The Grammar School, Chapter 10

The Grammar School · Chapter 10

p. 147CHAP. X.

Of making Latine; how to enter children therein, with delight and certainty, without danger of false Latine, barbarous phrase, or any other like inconuenience.

Spoud.

NOw that you hauehave thus louingly ledde me by the hand, through the way of laying a sure foundation amongst my children, for all the grounds both of Accedence and Grammar; and also of construing and parsing: let me still intreate you to goe on before me; and next to shew how I may enter my children for making of Latine: and then through the seuerall exercises thereof.To enter children to make Latine, a matter ordinarily extremely difficult, and full of toyle both to Master and schollar. This I hauehave found extreamely difficult. For although it hath beene a matter of continuall vexation and paine vntounto my selfe, and of feare vntounto my poore schollars; yet hauehave I found as little profiting therein, as in any other: but that my children will still write false Latine, barbarous phrase, and without any certainty, after a very long time of exercise.

If therefore you can guide me the way, how I may do that which you spake of before, that I may enter my children with ease and delight, both to my selfe and to them; and also surely without danger of making false Latine or barbarous phrase; I shall further acknowledge my selfe, to hauehave receiued yet a greater benefite then in all the former. And aboue all, if you can direct me how by that p. 148time that they hauehave beene not two yeares onelyonly, but three or foure yeares in construction, they may be able to make true Latine, and pure Tully in ordinary morall matters. For I my selfe hauehave hardly beene able to cause my children to doe this at fourteene or fifteene yeares of age; nor then to warrant that which they hauehave done: neyther doe I thinke that it is much otherwise in our ordinary Schooles.

Phil.

I shall willingly satisfie your request hereein likewise, and shew you what I hauehave found: onelyonly let me see, as before, what course your selfe hauehave taken, to enter your children.

Spoud.

I hauehave taken that course which I thinke is commonly practiced in Schooles:The ordinary manner in countrey Schooles, to enter Schollars to make Latin. I hauehave giuen them vulgars, or Englishes, such as I hauehave deuised, to be made in Latine: and at the first entrance I hauehave taught and heard them, how to make eueryevery word in Latine, word by word, according to their rules. After a while I hauehave onelyonly giuen them such vulgars, and appointed them a time, against which they should bring them made in Latine: and at the perusing a… examining of them, I hauehave beene wont to correct them sharply, for their faults in writing, and for their negligence; and so hauehave giuen them new Englishes: and it may bee I hauehave told them the Latine to the hardest words. This is the course that I hauehave followed.

Phil.

Our learned Schoole-master M. Askam, The butcherly feare of making Latines.doeth not without cause tearme this the butcherly feare of making Latines. For to omit the trouble to the Master, and that it will require a ready wit, to giuegive variety of such vulgars to the children; and also that it will aske good learning and iudgement to direct them, to make not onelyonly true Latine, but pure phrase withall; what a terrour must this needes be vntounto the young Schollar, who feares to be corrected for eueryevery fault,The shortest way to enter Schollars to make Latine easily and surely. and hardly knoweth in any thing, what to make vponupon sure and certaine grounds? But for the way, this I finde the shortest, surest, and easiest both to Master and schollar; and which will certainely effect whatsoeuer hath bin said: and that Master and Schollar may proceede cheerefully p. 149and boldly, to iustifie what they doe.

1. See that your schollar be very cunning in his Accedence,1. To be exceeding perfect in their rules; chiefly in Nownes and Verbes. and Grammar as hee goeth forward: and chiefly in Nownes and Verbes, to be able to giuegive each case of a Nown, and eueryevery tense and person of a Verbe; both Latine to English, and English to Latine, as I wished you, and shewed the manner before; at least by the perfect knowledge of the terminations of them.

2. Besides the construing and parsing their lectures without booke,2. Each day to make the Latine of their lectures, and giuegive a reason why each word must be so. in the lowest fourmes, or out of the English translation, accustom your selfe, in examining the lectures of your first enterers, to do all after the manner of making Latine; as it were causing them eueryevery day to make the Latine of their lectures, and giuegive a reason why each word must be so, and not otherwise, their bookes being shut. I set you downe the manner before, in the vse of the Grammaticall rule for making Latine, in that example; Aptissima omnino sunt, &c. Yet to repeate you a word or two for your little ones; take that first sentence, Amicis opitulare: when you hauehave made them to vnderstand the meaning, and examined it,Example repeated. so as was shewed; Aske but thus:

How can you make this in Latine; Helpe friends? How say you, Helpe thou?

A. Opitulare.

Q. Opitulare like what?

A. Like Amare amator, be thou loued.

So all the questions for parsing: Then aske, why is it helpe thou, and not, be thou helped, as Amare amator, be thou loued. He answereth because it is a Verbe Deponent, and signifieth Actiuely, to help; and not, to be helped.

After aske the next word:

Q. Whom must you help?

A. Our friends.

Q. How say you friends?

A. Amicis.

Q. What is Amicis like?

A. Magistris.

p. 150So the questions of declining and the like. Then aske, why not amici nor amicos, the Accusatiue case after the verb.

A. Because the Verb Opitulor, to help, wil hauehave a Datiue case, by that rule of the Datiue, To profit or disprofit, &c.

These may be insteede of all vulgars or Latines, both for ease,These insteede of all vulgars. delight and certainty to your selfe and the childe: and so you may euer hauehave the Author to warrant both Latine, and phrase.

3 Next vntounto this,3. Continuall reading lectures, and repeating what they hauehave learned out of the Grammaticall translations, is continuall making Latine, to cause children to come on very fast. that continuall beating out and reading their Authors, both lectures and repetitions, out of the translations, is continual making Latine thus, (as I said, in the vse of the translations) that children will come on very fast for propriety, choise, & variety of the best words, phrase, matter, and sentences of their Authors, to begin to hauehave a store… house in themselues of all copie, as I hauehave obserued.

4 After the former practiced for a time, you may chuse some sentences which they hauehave not learned,4. Shewing fit sentences to turne into Latine out of the booke which they learne, or others. and cause them to make those, either some out of this booke of Sentences, or any other of like easie morall matter; and then let them begin to write downe that which they make in Latine.

This manner I find to be most easie and speedy for children at their first entrance:The manner of their entrance to write Latine, to profit in English, Latine, writing faire, & true, and all vnderunder one. wherby they may profit in English, Latine▪ Writing true and faire, and all vnderunder one labor.

Let them hauehave their paper books in octauo, of the one side to write the English which you giuegive them; on the other to set the Latine directly ouer against it, and word for word.

To this end cause them to rule their bookes both sides at once,Their bookes how ruled. or at least the lines of one side directly against the other: their lines a good distance asunder, that they may interline any thing, if they misse any word; or for copie and varietie, to be set ouer the head if you will. On the first side toward the right hand, in which the English is to be set, to leaue a lesse margent: on the other side for the Latine a greater margent; because the Latine may bee written in a p. 151lesse space then the English; and also to write all the hard words in the margent of the Latine, the Nominatiue case of the Nowne and the first person of the Verbe, if so you please. Then cause so many as are to write Latine together (hauing books, pen, inke and copie before them, and eueryevery thing so fitted) to write as you speake, so faire as possibly they can.

Herein you are to dictate▪ or deliuer vntounto them word by word,Manner of dictating the English which they are to turne into Latine. the English of the sentence, which you would hauehave them to turne into Latine; & to do it according to the manner of the Grammaticall translation, eueryevery word in that order & in propriety of English, answering the Latine as neer as you can. Also, you are to vtter each word leasurely and treatably; pronouncing eueryevery part of it, so as eueryevery one may write both as fast as you speake, and also faire and true together.

And to the end to helpe for writing true Orthographie,A principall practice for writing true Orthography both in English and Latine. besides the former knowledge of spelling; as they are writing, cause euerie one in order to spell his 2. or 3. words together, speaking vp, that all his fellowes may heare, & may goe on in writing, as fast as he spels and you speake. Those who can write faster to take paines to write fairer; your selfe also to walke amongst them in the meane time, to see that eueryevery one of them write true & faire, and to shew them their faults by pointing them to their copies, and vsing like directions mentioned in the helps of writing, of which I spake before.

After; when they hauehave thus set down the English, cause eueryevery one in the like order to make his word or two in latin, after the maner which was shewed before for making latine the very words of the Author in the natural or Grāmatical order: & cause them al to write the same words, as he speaks, vnless any of them be able to make it before of themselues; who may correct, as they heare their fellowes to make it. Cause also eueryevery one to spel the words which he hath made in Latine, like as they did in English, so as all may heare, & go surely in writing true Orthography in Latine likewise.

p. 152And when they hauehave done a sentence,Repeating or construing without booke that which they hauehave written. or so much as you thinke good for a time, then cause them to the end to commit it the better to memorie, to trie which of them can repeate the soonest without booke, that which they hauehave made. First saying the English sentence; then giuing it in Latine, or construing it without booke: which all of them who are apt, will doe presently, or with a very little meditation.☞ Or, which is shortest of all, appoint them folding their bookes, to looke only on the English, and read or construe it into Latine: Or on the Latine, to reade or construe it into English. Thus as time will permit.

By this meanes you shall hauehave a certaine direction in all things,Benefit heereof for certaine direction to Master and schollar, and to get Writing, English Latine, all at once. both for your selfe and your schollar, to goe truely and surely, both for propriety, Latine, phrase, and whatsoeue… you can desire. By this exercise also your schollar shall get both Writing, English and Latine, all vnderunder one. And therefore an howre may bee well imployed daily in this exercise.

And to imprint this,To imprint it by repetition the next morning together with their euening exercise. yet better; you may cause them the next morning at shewing their exercise made that night, to repeate together with it, that againe which they thus made the day before (if time permit): Either some one to repeate all, or moe, eueryevery one a peece, or as time will permit; but all to be able to do it as they are called forth. Through this also they shall from the first entrance, get audacity and vtterance, with good matter which will bring the Latine with it.

Spoud.

But how shall they doe for composing, or right placing of their words? which you know is a principal matter in writing pure Latine.

Phil.

I would hauehave them first for a time exercised in this plaine naturall order;How to enter young schollars for composing, or right placing their Latine. for this is that which Grammar teacheth: and then to compose or place finely; which belongeth to Rhetorick, after. As first to write well in prose, before they beginne in verse: so in prose, to goe vpright and strongly before they learne to go finely; and as M. Askam speaketh, first to goe, before they learne to dance. But for entring them into composition, thus you may do.

p. 1531 When they hauehave made it in the naturall order, onelyonly reade vntounto them how Tully, or the Authour, whom their sentence is taken of it, doth place it, and some reason of his varying, and cause them to repeat both wayes, first as they hauehave written, after in composition.

2 After that they hauehave beene practiced a while in the former plaine manner, you may make them to doe thus: Cause their bookes to be ruled in three columnes; in the first to write the English, in the second the Latine verbatim, in the third to write in composition, to try who can come the neerest vntounto the Authour.

Spoud.

Although I take it that I do conceiue your meaning in all, and do see an euident reason of euerything: yet because examples do most liuely demonstrate any matter; I pray you set me downe one example hereof, and shew me what Authour you thinke most fit to gather the sentences forth of.

Phil.

In stead of your Authour,Tullies sentences the fittest to dictate sentences out of. I thinke and finde Tullies sentences the fittest; and of those sentences, to make choise of such in eueryevery Chapter, as are most easie and familiar to the capacity of the children. This booke I doe acount of all other to bee the principall; the Latine of Tully being the purest and best, by the generall applause of all the Learned: and because that booke is as a most pleasant posie, composed of all the sweete smelling flowers, picked of purpose out of all his workes; that one booke, together with the bookes which the children hauehave or doe learne, shall also helpe to furnish them with some sentences, contayning some of the choysest matter and wordes, belonging to all morall matters whatsoeuer; whether to vnderstand, write, or speake thereof; that they shall bee able to goe forward with much ease and delight; first in it, and then in the other sentences adioyned to it, or what exercise you shall thinke fitte.

For an example; take these little sentences, which heere follow, as they are set downe in the first Chapter of p. 154Tullies sentences, De Deo eius que natura, dictating the words to them plainly, as the children may most readily make them in Latine. In their little paper bookes they may write the English on the first side, with the hard Latine wordes in the Margent, the Latine on the other ouer against it, in two columns; the first plaine after the Grammar order, the later placed after the order of the Authour: your selfe may make the wordes or phrases plaine to them, as they are set in the margent.

An Example of Dictating in English, and setting downe both English and Latine; and the Latine both plainly and elegantly.

In these examples all is very plaine; except that in the p. 155first sentence we say, & so translate in our English tongue, some diuine inspiration; according as it is more elegantly in Latine, the Adiectiues vsually before the Substantiues; and not inspiration some diuine, which would bee very harsh; and so likewise after [without any labour] although in the Grammaticall order in the Latine, the Substantiue is to be set before the Adiectiue; as the childe is to beginne to make the Substantiue in Latine before the Adiectiue, and to make the Adiectiues to agree vntounto, or to bee framed according to the Substantiues; as we hauehave shewed in the rules obserued in the Grammaticall translations.

If you thinke this course ouer tedious to write both waies in Latine;☜ then let them turne it only into the naturall order,How to learne to compose the Latine otherwise. thus verbatim by pen: & afterwards in the repeating that which they hauehave made, ask of them how Tully would place each word, and to giuegive you reasons thereof: and then to reade the sentence in the booke vntounto them; so by the book and some rules to direct them how to proceede.

For further practice in translating amongst all the higher,Translating into pure Latine, and composing it of themselues; trying who can come neerest vntounto Tully. after they grow in some good sort to write true Latine verbatim, according to the former kinde of translating; let them still write down the English as you dictate it, or out of a translation; and trie who can come neerest vntounto Tully of themselues, composing at the first; and then after examine their exercises, bringing them to the Authour.

For preuenting of stealing,For preuenting stealing. or any helpe by the Latine booke if you doubt thereof, you may both cause them to write in your presence, and also make choise of such places which they know not where to find.

If you catch any one writing after another,And writing after one another. and so deceyuing both himselfe and you, correct him surely, who suffereth him to steale.

For going on faster,☜ & dispatching more in translating; beside their writing so,How to go o… faster, and dispatch more in making Latin. you may only aske them the words or phrases in English, how they can vtter them in Latine; and then let them giuegive them in Latine, eueryevery one his piece: p. 156first naturally, after placing each sentence. Thus to goe through daily a side, or a leaf at a time, or as leasure wil serue.

Besides these,☞ this may be a most profitable course as they proceed to cause them to translate of themselues Esops Fables,Translating into English after M. Askams manner. or Tullies sentences, or the like, into plaine naturall English, so as was shewed; and to cause them the next day, for their exercise,Vse hereof. to bring the same thus in English, & to be able without book, first to make a report of it (striuing in the Fables,Here you must be sure that they hauehave no translation to help them secretly. who shall tell his tale in best words & manner) & then to reade it into the Latin of the Author out of the English, and be able to proue it, and where they hauehave read the hard words. And after all these to trie (if your leasure will serue) how they can report the same in Latine, eyther in the words of the Authour, or otherwise, as they can of themselues; which all who are pregnant, and will take paines, will be able to doe very readily: by this you shall finde a great increase.

Lastly, this is yet the most speedy and profitable way of all,☞ as my experience doth assure me, to cause them to reade ex tempore some easie Author daily,The most speedy and profitable way of translating and composing. out of the translation into the Latine of the Author, or out of the Author into English; first plainly, then artificially. And to this purpose I hauehave translated, as I shewed, Corderius Dialogues, whose latin you know to be most easie, familar, and pure; and also Terentius Christianus; with Tullies sentences to helpe hereunto.

For further translating, or turning any Author, or piece of Author,For translating an Author into Latine. or other matter into Latine; if it be difficult, direct your Schollars to resolue the speech into the naturall order of the words, so neere as they can. Secondly, if there be any phrase, which they cannot expresse; to resolue & expresse it by some other easier words & phrase of speech, with which they are better acquainted; & to do it by Periphrasis, that is moe words, if need be. Besides, for such English words which they know not to giuegive Latin vntounto;One good vse of Holyokes Dictionarie. let them vse the help of some Dictionary: as Holyoke or Barret: Holyoke is best, wherein the proper words and more pure, are first placed.

In all such translating either English or Latine,Things to be considered in translating. this is carefully to bee obserued; euer to consider well the scope p. 157and drift of the Author & the circumstances of the place; and to labour to expresse liuely, not only the matter, but also the force of each phrase, so neere as the propriety of the tongue will permit.

But for all this matter of translating,Best direction for translating. that practice of reading the English out of the Authors, and the Authors backe againe out of the translations, shall fully teach it, so far as it concerneth the schollar for propriety & getting of the tongues.Translation for the sense & meaning. For translating any Latine Author into English, only to expresse the sense and meaning of it; the sense & drift of the Latine Author is principally to be obserued, and not the phrase nor propriety of the tongue, to bee so much sought to bee expressed or stucken vntounto. The like may be said for the Latine. But this kind of translating into Latine,This kinde of translating into Latine is for schollars well grounded. is only for such schollars as are wel grounded thorough long exercise & practice in the former kind of Grā matical translation, and in Tullies or their Authors phrase.

Spoud.

I hope I vnderstand you, right, and doe like very wel of all, so far as I conceiue. Only let me intreate you, as in the former, to rehearse the principall heads briefly concerning this matter.

Phil.

This is the sum of all,Summe of all. for this entrance in making and writing Latine. 1. Readiness in their rules, chiefly in examples of Nownes and Verbes. 2. Making their owne lectures into Latine daily. 3. Continuall reading or repeating lectures and all their Authors which they hauehave learned, out of the Grammaticall translations, into the Latine of the Authors. 4. Translating into Tullies Latine, out of a perfect Grāmaticall translation, or as the English is so dictated vntounto them, & reading or repeating the same out of the English into Latine. And lastly, out of the natural order, into the order of Tully. 5. Translating into English Grammatically of themselues, and reading forth of the English into the Latine of the Author, or writing it downe.

By these means constantly practiced, they wil soone be able to make, write, or vtter any ordinary morall matter in pure and good phrase; especially if the matter be deliuered p. 158vntounto them in the naturall order of the words. Make triall: and I doubt not but you will not onelyonly confirme it, but still find out more for the common good.