Childrens Talk, Title page 1 – Dedication
Childrens Talke, ENGLISH & LATINE, divided into ſeveral Clauſes: Wherein the Propriety of both Languages is kept.
That Children by the help of their Mother-Tongue may more eaſily learn to diſcourſe in good Latine amongſt themſelves.
There are alſo Numbers ſet down betwixt both, which doe ſhew the place and naturall uſe of any Word or Phraſe.
By Charles Hoole Mr of Arts, L C. Oxon. Teacher of a Private Grammar-Schoole betwixt Goldſmiths-Alley in Red-croſs ſtrert and Maiden head Court in Alderſgate-ſtreet, LONDON.
M. Cord Lib. 3. Coll. 34. Latine it ſelf doth conſiſt rather in Ʋſe and Authority, then Reaſon or Rule.
LONDON, Printed for the Company of Stationers, 1659.
PUERILES CONFABULATIUNCULAE, ANGLO-LATINAE, in varias clauſulas diſtributae: Obſervato utriuſque Linguae idiomate.
Quò ſc. Colloquia ſat bene Latina faciliùs ope vernaculi pueri conterant.
Poſiti ſunt inſuper utriuſque confiniis Numeri, quibus uniuſcujuſque vocabuli vel Phraſeos indicatur locus & uſus genuinus.
A CAROLO HOOL A. Mro è Col. Lin. Oxon. Privatae Scholae Grammaticae Inſti…utore inter Aurifabrorum diverticulum in Rubrae Crucis, & aream Virginei Capitis in Alneae Portae vicis Apud Londinates.
M. Cord. Lib. 3. Col. 34. Ipſa Latinitas uſu & autoritate magis quàm ratione conſtat.
LONDINI, Sumptibus Societatis Stationariorum.
MDCLIX
To his really reſpected good friends, Mr. Ioſeph and Mr. Humphrey Primate Citizens of London.
YOur deſires are (worthy Sirs) to have your Sons gain a faculty of ſpeaking Latine, as well as Engliſh; a thing which I obſerve many parents wiſh for, and ſome School-maſters more ſtudiously labour after; but the many difficulties that attend the work (eſpecially in a Mort Language, and with Children not throughly grounded, many of whoſe Parents, being illiterate, or intending ſomthing elſe, doe not care, or afford any encouragement to have their Sons brought up in a Scholar-like way) hath made moſt of our Profeſsion, either not at all to undertake the task, or not till a perfect knowledge be had of the Grammer Rules, which is very rare, (I had almoſt ſaid impoſſible) before diſcretion.
To helpe forward your good wiſhes herein, I have formerly furniſhed them with ſtore of words; and ſome neceſſary Rules, or directions, how to put them together in forme of Speech, imitating ever and anon the expreſſions of thoſe Authors, whereof they were then capable. And obſerving that Colloquies are moſt ſuitable to children, (who like nothing ſerious long) and excellently profitable to attaine ability of diſcourſe, by comparing Language with language: I have purpoſely tranſlated ſo many of the choiceſt Books of them, and diſpoſed them in ſuch method, as may readilieſt enable young learners (as they paſs the Grammer Rules, and lower Authors) to write or ſpeake properly upon any occaſion, that ſo being acquainted with the Language aforehand, they may more cheerfully Proceed in Authors truly Claſsicall, and excerpt and note from thence ſuch Grammaticall, Rhetoricall, Morall, and other quaint paſſages, as themſelves are able to obſerve or their Maſters bid them minde.
And becauſe a man that keeps not the road, is likely many times to be left to go alone, and Children muſt be led along by an eaſier (though perhaps it be not a ſhorter) way then men may preſume to take. I make uſe of ſuch Books eſpecially, as are generally received in Grammer Schools; and have begun with Pueriles Confabulatiunculae, writ heretofore (as is propable) in Dutch and Latine by Evaldus Gallus, and with us commonly taught in Latine onelyonly, to young-ſmatterers in that tongue, becauſe it ſeems cheap and pleaſant.
This therefore at preſent, I beſeech you, be pleaſed to accept on your Sons behalfe, whom I thus ſtudy to benefit at a diſtance becauſe I am engaged to you by ſpeciall favours here, whereof I ought not to be backward to let the world take notice, however your ſelves account it enough to have done a courteſie.
And now the God of al goodneſs ſupply you and yours with meet gifts and graces to doe him ſervice: and increaſe your comforts here and herefter: Let me remaine.
Yours moſt ready to profit yours, CH: HOOLE. From my Schoole in Goldſmiths alley. Aprill 21. 1652,