The Grammar School, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Of making Theames full of good matter, in a pure stile, and with iudgement.
Spoud.
NExt after Epistles Theames▪ doe follow; wherein if you can direct me also, how these likewise may be composed by children, so as to bee couched full of good matter, written in a pure stile, and with iudgement, and with as much certainty and readinesse as you hauehave shewed me for making their Epistles; I shall remain more beholden, and returne home with greater hope to doe good.
For the Epistles it cannot bee otherwise, but that the course set down must needs produce that effect, which you hauehave affirmed; by reason of these singular patterns of Tully, which children hauehave to imitate. But what patternes or helpes can you hauehave for Theames any way comparable to those?
Phil.
What patternes Schollars may hauehave, you shal heare after: but first relate vntounto me, as in the former, what way you hauehave vsed, for the entring of your children in making their Theames.
Spoud.
I hauehave according to the custome in Schooles,The ordinary manner of directing Schollars how to begin to make Theames. According to Apthonius rules. read them some of Apthonius rules, and so it may be, hauehave begun with Apologues or Fables, or rather with a Chreia: and in their Chreia, I hauehave first made the seuerall parts of it, or of their Theame so handled, very plaine vntounto them, with the manner of the proofes of it; and of gathering reasons to amplifie it, according to the same.
I hauehave then giuen them a Theame to make, following the example in their booke, to prosecute the same parts of the Theame; as Exordium, narratio, confirmatio, confutatio, conclusio, and also to follow the seuerall places, to amplifie each thing by. I hauehave withall shewed them how to doe it: as to trie what they could gather of themselues; and withall to seeke Tullies sentences what they could find out of it, or out of other bookes to their purpose.The inconueniences of this course. But yet (alas!) that which my children hauehave done hereby for a long time, they hauehave done it with exceeding paines and feare, and yet too-too weakely, in ha…sh…phrase, without any inuention, or iudgement; and ordinarily so rudely, as I hauehave been ashamed that any one should see their exercises. So as it hath driuen mee into exceeding passions, causing me to deale ouer rigorously with the poore boies. Whereby some of them, whose Parents hauehave been more tender, seeing their children heauy and vnwilling to the Schoole, hauehave suffered them to leaue off the Schoole, and so to lose all which they had gotten before; others also hauehave beene made so feareful, that they would rather desire to go to any base trade or drudgery, then to be Schollars, & hereby hauehave very much reproached my schoole: Because, as they hauehave ouer-rightly complained, they must bee beaten for not doing that, which they knew not how to doe; so that this feare is worse to them, then the first for making Latines.
And yet notwithstanding, in their entring to make Theames, and so likewise into versifying, I hauehave not knowen how to auoid it, but I hauehave bin enforced to vse so much sharpnesse, as to make them to call all their wits together, and to stir them vp to all diligence and paines; or otherwise I should hauehave done no good at all.
Whereupon very great inconueniences hauehave insued: and yet as I sayd, I hauehave seene very little fruite to answere vntounto my paines.
Phil.
I doe not see how by this course,This way hard enough for many Schoolemasters. these euils could be auoided. As I said of Macropedius for Epistles, so I may here; that this way of entring your schollars is hard enough to many a Schoolemaster, thus to follow eueryevery part of the Theame and those places of Apthonius, to inuent matter and reasons to proue and illustrate eueryevery thing, and to do it in a good stile. That which is said of Epistles, that children must be acquainted by reading,Difficulty in making Theams, because schollars are not acquainted with the matter of them. with matter & phrase fit for Epistles, before they can euer bee fit to make such Epistles, is much more true concerning both theames and verses; inasmuch as the matter of them is harder, being of such things as they hauehave neuer read of, nor been any way acquainted with, or at least very little. Besides, to follow the Logicke places in Apthonius in a Philosophical discourse, doth require both some insight in Logick, and reading in such Authors as hauehave written of such morall matters. And therfore herein many a Master deserues rather to be beaten then the schollar,The Master oft deserues to bee beaten rather thē the schollar. for driuing the childe by cruelty, to doe that which he himself can see no reason how the poor child should be able to do it. It must of necessitie either driue the schollar to vse all deuises to leaue the schoole, or else cause him to liue in a continual horror & hatred of learning; and to account the schoole, not Ludus literarius, but carnificina, or pistrînum literarium.
Spoud.
I acknowledge it too true which you hauehave said: I pray you therfore shew me your best aduise & experience how to free my selfe & my children from these euils; that I may both so enter them in these & also draw them on after, as not to discourage them in this maner, nor bee driuen to vse the like sharpnesse any more.
Phil.
Herein I my self am desirous to be a learner, as in all the rest. Although too much experience hath cōpelled me to seek out all meanes to redress this; notwithstanding also that I hauehave euer been afraid of vsing cruelty in my schoole. And the rather hauehave I bin careful to seek out the easiest and plainest way, that I might allure & draw on my schollars in this exercise, as in all other, to proceed as in a scholasticall play, with vnderstanding, louelove and delight. So much as I hauehave attained, I shall willingly impart vntounto you.
1. We are to consider,1. To consider the principall end of making Theams. what is the end & purpose of their making Theams; and then to bethink our selues, which way they may the soonest attaine vntounto the same. The principal end of making Theams, I take to be this, to furnish schollars with al store of the choisest matter,The principall end of making Theams. that they may therby learne to vnderstand, speake or write of any ordinary Theame, Morall or Politicall, such as vsually fall into discourse amongst men & in practice of life; and especially cō cerning vertues & vices. So as to work in themselues a greater louelove of the vertue and hatred of the vice, and to be able with soundnesse of reason to draw others to their opinion.
The best means to effect this most soone and surely,The means to furnish them. are these so far as yet I know.
1. To see that by perfect learning,1. Making them very perfect in all their first school Authors. Reasons. & oft repeating they be very readie in their first Authors, which they learned, of such morall matters; as their Sententiae, Cato, Esopsfables: For some one or mo of these hauehave the grounds of almost eueryevery Theam, which is meet to be propounded to schollars to write on. So that by these they shal be furnished with the iudgements of may Wisemen, what is truth, what is false in most matters, with som words to expresse their minds, and also some reasons; as with the sentences or testimonies of the wisest, Similitudes, or Apologues in Aesop, and some graue reasons out of Cato, which they may cal to mind. All these may be done by the courses set downe before, and as soon as the bare learning of the cōstruing & parsing alone.
2. Add to these the oft reading ouer of Tullies sentences out of the Gram.☜ translations,2. Reading ouer & ouer Tullies sentences. & the sentences of the other Authors adioined with the same. As also the reading them forth of Latine into a good English stile. Thus yoush I find by experience, that after that children are perfect in their first schoole Authors, they wil also read this book of themselues, by the help of the translatiō alone, to go ouer & ouer it, eueryevery day thus reading a peece of it amongst thēselues, with little or no hindring any of their school exercises.
3. To the end that they may hauehave presidents and patterns for Theams,3. Presidents or examples. like as they had for their Epistles and for making Latin, some book is to be chosen which is written to this purpose, and such a one as is most easie, both for the sweetest Latine and choisest matter.
These presidents are of two sorts: some are to furnish them still,Presidents for matter. with more variety of the best matter; others, for the whole forme and frame of the Theame.
Of the first sort,☞ for singular matter notably compact together,Reusneri Symbola. Reusners Symbola doth seeme to me most familiar and plaine: wherein the Poesies or sentences of the seuerall Emperors, both Italian, Greek, and Germane are handled: As these;
Artem quaeuis terra alit. Apex Magistratus authoritas. Bonus dux, bonus comes. Bonis nocet, qui parcet malis. Cedendum multitudini. Festma lentè and the like
This book I take to be a very worthie booke to traine vp young Gentlemen,Reusner worthy to traine vp young Gentlemen, and all of any good sort and condition. and all others whom we would hauehave to become wise men, & good Common-wealths men. It is full of most singular precepts and instructions concerning dueties and vertues; and for framing and ordering the whole course of our life, and managing all our affaires with wisedome, safetie and commendations. So as any one may receiue many wise directions, for all occasions of life, and withall much sweete delight, in it. And for this matter of Theames, it is fraughted full of the graue testimonies and sentences of many of the auncientest, wisest, and most experienced; all fitly applyed, without any matter to corrupt or offend, and in a most familiar, easie, and pleasing stile.
The manner of the vse of it for the first enterers into Theames,☞ where they hauehave bookes, and the Teacher would specially apply them to Theames,How Schollars may vse Reusners Symbola for Theames. and that they hauehave time enough, may be this:
To take the*The words or Mottoes. Poesies or Theams of it in order: or if any of them seeme ouer hard for childrens capacities, in regard of the matter of them, to make choyse of the most easie and familiar, first: to reade vntounto them eueryevery night a peece of a Theame of it, as a side of a leafe, or more or lesse; according to the abilities of their Schollars. In reading, first to make the Theame or generall matter of it very plaine vntounto them. They are commonly expounded for the sum of them vnderunder the Poesie, in verse, or with som short glosse, or both. Afterwards, to shew your Schollars the chiefe reasons and sentences, as you do reade, and in what words the force of each Argument or reason lieth. Also to obserue al the phrases which are either more difficult or pure, or most fit to that purpose in hand.
And thus to make eueryevery thing plaine vntounto them; first opening them, after examining the same, and so causing them to vnderstand, and to be able to answere euerie point therof in Latine, or to giuegive the hard phrases to the English.
This poasing by short questions, with the other things mentioned, will make the obscurest peeces of it very euident, and cause both weaker Masters and schollars to profit greatly in vnderstanding. After all this, if you will, cause them to construe it amongst themselues and to giuegive the sense, and so make it as perfect as they can eueryevery waie: Or if they bee able, heare them to construe it themselues first, or to read it out of the Latine into English, and then make it plaine to them. Then let each seuerally see how hee can gather a short Theam out of that; choosing out all the principal sentences and reasons, and composing them in good order: following, if you thinke good, the parts of a Theam: viz. Exordium, Narratio, Confirmatio, Confutatio, Conclusio, though their Theame be not aboue 12. or …6. lines, according to their time & abilitie. To these they may adioine other reasons or sentēces, as they can, either what they hauehave learned, or what they can gather fitly to the same purpose.
To bring this Theame of theirs thus made, the next day at the time appointed for shewing their Theames each one to pronounce his Theam without book;Pronouncing their Theam…. you in the meane time looking on that which is pronounced, & examining each fault, as they are vttering it or after, by asking them short questions of the faults, and causing them to answere them, and to shew how they should be amended; and so making a dash with a pen vnderunder eueryevery falt, or the letters where the falt is, to leaue them to them to correct them after. Yet your selfe somtimes to peruse the exercises after againe, to see that they hauehave corrected them; as I shal shew in another place. By this means the first enterers may hauehave choise of matter gathered to their hands, which otherwise they were to seeke in other Authors they knewe not where no… how.
2. All the Theams of this Author being thus written of,Benefit of Reusner so vsed, & of daily Theams out of it. and pronounced by them memoriter, which may bee done in a short time, keeping each night a Theame, must needs help to furnish them with variety of the best matter, and fit phrase. Besides that, this will be a great furtherance to audac…tie, memory, gesture, pronuntiation: and by the continual and diligent reading of that Author, with their other Authors, they shall hauehave much help to construe & vnderstand any other morall Author ex tempore.
Or if this course bee ouer-tedious,☞ by reason of the multitude of schollars,These Theams to be limited according to leasure and oportunitie. or their other exercises; then to reade them the more at a time, and let them bring them once or twice in the weeke, made longer and more carefully.
Spoud.
This way may bee very good for entering young schollars, and to store them with the best matter & phrase: but might there not bee some speciall rules and directions giuen, for writing their Theames according to the order of the chiefe schooles, prosecuting the seuerall parts of the Theame?
Phil.
Yes: but these I thinke fittest to succeed in the second place,The best and most easie direction for Theams to be written at large, with iudgement according to the parts therof. after that they hauehave thus furnished themselues, with words and store of matter, by this help, or Tullies sentences, or the like; or in want of other books to vse Apthonius. Then to learne to flourish and adorne their Theames after.
For the surest and easiest direction for such Theams, to be done in more exquisite manner, where the schollars may hauehave leasure to them;To take the Theams out of Apthonius, and how to make them to vnderstand them fully, and prepare matter. I shall shew you my iudgement, and what I can yet find or conceiue to be the best.
1. Because I would not hauehave my schollars discouraged any way thorough the difficulty of this exercise, I would do as in their first Theams for matter: so in these. That is, I would take their Theames (at least for a time) out of Apthonius, either in order as they stand, or choosing of the most familiar, and in all things read and make it plaine vntounto them, with the seuerall parts and arguments, as I shewed you before in Reusner.
Then I would demaund of them, first to giuegive mee Apthonius arguments: as, what reasons hee hath from the Cause, Effect, Contrarie, Similitude, Example, Testimonie.
Next, what reasons euerie one can giuegive of his owne, to proue the same.
In the third place to shew, what any of them can obiect against it; or if it be true, what absurdities and inconueniences will follow of it; and also some of them to answere the obiections and inconueniences: and lastly my selfe to supplie their wants and faylings.
After this done, direct eueryevery one of them who are to write of it, to remember where they hauehave read any thing of that Theam, or by the Indexes of their books of Cōmonplaces: as Tullies sentences, Reusner, or the like, to seeke what they can finde of that matter.
2. That they obserue these parts, named
Exordium.
Narratio.Parts of the Theame.
Confirmatio.
Confutatio.
Conclusio.
3. To make their Exordium very short,Exordium what one. two or three lines, to gaine the approbation of the hearers, and their attention.
If the Theam be of any person in accusation or defence of them after the manner of declamations,If the Theame be of persons. then that their Exordium may bee fittest taken, from the partie himselfe who is accused or defended; from some description of him to his praise or dispraise; or else from the person of the aduersarie, or of the auditours, or of the party himselfe who writeth.
For the persons whom they will defend, they must labor to perswade their hearers of their vertues, or to remoue from them all preiudicate opinion. And for the persons whom they will accuse, to dispraise them, by shewing their bad qualities; so to bring them into disgrace.
But if the Theame bee of some matter to be proued or disproued,Theame of some matter. commended or discommended, which are most ordinarie; their Exordium may bee taken from the matter; by commending it for the excellency thereof, or for the benefit which may redound to the hearers, by the knowledge of it; or discommending it by the contrary, or by some circumstance of time▪ persons, places, or the like.
In their Narration, to the end that the Auditors may fully vnderstand the matter,Narration. and themselues may proceed more easily; let them set downe first the Theame or matter in as few and plaine words as they can.
Secondly, expound the doubtfull words or phrases, if therebe any. If it concerne persons or facts of persons, then to set downe all the circumstances to expresse the nature & maner of it. Or if it concerne some special matter, to make some short diuision of it; if it bee a generall into his specials, or if a whole into his members or parts: so to goe throgh eueryevery part in order, ioining each part together with fit transitions, to shew their passage frō one part to another.
In the Confirmation to the end,Confirmation. to bee able to proue the matter the better;
1. To note in their Authors all the principall reasons which they can, to that end, and to gather them forth.
2. To trie what reasons they can inuent of themselues according to the chiefe heads of Inuention, following either Apthonius order, or the ten chief heads of Inuention: as, Causes, Effects, Subiects, Adiuncts, &c. which ar the same in effect, but farre more easie to prosecute, according to the Art of meditation, whereof we shal speak after. By considering wel either the thing it self, Causes & Effects of it: or if it be a Proposition, as in this (Children are to obey their Parents) by marking carefully both parts of the Proposition or sentence, both Antecedent and consequent, as they are called; and the one part wil surely afford some reasons.
As if we thinke first of the parents what they hauehave beene, and are towards the children; and so what the children hauehave and doe receiue from them (thus following the parts according to those places of meditation) any one of vnderstanding shall be able to finde out reasons why the children are to obey their parents.
Then hauing found out reasons, before they set them downe in their Theame, as they will hauehave them, to ranke them in their minde or in writing; so as they doe purpose to set them in their Theame: setting some stronger in the first place, weaker in the midst, reseruing some of the stronger to the last, crossing and leauing out all the weake ones, whereof any one may discredite all the rest.
In the Confutation to seeke out and set downe two or three good reasons,Confutation. to ouerthrow or reproue the contrary opinion to the Theame: and also to consider what may be obiected against it, and how to answere them, by way of Occupation and Subiection, or of preuenting and obiection.
Then to direct them,Conclusion. that the Conclusion is nothing but a collection gathered from all the former reasons; in which may be a short recapitulation, or rehearsall of the summe of the reasons, and an vrging (if they will) of one or two of the principall & most forcible reasons somwhat more, to leaue a deeper impression in the minds of the hearers; & so out of them to conclude most firmly. And thus much may serue for the direction in generall for making the Theame.
Spoud.
But this seemes still to me rather too obscure for young Grammar schollars: I pray you let me heare, if you could not leade me yet vntounto more ready helpes.
Phil.
The most excellent patterns, I take to be the most speedy and ready helps for schollars to be acquainted with, and to learne to imitate them: for they in eueryevery thing doe most auaile, to teach the soonest and sureliest.
As for variety of Exordiums and Conclusions,☜ Apthonius his Prog…masmata may helpe to direct;Imitation of Exordiums and Conclusions. and also Master Stockwood his disputations of Grammar.
For furnishing with matter and substance,Authours for matter. besides Reusners Symbola mentioned, Erasmus Adages of the largest and last Edition, is a rich store-house. Also Lycosthenes his Apothegmata, printed at London by G. Bishoppe, M.D.XCVI. is of good vse.
Lycosthenes of the last Edition (as I heare) is dangerously corrupted with Popery,Lycosthenes of the last Edition to be taken heed of, as it is augmented and corrupted by the Iesuites, printed Coloniae, sumptibus Lazari Zetzueri An. M.D.C.III. and rayling against K. Henry the eight, K. Edward, and our late blessed Queene; and therefore not to be permitted vntounto children. Many other I might name vntounto you, which hauehave written of such morall matters; diuers of them in English, and some of them very notable: as the French Academie, the morall part of it: Charactery, Morall Philosophy, Golden groue, Wits Common wealth, Ciuill conuersation; and others.
So in Latin▪ Z…gedine his Philosophia Poetica; The sentences selected out of the best Authours, adioyned to Tallies sentences; Flores Poetarum for Verses to flourish withall.
But the former, viz. Reusner Erasmus Adages, Apthonius, and Lycosthenes, may serue in steed of many, for Schollars who are of vnderstanding and iudgement to vse them aright; chusing out the summe of the most excellent matter, and making it their owne; composing eueryevery thing fitly, without apparant stealing out of any.
Spoud.
But what helpe doe you account the very best for inuention of matter,Helpes for inuention of matter. to find it out as of their own heads, which you know is principally esteemed of?
Phil.
That which I named in the direction for the Theame, is the vsual manner in schooles, as I take it; I mean the following the places of Apthonius: as, à Laudatiuo, Paraphrastico, Causa, Contrario, Parabola, Exemplo, Testimonio veterum, Breui Epilogo.
So à Manifesto, Credibili, Possibili, Consequente, Decoro, Vtili. And ab Obscuro, Incredibili, Impossibili, Inconsequenti, Indecoro, Inutili, and the like.
Yet these doe seeme to mee also farre too hard for childrens conceits, who hauehave read no Logicke, and ouer-tedious. But the following of those ten first and chiefe heads of reasoning;The knowledg of the ten grounds of Inuention, the readiest. to wit, from Causes, Effects, Subiects, Adiuncts, Disagreeable things, Comparisons, Notations, Distributions, Definitions, Testimonies (to one of which each of Apthonius or Tullies places doe belong) is farre the easiest, surest, and plainest way.
If that little booke called the Arte of Meditation,☜ were made somewhat more plaine for the definitions or descriptions,The arte of meditation most profitable for inuention. that children might see eueryevery thing euidently; and illustrated by a few moe examples; and so schollars made perfect in it by examining; they would bee able to inuent plenty of good matter presently, after that they had beene exercised in Reusner, and the other Authours; in reading, and also in writing some variety of Theames, after the manner set downe before.
Let them practice when they would inuent matter, but to runne through those places curiously in their mindes; and if one place doe not offer fit matter, another will surely, and furnish them with store: so that by the helpe of that small Treatise, if it were so perfected, all this might bee accomplished; and that with a small meditation any schollar of vnderstanding might discourse very commendably of any such matter.
Spoud.
It is great pitie it should not be made exact, if the vse and benefite bee such as you conceiue of it to this purpose, besides the worthy end for which it is written.
But as you hauehave giuen patternes for other exercises, so let me heare your iudgement, where they may hauehave th… best patternes for Theames, for the whole frame thereof, being handled according to all the parts seuerally.
Phil.
Apthonius (out of whom these Theames may bee☜ taken first and the schollars also to hauehave liberty to gather out the principall matter;Presidents for the manner of Theames, and out of which to take their Theames first; or out of Reusthner, or others as we wil yet making it their owne, by seeking to better eueryevery sentence) hath sundry very good presidents for such Theames; and in sweete Latine, written by Rodulphus Agricola, Cataneus Lorichius, or others: as the example of a Common-place, of the Thesis, and the like. Though Apthonius his owne (I meane) those translated out of him, are of a more harsh stile in Latine; yet the order is good, as being written and set forth of purpose to this end.
These very Theames may be written on,☞ first for incouragement; after, others of like matterto be imitated, according to the same places.☞
Secondly,Tullies Paradoxes for more excellent patternes. next vntounto those in Apthonius, which are more easie, Tullies Paradoxes are most singular patternes for true Rhetoricke, though the order of them seeme to be more obscure: they will be notable directions, if that the schollars be of capacity and ripenesse, and hauehave the seuerall parts rightly opened vntounto them, that they fully vnderstand them.
Spoud.
But for Declamations what examples or helpes would you vse?Declamations and pattrnes for them.
Phil.
The Declamation being nothing else but a Theame of som matter, which may be controuerted, and so handled by parts, when one taketh the Affirmatiue part, another the Negatiue, & it may be a third moderateth or determineth betweene both; we hauehave very good Presidents in the Thesis in Apthonius: as in that question handled both affirmatiuely and negatiuely, viz. Vxor est ducenda, Vxor non est ducenda.
If it be in a more vehement inuectiue against some vice,Examples of Inuectiues. we hauehave sundry examples in Apthonius, in Loco communi. As, In villarum incensores, In sacrilegum, Incontumacem, In auarum.Examples of praise and dispraise.
Likewise the seuerall examples there set downe of praise and dispraise, of persons, cities, or the like. So the Presidents in Apthonius of particular actions, in accusing or defence of them, may be great helpes to giuegive much good direction.
For further patternes, see Tully his Orations; and specially the Inuectiues against Catiline.
In these kinde of Theames, wee shall hauehave farre more vse of those figures of Sentences, which are the very life and strength of an Oration; as of Exclamations, Reuocations, Apostrophees, Prosopopies; and the rest of the figures in Dialogismo.
I hauehave heard of some good ensamples in English, viz. thirteene Declamations; but I hauehave not beene able to finde them out.
But these kinde of exercises of Declaming are rather for the Vniuersities;Declamations fit for the Vniuersities, or for principall schollars in the Grammar schooles. Manner of writing downe the Theames by Schollars of iudgement. or at least for such Schollars in the Grammar schooles, as hauehave beene long exercised in the former kindes.
For the manner of writing downe the Theames by Schollars of iudgement, it may not bee amisse where leasure will serue, to cause the schollars to write them thus: In the first Margent towards the left hand, together with the seuerall partes of the Theame (as Exord. Narratio, Confirmatio, Confutatio, Conclusio, being set in great letters ouer against each part) to set also the heads of the seuerall arguments; chiefly against the Confirmation: as Causa, Effectum: like as Apthonius doth set his places, à Causa, à Contrario. And in the later side of the page, towards the right hand, to set the seuerall tropes or figures, but in two or three letters. As for Metonymia Efficientis, no more but Met. Effic. or the like: making some line vnderunder the word, in which they are; The shorter the better, if it can bee vnderstood.
One Theame in the weeke well performed in this maner,☜ besides all other exercises,One Theame thus in the weeke may suffice, and to spend their odd times in making Verses, as more sharpening the wit. Making Theames ex tempore, a matter of great commendations if it be don schollar-like. may be sufficient; like as the order is in many of the chiefe schooles.
Spoud.
Certainely Sir, these courses seeme to me as easie as the former, both for Masters and Schollars; that hereby they must needes labour, and goe on with delight; beeing thus plainely guided and directed from point to point.
Yet to proceede a little further herein, if you will giuegive me leaue: I hauehave heard of some schollars marueilously praised for this, that they hauehave beene able to speake of a Theame ex tempore for a quarter of an houre, or more together, in good Latine, and to very good purpose.
Now how doe you thinke that this may be done? for this is a matter of very high commendations to young schollars euen in the Vniuersities; and much more in the Grammar schooles, if it can be done.
Phil.
This exercise must needes require much reading,The way to make Theames ex tempore. and practice to doe it, in such commendable manner; as indeed it may. The best way how to attaine it most soone and surely▪ is this, so farre as yet I can conceiue:
1 They must practice constantly for a good space, the former or better course of making Theames; that they may become very ready in writing their Theames of any morall matter with a little study.
2 I hauehave seene this practice to bee easie and profitable to this end:A practice most easie and profitable to helpe to make Theames ex tempore. the very vse of the Grammatical translation of Apthonius, according to the maner of the vse of the translations, for keeping the schoole Authours perfectly.
As first, causing them to reade a Theame out of the Latine into English; or where it is hard, first to reade it ouer in English to giuegive some light;To follow a patterne of a Theame, made familiar vntounto them by the Grammaticall translations. To see how each is able to better his Authour, in vttering eueryevery part of themselues, both English and Latine. then out of the Latine into English, to vnderstand it perfectly: afterwards to reade it out of the English translation into Latin, to hauehave the phrase and Latine readily to expresse their mindes.
Then eueryevery one in his course, to trie how he is able to expresse or vtter that Theame of himselfe; first in English, then in Latine, eueryevery part of the Theame in order.
For example: To begin first with the Exordium, to trie how they can vtter it in English, and whether they can better the Authour. After the first, a second fellow to assay how he is able to better the first; so another after him to better them both: and so forward as you will.
After this, to make tryall how they can vtter the same in Latine; eueryevery one still bettering others: then to doe the like in the Narration; and so through eueryevery part, both in English and Latine; still contending to go beyond their patternes in purity of phrase and matter, contracting, adding, or changing as they will.
When they hauehave for some good time vsed this practice,☞ then trying how they are able to discourse of themselues in a Theame giuen vntounto them,To practice to discourse of themselues. according to the order of meditation, or places of Inuention, by continual exercise they shall attaine hereunto.
The practice in Apthonius will affoord them matter and wordesenow for imitation of Exordiums,Where to be stored with matter: and wordes for all parts. manner of Confutations and Conclusions.
Their readinesse in their first Authours of morall matters, as also in Tullies sentences, and Flores Poëtarum; and that their continued exercise in Reusner, with the helpe of the places of Inuention, will commonly yeelde matter sufficient.
What phrase or word they cannot vtter in Latine,
1 Let them bethinke themselues how they would first vtter and vary it in English,Helpe for supplying wordes or phrases. and some of the English words will bring Latine wordes,1 To think how to vtter it in other words in English. or phrases to their remembrance; or else how they can expresse it by Periphrasis, or circumlocution in moe words, by some description, or by the generall, or the contrary, or by some property, or the like.
2 Next to this,☜ they may vse the helpe of Holyokes Dictionary;2 Helps of Dictionaries and bookes of phrases. and for phrase Manutius or Master Draxes Calliepëia: the phrases may bee found more easily in the Calliepëia.
3 And to the end that they may be sure to hauehave variety both of words and phrase,To meditate the chiefe phrases before. which doth much delight; it shal not be amisse to peruse before in the phrase book, the principall wordes or phrases which concerne that Theame, and how many wayes they may be vttered: at least the Master when hee tryeth his Schollars in this extemporall faculty, if hee bee not a ready and perfect Latinist may hauehave the phrase booke by him,Helpe by the Master. to looke eueryevery hard phrase which they cannot vtter well; and how they may vary it diuers wayes.
Spoud.
But to the end that schollars may be sure euer to hauehave store of matter, or to finde of a sudden where to turne to fit matter for eueryevery Theame; what doe you thinke of Common-place bookes of such morall matters, that eueryevery schollar should hauehave his Common-place booke written.
Phil.
I do account them a great help where the schollars hauehave leasure and iudgement to gather them;Common-place bookes a singular help. I meane, to gleane out all the choyse sentences and matter in the best Authours. Or, because that that is ouer-great a toyle, and requires more iudgement then can bee looked for in so young yeares; if they had but only bookes of References, it would be exceeding profitable: to wit, such Common-place bookes as did but only containe the generall heads of matter, and then the Quotations of three or foure of the chiefe Authours; as Reusner, Erasmus Adages, Tullies sentences, or some other; setting downe the booke and the page, where to turn of a sudden to any such matter in them. This would ease them of much searching, and make schollars to do such exercises much sooner, and with farre greater commendations: like as it is in Diuinity, Law, Physick, and whatsoeuer other Artes. Thus they may vse the matter of the best Authors, going farre beyond the matter which the wit of any childe can conceiue; sith that those bookes hauehave in them the choysest sayings of the very wisest of all ages: although they are stil to adde whatsoeuer they can inuent of their owne braine, so it be wittily and pithily.
Such a book of References wel gathered, and made publicke, would much further young schollars herein.
Spoud.
I see well how they may be furnished for store of matter; yet for choyse of good wordes and phrase, to hauehave copie and variety euer ready at hand, I make some doubt how they may be furnished: for it is a toyle to goe euer to turne to phrase bookes; neyther can they hauehave time when they are to speake ex tempore.
Phil.
Take no care for that;How to get store of phrases store of matter being thus gotten, as I hauehave shewed, wil bring words: yet to hauehave copie of Synonymaes & good phrase, besides their Authours made perfect, & other helps mentioned; Calliepeia translated in propriety, & read one while out of Latin into English, another while out of English into Latin, & after trying how to vary both in English and Latin; will help very much to furnish with copie both English and Latine. Hereof I hauehave known som experience. A little triall will soon cōfirm this.
There may be also other helpes forvarying:Other helps. as the rules in Erasmus de Cap…a, in Macropedius and others; and more specially some select phrases to seuerall purposes noted in Erasmus de Copia.
Spoud.
But what say you concerning Orations,Orations. what course doe you thinke fittest to bee able to performe them with commendations?
Phil.
I take them to belong rather to the Vniuersities,Orations belong specially to the Vniuersities. that there is more seldom vse of them in schooles, and then also to be performed by schollars growen to som maturity.
For examples or patterns of Orations,Examples of Orations. wee can hauehave no better then Tullies Orations; wherein are presidents of all sorts. In these is the schollar to bee exercised to knowe the nature of them, & the maner of the loftiness of stile vsed in them. Also Turners Orations, Muretus, or others. Though for entrance into them we may follow the exāples of praises in Apthonius. Chap. 8. Or some other select Orations.
Yet, because in Schooles of special note, and where there are auncient schollars,Orations ex tempore. sometimes it may bee expected amongst them, that some one of them should make an Oration to entertaine a Benefactor, or other person of note; and it may be, to do it ex tempore, as their comming is of a sodaine; therfore certaine speciall heads of an Oration to that purpose might be euer in readinesse.☜ As the commendations of a person for his descent, learning, louelove and countenance of good learning & vertue, beneficence curtesie, fauor towards that place, and the like. Also for excusing themselues by their tender yeers, want of experience and of practice in that kind, bashfulnesse, timorousnesse; and yet their desire to answere the parties louelove & expectation, with presuming vponupon their patience, and such others. To be acquainted also with variety of choise phrases to the same purposes, to hauehave them euer in fresh memory.
Sp.
These courses are very plain in my iudgemēt: yet notwithstanding, sith they are of more seldom vse, but Theams of daily practice, wee are specially to looke vntounto them. Therfore my weak memory, let me heare in two words, the sum of all concerning the Theames.
Phil.
This is the sum;
1. That they be acquainted with som matter for Theams and easie phrase,Sum of all for Theames. and so accustomed to write Theames in a plaine manner first, following Reusner principally.
2. That they learne to handle the Theame more curiously according to Apthonius, prosequuting and adorning the seuerall parts thereof, making choise of the most excellent patternes.
3. That they hauehave the helps and grounds of inuenting reasons of themselues, and do know whereto finde more store of matter and phrase to expresse their mindes, and be furnished with helps of the best books.
4. Lastly, that as in all other exercises, they vse continuall practice; which makes the hardest things easie and pleasant.