The Grammar School, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of certaine generall Obseruations to be knowen of Schoole masters, and practiced carefully in all Grammar learning chiefely. And first of causing all things to be done with vnderstanding.
Phil.
FOr the generall Obseruations the first may be this.Schollars are to be taught to do all thing, with vnderstanding, and to know the matter before in generall. 1. That Schollars be taught to do all things with vnderstanding; and to be able to giuegive a reason of eueryevery matter which they learne. And so in eueryevery lecture which they learne in any tongue, first to vnderstand the matter of it, and the lesson will bee learned presently.
But before I speake any more of this, I pray you let mee heare of you what course you hauehave taken in this point.
Spoud.
This first obseruation seemeth strange vntounto me,The common course to doe all things without vnderstanding the reason of them or how to make vse of any thing. at the very naming of it. I my selfe hauehave vsed onelyonly this course, and I thinke it to bee all that is done in most of our countrey schooles; To giuegive Lectures to the seuerall formes, or cause some schollar to doe it. And therin first to reade them ouer their Lecture, then to construe them, and in the lower formes to parse them. So when they come to say; to heare them whether they can read, say without book, construe and parse. More as I take it, is not much vsed, for the vnderstanding and making vse of them.
Phil.
I know it to be as you say; and do hold it to bee a verie great defect in schooles generally:The defect hereof exceeding great. yea a farre greater hinderance to learning, then that of letting them to lose so many yeeres, before they begin to learne. For this is a matter which of all other concerneth the credite of schooles, and furthereth learning wonderfully; to teach schollars to vnderstand whatsoeuer they learn, & to be able to giuegive a reason of eueryevery thing why it is so; and to doe this from the lowest to the highest. My reasons are these:
1 Because if it were rightly knowen,To doe all things by reason, brings almost double learning. & constantly practiced in schooles, it would bring forth very neere double so much good and sound learning, as is now gotten cōmonly.
2 It would bring withall, so much ease, pleasure and delight, both to all teachers & learners and also so much certainty, & cause them to go forward with such cheerfulness, boldness and contention, as will hardly be beleeued vntil it be tried by experience. In a word; It would cause at things to be gotten much more speedily, layed vp more safely, and kept more surely in memory. Therefore, that olde rule is true; Legere & non intelligere negligere est.
To read and not to vnderstand what wee read,To read without vnderstanding and knowledge how to make vse, is a neglect of all learning. or not to know how to make vse of it, is nothing else but a neglect of all good learning; and a meere abuse of the means & helps to attaine the same. It is no other thing but a very losse of our pretious time, and of all our labour and cost bestowed therin, in regard of that which is read with vnderstanding.
We may see triall hereof sundry waies.
1 Let children be examined together;Triall of the difference between learning with vnderstanding & without 1. In schollars examined together, whereof one vnderstandeth, and can giuegive reasons of things, the other not. I meane such as of whom one of them alone hath beene taught to do all things by reason & with vnderstanding; so that he is able to giuegive you a plaine reason, and make the right vse of euerie thing, which he hath learned: the other hauehave learned only to say without booke, to construe and parse; then mark the difference. Although all these learn one and the same Author; yet when they come to the triall, you would thinke that one to hauehave all learning, when you heare him to giuegive a reason of eueryevery thing, and that he can make vse of al things; all the rest to hauehave almost nothing at all, or at least nothing in regard of that one so taught.
2 Proue it thus in getting learning:2. In getting a lesson, how to do it soonest, & in the best manner.
Teach your schollar one lesson which you cause him to vnderstand perfectly before; another of the same matter, whereof hee vnderstandeth little or nothing: and then trie whether he will not doe that, whereof he vnderstandeth the meaning and reasons, almost in half the time, which the other will require. And this also so, as you may euidently discerne it, that hee will doe it with much more ease, certainty and boldnesse, then he can do the other.
3 Wee our selues may make triall of it by our owne experience,3. In our owne experience construing or studying out any difficult place in any Author or tongue. in construing any difficult peece of Latine, Greek, or Hebrewe, or committing any thing to memorie; whether if so be that we doe but vnderstand the matter of it before perfectly, wee shall not do it in halfe the time and with one halfe of the labour, that otherwise it would require.
Or if we would write or speake of any thing, let vsus proue it but thus: If we first vnderstand the matter wel and hauehave it perfectly in our head, whether words to expresse our mindes will not follow as of themselues.
To this very purpose, for confirming the truth hereof, and to keepe a continuall remembrance of this point; these three verses of Horace were worthie to be written in letters of golde, and to be imprinted in the memorie of eueryevery one who is desirous to get the best learning: for so they would indeed proue golden verses, and make vndoubtedly golden times;
Scribendirectè sapere est & principium & fons:
Rem tibi Socraticae poterunt ostendere char…ae;
Verba que prouisam rem non inuita sequentur.
The meaning of the verses, I take it to be this: To attaine to this facultie, to bee able to write or speake of anie matter, and so to come to all excellent learning, the verie first and chiefe fountaine, and that which is all in all, is to vnderstand the matter wel in the first place. As for store of matter, the writings of learned men (such as Socrates was) will furnish you aboundantly therewith.
And when you hauehave the matter throughly in your head, words will follow, as waters out of a fountaine, euen almost naturally, to expresse your mind in any tongue, which you studie in any right order.
This will be found to be true in Latine, Greeke, Hebrew, and by a like reason in eueryevery other tongue, and in eueryevery facultie: whether wee would write, speake, learne, resolue, or remember and lay vp for euer.
This was a principall cause that made Tully,One chiefe cause why Virgil and others writ so eloquētly, because they were so ripe in vnderstanding, and had such store of matter. Ouid, Virgil, and some others so to flowe in eloquence; and especially Virgil, whom men worthily account the chiefe of all latine Poets, because they did vnderstand so fully whatsoeuer they writ of. I might instance this also in Preachers, by our daily experience; of whom some are better able to preach powerfully in two daies warning, and hauing words at will, then other in two moneths; and all because the one sort are so full of vnderstanding and matter, the other are so barren thereof.
Thus in all these examples, eueryevery man may see a plaine demōstration of the truth of these verses of Horace, which he no doubt did write vponupon his owne experience, as euerie man shall find, who will set himself to make triall. Proue & confirme what tong soeuer your schollar learns,Trie. euen from the first reading of English, if he can repeat you the matter, or the sum of it, or hauehave it in his head, trie whether hee will not hauehave the words presently. The plentifull experience which I hauehave seene,They who find experience will be desirous to make others partakers. of the sweete delight and fruite of this course, of causing children to doe all things with vnderstanding and reason, compared with the fruitlesse toiles and griefes of former times, do make me not only confident for the thing, but also desirous to make all other partakers of the benefit.
Spoud.
I do fully see the euidence of all that which you hauehave said, and therfore I must needs be perswaded of it. I do heartily thank God for it, and will indeuor my selfe to put it in practice continually.It seemeth great difficulty for masters to teach their schollars to do all things with vnderstanding. Only here is the difficulty, how a schoolemaster may do this, to teach his schollar so to proceed with vnderstanding, and how to giuegive a reason of eueryevery matter which they learne, to make vse of all their learning.
Aboue all, how hee may beginne to fraught young Schollars with all store of matter, as they goe on: this very much passeth my skill. I should thinke my selfe most happy, to obtaine this knowledge, if it possibly can be done.
Phil.
Attend to those things which I shall relate, and I hauehave no doubt, but I shall very much accomplish your desire in this: for our whole conference, doth tend chiefly to this end. As all learning is grounded on reason: so in eueryevery Chapter, I shall endeaur my selfe to manifest the reasons of eueryevery thing, and how you may teach others; so farre forth, as hitherto the Lord hath made them knowne vntounto me. And more hereafter, as I shall learne more. The principall meanes for their vnderstanding, is, by asking short questions of the matter: for so they will vnderstand and any thing, which they are to learne. But of that more hereafter in the particular examples; and chiefly, Chapt. 24.
Spoud.
If you hauehave done then with this, let vsus goe forward to your next generall obseruation; and so through them all, as briefly as you can.
Phil.
My next obseruation is this:The second generall obseruation. that as I would hauehave them to doe all things with vnderstanding; so to learne only such bookes and matters, as whereof they may hauehave the best vse,To learne only such things, as whereof they may hauehave good and perpetuall vse. and that perpetually in all their learning, or in their whole life. For this is well knowne to eueryevery one; that things well learned in youth, will bee kept most surely all the life long; because in that age they are most easily imprinted, and sticke the longest in fresh memory. And for that cause, children should spend no time vnfruitfully, in such books, as whereof they cannot hauehave both very good and continuall vse. This cannot be but a great folly, to mis-spend our pretious time in such studies, whereof neither our selues nor others can hauehave benefite after; or else in such, as the knowledge whereof will vanish for want of practice: and much more in those, which will corrupt and hurt in stead of doing good.Filthy places in Poets omitted. And therefore all filthy places in the Poets would be wisely passed ouer, or warily expounded. It were well if there were an Index Expurgatorius, to purge out all the filth out of these, by leauing it out, or changing it.
Third rule,3. To note all hard words, or matters worthy obseruation. and that generall for all Students, is this: that whatsoeuer difficult words, or matters of speciall obseruation, they doe reade in any Author, be marked out; I meane all such words or things, as eyther are hard to them in the learning of them, or which are of some speciall excellency, or vse, worthy the noting: or which, after that they hauehave beene a certaine time in construction, they hauehave not eyther learned, or at least they knowe not where they hauehave learned them.Manner of marking. For the marking of them, to doe it with little lines vnderunder them, or aboue them, or against such partes of the word wherein the difficulty lieth, or by some prickes, or whatsoeuer letter or marke may best helpe to cal the knowledge of the thing to remembrance; yet so much as may be, without marring of their books. To doe this, to the end that they may oft-times reade ouer these, or examine and meditate of them more seriously, vntill that they be as perfect in them, as in any of the rest of their bookes: for hauing these then hauehave they all.
This would be vniuersall,This general in getting all learning. in getting all kind of learning; after that children do grow to any discretion to marke such things rightly: you will maruel (if you hauehave not made triall of it) how much they will go through, & what sound knowledge they will come vntounto in any kinde of study; and how soone by this helpe, more then they can do without it. And when they hauehave once gotten it they may as easily keepe it, & as surely, by oft-times running ouer those things, which are so noted, aboue all the rest. This is the reason that you shall hauehave the choysest bookes of most great learned men,The bookes of the best students thus noted. & the notablest students all marked through thus, in all matters eyther obscure, or of principall & most necessary vse. And this is one chiefe meanes, whereby Schollars may hauehave the difficultest things in their Authours so perfectly, as that whensoeuer they shall be examined of a sudden, they shall be very ready, to their great praise, and to the iust commendation of the Schoole.To note books of dailyvse with inke. For the manner of noting, it is best to note all schoole books with inke; & also all others, which you would hauehave gotten advnguem, as we vse to say, or wherof we would hauehave daily or long practice; because inke will indure: neither wil such books be the worse for their noting, but the better,Others with blacke leade thrust into a quill. they be noted with iudgement. But for all other bookes, which you would hauehave faire againe at your pleasure; note them with a pensil of black lead: for that you may rub out againe when you will,How to rub it for…h againe. with the crums of new wheate bread.
The very little ones, which reade but English, may make some secret markes thus at eueryevery hard word; though but with some little dint with their naile: so that they doe not marre their bookes.
Of this I shall speake more particularly in the manner of parsing, Chapt. 9.
A fourth obseruation,4. To learne all so perfectly, as the former may be in stead of a Schoolmaster to the later. is this: That whatsoeuer books or matter Schollars doe learne, after they beginne to learne without booke; that they learne them so perfectly, and holde them so surely, by daily repetition and examination, that they may hauehave in their mindes such an absolute knowledge of al the words, and matters which they hauehave learned; as wheresoeuer they shall meete with the same againe, or shall hauehave occasion to vse them, they may not neede to bee driuen to learne them anew; but that they may tell of a sudden where they hauehave learned them, or can repeat the place: and so make their vse and benefit of them.
To teach the same things twise,Not to neede to teach the same things twise or thrise ouer. or thrise, is a double labour and griefe: but to hauehave all things which they hauehave learned, euer in readinesse is a singular benefit, and a rare commendation. For besides the preuenting of all losse of labour and time, it shall be to the great delight of all who heare them tried, and the exceeding furtherance of their continuall growth in all good learning.
And to effect this yet more fully;To tell where they hauehave learned eueryevery hard word. acquaint them in all their Lectures and exercises, some one of them or other, who can tell first, to repeat where they hauehave learned eueryevery hard word: and that chiefly in their Grammar, if they hauehave learned it there, to hauehave that exceeding perfect; and to marke surely eueryevery new word, according to the direction which I hauehave before giuen.
A fift generall obseruation,5. That the whole Schoole be diuided into so few fourmes as may be. and which is not inferiour to any of the former, for the good both of Masters and Schollars, and the very great benefite of Schooles, is this: that the whole Schoole be diuided into so few fourmes as may be, of so many as can any way bee fitted to goe together: though they be sixteene, or twenty, yea, forty in a fourme, it is not the worse.
The reasons of it are most cleere.
1. In most things it is almost the same labour,Reasons: to teach twenty,1. It is for most part the same labour, to teach twenty in a fourme, as to teach two. as to teach two: as in reading all Lectures and rules vntounto them, in examining all partes and Lectures. Like as it is in Sermons, and Catechisings, where it is the same labour to teach one, that it is to teach a thousand, if all can heare alike. This is very generall, except in exercises of writing; wherin also great aduantage may be gotten by this means, if right order be obserued, as we shall shew after.
2. Secondly,2. The fewer fourmes, the more labour may be bestowed in examining eueryevery title. the fewer fourmes there are, the more time may be spent in each fourme; and more labour may be bestowed in examining eueryevery title necessary. Which worke of continuall examination, is a notable quickner and nourisher of all good learning; helping maruellously vnderstanding, audacity, memory, and prouoking emulation of the Schollars:Examination, a quickner of learning. and therfore a principall part of the Masters labour, and of the time in the Schoole, would be imployed in this.
3. By this meanes,EueryEvery one of a fourme shall some way prouoke the others by this means. eueryevery one of a fourme shall some way prouoke, or incourage the rest of their fellowes. If they be but dull, the rest will thinke to goe before them; but if they be more pregnant and witty, or more painfull and diligent, they shall put spirits into all the rest, and be as a spurre vntounto them. For there is in our nature an inbred desire to ayme at the best, and to wish to equalize them in each commendable quality; if there be right meanes of direction and incouragement thereunto.
Also eueryevery one of a fourme may some way helpe the rest:And eueryevery one may helpe others. for none are so dull, but they may happely remember some thing, which none of the rest did.
This I hauehave seene by experience,Those who but reade, to be put together so many as can be. to be the very best way; euen for those who but reade the Accedence, to put so many of them into a fourm together, as may be: they wil both further one another very much, in reading it quickly (each helping and teaching others) and also they may sooner be heard, when eueryevery one need but to reade his piece of the same lesson, the rest helping. Thus they will goe through very fast, and be all ready to enter without booke together. Trie, and finding the benefite, you will not alter.
6 A sixt generall obseruation,6, To hauehave a great care that none be discouraged. and of no lesse worth then any of the former, may be this: That there be most heedfull care, chiefly amongst all the youngest, that not one of them be any way discouraged, eyther by bitternesse of speech, or by taunting disgrace; or else by seuerity of correction, to cause them to hate the Schoole before they knowe it, or to distast good learning before they hauehave felt the sweetnesse of it:But all to be prouoked by emulation and desire of praise. but in stead heereof, that all things in Schooles be done by emulation, and honest contention, through a wise commending in them eueryevery thing, which any way deserueth prayse, and by giuing preeminence in place, or such like rewards. For that adage is not so auncient as true; Laus excitat ingenium.
There is no such a Whet-stone,Commendation the Whet-stone of the wit. to set an edge vponupon a good wit, or to incourage an ingenuous nature to learning as praise is, as our learned Master Askam doth most rightly affirme.
To this purpose that sentence of Tully were worthy to be written in eueryevery Schoole,A sentence of Tully worthy to be euer before the Masters eye. and to be set vp in such places, where it might euer stand in the Masters eye, if it were possible; that so eueryevery teacher might at length be brought to the continuall practice, of the good policy contained in it: to wit, to bend all his endeauours to prouoke all his Schollars, to striue incessantly, which of them shall carry away the worthiest praise & commendation. The sentence is this;
Pueriefferuntur laetitiacum vicerint,Cic. 5. de finib. & pudet victos: vt tamse accusari nolunt, quam cupiunt laudari: quos illi labores non perferunt vt aequaliumprincipes sint?
Besides this also,This strift for Masteries is the most commendable play, and a chiefe meanes to make the Schoole Ludus literarius. this same strift for these Masteries, and for rewards of learning, is the most commendable play, and the very high way to make the Schoole-house to bee Ludus literarius, indeed a Schoole of play and pleasure (as was said) and not of feare and bondage: although there must bee alwaies a meete and louing feare, furthered by wise seueritie, to maintaine authority, and to make it also Ludus à non ludēdo, a place voyd of al fruitless play & loytering, the better to be able to effect al this good wch we desire.
7. To the end that eueryevery thing in the Schoole may be thus done,7. All to hauehave their aduersaries, and so to be matched and placed, that all may be done by strift. by emulation and contention for praise; there would be a carefull sorting, and matching eueryevery one with him, who is next vntounto him in learning: for this is also a most true prouerbe; Marcet sine aduersario virtus: Vertue looseth the vigour and decayeth, where it hath no aduersarie. So they would be placed as aduersaries, that they may contend in all things, whether of them shall doe the better, and beare the bell away. Thus the whole fourmes through the Schoole, should be diuided also into two equall partes; to striue alwaies, whether side of the fourme should get the victorie: like as it is in games, at shooting, or the like. Experience sheweth how this will prouoke them, to be preparing and fitting for the victory. Euen as Archers will prepare themselues by exercising, getting the best bowes & arrowes; and then making first their choyse so equall as they can, afterwards directing their fellows; thus striuing by all means, whether side shal beat: so will it be here. But of this I shall hauehave more fit occasion, to tell what I thinke, when we shall speake of the manner of diuiding of the fourmes.
8. That we vse euer to appose the worst and most negligent of each fourme aboue all the rest;8. To vse euer to appose the most negligent. though eueryevery one somthing, yet them principally. This wil make them more carefull, & cause all to come on together in some good sort.
9. That from the first entrance they be taught to pronounce eueryevery thing audibly,9. Continuall care of pronunciation. leasurely, distinctly, & naturally; sounding out specially the last syllable, that each word may be fully vnderstood. But of this wee hauehave spoken somwhat; & shal speake more in the due place, what a grace sweete pronunciation giues vntounto all learning, and how the want of it doth altogether mar, or much deforme the most excellent speech.
10. That they hauehave daily some speciall exercise of the memory▪ by repearing somewhat without booke;10. To hauehave some exercise of the memory daily. as a part in their rules the foure first daies in the weeke, the Lectures of the weeke, or some part of them on the Friday, al the rules of the weeke on the Saturday: besides matters of reports as Apologues or fables, theames, disputations, and the like.
The reason is, because the daily practice hereof, is the only means to make excellent memoryes;Reason of it for making excellent memories. so that the memory be not ouerloaden. But for this matter of saying without booke, how farre it is to be vsed, and what helpe may be had to preuent the ouertoyling, & terrifying of Schollars with it, and to supply some things better otherwise; I hope I shall take a fitter place to speake of it hereafter.
11. That for whatsoeuer exercises they are to learne,11. To hauehave the best patternes, of all sorts. they hauehave the best patternes to follow, which can be procured: as in writing so for all kinde of learning, how to do eueryevery thing; because all learning is principally gotten by a kinde of imitation, and arte doth imitate the most excellent nature. The patternes being singular, so shall their work proue in time, eyther to expresse their patterne very liuely, or happely to go beyond it. Of this also we shall hauehave occasion after to speake.
12. The Masters to be alwayes vigilant,12 The Masters continually to incourage themselues, and their Schollars. as good leaders; to labour to a liuely cheerfulnes, to put life & spirit into the children; & to incourage themselues in wel doing, by amending whatsoeuer is amisse, & supplying each thing, wherein they are defectiue (obseruing the daily growth of their Schollars, remembring stil that worthy counsel, Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentiorito; and also euer calling to minde whom they serue, and how their reward is with the Lord.
13. Constancy in good orders,13. Constancy in good orders, with a continuall demonstration of louelove to the Schollars, to do all for their good. & exercises ought euer to be kept inuiolable; with continual demonstration of louelove in the Masters towards the Schollars, & a desire to do them the vttermost good. This shall ouercome the most froward in time; and vsed with the rest, shal vndoubtedly bring forth the fruit of their desires.
Though many moe directions might be added, yet we will content ourselues with these for the present; as being most generall and belonging to all which follow. Others we shall adde, as we shall finde the fittest occasions.
Spoud.
Certainly Sir, these rules doe very much affect and delight me, at this hearing of them; neyther can I easily discerne which of them is most to bee preferred. If you had giuen mee so many crownes, you could not hauehave gratified mee more: I purpose to put them in practice presently, that I may finde that sweete and pleasant fruite of them, which I fully conceiue may bee attained by them.
Phil.
If you take so much delight in the hearing of them, I trust you shall doe much more in the proofe: and therefore hauing finished these, we will now at length come vntounto the Accedence.