A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching School, Title page – Dedication 1
A NEW DISCOVERY Of the old Art of TEACHING SCHOOLE, In four ſmall TREATISES.
1. concerning A Petty-Schoole.
2. concerning The Uſhers Duty In a Grammar Schoole.
3. concerning The Maſters Method In a Grammar Schoole.
4. concerning Scholaſtick Diſcipline In a Grammar Schoole.
Shewing how Children in their playing years may Grammatically attain to a firm groundedneſs in and exerciſe of the Latine, Greek and Hebrew Tongues. Written about Twenty three yeares ago, for the Benefit of Rotherham School, where it was firſt uſed; and after 14. years trial by diligent practiſe in London in many particulars enlarged, and now at laſt publiſhed for the general profit, eſpecially of young Schoole-Maſters.
By Charles Hoole Maſter of Arts, and Teacher of a Private Grammar School in Lothbury Garden, London.
London, Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard, 1660
To the Right Worſhipfull, his moſt Reverend, conſtant, & truly loving Friend Robert Saunderſon D. D. and Rector of Boothby-Pagnell. C. H. wiſheth increaſe of Grace, and perfection of GLORY.
SIR,
NOw I have by Gods bleſſing obtained (that which you can witneſſe I have ſeriouſly laboured after) a thrice ſeven yeares experience in this deſpicable, but comfortable employment of teaching Schoole; I think it not amiſſe to diſcover to the world, what method I have hitherto uſed, and which I reſolve to continue, ſo long as God ſhall enable me to undergoe this profeſſion of a Schoole-Maſter, which at firſt I undertook, and have ever ſince perſiſted in, by your encouragement.
How far this New Diſcovery is improved, ſince I made it at Rotherham, and afterwards writ it out at little Humbie, whileſt I lived more retiredly in the houſe of that Noble Knight, Sir William Brownelwoe, (whom I think my ſelf ever bound to honour for for his ſingular and undeſerved favours to me in many particulars) I refer it to you to conſider. For as you ſometimes then peruſed it in Manuſcript, ſo I hope you will (at your leiſure) look upon it now in print, and not like it much worſe, then formerly.
For I may truly ſay, that beſides what I have obſerved by reading ſundry Authours treating of this ſubjest, or gained by frequent and familiar converſe with men of known abilities, both in City and Country. I have profited moſt in this Art of teaching, by my Scholars; who have been my daily inſtructers, how to ſuit my method to their ſeveral capacities. And of all that ever I have taught either in publick Schoole, or in my own, or others houſes, in more private manner, I have been beholding moſt to my London Scholars, who as they are generally quick-ſpirited, and forward to learn, where the way is eaſy to them; ſo are they ſoon apt to flag and be diſcouraged, when any difficulties appeare in their way. For their ſakes therefore, (who by reaſon of many Schooles were ſometimes occaſioned to remove from one to another) I was enforced to facilitate the most common way of teaching, according to what you ſee, I have here endeavoured in theſe ſmall Treatiſes.
In the publiſhing whereof I beſeech you, that I may not offend in making uſe of your name, as well as my Maſters; for as I was inſtructed by him at the School, ſo I was by your means ſent, and provided for in the Vniverſity; and though I can never be able to requite your care and pains on my behalf, yet I have long deſired, even whileſt you are both living, to teſtify to the world, that I am not forgetful altogether of your great benefits. If what I have here done be liking to your ſelfe, I ſhall leſſe need to care how others cenſure me, or it; Foraſmuch as you have known me ſince my firſt ſtudies, and are ſufficiently able to judge of a way to come by learning, as having been your ſelf well methodized in your youth, and attained to that perfection in all kinde of knowledge, which many do much admire, but few can hope to exceed. But I know to whom I write, and therefore I will not adventure into an Ocean of what may be ſaid of your demerits, eſpecially to mee wards, onelyonly I commend this little work to your acceptance, as a Teſtimony of that unfeigned reſpect, which I think my ſelf ever bound to ſhew towards you and yours; And I beſeech God (that hath been pleaſed to exerciſe me in School-teaching, whilſt you have been put upon exerciſes in School-Divinity, and ſo ordered that ſomething of what we have each done, is now labouring at the preſſe; to continue our earneſt endeavours to ſerve him whilſt we live, that when we dye, we may partake of that bleſsed reward, which is reſerved in heaven for all thoſe that attend the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; to whoſe Grace I commend you and all yours, and reſt
Your humbly obſervant Kinſman, CHARLES HOOLE. London, Dec. 24. 1659.