belong to a Grammar-Schoole In the mean time I intreat those into whose hands this little work may come to look upon it with a single eye and whether they like or dislike it to think that it is not unnecessary for men of greatest parts to bestow a sheet or two at leasure time upon so mean a subject as this seem's to bee And that God which causeth immense rivers to flow from small spring-heads vouchsafe to blesse these weak beginings in tender age that good learning may proceed hence to its full perfection in riper years FINIS THE Usher's Duty OR A PLAT-FORME of Teaching LILIES Grammar By C. H. LONDON Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church Yard 1659. THE Usher's Duty OR A Plat-forme of Teaching Lilies Grammar CHAP. I. How to help Children that are imperfect in reading English when they are brought to the Grammar-Schoole and how to prepare them for more easie entrance upon Latine THE want of good Teachers of English in most places where Grammar-Schooles are erected causeth that many Children are brought thither to learn the Latine Tongue before they can read well And this chiefly to prevent their losse of time with those that can teach them no further Now such Scholars for the most part become the greatest disgrace to the Master of all the rest partly because indiscreet and illiterate parents I wil not say servants that can scarcely read English themselves become too severe judges of his work and partly because he seem's to some to undervalue himself by admiting Petties into his Schoole But for the toyl and trouble that he hath in teaching such I rather seek how to remedie it then go about in words to expresse it To help therefore that defect of reading English aright you may take this as the most useful course 1. Let them read a Chapter every morning and every noon in the New-Testament and at ten and four a clock a piece of the Accidents which will require at least a quarter of a year to be read over in case the children be very imperfect but in case they be any whit ready it may be gone over in six weeks time 2. To exercise their slender memories at their first coming to Schoole and to find them some little task over-night to which they should be inured at the first that they may not take it more hardly afterwards let them commit to memory some few staves of such Psalms in Meeter as you in your discretion shall think best to sute with their shallow apprehensions Psalm 1. 4. 12. 15. 19. 25. 34. 67. 100. 103 104 119. are excellent for this purpose That they may be more perfect in their lessons before they come to say 1. It were good if you did now and then read a piece for their imitation observing the just and full pronounciation of each syllable and making pauses as they come 2. But especially as they sit in their form see that every one after another read the Lesson twice or thrice over the highest because the most able beginning to read first and cause that every one attend diligently to what is read looking constantly upon his book and let them have liberty who can soonest to correct him that readeth any word amisse and to note it as his mistake But in this a care must be had that they make no noise nor disturbance to the rest of the Schoole 3. When they come to say let every one in that order you shall appoint beginning either with the highest or lowest or otherwise read the whole Lesson or a piece of it as the time will best permit you to hear them and when the lesson is gone often enough over you may propound a familiar and short question or two out of it thereby to make somewhat of its meaning stick in their memories and dismisse them to their places to ask one another the like But because the Accidents as it is now Printed especially that part of it which concerneth the conjugateing of verbs is too full of difficult Abbreviations for the most Children to read or some Masters that undertake it to teach I have found a great advantage and ease by making use of the examination of the Accidents before I put them to read the Accidents it self especially with some more dull-witted boyes that I could not otherwise fasten upon and the way I used it was this I caused 1. That Children should read over onely the first part of it which concerneth the Introduction of the eight parts of Speech by taking so much at a time as they could well be able to read and belonged to one or more particular heads of Grammar Thus in the first going it over I made them acquainted with the usual terms of Grammar-Art so as to be able at least to turn to a Noun Pronoune Verb c. and to what belong to them as to the Numbers Cases Persons Moods c. and to tell how many there are of each And in the second reading it over I taâ—ght them to take notice what every part of speech is and how it differs from others and what things belong to every one of them And this I did by English examples which best help to instruct their understandings in the meaning of what they read and confirm their memories to keep it Ex. gr having shewed them in their Book that a Noun is the name of a thing and that it is substantive or Adjective and hath Numbers Cases Genders Declensions and Degrees of Comparison I instance several words as a horse of men sweet honey with sweeter words and let the Children who can readiliest tell me what belong to them This is as Mr. Woodward very well expresseth it in his Light
to Grammar chap. 2. To Teach a Child to carry a Torch or Lanthorn in his hand that thereby the understanding may do its office and put to memory to do hers to slip into a Childes understanding before he be aware so as he shall have done his task before he shall suspect that any was imposed he shall do his work playing and play working he shall seem idle and think he is in sport when he is indeed seriously and well employed This is done saith he by Praecognition for it convey's a light into the understanding which the childe hath lighted at his own candle Now forasmuch as the way of working hereby is when the inward senses of the Childe are instructed by the outward and the more help one hath of the outward the surer and firmer the instruction is within I cannot but here give notice of Mr. Commâ—nius's Orbis Pictus as a most rare devise for Teaching of a Childe at once to know things and words by pictures which may also serve for the more perfect and pleasant reading of the English and Latine Tongues and entering a childe upon his Accidents if the dearnesse of the book by reason of the brasse cuts in it did not make it too hard to come by But where the book may be readily had as who would not bestow four or five shillings more then ordinary to profit and please a Son I would advise that a child should bring it with him at his first coming to a Grammar-Schoole and be employed in it together with his Accidents till he can write a good legible hand and then a Master may adventure to ground him well in Orthography and Etymologie by using that Book according to the directions already given in the Preface before it and causing him every day to write a Chapter of it in English and Latine He that would be further instructed how by teaching English more Grammatically to prepare his Scholars for Latine let him consult Mr. Pool's English Accidents and Mr. Wharton's English Grammar as the best books that I know at present for that purpose CHAP. II. How to teach Children in the first Forme the Grounds or Rudiments of Grammar contained in the Accidents and to prepare them for the Latine tongue with ease and delight BEing here to deliver my mind concerning entering little ones by way of Grammar to the Latine Tongue a matter which I may truly say hath ever since I began to teach cost me more studie and observation then any one point of my profession and the more because I see few able Schoole-Masters vouchsafe so far to unman themselves as to minde it I desire three things may be considered by all that goe about to enter children to Grammar-Learning viz. that 1. There is a great difference betwixt a man that teacheth and a Childe that is to be taught For though I do not altogether hold with him that sayeth a man in his Childe-hood is no better then a bruit-beast and useth no power but anger and concupiscence nor take upon me here to dispute whether a Childe learneth more by rote then by reason yet this I dare aver that the more condescention is made to a Childes capacity by proceeding orderly and plainly from what he knoweth already to what doth naturally and necessarily follow thereupon the more easily he will learn A man therefore that hath the strength and full use of reason must conduct his young learner to follow him in a rational way though he must not expect him to goe aequis possibus as fast as himself And forasmuch as a childe is tender a man must abate of his roughnesse seeing a childe is slow of apprehension he must not be too quick in his delivery and seeing a childe is naturally aukward to his work he must not be too passionate if he do amisse Tullies observation is that Quo quis doctior est eo iracundius docet and Mr. Mulcaster gives notice that there is a number of discoursers that can say pretty well to a general Position but shew themselves altogether lame in the particular applying it which is a thing that attendeth onely upon experience and years He would therefore and that rightly have a â—rainer of youth reclaimed unto discretion whose commendation Aristotle placeth in the skil of specialities And I would advise him that hath to deal with a childe to imitate the nurse in helping him how to go forward or the Gardiner in furthering the growth of his young plant Est hac summi ingenii maxima infirmitas non posse descendere saith a Teacher of eloquence Tall wits like long backs cannot abide to stoop but whosoever is a Schoole-Master and would do his duty as he ought must account it a point of wisdom to condescend to a childes capacitie be it never so mean How have I delighted to see an Artist I mean a watch-maker or the like spend an hour or two sometimes in findeing a defect in a piece of work which he hath afterwards remedied in the turning of a hand whereas a more hasty work-man hath been ready to throw the thing aside and to neglect it as good for no use Let the Master ever mind where a childe sticks and remove the impediments out of his way and his Scholar will take pleasure that he can go on in learning 2. There is a great disproportion betwixt a Childes capacitie and the Accidents it self Children are lead most by sense and the Grammar-rules consisting in general Doctrines are too subtile for them Childrens wits are weak active and lively whereas Grammar notions are abstractive dull and livelesse boyes finde no sap nor sweetnesse in them because they know not what they mean and tell them the meaning of the same rule never so often over their memories are so waterish that the impression if any were made in the brain is quickly gone out again Roat runneth on apace and mindeth nothing so much as play and it is very hard to teach a childe in doing of a thing to heed much lesse to judge what he doth till he feel some use of reason in the mean time he will profit more by continual practice and being kept still as he loves to be doing then by knowing why and being called upon to consider the causes wherefore he doth this or that Besides it wil clearly appear to any that shall but minde the confused order especially of the verbs and the perplexity of some Rules and Examples that that book was rather made to informe those of riper years who knew something of Latine before with the reasons of what they knew then to direct little ones as we do now to use it as a rule about that whereof they are ignorant altogether 3. It is one thing to learn the Latine Tongue or any other Language another to learn the Grammar as a guide to it or a means to attain the reason of it we see how readily children learn to speak true and proper English and
others are not they that can write shall be sure to profit in Grammar learning whereas they that cannot will do little but disturb the Schoole and hinder their fellowes and bring a shame upon their Master and a blame upon themselves because they do not learn faster And alas poor child how should he be made to go that wants his legges if he go upon crutches it is but lamely And how should he be taught Grammar which is the Art of right writing as well as speaking that cannot write at all I wish they that take upon them to teach boyes Grammar before they can write would but take upon them the trouble to teach one to speak well that cannot speak at all But I say no more of this subject for though what I say have seemed to some a meer Paradox yet upon triall they have found it a plain reall Truth and such as nay man in reason will assent to As for that which is generally objected that whilst children are young their hands are unsteady and therefore they should go on at their books till they grow more firm it will quickly be found a meer idle phansie when such objecters shall see lesse children then their own every day practise fair writing and make more speedy progresse at their books by so doing Now touching verbs 1. Be sure that children be well acquainted with the different kinds of them distinguished both by signification and termination as also with their Moods Tenses and Signes of them and with the characteristical letters of the four conjugations which are a long and e long and e short and i long And as they conâ—ugate a verb let them take more particular notice of its Present tense Preterperfect tense and first Supine because of these all other tenses are formed and these therefore are specified in every Dictionary 2. Let them first repeat over the verb Sum according to four Moods onely the Optative Potential and Subjunctive being the same in all verbs because it hath a proper manner of declincing and is most frequently used and will be helpful to form the Pretertenses in the Passive voyce which consist of a Participle joyned with it 3. Let them get the Active voyce veâ—y perfectly by heart and afterwards the Passive though they do it more leasurely taking but one Mood at a lesson and let them not now repeat the paradigmes as they stand confusedly together in their book but sever them one from another and go on with one at once viz. Amo by it self Doceo by it self Lego by it self and Audio by it self thorow all Moods Tenses Numbers and Persons giving the English with the Latine sometimes putting the one before and sometimes the other And be sure to make them mind all the signes in English and the terminations answering to them in Latine 4. Then teach them to form only the first person singular of every conjugation severally both with Latine before English and English before Latine as Amo I love Amabam I did love c. or I love Amo I did love Amabam c. 5. Cause them again to form onely the Present tense with the tenses that depend more immediately upon it and then the Preter tense with those that are formed of it And give them here to observe the Rule in their Accidents touching the Formation of the Tenses which is more easie to be delivered and remembred thus All tenses that end in ram rim ssem ro sse are formed of the Preter tense and all the rest of the Present tense according to the Latine verse Ram rim ssem ro sse formabit caetera Praesens 6. Make them to give you the terminations of the first person singular throughout all Moods and Tenses of each severall Conjugation as to say The terminations of the first persons singular in the first Conjugation are o abam avi averam abo c. Then let them run over the Terminations of all the Persons in both Numbers of every Mood and Tense in the severall Conjugations as to say The Terminations of the Indicative Mood Present tense of the first Conjugation are o as at amus atis ant Of the Preterimperfect-tense abam abas abat c. 7. Let them joyn the Terminations of the first person with the signes of every Tense in both voyces thus o do bam did i have ram had bo shall or will c. or am bar was us sum vel tui have been us eram vel fueram had been bor shall be c. throughout all the Conjugations And let them withall take notice how the three persons in both numbers differ both in signification and ending as I o and r thou s and ris he t and tur we mus and mur ye tis and ni they nt or ntur 8. Let them repeat the Active and the Passive voyce together and compare them one with another as they form them in all persons throughtout each Mood and Tense of every Conjugation thus Amo I love Amor I am loved Amabam I did love Amabar I was loved c. 9. Exercise them well in so many severall examples of the four Conjugations as that on a suddain they can render you any Verb out of Latine into English or out of English into Latine with its right Mood Tense Number and person you telling them the first word of it or they knowing it before-hand as if you say we have run they can answer cucurrimus or if you say I shall blot they can answer maculabo having learnt that Curro is Latine for to run and that maculo signifieth to blot To make them more fully acquainted with the variation of a verb it were good sometimes for them to write one out at full length both in English and Latine making a line betwixt the alterable part of it and the termination which remaineth alike to all thus Voc-o I call voc-as thou callest voc-at he calleth c. N. B. The Nouns and Verbs being thus perfectly gotten at the first till which be done the Preface before the Grammar counteth not the Scholar ready to go any further and saith it may be done with a quarter of a years diligence or very little more the difficulty of the Latine tongue will be quite over-past and a childe will more surely and heedfully learn them thus singly by themselves then by long practice in parsing and making Latine because then he is to attend many other things together with them for the better observation whereof these will abundantly prepare him And because all children are not so quick-witted as fully to apprehend the various alteration of the Nouns and Verbs till after long and continued practice it were good if a time were set apart once a week wherein all the Scholars especially of the three lower forms and those in the upper that are less expert as having perhaps come from a Schoole wherein they were never thus exercised may be constantly employed in this most profitable exercise And
for more ready dispatch amongst a multitude it is not amiss if they repeat them thorow in a round word by word saying every one in order after another thus 1. Sing Nom Musa a Song 2. Gen. Musae of a Song 3. Dat. Musae to a Song 4. Accus Musam the song c. till they have gone thorow all the Declensions and Conjugations and the forementioned variety of practice upon them according as we may observe Corderius in his Colloquies to have given us a hint And to stirre them all up to more attentiveness the Master may unexpectedly sometimes aske the case of a Noun or the Mood and Tense of a Verb of one that he espieth more negligent in minding then the rest As an Help to the better performance of this necessary task I provided a little book of one sheet containing the Terminations and Examples of the Declensions and Conjugations which the less experienced may make use of till they can exercise themselves without it by the frequent impression and ready sale whereof I guess it hath not been unacceptable to those of my profession for the purpose whereto I intended it and I have sometimes in one afternoon made a thorow practice of all that hath here been mentioned touching Nouns and Verbs without any wearisomness at all to my self or irksomness to my Scholars who are generally impatient of any long work if it be not full of variety and easy to be performed Some little paines would also be taken with the Pronounes so as to shew their number distinction manner of declining both in English and Latine and their persons and then with the Participles to mind how their four tenses are distinguished both by their signification and ending and how they are declined like Adjectives Touching Adverbs Conjunctions and Interjections they need only to tell of what signification they are and touching Prepositions let them observe which serve to an Accusative case which to an Ablative and which to both Now for the more orderly dispatch of this first part of the Accidents and the better learning of every part of it not by rote but by reason and to make children more cunning in the understanding of the things then in rehearsing of the words and to fasten it well in their memories I have found it very profitable to set apart two afternoons in a week commonly Tuesdayes and Thursdayes for the examination of it all quite thorow causing one side of a Form to ask the questions out of the examination of the Accidents and the other to answer according to the words of their book and whether they do this exactly memoriter or sometimes looking upon the book it makes no matter for the often practise hereof will be sure to fix it after a little while in their understanding and memories so fast that they will have it ready for use against they come to the second part of the Accidents which concerneth Concordance and Construction N. B. When children first begin their Introduction they may provide a little vocabulary if the Orbis Pictus be too dear out of which they should be made to read over a Chapter every day at one or four a clock and when it is read over you may see who can give you the most names of things under one head both English and Latine and let him that tells you the most have some little reward for encouragement to draw on others in hope of the like to do as well as he This profitable exercise was often used by Corderius and is an excellent mean to help children to store of words which are indeed the subject about which Grammar is conversant so that to teach one Grammar without giving him some knowledge of words is to teach him to tye a knot that hath not a string to tye it upon They may say the Introduction for parts and the Vocabulary for lessons as you please and when ever they go out about necessitous business be sure they say at least four words of those which they have learnt and let them alwayes carry their Vocabulary about with them to be looking into it for words Thus then I allow one half year for boyes in the lowest form that can read and write before hand to learn the first part of the Accidents and how to call things by their Latine names making use of a Vocabulary And then I would have them divide the whole Introduction into twelve parts as they did at the first reading of it over and repeat constantly every morning one by heart to fix it well in the memory and for fore-noon lessons to be said about ten of clock they may proceed to the second part of the Accidents commonly called the English Rules for the perfect knowledge and exercise whereof they may profitably spend the succeeding halfe year In getting whereof because custome hath every where carried it contrary to those excellent directions given in the Preface to the Reader of which Mr. Hayne mentioneth Cardinal Wâ—lsey to have been the Authour for children first to read them over and afterwards to con them by heart as they stand in the book making it a work meerly for the memory which some children are good at though they understand nothing at all and therefore many unskilful Masters not knowing how to do otherwise especially with boyes that cannot write let them run on by rote presuming that when they have got the Rules thus they may be afterwards made to understand them by practise in parsing I will go along with the stream and allow my Scholars to get them by heart saying two or three Rules at a time as they do in most schooles and as they do this I would have them chiefly to take notice of the Titles or Heads and which are the general Rules and which are the Observations and Exceptions made concerning it that by this meanes they may learn to turn readily to any one of them that shall be called for But that children may best understand and soonest conceive the reason of the Rules and thereby be made acquainted with the fâ—shion of the Latine Tongue which is the main scope that this part of the Accidents aimeth at I would have them daily exercised in the practice of Concordance and Construction which will also confirm and ready them in the Introduction after this manner 1. Let them mark out the more generall and necessary Rules as they go along with their examples and after they have got them perfectly by heart let them construe and parse the words in the Example and apply the Rule to the words to which it belongeth and wherein its force lyeth 2. Let them have so many other examples besides those that are in their book as may clearly illustrate and evidence the meaning of the Rule and let them make it wholly their own by practising upon it either in imitating their present examples or propounding others as plain Thus that examples to the Rule of the first Concord may be
whole Chapter at once and afterwards strive who can tell you Latine for the most things mentioned in it And if at any time the words be not so obvious to their understanding because perhaps they know not the things which they signify do you tell them what the thing is and explain the word by another that is more familiar to them Their After-noons Lessons on Mondayes and Wednesdayes may be in Qui mihi which containeth pretty Precepts of good manners much befitting children to observe and which are so common in every mean Scholars mouth that a childe would blush to seem ignorant of them In getting this 1. Let them repeat two distichs at once memoriter and if withall you let them get the English verses answerable to the Latine and printed with the Grounds of Grammar they will fix the Latine better in their memories 2. Let them construe the Lesson Grammatically and to help themselves in that more difficult work let them make use of the construction made them at the end of their Construing-Book 3. Let them read the Latine in the Grammatical order and sometimes into meer English and then let them parse every word according to that order giving the Rules for the Genders of Nouns and the Preterperfect tenses and Supines of verbs and applying those of Concordance and Construction as they come in their way 4. To exercise them in true writing it were good if they had a little paper-paper-book wherein to write first the Latine and then the English distichs at full length which they may shew when they say their Lesson 5. To finde them some employment after the Lesson you may give them some easie dictate out of it to turn into Latine sometimes by way of Question and Answer and sometimes more positively thus What shall that Scholar do that desireth to be taught He shall conceive the Masters sayings in his minde Quid faciet ille discipulus qui cupit doceri dicta praeceptoris animo suo concipiet or thus A boy that is a Scholar and desireth to be taught ought to conceive the Masters sayings in his minde and so as to understand them well-Puer qui discipulus est cupit doceri dictae praeceptoris animo suo concipere debet atque ita ut eadem recte intelligat And this you may cause any one of them to read and let the rest correct him in any word he hath made amisse and be sure they can all give a rule for what they do After they have repeated these verses of Mr. Lilies so often over that they can say them all at once pretty well by heart they may continue their Afternoons Lessons in Cato saying two or three Distichs at once according to the directions already given in the Preface to that Book in English and Latine verse and when they have gone thorow a book of it let them try amongst themselves who can repeat the most of it by heart as we see Corderius did sometimes exercise his Scholars as it appeareth by his Colloquies Now forasmuch as speaking Latine is the main end of Grammar and there is no better expedient to help children in the ready exercise thereof then frequent perusal of Vocabularies for common words and Colloquies for familiar phrases and such as are to be used in ordinary discourse I think it very convenient to make use of Pueriles Confabi latiunculae both in English and Latine on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes in the Afternoons instead of Lessons thus 1. Let them read a whole Colloquie if it be not too long at once both in English and Latine not minding to construe it verbatim at the first going it over but to render the expressions wholly as they stand and are answerable one to another and this will acquaint them with the matter in the book and enable them to read both the Languages more readily 2. At a second going over let them construe it Grammatically and then take any phrase or sentence in the present Lesson and make such another by it changeing either the words or some of their Accidents as the present occasion requireth ex gr As they say in the singular Number God save you Salve Sis salvus jubeo te salvere or ave so make them say in the plural number God save you Salvete sitis salvi jubemus vos salvere or avete So likewise when they can say I thank you Habeo tibi gratiam or habetur tibi a me gratia let them imitate and alter it by saying We thank your Father Habemus Patri tuo gratiam My Mother thanks you Sir Mater habet tibi gratiam Domine or Habetur tibi Domine a matre mea gratia When they have gone this book so often over as to be well acquainted with its phrases Let them proceed to Corderius Colloquies which they have also in English and Latine and which they may construe Grammatically and cull the phrases out of it to make use of them in common speaking Latine Let them have a little paper-book wherein to gather the more familiar phrases which they finde in every Lesson printed in a different character and let them by often perusal at spare times and bearing them alwayes about them get them so readily by heart as to be able to expresse themselves in Latine by them upon any meet occasion And this way of exercising them to speak according to their Authours expressions from their first entrance upon Latine is the best expedient that can be taken to avoyd Anglicismes which otherwise they are very prone to so long as they are directed only by Grammar-Rules and enforced to seek words in the Dictionary where commonly they light upon that which is most improper And that they may now do something of themselves by way of night exercise let them every evening translate a verse at home out of the 119. Psalm which I conceive is the most easie for the purpose of making the three Concords and some of the more necessary Rules of construction familiar to them In making their Translations 1. Let them be sure to write the English very fair and true observing its just pauses and let them also make the like notes of distinction in their Latine 2. When they come to shew their Latines 1. Let one read and construe a verse 2. Let another tell you what part of speech every word is as well English as Latine and what the English Signes do note 3. Let the rest in order give you the right Analysis of every word one by one and the Rules of Nouns and Verbs and of Concordance and Construction And because these little boyes are too apt to blur and spoyle their Bibles and to make a wrong choyce of words out of a Dictionary which is a great maime and hinderance to them in making Latine and caused Mr. Ascham to affirm that making of Latines marreth children I think it not amisse to get that Psalm and some other Englishes printed by themselves with an Alphabeticall Index
what they learn in that Authour in their mindes They should have a Quarto paper-Paper-book for this purpose wherein nothing else should be written 2. Let them translate about four or six lines Grammatically in a loose paper that by this means they may better take notice of the way of construing 3. Let them construe the whole Lesson both Grammatically and according to the phrase and this will acquaint them with the proprieties of both Tongues 4. Let them parse it according to the Grammatical order examining every word to the utmost of what Grammar teacheth concerning it and this will make them thorowly to understand Lilie and sometimes to consult other Grammars where he comes short in a Rule 5. Let them cull out the most significant words and phrases and write them in a pocket-Pocket-book with figures referring where to finde them in their Authour and set them ever and anon be conning these by heart because these of all others will stand them in most stead for speaking Latine or writing Colloquies and Epistles In reading of this book it is not amisse for the Master to minde his Scholars of the true decorum of both things and words and how fitting they are for such persons to do or speak as are there represented and upon such occasions as they did and spake them As in Andria they may observe not onely in generall how apt young men are to be enticed old men to chide servants to deceive c. but more particularly they may see how some men are more apt to be carried away by passion then others are and how different their natures are sometimes though their age and breeding may be the same Thus they shall finde Simo and Chremes two old Citizens the one pettish and apt to overshoot himself in many things the other more cal me and circumspect and therefore better able to pacify and advise others Likewise they shall meet with two young Gentlemen Pamphilus and Charinus the one whereof being very towardly and hopefull was drawn away by ill company and thereby brought into much trouble of mind betwixt a fear to offend his Father and a care to make amends for his fault committed but the other being rash and childishly disposed is set upon what he desireth with such eagernesse that he will have it though it be impossible for him to obtain it and he be utterly ignorant of using any meanes to come by it But above all they will laugh at the knave Davus to read how he presuming upon his own cunning wit displeaseth Simâ—â— ensnareth Pamphilus and at last brings himself within the compasse of the lash And in this and other comedies they may observe many remarkable sayings and actions which will hint much to abundant matter of invention for future exercises As when they hear Davus cry Hem astutias Fie upon craft they may take an occasion to enlarge upon the matter as to say One may quickly perceive by Davus in Terence what a mischievous wit will come to that doth alwayes busie it self to circumvent and entrap others for this fellow after he had cozened his old Master and unhappily taught his Masters son to tell his father a lie and intangle himself in a double marriage and saw his knavery could not help him to escape his own danger was ready at last to hang himself and though he came off pretty well with his young Master by condemning himself and asking forgivenesse and promising to amend the matter he had utterly spoyled yet in the height of his jollity the old man catcheth him at unawares and without hearing him to speak a word for himself calleth for Dromo and makes him hoise him up and carry him away to the house of correction and there to tye him neck and heels together and whip him smartly for the roguery he had done Such Dictates as these the Master may give his Scholars sometimes to turn into pure Latine till they be able to make the like of themselves And this is indeed to make a true use of this excellent Authour according to what Erasmus directs in his golden little book de Ratione instituendi Discipulos which is worth ones perusal that is exercised in teaching youth When you meet with an Act or Scene that is full of affection and action you may cause some of your Scholars after they have learned it to act it first in private amongst themselves and afterwards in the open Schoole before their fellowes and herein you must have a main care of their pronunciation and acting every gesture to the very life This acting of a piece of a Comedy or a Colloquy sometimes will be an excellent means to prepare them to pronounce Orations with a Grace and I have found it an especiall remedy to expell that subrustick bashfulnesse and unresistable timorousnesse which some children are naturally possessed withall and which is apt in riper yeares to drown many good parts in men of singular endowments 6. Their after-noon parts on Mondays and Wednesdays may be in Janua Latinae linguae which book should be often read over because it will at once furnish them with the knowledge of words and things into the reasons of which they will now be more industriously inquisitive then furmerly because their present years do teach them to be more discursive in their understanding as growing more towards men And therefore in this book they should not onely first minde the signification and Grammatical construction of words but Secondly endeavour to gain a Copy of good and proper words for expression of one and the same thing as that they may not only tell you that domus but also aedes is Latine for a house that decor and pulchritudo are Latine for beavty as well as forma and in finding such Synonyma's as these they may be helped as well by Dictionaries as by frequent reading Thirdly They may with every part bring a piece of the Index tranâ—â—ated into English Fourthly Because â—hey must now begin to use their judgement in the right choyce of words when they finde many heaped together it were not amisse to let them enquire the Original out of Rider's Latine Dictionary or Beckman do Originibus Latinae linguae and to consider the differences that are betwixt words of the same signification which they may learn out of Ausonius Popma Laurentius Valla Cornelius Fronto Varro de linguâ Latinâ and the like books fit to be kept in the Schoole Library 7. On Tuesdaies and Thursdaies in the after-noons I would have this Form employed in some of Tullies Epistles either those collected formerly by Sturmius or those of late made use of in Westminster Schoole but Sturmius's I rather prefer as more easie to begin withall the others may be used afterwards together with Textors Epistles And 1. I would have them be exercised in double translating these Epistles so as to render many of them into good English and after a while to turn the same again into Latine and
into certain places that they may help themselves with them as they have occasion you may see a President hereof in Fabritius's Elegantiae Pueriles And because the same phrase is not often to be repeated in the same words they should now strive to get more liberty of expressing their mindes by learning to vary one and the same phrase both in English and Latine sometimes ex tempore before the Master and sometimes amongst themselves by writing them down then appealing to the Master to judge who hath done the best To enter them upon this work you may first begin with Mr. Clarks Dux oratorius and then make use of that excellent book of Erasmus de cop â verborum which was purposely by him intended and contrived for the benefit of Pauls Schoole and I am sorry to see it so little made use of in most of our Grammar Schooles in England To encourage them to begin to write of themselves and to help their invention somewhat for inditing Epistles you may take this course at once with a whole form together which I have experienced to be very easie and generally pleasing to young Scholars 1. Ask one of your boyes to whom and for what he is minded to write a letter and according as he shall return you an answer give him some general instructions how to do it 2. Then bid him and all his fellows let you see which of them can best indite an English letter upon that occasion and in how short a time 3. Let them every one bring his own letter fairly written that you may shew them how to amend the imperfections you finde in it 4. Take his that hath done the best and let every one give you an expression of his own gathering for every word and phrase that is in it and let it be different if it may be from that which another hath given already before him 5. As they give in their expressions do you or an able Scholar for you write them all down in a paper making a note that directeth to the place to which they belong 6. Then deliver them the paper and let every one take such words or phrase as is most agreeable to the composition of an Epistolary style so that he take not the same that another useth and bring the letter writ fair and turned out of English into Latine And thus you shall finde the same Epistle varied so many several wayes that every boy will seem to have an Epistle of his own and quite differing in words from all those of his fellowes though the matter be one and the same To help the young beginners to avoid Barbarismes and Anglicismes to which they will be very subject if not timely prevented you may make use of a little Dictionary English and Latine in Octavo which resolve's the difficulties of Translating either way and Mr. Walkers useful Book of Particles which is lately printed As a so Mr. Willis Anglicismes Latinized â—nd Mr. Clerks Phraseologia Puerilis not mention to Turselinus or Doctor Hawkins particulae Latinae orationis which may be afterwards made use of when Scholars grow towards more perfection in the Latine Tongue and can read them without your help But for their further assistance in this most pâ—ofitable and commendable kinde of exercise I commend unto you Mr. Clerks Epistolographia and Erasmus de conscribendis Epistolis to which you may adde Buchleri Thesaurus conscribendarum Epistolarum Verepaeus de conscribendis Epistolis and others fitting to be reserved in the School-Library for your Scholars to peruse and collect notes out of at their leasure hours He that will be excellent in any Art must not onely content himself with the best Presidents which in many particulars may perhaps exceed aâ—l others but also now and then take notice what others have attempted in that kinde and sometimes he shall finde the meanest to afford him matter of good use And therefore I would advise that the Scholars in the upper Forms may often imploy themselves in perusal of all Tullies Epistles and sometimes in those of Pliny Seneca Erasmus Lipsius Manutius Ascham Politianus and whatever they finde in the Schoole Library which should indeed be very well furnished with Epistolary books that out of them they may learn to expresse their mindes to the full upon any subject or occasion to whomsoever they write and to use a style befitting both the matâ—er and persons be they never so lofty and mean After this Form is once well entered to write Epistles of themselves they may make two Epistles every week one in answer to the other to be shewed fair on Saturdaies so they do not exceed a quarter of a sheet on one side because great heed should be taken in the composing of them And let this Rule be observed in performing these and all manner of exercises that they never go about a new one till they have finished that they began It were better for Scholars sometimes to do one and the same exercise twice or thrice over again that in it they may see and correct their own errours and strive to outdoe themselves then by slipping from one work to another and leaving that in their hands incompleat to get an ill habit of posting over businesse to little or no purpose Non quà m multùm sed quà m bene should be remembred in Scholars exercises 8. Their afternoon Lessons on Mondayes and Wednesdayes for the first halfe year at least may be in Ovids little book de tristibus wherein they may proceed by six or eight verses at a Lesson which they should first repeat memoriter as perfectly as they can possibly because the very repetition of the verses and much more the having of them by heart will imprint a lively pattern of Hexameters and Pentameters in their minds and furnish them with many good Authorities 2. Let them construe verbatim and if their Lesson be harder then ordinary let them write it down construed 3. Let them parse every word most accurately according to the Gramatical order 4. Let them tell you what Tropes and figures they finde in it and give you their Definitions 5. Let them scan every verse and after they have told you what feet it hath in it and of what syllables they consist let them give the Rule of the quantity of each syllable why it is long or short the scanning and proving verses being the main end of reading this Authour should more then any thing be insisted upon whilst they read it And now it will be requisite to try what inclination your young Scholars have towards Poetry you may therefore let them learn to compose English verses and to inure them so to do you should 1. Let them procure some pretty delightful and honest English Poems by perusal whereof they may become acquainted with the Harmony of English Poesie M. Hardwicks late Translation of Mantuan Mr Sandys of Ovid Mr. Ogleby's of Virgil will abundantly supply them with Heroick
Verses which after they can truly and readily make they may converse with others that take liberty to sport it in Lyrick verses Amongst all which Mr. Herberts Poems are most worthy to be mentioned in the first place and next to them I conceive Mr. Quarles divine Poems and his divine Fansies besides which you may allow many others full of wit and elegancie but be sure you admit of none which are stuff't with drollary or ribauldry which are fitter to be burnt then to be sent abroad to corrupt good manners in youth 2. After they are thus become acquainted with variety of meeter you may cause them to turn a Fable of Aesop into what kinde of verse you please to appoint them and sometimes you may let them translate some select Epigrams out of Owen or those collected by Mr. Farnaby or some Emblemes out of Alciat or the like Flourishes of wit which you think will more delight them and help their fansies And when you see that they begin to exercise their own wits for enlargement and invention you may leave them to themselves to make verses upon any occasion or subject yet to furnish them with Rhymes Epithites varietie of elegant expressions you may let them make use of the pleasant English Parnassus composed by the true lover of the Muses Mr. Josuah Poole my quandam School-fellow at Wakefield who like another Daphnis may truly be said what I now sigh to write to have been at the Blew house in Hadley Parish now daily in my sight Formosi pecoris custos formosior ipse When you have taugt them truly to scan and prove any kinde of Latine verse and made them to taste the sweetnesse of poetizing in English you may prepare them them further for making Latine verses out of their present Authours thus 1. Take a Distick or two which they know not where to finde and transpose the words as different as may be from a verse and when you have made one to construe them dismisse them all to their seates to try who can return them first into true verses without one anothers suggesting When they have all dispatched cause him whom you conceive to be the weakest to compare what he hath done with his Authour and to prove his verses by the Rules of Prosodia 2. You may sometimes set them to varie one and the same verse by transposing the same words as many several wayes as they can Thus this verse may be turned 104. waies Est mea spes Christus solus qui de cruce pendet And sometimes you may cause them to keep the same sense and alter the words Thus this Distick is found in Mr. Stockwoods Progymnasma Scholasticum to be varied 450. waies Linque cupido jecur cordi quoque parcito si via Figere fige alio tela cruenta loco To direct and encourage your young Scholars in turning verses you may make use of the book last mentioned and for further instructions concerning making verses I refer you to Mr. Clerks Dux Poeticus 9. To enable your Scholars yet more to write good Latine in prose and to prepare them further for verses by reading Poetical books which abound with rich expressions of fansie I would have them spend the next halfe year in Ovids Metamorphosis out of which Authour you may make choice of the most pleasing and profitable Arguments which it is best for you your self to construe and explain unto them that they may dispatch the more at a Lesson and with more ease When they come to say 1. Let them repeat four or six verses which you judge most worthy to be committed to memory by heart 2. Let them construe the whole lesson venbatim minding the proprietie of the words and the elegancie of every phrase 3. Let them parse every word Grammatically as they have used to do in other Authours 4. Let them give you the Tropes and Figures the Derivations and Differences of some words and relate such Histories as the proper names will hint at which they may peruse before hand in their Dictionarie And let them not forget to scan and prove every verse and to note more difficult quantities of some syllables 5. Let them strive who can best to turn the Fable into English prose and to adoru and amplifie it with fit Epithetes choice Phrases acute Sentences wittie Apophthegmes livelie similitudes pat examples and Proverbial Speeches all agreeing to the matter of moralitie therein couched all which they should divide into several Periods and return into proper Latine rightlie placed according to the Rules of Rhetorical composition 6. Let them exercise their wits a little in trying who can turn the same into most varietie of English verses Mr. Sandy's Translation of this book in Folio and Mr. Rosse's English Mythologist will be very delightfull helps to your Scholars for the better understanding thereof and if to these you adde Sir Francis Bacon's little book de Sapientiâ veterum Natales comes and Verderius's Imagines Deorum Lexicon Geographicum Poeticum Historicum and the like fitting to be reserved for your Scholars use in the Schoole-librarie it will invite them like so many bees to busie themselves sucking up matter and words to quicken their invention and expression And if you would have those in this form acquainted with variety of Latine verses and how to change them one into another you may sometimes exercise them in Buchan's Psalms and partlie out of Vossius's partlie out of Mr. I loyd's Grammar latelie printed you shall find sufficient store and several kinds of verses to delight and profit them withall Whereas Wits Common-Wealth is generally imposed upon young Scholars to tranaslte out of English into Latine and I observe it very difficult to be done by reason of the many uncouth words and meere Anglicismes that are in it concerning which they cannot any way help themselves by common Dictionaries or phrase-books I have thought good to frame an Alphabetical Index of every English word and phrase therein contained with figures pointing to the Chapter and verse where it is used and shewing what Latine or Greek expression is most proper to be made in that place And this I would have annexed to that useful book that by help thereof the Scholars may of themselves be able to translate those pretty Sentences out of English into Latine orderly composed and afterwards with the same ease out of Latine into Greek If the Stationers do not accord that they may be printed together know that the Index may be had single by it self as well as the book and he that buyeth one cannot well be without the other they are both so necessary and neerly related to one another They in this Forme may learn the Assemblies lesser Catechisme in Latine and Greek which is elegantly translated into those Languages by Doctor Harmar Thus then in short I would have them employed 1. In reading out of the Latine Testament every morning till they be able to go on with the
Greek which may then take place 2. In repeating a Grammar part every Thursday morning 3. In Learning the Rhetorick when they have done that 4 Camdens Greek Grammer on Mondaies Tuesdaies and Wednesdaies for morning parts 5. In using Terence on Mondaies Tuesdaies Wednesdaies and Thursdaies for fore-noon lessons 6. In Janua Latinae Linguae for after-noon parts on Mondaies and Wednesdaies 7. In some of Sturmius or Textor's Epistles on Tuesdaies and Thursdaies after-noons and Shirley's Introductorium after taxes ended 8. In Ovid de Tristibus on Mondaies and Wednesdaies in the after-noons for the first and in Ovids Metamorphosis for the second half Year They may translate four Verses every night out of Wits Common-wealth and say lessons on Saturdaies in the Assemblies Catechisme and by the diligent improvement of these books to their several uses they may first become perfectly readie in the Latine and Greek Grammar and the Elements of Rhetorick 2. They may get Coppy of words and learn to know their derivations and differences as also how to varie phrases 3. They may gain the right way of double translating and writing a pure Latine stile 4. They may be helped in their invention and easily taught to make all sorts of English and Latine Verses and to write familiar and elegant Epistles upon all occasions for the performance of all which works though more then ordinary care and pains may seem to be required in the Master and a great deal of studie and diligence may be thought to be exacted of the Scholars above what is usual in many Schools Yet a little experience will evidence that all things being orderly and seasonably done will become easie and pleasing to both after a very little while And if the master do but consider with himself and inform his Scholars that they shall all ere long reap the sweet of their present labours by a delightful and profitable perusal of the choisest Authors both Greek and Latine whom as they must strive to imitate so they may hope to aequalize in the most noble stile and lofty strains of Oratorie and Poesie it will encourage them to proceed so chearfully that they will not be sensible of any toil or difficultie whilest in a profiting way they pass this form and endeavour to come to the next which we intend to treat of in the following Chapter CHAP. II. How to teach Scholars in the fifth form to keep and improve the Latine and Greek Grammars and Rhetorick How to acquaint them with an Oratory stile and pronunciation How to help them to translate Latine into Greek and to make Greek verses as they read Isocrates and Theognis How they may profit well in reading Virgil and easily learn to make good Theams and elegant Verses with delight and certainty And what Catechismes they may learn in Greek THough it may seem a needlesse labour to prescribe directions for the Teaching of the two upper forms partly because I finde more written concerning them then the rest and partly because many very eminent and able Schoole-masters â—mploy most of their pains in perfecting â—hem every one making use of such Auâ—hors and such a Method as in his own â—iscretion he judgeth meetest to make â—hem Scholars not to say that the Schoâ—â—rs themselves being now well acquainted with the Latine and Greek Grammar and having gotten a good understanding at least of the Latine Tongue by the frequent exercise of translating and speaking Latine and writing Colloquies Epistles Historical and Fabulous narrations and the like besides reading some Schoole Authors and other helpful and profitable books will be able in many things to proceed without a guide addicting their mindes chiefly to those studies which their natural Genius doth most prompt them to either concerning Oratory or Poetry Yet I think it requisite for me to go on as I have begun and to shew what course I have constantly kept with these two forms to make them exactly compleat in the Greek Latine Tongues and as perfect Orators and Poets in both as their young years and capacities will suffer and to enter them so in the Hebrew as that they may be able to proceed of themselves in that holy Language whether they go to the University or are otherwise disposed on to some necessary calling which their Parents or Friends think fitting for them And first I most heartily intreat those especially that are my loving Friends and acquaintance of my profession whose years and experience are far beyond mine that they would candidly peruse and kindely interpret what I have written seeing I desire not by any means to impose any thing too magisterially upon them or others but freely to communicate to all men what I have for many years kept private to my self and hath by some whose single judgement may sufficiently satisfie me been importunately thus haled to the Press and if in any particular I seem to them to deviate from or fall short of what I aime at viz. a facilitating the good old way of teaching by Grammar Authors and exercises I shall take it as a singular token of love that they acquaint me with it and if by this rush-candle of mine they please to set up their own Tapers I shall rejoyce to receive greater light by them and be ready to walk in it more vigorously In the interim I go on with my discovery touching the fifth Forme which I would have employed in this manner 1. Let them and the forme above them read daily a dozen verses out of the Greek Testament before the saying of parts 2. Let them reserve the Latine and Greek Grammars and Elementa Rhetorices for weekly parts to be said only on Thursday mornings and so divided that they may be sure to go over them all once every quarter By this means they will keep them in constant memory and have more time allotted them for perusing Authors and dispatch of exercises You must not forget at every part to let them have your help of explication of the most obscure and difficult places before they say and after they have said to make such diligent examination as that you may be sure they understand what they learn And to make them more fully acquainted with the Accents and Dialects of the Greek Tongue you may besides those few Rules in their Grammar let them daily peruse a Chapter in Mr. Franklin's little book De 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is excellently helpful to young Graecians and when they grow stronger that Appendix de Dialectis at the end of Scapula will be worth their reading and observing It would be good sometimes to make them compare the Latine and Greek Grammar together and to see wherein they agree wherein they differ but especially in the Rules of Syntaxis and for this purpose Vechneri Hellonexia wil be of excellent use And as I have directed before how Scholars should have a common-place-Common-place-book for the Latine Grammar so I do here also for the Greek desire that after
Screvelii Lexicon Manuale will be very usefull to this Form for parsing their Lessones and Garthii Lexicon which is annexed to it Rulandi Synonymia Morelii Dictionarium Billii Locutiones Devarius de Graecis particulis Posselii Calligraphia for translating Latine into Greek but nothing is more availeable to gain a good style then frequent imitation of select pieces out of Isocrates and Demostenes and translating one while out of the Greek into Latine and another while out of Latine into Greek 5. For forenoon Lessons on Tuesdayes and Thursdayes I make choyce of Justin as a plain History and full of excellent examples and morall observations which for the easiness of the style the Scholars of this Form may now construe of themselves and as you meet with an Historical Passage that is more observable then the rest you may cause every one of them to write it down in English as well as he can possibly relate it without his book and to return it again into good Latine By this meanes they will not onely well heed the matter but also the words and phrases of this smooth Historian And after halfe or three quarters of a yeare you may make use of Caesars Commentaries or Lucius Florus in this manner intermixing some of Erasmus Colloquies now and then for varieties sake 6. Their afternoones Parts on Mondayes and Wednesdayâ—s may be in Janua Linguarum Graeca translated out of Latine by Theodorus Simonius which they may use as they formerly did the Janua Latinae Linguae viz. after they have construed a Chapter and analysed some harder Nounes and Verbes you may let them try who can recite the most Greek names of things and tell you the most Greek words for one Latine word and shew their Derivations and differences and the Rules of their severall Accents And to acquaint them the better with all the Greek and Latine words comprized in that book you may cause them at every part to write out some of the Latine Index into Greek and some of the Greek Index into Latine and to note the manner of declining Nouns and Verbes as the Dictionaries and Lexicons will shew them 7. Virgil the Prince and purest of all Latine Poets doth justly challenge a place in Schoole-teaching and therefore I would have him to be constantly and throughly read by this form on Mondaies and Tuesdaies for after-noon lessons They may begin with ten or twelve verses at a lesson in the Eclogues which they may first repeat memoriter as well as they can possibly 2. Construe and parse and scan and prove exactly 3. Give the Tropes and Figures with their definitions 4. Note out of the Phrases and Epithites and other Elegancies 5. Give the Histories or descriptions belonging to the proper Names and their Etymologies But after they are well acquainted with this excellent Poet let them take the quantity of an Eclogue at once not minding so much to con their lessons by heart as to understand and examine them well and often over according to the directions which Erasmus gives de modo repetendae lectionis which Mr. Langley caused to be Printed at the end of Lillies Grammar by him corrected and Mr. Clark hath worthily inserted in his Dux Grammaticus There are several Translations of Virgil into English verse by the reading whereof young Scholars may be somewhat helped to understand the Latine better but of all the rest Mr. Ogilby hath done it most compleatly and if his larger book may be procured to the Schoole-Library the lively pictures will imprint the Histories in Scholars Memories and be a means to heighten their phansies with conceits answerable to the Authors gallant expressions After they have passed the Georgicks by the Masters help he may leave them to read the Aenead's by themselves having Cerda or Servius at hand to resolve them in places more difficult for them to construe though Mr. Farnabies notes upon Virgil will assist them ever and anon As they read this Author you may cause them sometimes to relate a pleasing story in good English prose and to try who can soonest turn it into elegant Latine or into some other kinde of verses which you please for the present to appoint them either English or Latine or both 8. On Tuesdaies in the after-noones you may cause them sometimes to translate one of Aesops Fables and sometimes one of Aelians Histories or a Chapter in Epictetus out of Greek into English and then to turn its English into Latine and out of Latine into Greek And on Thursdaies in the after-noons they may turn some of Mr. Farnabies Epigrammata selecta out of Greek into Latine and English verses and some of Aesops Fables or Tullies Sentences into Latine and afterwards into Greek verses You need not alway let your Scholars have these Greek Books but sometimes dictate to them what you would have them write and afterwards let them compare their own doings with their author to espie their own failings and this will be a means to help them to write Greek truly of themselves you may sometimes dictate a Colloquie or Epistle or a Sentence or a short History in English and let them write it in Latine or Greek as you spake it and by this you may try their strength at any time and ready them for extemporary exercises 9. Now forasmuch as this form is to be employed weekly in making Theams and Verses which they can never well do except they be furnished with matter aforehand I would have them provide a large Commox-place book in which they should write at least those heads which Mr. Farnabie hath set down in his Index Rhetoricus and then busie themselves especially on Tuesdaies and Thursdaies in the after-noons after other tasks ended to collect 1. Short Histories out of Plutarch Valerius Maximus Justin. Caesar Lucius Florus Livie Plinie Paraeus Medulla Historiae Aelianus c. 2. Apologues and Fabies out of Aesop Phaedrus Ovid. Natales Comes c. 3. Adagies out of Adagia Selecta Erasmi Adagia Drax's Bibliotheca Scholastica c. 4. Hieroglyphicks out of Pierius and Causinus c. 5. Emblems and Symbols out of Alciat Beza Quarles Reusenerus Chartarius c. 6. Ancient Laws and Customs out of Diodorus Siculus Paulus Minutius Plutarch c. 7. Witty Sentences out of Golden Grove Moral Philosophie Sphinx Philosophica Wits Common Wealth Flores Doctorum Tullies Sentences Demosthenis Sententiae Enchiridion Morale Stobaeus Ethica Cireroniana Gruteri Florilegium c. 8. Rhetorical exornations out of Vossius Farnaby Butler c. 9. Topical places out of Caussinus Tresmarus Orator Extemporaneus c. 10. Descriptions of things natural and artificial out of Orbis Pictus Caussinus Plinius c. that I may not forget Textors Officina Lycosthenes Erasmi Apophthegmata Carolina Apophthegmata and Polyanthea which together with all that can be got of this nature should be laied up in the Schoole Library for Scholars to pick what they can out of besides what they read in their own
space may be left in the middle of the Schoole so as six men a breast may walk up and down from Form to Form The Ushers Pues should be set at the head ends of every Form so as they may best see and hear every particular boy And the Masters Chaire should be so raised at the upper end of the Schoole as that he may be able to have every Scholar in his eye and to be heard of all when he hath occasion to give any common charge or instruction There may be shelves made round about the Schoole and boxes for every Scholar to put his books in and pins whereon they may hang their hats that they be not trodden as is usual under feet Likewise every Form should have a Repository near unto it wherein to lay such Subsidiary books as are most proper for its use The lowest story may be divided into several rooms proportioned according to the uses for which they are intended whereof one should be for a writing-Schoole another for such Languages as are to be taught at spare houres and a third as a Petty-Schoole for such children as cannot read English perfectly and are intended for the Grammar-Schoole A fourth room may be reserved for laying in wood and coales aud the rest made use on for Ushers or Scholars to lodge in or the like occasion as the Master shall think best to dispose of them to the furtherance of his Schoole In the uppermost story there should be a faire pleasant Gallery wherein to hang Maps and set Globes and to lay up such rarities as can be gotten in presses or drawers that the Scholrs may know them There should likewise be a place provided for a School-Library and the rest may be made use of as Lodging roomes for Ushers and Scholars But the whole Fabrick should be so contrived that there may be sufficient lights and chimneys to every Form and roome As for an house of Office it should be made a good distance from the Schoole in some corner of the close where it may be most out of sight and least offensive The Masters dwelling-house should be high the Schoole and should contain in it all sorts of roomes convenient for entertainment and lodging and necessary offices that pertain to a great family It should have a handsome Court before it and a large yard behind it with an Orchard and Garden and some inclosure of pasture ground And there should be two or three roomes made a little remote from the dwelling house to which Scholars may be removed and kept apart in case they be sick and have some body there to look to them Now that every Scholar may be improved to the utmost of what he is capable the whole Grammar Schoole should be divided into six Forms and those placed orderly in one roome which as I have described may be so divided into six that the noyse of one form may not at all disturb or hinder another There should also be six able Ushers for every particular form one whose work should be to teach the Scholars according to the method appointed by the Master and that every one may profit in what he learneth to be sure to have respect to the weakest and afford them the most help The Master should not be tyed as is ordinary to a double work both to teach a main part of the Schoole himselfe and to have the inspection and government over all but his chief care should be and it wil be businesse enough for one to prescribe Taskes and to examine the Scholars in every form how they profit and to see that all exercises be duely performed and good order constantly observed and that every Usher be dexterous and diligent in his charge and moderate in executing such correction as is necessary at any time to be inflicted for vitious enormities but seldome or never for errours committed at their Books As for the maintenance of such a School it should be so liberal that both Master and Ushers may think their places to be preferment sufficient not to be enforced to look for further elsewhere or to direct their spare houres studies towards other Callings It were to be wished therefore that a constant Salary of at least 100. l. per annum might be allowed to the Master and 30. l. 40. l. 50. l. 60. 70. l. 80. l. per annum to his six Ushers The raising of which maintenance to use Mr. Mulcasters words as it will require a good minde and no meane purse so it needs neither the conference of a countrey nor yet the Revenue of a Romane Emperour Besides the Master for his encouragement should have liberty to make what benefit he can by tabling in strangers and every of the abler sort of inhabitants in the Town should pay him at least 10. s. per quarter for a sons teaching but all the poorer children should be taught gratis on condition they be sent constantly to the Schoole and that their Parents do engage they shall keep good order and be cleanly and neat in their apparel that they may not seem to disgrace their fellowes or to be disdained by them for their poverty It would withall be a great encouragement to these poorer sort of children to learn if some whom God hath enriched with more then enough would spend the supererrogation of their wealth as Mr. Mulchaster terms it in affording exhibitions of 8. or 10. l. per annum towards keeping them at the Schoole or sending them abroad as they are fit to Trades or Universities They that go thither should have larger exhibitions allowed them upon condition that they employ more time then others in the study of Tongues and critical learning for the promoting whereof I shall onely propound Mr. Mulcaster's question in his own words which are these If there were one Colledge where nothing should be professed but Languages onely as there be some people which will proceed no further to serve the Realme abroad and studies in the Vniversitie in that point excellently absolutely were it not convenient nay were it not most profitable c. As for what he writes further in Chap. 41. of his Positions touching the division of Colledges by professions and faculties And Mr. John Drury hath lately published in his reformed Schoole and his Supplement thereto concerning the bringing together into one Society such as are able to exercise themselves in any or all kinde of Studies that by their mutuall Association Communication and assistance in reading meditating and conferring about profitable matters they may not onely profit their own abilities but advance the superstructures of all learning to that perfection which by such meanes is attainable I refer the more judicious to their Books and leave it to the consideration of those that endevour to promote Schoole-teaching whether such a Schoole as I have now delineated would not be of great concernment to the Church and Common-wealth where-out to pick more able Schoole-masters that by degrees
and those Subsidiary Books provided for the lower Formes will prevent the over-toyling of themselves by their present work And that those disorders which usually befall in Scholars running forth in Schoole-time may be somewhat remedied this or the like course may be taken 1. Let it not be lawful for above one boy in twenty to go forth at once and at his going forth let every one come to the Master or that Usher to whose charge he belongs and in his hearing repeat four or six Vocabula's or phrases which he hath not said before and then lay down his book with his name writ in it in a place appointed within the Masters view that so it may be knowne at once both how many and who are out of doores and how long they tarry abroad At their coming in they should again repeat the like number of Vocabula's and Phrases as they did at their going foâ—th The Master should do well now and then to send a privie spie who may truly observe and certifie him how every scholar spendeth his time abroad and if any be found to go forth upon no occasion or to truant it without doors let him be censured or reproved according to his demerits 3. The granting of a Play-day is to be referred wholly to the discretion of the Master who must in this be as fearfull to work his Scholars hinderance and the Schooles discredit as willing by such a courtesie to gratify his deserving friends who if they be any whit reasonable will be easily satisfied with a just excuse of denial but if they be unreasonably importunate they ought to be served with as unreasonable a naysay so that Play-dayes should be rarely granted except to such as may seem to claime more then ordinary interest in the Schoole and to whom the Master is bound to shew his due respects especially before his Scholars In places of great resort and where often sollicitation is used to be made for play especially by mothers that come to visit their children which are tabled at Schoole it were good that a piece of an afternoon were designed constantly afore-hand on which in case any suit should be made the Scholars might have leave to play but if not that â—hey be held to their Books Yet if â—here have not a Play-day been granted â—or a Holy day intervened for some weeks together the Master may of himâ—elf propound to his Scholars that in case they performe all their Tasks very well and orderly so as to dispatch them by such an hour on such a day they shall play the remainder thereof then as at other times also when a Play-day is intended ore of the upper Form at least should make a Petitory Oration to the Master or them that come to crave play and another a Gratulatory speech after leave is obtained Where both Thursdayes and Saturdayes in the afternoons are halfe Holy-dayes I think Tuesdayes the fittest on which to grant play in other places Thursdayes may seem the best But this I leave to the discretion of the Master who knoweth what is most convenient for his own Schoole Now in granting a Play-day these directions may be useful 1. That there be never more then one Play-day granted in one week and that onely when there is no Holy-day in that week and when the weather also is clear and open and the ground somewhat dry 2. That no Play be granted till one a clock at the soonest when all the Scholars are met and Orations have been said 3. That all the Scholars be dismissed orderly into some close or other place appointed for such a purpose near the Schoole where they may play together and use such honest and harmlesse recreations as may moderately exercise their bodies and not at all endanger their health And because some boyes are apt to sneak home or straggle from the rest of their fellowes out of their bounds prescribed them to play in you may do well to give order to him that hath the Bill of all the names to call it over at any time amid their sport and to take notice of all such as have absented themselves to give you an account of them when they return into the Schoole which should be upon Play-daies before five of the clock that they may blesse God for his provident hand over them that day and so go home And that the Master may sometimes see into the various disposition of children which doth freely discover it selfe by their company and behaviour at play he may now and then take occasion to walk at a distance from them or if he come nearer to stand out of their sight so as he may behold them in the throng of their recreations and observe their gesture and words which if in any thing they be not as becometh them he may afterwards admonish them in private to behave or speak otherwise But an especial care must be taken and a charge accordingly often given that your Scholars do at no time play with any but their own Schoole-fellowes or other ingenuous children about home which their Parents or Friends know and whom they are willing should be admitted into their company for besides the evil which may be contracted by learning corrupt discourse and imitating them in many shrewd turns boyes that are under little or no command will be very subject to brabble and fight with Scholars and the rather because they know the Master will not allow his Scholars at all to quarel and if they can do them any maime they will attempt it that the Master may have occasion to call them to account for it So perverse is our corrupt nature especially where education hath no sway CHAP. IV. Of Admission of Scholars of Election of Forms and of Scholars orderly sitting and demeanour in their seats when they are at Schoole 1. NO children should as I have formerly said be admitted into a Grammar Schoole but such as can readily read English and write a legible hand or at least be willing to learn to write and to proceed in learning Latine And it is therefore best to try in the presence of their Parents or friends that bring them what they can do by causing them to read or write if they can before them that themselves may be Judges of their present strength or weaknesse expect proficiencie from them according as they see their capacity not hastening them on too fast and rating at them daily because perhaps in their judgements they do not learn so well as their neigbours children The best is to admit of young beginners onely once every year and then to take in all that can be gotten from the Petty-Schooles for company will encourage children to adventure upon an uncouth course of learning seeing the more the merrier and any discreet Parent will be easily perswaded to forbear his son a while when he considereth it will be more for his profiting to have company along with him as he learneth and he
due care be but had aforehand that Scholars be very ready and perfect in their daily taskes it will take away all coyle and timerousnesse which usually attends these Repetitions and make that this day will become the veryest play-day in all the week when boyes shall see that they have nothing to do but what they can do already at least with a little looking of it over on Thursdaies towards evening at home what they have translated out of any Authour in Prose should be read out of English into Latine and what they learn in Poets should be said as well as can be by heart both for the verse and the matters sake which will furnish them with Authorities and sharpen their invention for versifying After Repetitions ended the Master should note all the Phrases and Sentences and other things observable in their Lessons which they should transcribe into Phrase-bookes and Common-place-Bookes for their constant use in writing or speaking or making Exercises as we have mentioned already before And because the most leisure is gained on Friday afternoones it will not be amisse about three a clock to let every Form to dispute side with side one after another after this manner 1. Let every one propound to his opposite two or three questions which he thinks most difficult out of his weeks work which if the other cannot answer readily before he count six or ten in Latine let him be Captus and the questions be propounded to his next fellow The lowest in the Form may begin the dispute and so go on to the highest on either side who should keep reckoning of those that are capt and how often 2. Besides their weeks works they may try who can most perfectly repeat memoriter a part of the Grammar or any Authour which they read or who can recite the most Vocabula's under one head or who can vary a phrase the best or imitate any piece of an Oratour or Poet. 3. Some time would also be spent in Capping Latine verses amongst the lower Forms and Greek verses amongst the highest for which they may provide themselves out of a capping-Capping-book which seems to be made on purpose by Bartholomaeus Schonborn or Gnomologicon Poeticum made lately by Mr. Rosse besides which they may contrive a little Book of their own wherein to write verses Alphabetically out of the best Poets Let that side which appeareth to be the Victor have the upper seat in the Schoole till a new choice be made except the other can win it from them before and bring them back with a hissing disgrace Amid these disputes the Master must have a great care to suppresse noise and tumultuous clamour and see that no boy stirre out of his appointed place For they are apt to heighten their spirits heyond moderation if the Masters discretion doe not settle them Let it be now lawful for any lower boy in a Form to dispute with one above him for his place Mr. Stockwoods Disputations will be helpfull to the upper Scholars Now that all your Scholars may be thorowly grounded in their Grammar so as not to be apt to forget what they have learnt in it let them all be exercised in the examination of a part of it every Saturday morning thus 1. Let the fiâ—st and lowest Form examine the two next above them out of the examination of the Accidents asking them the Questions as they are in the Book and causing them to answer without book and according to the Accidents 2. Then let all those three Forms run over the Examples of the Declensions and Conjugations as I formerly shewed try who can pusle one another in declining any hard Noun or Conjugating and Forming any Verb and give the Rule of the Genders of the one or Preterperfect tense or Supin of the other when these have done 3. Let the fourth Form examine the two highest Forms in Examinatio Latinae Grammaticae and sometimes in Elementa Rhetorices and then 4. Let all these three Forms run over the Paradigmes of the Greek Declensions and Conjugations 5. Afterwards the two upper Forms may bicker with one another touching Grammar niceties either Latine or Greek which they have taken notice of and collected into a Common-place-book as I mentioned before But a principal care must be had to bring all your Scholars to an habit of speaking Latine and therefore a strict Law should be made and observed that every Scholar especially after he hath been one quarter of a year at Schoole should either learn to speak in Latine or be enforced to hold his tongue And to help the little ones in so doing besides those Phrasiuncula at the end of the Grounds of Grammar they should have Formulae loquendi quotidianae such expressions as are every day used especially about the Schoole writ down in a little book that they may get them by heart at by-times As for the other boyes they will be better guided how to speak by the Rules of Grammar and the constant use and imitation of approved Authours I conceive the penury of proper words and good phrase with many Teachers is a main reason why children are not as well trained up to speak Latine in England as they are in many places beyond Seas and the ready frequent use of their Mother-tongue causeth that they are hardly reclaimed from it to make use of another Language Whereas if whilest they are at the Schoole they might hear little or no English spoken nor be suffered to speak it they would quickly conforme themselves to discourse in Latine As I have known French boyes that understood not a word in English to be able in two or three moneths to talk it as readily as they that were English borne Onely at the first one must wink at their improprieties and harshnesse in pronunciation of some words and phrases and take their meaning by what they speak and after a while by custome and imitation of others they will speak in Latine as properly as the best especially after they have gained the knowledge of Grammar accustomed themselves to observe the style of Latine Authours No day in the week should passe on which some Declamation Oration or Theme should not be pronounced about a quarter of an hour before the Schoole be broken up and after Lessons are all ended in the forenoon That by assiduity in these exercises the Scholars may be emboldened to perform them with a grace before whomsoever and upon occasion of any solemnity or coming of Friends into the Schoole There should be two standing desks set opposite in the midst of the Schoole for boyes to stand aâ— when they pronounce CHAP. VII Of exercising Scholars in the Scriptures Of using daily prayers and singing Psalms Of taking notes at Sermons and Examination after Sermons 1. BEsides that course which we have prescribed afore to every Form of reading part of a Latine or Greek Chapter before parts it is necessary for childrens more profiting in the Scriptures to
it would not be amisse that every Scholar which is admitted into the Schoole should give 12. pence besides what is accustomed to be paid to the Master and every one at his removeal into a new Form should give 12. pence likwise towards the procuring of common books The Master also may do well to stir up his friends that come to visit the Schoole or especially such as prevaile with him for a Play-day to contribute somewhat towards the furtherance of childrens learning as well as to be earnestly importunate for that which may hinder it But where a Schoole is liberally endowed it would be good that a considerable stock of mony were appointed to be laid out yearly in all kinde of Schoole-books whereby the poorer sort of children may have whereon to learn and they all other Scholars wherewith to help themselves in their Lessons and Exercises And might I become a Petitioner to the forementioned Trustees for the maintenance of Students or any that are both willing able to promote the growth of good learning I should desire that towards the better compleating of a Grammar-Schoole there might be a little Library well furnished with all sorts of Grammars Phrase-books Lexicons Dictionaries Orators Poets Histories Herbals Commentators Scholiasts Antiquaries Criticks and some of the succinciest and choycest Authours for matters of Humanity Divinity Medicine and Law besides those which treat of every Art and Science whether Liberal or Mechanical that he that is employed as a professed School-Master may throughly stock himself with all kinde of learning and be able to inform his Scholars in any thing that shall be necessary for them to know For every new Master cannot at the first be provided of a good study of books for his own private use and his Scholars benefit neither indeed at any time can he procure them without great trouble and charge especially if he live at a place far distant from London I have observed it therefore as a great point of discretion as well as a matter of charity in Mr. Calfe that in founding his Grammar-Schoole at Lewinham he provided a Library for the Masters use as well as a house for him to dwell in And I took notice of that charitably disposed Gentleman and Citizen Deputy Adams that when he went about to erect a School in his native country of Shropshire if I mistake not he consulted with Mr. Langley and brought him along with him to Sion Colledge to see what books he judged most convenient to furnish a Library withall for the Schoole-Masters use and I heard since he bestowed at leâ—â— 100. l. in choice books for that purpose I onely mention these two worthy persons the former whereof is dead and the latter living in Lawrence Lane London to let others see that in this present age of ours we want not patterns of well doing if any be desirous to imitate them in their pious actions and I hope God hath already inclined the hearts of many as he hath given them store of riches to endeavour to distribute and do good in this kind even now whilest they live in their generation I will conclude this Chapter with that which I heard lately related of a cheap easy profiting and pious work of charity which one did in bestowing 40. 8. per annum towards buying English Bibles which were to be given to those children in the Parish that were best able to read in them and I do verily believe that were an annuall summe laid out in procuring a certain number of books for such as should best deserve them in every Form at a Free Schoole it would be a greater incitement to provoke children to learn then any perswasions or enforcements which are commonly yet used CHAP. IX Of Exclusion and breaking up Schoole and of Potations I Should here adde something touching those usual customes which are yet on foot in most places of Scholars excluding or shutting out the Master once a year and capitulating with him about orders to be observed or the like but forasmuch as I see they differ very much and are of late discontinued in many Schooles I will onely mention how they may be carried on where they yet remain without any contest or disturbance till at last they dye of themselves 1. Therefore there should be no Exclusion till after Saint Andews day and that the Master know of it before-hand that all things may be ordered handsomely to the credit of the Schoole 2. That at the time of Exclusion the Scholars behave themselves merrily and civilly about the Schoole without injuring one another or making use of any weapons whereby to endanger themselves or doe harm to any thing in the Schoole 3. That the Heads of each Form consult with their fellowes what things they would desire of the Master and that they bring their suites to the highest Scholar in the Schoole that he may prefer them to the Master writ fairly in Latine to receive his approbation or dislike of them in a milde way of arguing 4. That the Master doe not molest or come amongst his Scholars all the while they are drawing up their Petition about Schoole-orders nor trouble himself concerning them more then to hear that they keep good rule 5. That every Scholar prepare all his Exercises according to his Form to be ready to be hanged out before the Schoole doors or windowes or rather to be hanged over his place within the Schoole against the Masters coming 6. That the Master upon notice that all things are prepared for his coming goe quietly to the Schoole being accompanied with some of the Scholars Parents and after he have before witnesse subscribed to their Petition at the door to enter into the School in a peaceable and loving manner and receive from his Scholars and also make to them a short congratulatory Oration and so dismisse them to play By thus doing a Master shall both prevent his Scholars behaving themselves against him in such rude and tumultuous manner as hath formerly been used and give them and their Parents no occasion to grudge at him for seeming to take upon him too abruptly to break old use and custome which so long as it becometh an encouragement to their learning may the better be indulged to young Scholars whilest no evill consequences attend it It is yet a custome retained in some Schooles in the Countrey for Scholars to make a Potation or generall Feast once a yeare and that commonly before Shrovetide towards defraying the charge whereof every one bringeth so much money as his Parents think good to allow him and giveth it to the Master to be expended in a dinner orderly provided for them or in some kinde of banquetting manner which children are commonly more delighted withall and for this there needeth no further direction then to say that it concerneth the Master at such times to be cheerfull and free in entertainment of his Scholars whether at his own house or elsewhere and to see
memoriter anâ— then construed and applyed the example to the definition 3. Their after-noons Lessons were 2 days in Ovids Metamorphosis 2 days in Tullies Offices both which they translated into English 4. They learned to scan and prove verses in Flores Poetarum and repeated their weeks works on Fridayes as before 6. The sixth forme continued their parts in the Greek Grammar and formed a verb Active at every part 2. They read the Greek Testament for fore-noones Lessons beginning with Saint Johns Gospel 3. Their after-noones Lessons were two dayes in Virgil and two dayes in Tullies Orations They construed the Greek Testament into Latine and the rest into English 7. The seventh forme went on with the Greek Grammar forming at every part a verb Passive or Medium 2. They had their fore-noones Lessons in Isocrates which they translated into Latin 3. Their after-noon lessons were 2 dayes in Horace and 2 days in Seneca's Tragedies both which they translated into English 8. The eighth forme still contâ—nued their parts in the Greek Grammar 2. They said fore-noones Lessons in Hesiod which they translated into Latine and afternoones Lessons in Juvenal and afterwards in Persius which they translated into English 9. The ninth and highest forme said morning parts in the Hebrew Grammar forenoons Lessons in Homer and afternoons Lessons in some Comical Authour Thus when I came to Rotherham I found two or three sorts of boyes in the Accidents and nine or ten several formes whereof some had but two or three Scholars in it and one of these formes also was not very far from that which was below it So that I being to teach all my self alone was necessitated to reduce them to a lesser number and to provide such helps for the weaker boyes as might enable them to go on with the stronger Besides observing how barren the Scholars were of proper words and good phrases with which their present Authours did not sufficiently furnish them for speaking or writing Latine I was enforced to make use of such books amongst the rest as were purposely made for that end and having at last brought the whole Schoole into a good method and order so as the Scholars learned with profit and I taught them with much ease and delight I was perswaded to write over what I had done that I might leave it as a pattern for him that succeeded me and this was the ground-work of my Discovery The manner of giving Lectures before I came was 1. For the two highest boyes in the eighth forme to give Lectures to all the lower formes each his week by turnes 2. The highest Scholar in the Schoole gave Lectures to the second form 3. Those in the highest form were commonly left to shift for themselves The manner of the Masters hearing Lessons was this 1. The highest boy in the form at their coming to say construed his Lesson two or three times over till he was perfect in it that his fellowes might all learn by him to construe as well as he then every one construed according to the order in which he stood 2. They parsed their Lessons in that order that they had construed it in 3. They translated every day after the Lesson and shewed it altogether fair written on Fridayes Their Exercises were these 1. The four lowest formes translated at vacant times out of some English book 2. The higher formes having a subject given them every Saturday made Themes Verses upon it against that day seven night The manner of collecting phrases was that every Friday in the afternoon the boyes in the highest form collected phrases for the lowest formes out of their severall Authours which they writ and commited to memory against Saturday morning The set times for Disputations were Fridayes and Saturdayes at noon and the manner thus one boy answered his day by course and all his fellowes posed him out of any Authour which he had read before A part of Thursday in the afternoon was spent in getting the Church Catechisme and the six principles of Christianity made by Mr. Perkins Finding this method which is used also in most Grammar Schooles to concurre in the main grounds with that which I had been taught at Wakefield but not to be so plain and easie as that was to children of meaner capacities I began to seek not so much to alter any thing as to supply what I saw defective in it having these and such like considerations often in my mind 1. Though every man liketh his own method best yet none ought so far to be conceited of his own as not to search after a better for the profiting of his Scholars 2. Though one constant method must diligently be observed yet triall may be made of another at fit times so it be done without any distraction to the Master or hinderance to his Scholars 3. A new course of teaching must not be brought in suddenly upon Scholars that have been long trained in a worse but by degrees 4. Some modern Schoole-masters seem to have gained a far more easie and nearer way of teaching then many of the more ancient seemed to have 5. Mr. Brinsley seemeth to have made a Discovery of a more perfect method then was in his time used or is yet generally received Mr. Farnaby Mr. John Clerke and some others have facilitated the way further but Mr. John Comenius hath lately contrived a shorter course of teaching which many of late endeavour to follow and others have more contemplatively written what they have thought of learning the Latine tongue in the easiest manner 6. That for me it would not be amisse by imitating these and others of whose learning and dexterity in teaching I had got some little experience and observing the severall tempers and capacities of those I taught to endeavour to finde out and contrive such helps as might make the most generally received method of teaching by Grammar Authours and Exercises more briefe in it self and more easie and delightfull to the Teacher and Scholar And for what I have done in this kinde these Arguments were especiall inducements That 1. It is not only possible but necessary to make children understand their tasks from their very first entrance into learning seeing they must every one bear his own burden and not rely upon their fellowes altogether in what they doe 2. It is possible and meet for every teacher so to ground his Scholars as that change of Masters may not much hinder their progress in learning 3. Things most familiar and obvious to the senses are first to be learned and such as may be an easie step towards those which are next to be attained 4. The most vocabula's and phrases of ordinary discourse may and ought to be taught together with the Latine Grammar and the lowest sort of Schoole-Authours 5. Boyes ought to know the meaning and how to make use of each Rule as they learne yet so as not they be forced upon understanding of it 6. The most useful books ought to be read and may be taught after one manner in every Grammar-Schoole 7. Children must be furnished with store of matter and able to write a good style and shewed how to imitate their Authours for making Exercises before they be put to use their own invention 8. It is tyranny in the Master to beat a Scholar for not doing that which he knoweth not how to goe about so that he must first know him to be well able and then he may more justly punish his neglect 9. Many young Schoole-masters are more pusled about frameing to themselves a good method then toyled in the exercise of teaching Schoole 10. No man ever had such an acute and direct method but another able Scholar might observe and follow it 11. Many Masters that are excellent in perfecting Scholars have not the patience to ground them and many that have the skill to ground a Scholar well in his Rudiments are not of ability to bring him on to perfection in Grammatical Exercises 12. In many Schooles one Master alone beareth the whole burden of teaching without any help of an Usher 13. Every one that teacheth a Grammar Schoole is not able to make a right choyce nor knoweth he the true use of our best classical Authours 14. It is a prime part of a Schoole-master to instruct his Scholars well in the principles of Christian Religion and to make them acquainted with the holy Scriptures 15. It is an utter undoing to many Scholars to be sent ungrounded to the Universities and Parents are generally unwilling to have their children tarry long at the Schoole and therefore it is good for Masters to make use of the shortest and surest way of teaching 16. It is very necessary and hath been ever wished that some of our most famous and best Schoole-masters would for the benefit of others set themselves on work to finde out and publish the exactest method of teaching which might be generally received till a better were knowne for by that meanes they should doe much good to the Church and Common-wealth and somewhat herein advantage themselves seeing every Parent will be willing to have his son taught by one whom he knoweth to be constantly diligent in a good way of teaching And the hopes that I conceived hereby to provoke my betters hath especially encouraged me at last to yield to my friends importunity in setting down this Method of Teaching and writing down also this for me of Schoole-Government which I heartily commend to Gods heavenly blessing and the candid censure of the more judicious hoping that as I intend chiefly the generall good so none will requite me with malicious obtrectation which if any shall doe I charitably pray for them before hand that God would for Christs sake forgive them and grant that I may not heed what they write or say concerning me or my labours so as to be discouraged in my honest endeavours for the publick service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Quidam senex partans faescem lignorum super humoros ex nemore cum defessus esset longa via vocavit mortem fasco deposito humi Ecce mors advenit rogat causam quamobrem vocaverat se Tunc senex ait ut imponeres hunc fascem lignorum super humeros