The Grammar School, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
How to enter to make verses with delight and certaintie, without bodging; and to traine vp schollars to imitate and expresse Ouid or Virgil, both their phrase & stile.
Spo…d.
NOw that wee hauehave gone thorough all the whole course of writing Latine in prose, and the seuerall exercises therof which are requisite in Grammar schooles, so far forth as I remember; it remaineth that we come to verse: wherein I presume of your louelove as in all the former, not to conceale anything from me, but to impart whatsoeuer may helpe to the attaining of that facultie.
Phil.
Though Poetry bee rather for ornament then for any necessary vse;☜ and the main matter to be regarded in it,Poetry rather for ornament then for any necessity. Yet there may be commendable vse of it. is the puritie of phrase and of stile: yet because there is very commendable vse of it, sometimes in occasions of triumph and reioicing, more ordinarily at the funerals of some worthy personages, and sometimes for some other purposes; it is not amisse to traine vp schollars euen in this kinde also. And the rather because it serueth very much for the sharpning of the wit, and is a matter of high commendation, when a schollar is able to write a smooth and pure verse, and to comp…ehend a great deale of choise matter in a very little roome.
Spoud.
Surely sir though it is, as you say, but an ornament, yet it is such a one, as doth highly grace those who hauehave attained it, in any such measure as you speak of; and two such verses are worth two thousand, of such flash and bodge stuffe as are ordinarily in some schooles. But this I hauehave found also to be full of difficutie,The ordinary difficulty of this faculty. both in the entring, the progresse, and also in the end; that my schollars hauehave had more feare in this, then in all the former, and my selfe also driuen to more seuerity: which I hauehave been inforced vntounto, or else I should hauehave done no good at al with the greatest part.
And yet when I hauehave done my vttermost, I hauehave not had any to come to such pe…fection as you mention,The folly of some in this kinde. to write so pithily or purely: yea, let me tell you this, that I hauehave knowensom Masters, who hauehave thought themselues very profound Poets, who would vponupon an occasion of a Funerall hauehave written you a sheete or two of verses, as it were of a sydden; yet amongst all those, you should hardly hauehave found one such a Verse as you speake of, vnlesse it were stolne; and most of them such, as iudicious Poet would be ready to laugh at, or loath to reade. Therefore I intreat you to guide me, how I may redresse this euill, and preuent these inconueniences.
Phil.
Though I be no Poet, yet I finde this course to be found most easie and plaine to direct my schollars:
1. To looke that they bee able in manner to write true Latine,The most plain way how to enter to make a verse without bodging. and a good phrase in prose,1. To write true Latine. before they begin to meddle with making a verse.
2. That they hauehave read some poetry first;2. To hauehave read some Poetry. as at least these books or the like, or some part of them: viz. Ouid de Tristibus, or de Ponto, some peace of his Metamorphosis or of Virgil, and be well acquainted with their Poeticall phrases.
3. I find this a most easie & pleasant way to enter them;☞ that for all the first bookes of Poetry which they learne in the beginning,3. Practice of turning them out of the Grā maticall translations into verse. they vse to reade them daily out of the Grammaticall translations: first resoluing eueryevery verse into the Grammaticall order, like as it is in the translation; after into the Poeticall, turning it into verse, as the words are in the Poet: according as I shewed the manner before, in the benefit and vse of the translations.☞ For the making of a verse,Giuing Poeticall phrase. is nothing but the turning of words forth of the Grammaticall order, into the Rhetoricall, in some kinde of metre; which wee call verses. And withall, that in reading thus out of the translations, they vse to giuegive the Poeticall phrases, to our English phrases, set in the margents, and also the Epithetes.
For this practice of reading their Poetry, out of the translations into verse, a little trial will soon shew you, that very children wil do it as fast almost as into prose: and by the vse of it, continually turning prose into verse, they will be in a good way towards the making a verse, before they hauehave learned any rules therof.
4. Then when you would hauehave them to go in hand with making a verse;4. To be very cunning in the rules of versifying. that they be made very cunning in the rules of versifying, so as to be able to giuegive you readily each rule, and the meaning therof.
5. That they bee expert in scanning a verse,5. To be perfect in scanning. and in prouing eueryevery quantity, according to their rules, and so vse to practice in their lectures daily.
6. To keepe them that they shall neuer bodge in their entrance,6. To keepe frō bodging in their entrance. neither for phrase nor otherwise, but to enter with ease, certainty and delight; this you shall finde to be a most speedy way:
Take Flores Poetarum, ☜and in eueryevery Common place make choise of Ouids verses,To vse the like practice in Flores Po…tarum for verse, as in Tullies sentences for prose. or if you find any other which be pleasant and easie: and making sure, that your schollars know not the verses a forehand, vse to dictate vntounto them as you did in prose. Cause also so many as you would hauehave to learne together, to set down the English as you dictate.
Secondly to giuegive you, and to write downe all the words in Latine verbatim, or Grammatically.
Thirdly, hauing iust the same words, let them trie which of them can soonest turne them into the order of a verse: which they will presently doe▪ being trained vp in the vse of the translations; which is the same in effect.
And then lastly, read thē ouer the verse of Ouid, that they may see that themselues hauehave made the very same; or wherin they missed: this shall much incourage and assure them.
After that they hauehave practiced this for a little time;To do this without pen. if for speediness, & for sauing paper (because they may soon run ouer much) you do vse but only to read the English Grammatically, and appoint som one of them to deliuer it in Latine; then all to trie which of them can soonest turne those words into a verse, or how many waies they can turne them into a verse: you shall see them come on a pace, and an earnest …rift to be wrought amongst them.☜
This also may bee done most easily,The most easie way of turning verses out of Flores Poetarum by the vse of Grammaticall translations of all the choyce verses in Flores Poetarum; practicing as in Tully & other, to read them▪ ex tēpore out of the English first into prose▪ after into verse. They wil be as familiar & easie, as to read prose, and to do it with as much delight and contention, or more; eueryevery da…e practicing a little by course.To note hard words quātities Epithets. For this is nothing (as I sayd) but the Poeticall composition. In the practice of this likewise, vse to note eueryevery new & hard word, and quātity, as also Epithetes; according to the generall rule before, and the manner in each lecture,☜ and oft to examine those.
7. Cause them to turn the verses of their lecture into other verses,7. To turne the verses of their lectures. either to the same purpose, which is easiest for yoūg beginners, or turned to some other purpose, to expresse some other matter; yet euer to keep the very phrase of the Poet, there or in other places, only transposing the words or phrase, or changing some words or phrase, or the numbers, or persons, or applying them to matters which are familiar, as they did in imitating Epistles. This may be practiced, each to bring first a verse or two thus changed, either being giuen at eleuen to be brought at one, or at euening to be brought in the morning, or both.
8. As they proceed,☞ to cause them to contract their lectures,8. Contracting their lectures. drawing seauen or eight verses into fowre or fiue, or fewer: yet still labouring to expresse the whole matter of their Author in their owne verse, and eueryevery circumstance, with all significant Metaphors, and other tropes and phrases, so much as they can.
Thus▪ they may proceed if you wil, from the lowest kind of verse in the Eclogues, to somthing a loftier in the Georgicks; and so to the stateliest kinds in the Aeneids: wherein they may be tasked to go thorough some booke of the Aeneids,The certaine benefit of this exercise. eueryevery day contracting a certaine number, as some 5 or 6. a day, for some of their exercises, striuing who can expresse their Author most liuely. By which daily contention you shall find, that those who take a delight in Poetry, and hauehave sharpness & dexterity accordingly,To expresse their Poet most liuely. will in a short time attaine to that ripenesse, as that they who know not the places which they imitate, shall hardly discerne in many verses, whether the verse bee Virgils verse, or the schollars.
But herein there must be this care,Caueat in contracting. that before they goe in hand with this kinde of contracting, they bee both well exercised in the former kindes, or the like; and also that they beate out the meaning of the place fully, marking what goeth before, and also what followeth after; and obseruing curiously eueryevery phrase, elegancy, and matter of any weight.☞
Morouer,To make verses of any ordinary Theam. that your schollars may be able to write verses ex tempore, of any ordinary Theame, after they hauehave bin wel practiced in turning the easie verses of Flores Po…tarum, forth of prose into verse, that they can doe it readily; appoint them of the most familiar Theames of it, and the sweetest verses thereof in order, to see how they can turne the same ex tempore into other verses, to the very same purpose; either by imitation, or contraction, like as I shewed the practice in their lectures: or hauing but the light of those verses, how they can make other verses of their owne like vntounto them.
By this practice kept duely,☜ to make some such verses twise in the day (as to giuegive them Theams before their breaking vp at noone,To versifie ex tempore. to bring them at one of the clocke, and at night to bring them in the morning, or nine, as before; onelyonly hauing this help and direction) or of a sodaine euer before they are to pla…e, to versifie of some Theame not thought of: and secondly by causing them to bring the sum of their Theams written vnderunder their Theams, comprized in a disticke, or two or moe, you shall finde that they will grow in so good sort, as shall be requisite to make you verses, ex tempore of any vsuall Theame, without hindering of their other studies. And here by they will soone bee acquainted with matter of all sorts according to those Common places,Benefits of this practice. and also with variety of poetical phrase of the best, with Epihetes & stile. This exercise is very commendable to satisfie such,The vse of versifying ex tempore. as vse to giuegive Theams to versifie vponupon ex tempore; and also for that it is a very great sharpner of the wit, as was sayd, and a stirrer vp of inuention and of good wits to strift and emulation.
In this matter of versifying,☜ as in all the former exercises, I take this Imitation of the most excellent patternes,Imitation surest to be the surest rule, both for phrase and whatsoeuer: And therefore I would hauehave the chiefest labor to make these purest Authors our owne, as Tully for prose, so Ouid and Virgil for verse so to speake and write in Latine for the phrase, as they did.
For them who desire to attain to more exquisite perfection in this faculty of Poetry,Further helps for versifying. these things may much further besides the former:
1. For more store and variety of matter,For store of m…tt…r to hauehave Cōmon place books or books of references to to the most excellent places in Poets. to hauehave Common place books (as I said for the Theams) therein at least to hauehave ref…rences▪ wherby to turn of a sodaine to matters of all sorts, in the most exquisite and pure Poets: to hauehave some direction both for matter and imitation; whether for Gratulatory verses, Triumphs, Funerals, or whatsoeuer. Or to refer all such principall places for imitation, to the heads in Flores Poetarum; which may serue insteede thereof☞
2. For variety & copie of Poeticall phrases,2. … the The saurus Phrasium poeticarum gathered by Buchlerus of the last Edition. An. M. D Cvij. is a notable helpe.
Also both for words and phrases,… Sylua Synonimorum, may stand in good steede, chiefly for schollars of iudgementable to make right choise of the fittest.
3. For store of Epithetes,3. For Epithets, Textors Epithets of the last and largest. which if they bee choyse, are a singular ornament, and meanes of speedinesse in this facultie, and so for all other matters belonging to Poetrie, Textor his Epitheta of the largest and of the last Edition printed at Lions, M. D. Cij. may bee a great helpe.
The abbridgement of Textors Epithetes may serue insteede hereof to young schollars:Abb…idgement of Textor. and namely to such who are not able to buy the large; though the large is more profitable.
4. For hauing of the best authorities for the quantities of all syllables,☞ Smotius his Prosodia will furnish plentifully;4. For Qua…iti…s and Authorities Smet… Prosodia … all needfull words being set in it in the Alphabeticall order. For rules of quantities, though our owne Grammar may be sufficient; yet you may see also Smotius his Methodus dignosc…n…arum Syllabarum ex Georg. Fabricio, set before his Prosodia. And rules of the quantities of Syllables in M. Butlers Rhetorick, short and very plaine. Chap. 14 de Metro.☞
Also the Virgils printed with Erythraus Index, …for Authorities and vses of all words in Virgil.
5. For imitation of the best Poets,… and further direction to attaine to more perfection in Poetry, see Sabines precepts Decarminibi…s ad vete…um imitationem artificiose componendis▪ ioyned with Textors Epithets. Also Buch…rus his Institutio Poetica in the end of his Thesaurus phrasium poeticarum.
6 For the Figures belonging to Poetry,6 Figures of Rhetoricke. see Butlars Rhetoricke in his fourteenth Chapt. De Metro.
7 For turning of Verses diuers waies,7 For turning Verses Poetically: Stockewood his Progymnasma s…olafticum. M▪ Stockwood his Progymnasma scholasticum is instar omnium▪ to direct and to incourage young schollars. In which booke towards the end of it, you shall hauehave one Disticke or couple of Verses, varied 450. wayes.One Disticke varyed 450. wayes. The Verses are these:
1 Linque Cupido iecur; cordi quo que parcito: sivis
Figere fige alio tela cruent a loco.
2 Parce meo iecori; intactum mihi linquito pectus:
Omnia de reliquo corpore membrapete.
3 Ca…epuer, &c.
And in the shutting vp of all,One Verse turned 104. waies, the same words being kept. this one Verse is turned by transposing the words 104. wayes; all the same wordes, and onelyonly those wordes being kept: which might seeme impossible, but that there we may see it before our eyes, that nine wordes should serue to make a hundreth and foure Verses, all of the same matter. The Verse is this:
Est mea spes Christus sol…s, qui de cruce pendet.
Est Christus solus mea spes, qui de cruce pendet.
Est solus Christus mea spes, qui de cruce pendet.
Solus de cruce, &c.
A schollar of any inclination and fitnesse for Poetry, cannot but receiue notable incouragement, hauing these, or but the principall of these bookes: this exercise of Versifying will be found a most pleasant recreation vntounto him after a time.
8 Lastly,8 Practice still all in all. in this exercise, as in all the rest, I holde daily practice and diligence (following the best patternes) to be the surest and speediest guide; and which will bring in time much perfection, where there is aptnesse of nature concurring.
Spoud.
But repeat mee in a word, which exercises you would hauehave daily put in practice.Daily and easie exercises.
Phil.
Turning the Verses of the Lectures, as was shewed; chiefly by contraction in Virgil, keeping strictly his phrase.
2 Before each breaking vp at noones and nights, to hauehave a Theame out of the easiest of Fl…res Poëtarum in order, to bring Verses of it at their entrance againe, or as is appointed to them.
3 Writing Verses of their weekly Theames.