A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching School, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
How to make Children of the third Forme perfect in the Latine Syntaxis commonly called Verbum Perſonale; as alſo to acquaint them with Proſodia; and how to help them to conſtrue and parſe, and to write, and ſpeak true and elegant Latine.
CHildren are commonly taught the Latine Syntaxis before they be put to make uſe of any Latine book beſides it; and ſo they but can ſay it readily by heart, conſtrue it, and give the force of its rules out of the examples, they are thought to learn it well enough. But the very doing thus much, is found to be a work too tedious with many, and therefore ſome have thought good to leſſen the number of the Rules, & others to daſh out many examples, as if more then one or two were needleſſe; ſo that when a Childe hath with them run over this part of the Grammar, it is well if he have learnt the half of it, or know at all what to do with any of it.
I think it not amiſſe therefore to ſhew, how it may be all gotten underſtandingly by heart, and ſettled in the memory by continual practiſe, which is the life of all learning;
1. Let thoſe then of this third forme divide their Accidents and Rules of Nounes and Verbs into ten parts, whereof they may repeat one every Thurſday morning, and make way for the getting of the Syntaxe on Mundaies, Tueſdaies & Wedneſ. for morning parts.
2. Let them repeat as many Rules memoriter, as they are well able, together with all their examples; and to help their underſtanding therein, you may do well to ſhew the meaning of every rule & exception beforehand, and to make them compare them with thoſe in the Engliſh rules under the ſame head, & to ſee which are contained in the Latine which are not in the Engliſh, and which are ſet down in the Engliſh, which are left out in the Latine.
3. To help them to conſtrue well before they come to ſay, let them make uſe of their Conſtrueng books, and that they may better mind what they conſtrue, you may cauſe them ſometimes, when they come to ſay, to read the part out of Latine into Engliſh.
4. In parſing, let them give you the word governing, and apply the word governed according to the rule, and tell-you wherein the exceptions and obſervations differ from the General rule.
5. Let them have a Paper-book in Quarto, in the margent whereof they may write the firſt words of every rule, and exception; and let them have as many familiar examples (ſome in Engliſh onelyonly, and ſome in Latine onelyonly) as may ſuffice to illuſtrate the rule more clearly to them, and do you help them extempore, to turn their Engliſh ones into Latine, and their Latine ones into Engliſh; and having a ſpace left under every head, let them fill it up with praegnant Examples, which they meet with as they read their Latine Authors, or as they Tranſlate Engliſh Sentences into Latine.
I obſerve Melancthon and Whittington of old, and Mr. Clarke, Mr. Comenius and others of late, to have made ſubſidiaries of this nuture, which becauſe they ſeem ſome what to overſhoot the capacities of children, who (as Mr. Aſcham obſerves) are ignorant what to ſay properly and fitly to the matter, (as ſome Maſters are alſo many times) I have taken the paines to make a praxis of all the Engliſh and Latine Rules of Conſtruction and Syntaxis, as they lie in order, and to adde two Indexes▪ The firſt of Engliſh words, and the Latine for them; The ſecond, Of Latine words and the Engliſh for them, with figures directing to the examples wherein they are to be uſed.
And for more perſpicuity ſake, I take care that no example may touch upon any rule, that is not already learned, for fear of puſſing young beginners in this neceſſary and eaſie way of tranſlating with the rule in their eye, which doth beſt direct the weakeſt underſtandings.
Now foraſmuch as the daily reading of Latine into Engliſh is an eſpeciall means to increaſe the knowledge of the Tongues, and to cauſe more heed to be taken to the Grammar Rules, as they are gotten by heart; I would have thoſe in this form to read every morning after prayers, four or ſix verſes out of the Latine Teſtament, which they will eaſily do, having beforehand learned to conſtrue them word by word, with the help of their Engliſh Bible. In this exerciſe, let them be all well provided, and do you pick out onelyonly one boy to conſtrue, and then ask any of the others the Analyſis of a Noune, or Verb here or there, or ſome rule of conſtruction, which you think they have not ſo well taken notice of as to underſtand it fully. Hereby you may alſo acquaint them with the rule and way of conſtruing, as it is more largely touched in the following part of this chapter.
N. B. Thoſe Children that are more induſtriouſly willing to thrive, may advantage themſelves very much by peruſal of Gerards Meditations, Thomas de Kempis, St. Auguſtins Soliloquies, or his Meditations, or the like pious and profiting Books, which they may buy both in Engliſh and Latine, and continually bear about in their pockets, to read on at ſpare times.
Their forenoone leſſons may be in Aeſopes Fables, which is indeed a book of great antiquity and of more ſolid learning then moſt men think. For in it many good lectures of morality, which would not (perhaps) have been liſtened to, if they had been delivered in a plain and naked manner, being handſomly made up and vented in an Apologue, do inſinuate themſelves into every mans minde.
And for this reaſon perhaps it is that I finde it, and Geſta Romanorum which is ſo generally pleaſing to our Countrey people) to have been printed and bound up both together in Latine, even when the Latine was yet in its droſſe. And to let you ſee what Latine Aeſop was there tranſlated into out of Greek by one Romulus, I will give you the firſt Fable, in his words;
De Gallo & Jaſpide.
IN ſterquilinio quidam pullus gallinatius, dum quaereret eſcam, invenit margaritam in loco indigno jacentem, quam cum videret jacentem, ſic ait; O bona res, in ſtercore hic jaces. Si te cupidus inveniſſet, cum quo gaudio rap…iſſet, ac in priſtinum decoris tui fratum rediſſes? Ego fruſtra te in hoc loco invenio jacentem. Vbi potius mihi eſcam quaero; & nec ego tibi proſum, nec tu mihi.
Haec Aeſopus illis narrat, qui ipſum legunt & non intelligunt.
No ſooner did the Latine Tongue endeavour to recover its priſtine purity, by the help of Eraſmus and other eminent men of learning in his time, but the Greek Coppy of Aeſop is tranſlated by him and his Contemporaries, every one ſtriving to outſtrip another in rendering it into good Latine; and it is obſervable, that the Stationers Coppy (which is generally uſed in Schooles) is a meere Rapſodie of ſome fragments of theſe ſeveral mens Tranſlations; whence it is that one and the ſame Fable is ſometimes repeated thrice over in ſeveral words, and that the ſtile of the Book is generally too lofty in it ſelf for Children to apprehend on a ſuddain; I have for their ſakes therefore turned the whole Book, ſuch as I found it, into proper Engliſh, anſwerable to the Latine, and divided both into juſt periods, marked with figures, that they may more diſtinctly appear, and be more eaſily found out for uſe or imitation; and though I obſerved ſome words and phraſes ſcarce allowable in many places of the book, yet I was loath to make any alteration, except in a few groſſe errors, and eſpecially one that quite perverted the ſenſe of the Fable, and appeareth to be a miſtake in the Tranſlator from the Greek Coppy, which is thus; foreign which is well latinized by one thus, Aper & Vulpes. Aper quum cuidam adſtaret arbori, dentes accuebat. But the unknown Tranſlator of this Fable (and the reſt that yet paſſe ſub incerto interprete) reading perhaps foreign in ſtead of foreign or finding that foreign doth ſometimes ſignifie like an adjective, ſolitarius, ſolitudines captans, &c. renders it into pure non-ſence, and in other words alſo differing from the Greek, thus; Singularis animal, & vulpes. Singularis agreſtis, ſuper quadam ſedens arbore, dentes acuebat. Which one having lately tranſlated into Engliſh verſe, with the Picture before it, hath prettily deviſed a Rhinocerate to ſtand by a tree, and to whet his teeth againſt it; whereas the Latine hath it, ſuper quadam ſedens arbore, which is impoſſible for ſuch an huge beaſt to do. I have therefore put out the word Singularis, and made it Aper agreſtis, according to an ancient Greek Coppy which I have, and I Engliſh the clauſe thus; Lib 2. Fab. …3. A wilde Boar ſtanding by a tree whetted his tuſhes. This I have noted obiter, to acquaint the more judicious with my reaſon of altering thoſe words, and to ſave the leſſe experienced, ſome labour in ſearching out the meaning of them, ſeeing they paſſe yet uncorrected in the Latine Booke.
Let them procure Aeſops Fables then in Engliſh and Latine, and the rather becauſe they will take delight in reading the Tales, and the moral in a Language which they already underſtand, and will be helped thereby to conſtrue the Latine of themſelves. And herein I would have them to take a whole Fable and its moral at one Leſſon (ſo that it do not exceed ſix periods) which they ſhould firſt read diſtinctly; ſecondly, conſtrue Grammatically, and then render the proper phraſes; thirdly, parſe according to the Grammatical order as they conſtrued, and not as the words ſtand. And then be ſure they can decline all the Nounes, and conjugate the Verbs, and give the Rules for the Genders of the one, and the Preterperfect tenſes and Supines of the other; as alſo for the concordance and conſtruction, either out of the Engliſh Rules, or Latine Syntaxe, or both, as they come to have learned them.
Let them ſometimes write a Fable fair and truly over, according to the printed Book, both in Engliſh and Latine, and ſometimes tranſlate one, word by word in that order, in which they conſtrued it; and this will inure them to Orthography.
That they may learn to obſerve and get the true Latine order of placing words, and the purity of expreſſion either in Engliſh or Latine ſtyle, let them imitate a period or more in a leſſon, turning it out of Engliſh into Latine, or out of Latine into Engliſh, thus; whereas they read in Engliſh. A Cock, as he turned over a dung-hill found a pearl, ſaying; why do I finde a thing ſo bright? and in Latine, Gallus gallinaceus, dum vertit ſtercorarium offendit gemmam; Quid, inquiens, rem ſic nitidam reperio? they may imitate it by this or the like expreſſion; As a beggar raked in a dunghill, he found a purſe, ſaying; why do I finde ſo much money here? Mendicus, dum vertit ſtercorarium, offendit crumenam; quid inquiens, tantum argenti hic reperio? By thus doing, they may learn to joyne Examples out of their leſsons to their Grammar Rules (which is the moſt lively and perfect way of teaching them) and to fetch a Rule out of their Grammar for every Example, uſing the Grammar to finde Rules, as they do the Dictionary for words, till they be very perfect in them.
Their Afternoons Parts may be to conſtrue a Chapter in Janua linguarum, which will inſtruct them in the Nature, as well as in the Names of things; and after they have conſtrued, let them try who can tell you the moſt words, eſpecially of thoſe, that they have not met with, or well obſerved in reading elſewhere. For Afternoon leſsons on Mondayes, and Wedneſdayes, let them make uſe of Mantuanus, which is a Poet both for ſtyle and matter, very familiar and gratefull to children, and therefore read in moſt Schooles. They may read over ſome of the Eclogues, that are leſs offenſive then the reſt, takeing ſix lines at a leſson, which they ſhould firſt commit to memory, as they are able. Secondly, Conſtrue. Thirdly, Parſe. Then help them to pick out the Phraſes and Sentences, which they may commit to a paper-book; and afterwards reſolve the matter of their leſsons into an Engliſh period or two, which they may turn into proper and elegant Latine, obſerving the placing of words, according to proſe. Thus out of the five firſt verſes in the firſt Eclogue,
Fauſte, precor, gelida quando pecus omne ſub umbra
Ruminat, antiquos paulum recitemus amores.
Ne ſi forte ſopor nos occupet …lla ferarum,
Quae modo per ſegetes tacite inſidiantur adultas.
Saeviat in pecudes. Melior vigilantia ſomno.
One may make ſuch a period as this; Shepherds are wont ſometimes to talke of their old loves, whileſt the cattel chew the cud under the ſhade; for fear, if they ſhould fall aſleep, ſome Fox, or Wolf, or ſuch like beaſt of prey, which either lurk in the thick woods, or lay wait in the grown corn, ſhould fall upon the cattel. And indeed, watching is farre more commendable for a Prince, or Magiſtrate, then immoderate, or unſeaſonable ſleep.
Paſtores aliquando, dum pecus ſub umbra ruminat, antiquos ſuos amores recitare ſolent; ne, ſi ſopor ipſos occupet, vulpes, aut lupus, aut aliqua ejus generis fera praedabunda, quae vel in denſis ſylvis latitant, vel per adultas ſegetes inſidiatur, in pecudes ſaeviat; Imo enimvero, Principi vel Magiſtratui vigilantia ſomno immodico ac intempeſtivo multo laudabilior eſt. And this will help to prepare their invention for future exerciſes, by teaching them to ſuck the marrow both of words and matter out of all their Authours.
The reaſon why I deſire children (eſpecially thoſe) of more prompt wits, and better memories, may repeat what they read in Poets by heart (as I would have them tranſlate into Engliſh what they read in Proſe) is, partly becauſe the memory thrives beſt by being often exerciſed, ſo it be not overcharged; and partly becauſe the roundneſſe of the verſes helpeth much to the remembrance of them, wherein boyes at once gain the quantity of ſyllables, and abundance of matter for phanſie, and the beſt choyce of words and phraſes, for expreſſion of their minde.
On Tueſdayes and Thurſdayes in the after-noon (after they have done with Corderius) they may read Helvici Colloquia (which are ſelected out of thoſe of Eraſmus, Ludovicus Vives, and Schottenius) and after they have conſtrued a Colloquie, and examined ſome of the hardeſt Grammar-paſſages in it, let them all lay aſide their books, ſave one, and let him read the Colloquie out of Latine into Engliſh, clauſe by clauſe, and let the reſt give it him again into Latine, every man ſaying round as it comes to his turn. And this will make them to mind the words and phraſes before hand, and faſten many of them in their memories. Help them afterwards to pick out the phraſes, and let them write them (as they did others) in a pocket paper-book. Cauſe them ſometimes to imitate a whole Colloquie, or a piece of one; and let them often ſtrive to make Colloquies amongſt themſelves, talking two, three, or more together about things familiar to them, and inſerting as many words and phraſes as they can well remember to be proper for the preſent, out of any of their Authours; and theſe they ſhould ſhew you fair written, with a note of the page and line, where they borrowed any expreſſion not uſed before, ſet down in the Margent of their exerciſe. And this will make them induſtriouſly to labour every day for variety of expreſſions, and encourage them much to diſcourſe, when they know themſelves to be certain in what they ſay, aud that they can ſo eaſily come by Latine, to ſpeak their mindes upon any occaſion.
But if inſtead of Mantuan, you think good ſometimes to make uſe of Caſtalions Dialogues, you may firſt make them read the hiſtory in the Bible by themſelves apart, & then hear them conſtrue it Dialogue-wiſe, pronouncing every ſentence as pathetically as may be Afterwards. One may read it in Engliſh, and the reſt anſwer him in Latine, clauſe by clauſe, as is already mentioned concerning the Colloquies.
And to help them ſomewhat the better to conſtrue of themſelves, you may direct them (according to the golden Rule of conſtruing, commended, and ſet down at large by induſtrious Mr. Brinſley, in the 93. and 94. pages of his Grammar Schoole) to take
1. The Vocative caſe, and that which dependeth upon it.
2. The Nominative caſe of the principal verb, and that which dependeth upon it.
3. The Principal verb, and that which ſerveth to explain it.
4. The Accuſative caſe, and the reſt of the caſes after it. And herein, cauſe them to obſerve, that Interrogatives, Relatives, and Conjunctions, uſe to go before all other words in conſtruing; and that the Adjective, and the Subſtantive, the Adverb, and the Verb, the Prepoſition, and its caſual word, go for the moſt part together. But be ſure to teach them often, to caſt the words of a period into their natural or Grammatical order; according to which, they muſt conſtrue; and to know the ſignification of every word and phraſe proper for its place; and withall, let them have in mind the chief matter, drift, and circumſtances of a place, according to the verſe.
Quis, cui, cauſa, locus, quo tempore, prima, ſequela.
Which biddeth one to heed, who ſpeaks, what is ſpoken, to whom he ſpeaks, upon what occaſion, or to what end he ſpeaks; at what time a thing was done or ſpoken, what went immediately before, and what followeth next after. And if either the conſtruing be againſt ſenſe, or Grammar Rule, let them try again another way.
To exerciſe them in ſomething (beſides the getting of Grammar parts) at home, let them every night turn two verſes out of the Proverbs of Solomon into Latine, and write out two verſes of the New Teſtament Grammatically conſtrued; and let them evermore take heed to ſpell every word aright, and to marke the Pauſes, or notes of diſtinction in their due places, for by this meanes they will profit more in Orthography, then by all the Rules that can be given them; and they will mind Etymologie, and Syntaxis, more by their own daily practice, then by ten times repetition without it.
On Saturdayes, after they can ſay the Aſsemblies Catechiſme in Engliſh & Latine, you may let them proceed with Perkins ſix Principles, and when they have repeated as much as they can well by heart, you may cauſe them to read it out of Engliſh into Latine, your ſelf ever & anon ſuggeſting to them the propriety of words and phraſes, where they are at a loſſe, and directing them, after they have once made it Grammatically, to caſt it into the artificiall order of Latine ſtyle. And then let them go to their places, and write it fair and truly in a little Paper book for the purpoſe.
If out of every Leſſon as they paſſe this little Catechiſme, you extract the Doctrinall points, by way of Propoſitions, and annex the Proofs of Scriptures to them, which are quoted in the Margent, as you ſee Mr. Perkins hath done in the beginning of the book, and cauſe your Scholars to write them out all fair and at large, as they finde them in their Bibles; it will be a profitable way of exerciſing them on the Lords day, and a good means to improve them in the reall knowledge of Chriſtianity.
Now foraſmuch as I have obſerved, that children about nine years of age, and few till then, begin to reliſh Grammar, ſo as of themſelves to ſeek into the meaning of Rules, thereby to conceive the reaſon of Speech; I now judge it requiſite for this form to be made throughly acquainted with the whole body of it. Therefore, after they have gone over the plain Syntaxis, two or three times by morning parts, as is ſhewed, and have got it pretty well by heart, (for which I judge three quarters of a year will be time ſufficient) you may let them divide the whole Syntax into 12 parts; reckoning them according to the ſeverall Heads of it; thus: The firſt, De Concordantia Nominativi & verbi, Substantivi & Adjectivi, Relativi, & Antecedentis. The ſecond, de Conſtructione Subſtantivorum, & Adjectivorum cum Genitivo. The third, de conſtructione Adjectivorum cum Dativo, Accuſativo, & Ablative. The fourth, de constructione Pronominum. The fifth, de constructione verborum cum Nominativo & Genitivo. The ſixth de constructione verborum cum Dativo, & Accuſativo. The ſeventh, de constructione verborum cum Ablativo. The eighth, de Gerundiis & Supinis, & de Tempore & Loco. The ninth, de conſtructione Imperſonalium & Participiorum. The tenth, de constructione Adverbiorum. The eleventh, de constructione Conjunctionum. The twelfth, de conſtructione Praepoſitionum, & Interjectionum. All which twelve you may adde to the thirty parts in the Accidents, and Propria quae maribus, &c. and let your Scholars beſtow a moneths time together in repeating, and examining the Accidents, and thus farre of the Grammar, (both for Parts and Leſſons) till they have thorowly made it their own; and that they may the better conceive how it hangeth together, and what uſe they are to make of its ſeverall parts, you ſhould often make them run over the Heads of it, and give them an Analyſis of their dependency one upon another.
After this, they may more underſtandingly proceed to the Figures of words and conſtruction; the definitions whereof, and their Examples they need onelyonly get by heart; and for that purpoſe do you note them out with a pen, and in explaining of them, give as many examples as may make them fully to apprehend their meaning. But when they have ſaid the Definition of one or more Figures at a part by heart, you may cauſe them to conſtrue all they finde concerning it; and to help them in ſo doing, (they that are otherwiſe leſſe able) may make uſe of Mr. Stockwoods little book of Figura construed. Then let them go on to Proſodia; for their more eaſie underſtanding of which, as they proceed in it: you may tell them the meaning of it in brief, thus;
Proſodia, being the laſt part of Grammar, teacheth the right pronunciation of words, or the tuning of Syllables in words, as they are pronounced; and therefore it is divided into a Tone, or Accent, a Spirit, and a Time, whereof a Tone ordereth the tune of the voyce, ſhewing in what ſyllables it is to be lifted up, and what to be let down, & in what both to be lifted up, and let down; So that there are three Tones, a Grave, which is ſeldome or never made, but in the laſt ſyllable of ſuch words as ought to have had an Acute in the laſt ſyllable, & that in the contexture of words in this manner; Nè ſi forte ſopor nos occupet. an Acute, which is often uſed to difference ſome words from others, as uná, together, ſeduló, diligently, remain acuted at the end of a Speech, and in continuation of ſpeech have their acute accents turned into a Grave, to make them differ from una, one, and ſedulo, diligent. A Circumflex which is often marked to denote a loſt ſyllable, as amârunt, for amaverunt. A ſpirit ordereth the breath in uttering ſyllables, ſhewing where it is to be let out ſoftly, and where ſharply; as, in ara an Altar, and hara a ſwine coate. The milde Spirit is not marked, but the weak letter n being uſed as a note of aſpiration only, and not reckoned as a Conſonant, ſerveth to expreſſe the ſharp Spirit. There are three Rules of Accents, which are changed by Difference, Tranſpoſition, Attraction, Conciſion, and Idiome. Time ſheweth the meaſure, how long while a ſyllable is to be in pronouncing, not at all regarding the Tone. A long ſyllable is to be a longer while, and a ſhort, a ſhorter while in pronouncing. Of long and ſhort ſyllables, put together orderly, feet are made, and of feet, verſes.
4. Now to know when a ſyllable is long or ſhort, there are Rules concerning the firſt, the middle and laſt ſyllables, ſo that if one minde in what part of a word the ſyllable ſtands, he may eaſily finde the Rule of its quantity.
The ſumme of Proſodia being thus hinted to them, they may get it by heart at morning Parts; & if they cannot conſtrue it well by themſelves, they may be helped by a little book made by Barnaby Hampton, called Proſodia conſtrued. But be ſure that they can read you every part into Engliſh, and tell you the true meaning of it. Your own frequent examination will be the beſt way to know whether they underſtand it or not. And to prepare them for the practice of it in making verſes, I would firſt let them uſe it in learning to ſcan and prove Hexamiter verſes onelyonly, out of Cato, or Mantuan, or ſuch Authours as they have read, thus;
1. Let them write a verſe out, and divide into its juſt feet, giving a daſh or ſtroke betwixt every one; and let them tell you what feet they are, and of what ſyllables they conſiſt; and why they ſtand in ſuch or ſuch a place; as,
Si Deus-eſt ani-mus no-bis ut-carmina-dicunt.
Hic tibi-praecipu-è ſit-pura-mente co-lendus.
2. Let them ſet the mark of the Time or Quantity over every ſyllable in every foot, and give you the reaſon (according to the Rules) why it is there noted long, or ſhort; as,
Sī Dĕŭs ēſt ănĭ-mūs nō bī, ūt-cārmĭnă-dī cūnt.
Hīc tĭbĭ-praēcĭipŭ-ē ſīt-pūi-mēntĕ cŏ-lēndŭs.
Let them now divide Figura and Proſodia into ſix parts; The firſt, de Figuris Dictionis, & Constructionis. The ſecond, de Tonis & Spiritibus. The third, de Carm num ratioue▪ & generibus. The fourth, de quantitate primarum ſyllabarum. The fifth, de mediis ſyllabis. And the ſixth, de ultimis ſyllabis; which they may adde to the forty two parts afore mentioned, and keep by conſtant repetition of one of them every day, till they can ſay them all very well by heart, and give a perfect account of any thing in them.
Then let them begin the Accidents, and go thorow it, and the whole Latine Grammar at twelve parts, onelyonly conſtruing and giving an account of the by-Rules, but ſaying all the reſt by heart; ſo that the firſt part may be The Introduction. The ſecond, The Conſtruction of the eight parts of Speech. The third Orthographia. The fourth, Etymologia, ſo farre as concerns the Species, Figure, Number, Caſe, and Gender of Nounes. The fifth, concerning the Declenſions (including Quae genus) and the compariſon of Nounes. The ſixth, concerning a Pronoun and a Verb. The ſeventh, concerning a Participle, an Adverb, a Conjunction, a Praepoſition, and an Interjection. The eighth, Syntaxis, ſo far as concerns the Concords, and the Conſtruction of Nounes. The ninth, concerning the conſtruction of Verbs. The tenth, concerning the Construction of Participles, Adverbs, Conjunctions, Praepoſitions and Interjections. The eleventh concerning Figures, Tones, and Spirits. The twelfth, concerning the manner of Verſes, and the quantity of Syllables.
Now in repeating theſe parts, I do not enjoyn that onelyonly one boy ſhould ſay all, though I would have every one well prepared to do ſo; but that one ſhould ſay one piece, and another another, as you pleaſe to appoint either orderly throughout the Form, or picking out here and there a boy at your own diſcretion. According to this diviſion, the whole Accidents and Grammar may be run over once in a moneths ſpace, and continued in the upper Formes, by repeating one part onelyonly, and conſtantly in a week, ſo as it may never be forgotten at the Schoole.
This Form in ſhort, is to be employed about three quarters of a year.
1. In reading four or ſix verſes out of the Latine Teſtament every morning, immediately after Prayers.
2. In repeating Syntaxis on Mondayes, Tueſdayes, and Wedneſdayes, and the Accidents, and Propria quae maribus, &c. on Thurſdayes for morning parts.
3. In Aeſops Fables for fore-noone Leſſons.
4. In Janua Linguarum for After-noone Parts.
5. In Mantuan for Afternoons Leſſons on Mondayes and Wedneſdayes; and in Helvicus's Colloquies on Tueſdayes, and Thurſdayes.
6. In the Aſſemblies Latine Catechiſme, on Saturdayes for Leſsons.
7. In tranſlating every night two verſes out of the Proverbs into Latine, and two out of the Latine Testament into Engliſh, which (with other dictated Exerciſes) are to be corrected on Fridayes, after repetitions ended, and ſhewed fair written on Saturday mornings; but, becauſe their wits are now ripened for the better underſtanding of Grammar, and it is neceſſary for them to be made wholly acquainted with it, before they proceed to the exact reading of Authors, and making Schoole-exerciſes, I would have them ſpend one quarter of a yeare, chiefly in getting Figura, and Proſodia, and making daily repetition of the whole Accidents and Common-Grammar. So that this third year will be well beſtowed in teaching children of betwixt nine and ten yeares of age the whole Grammar, and the right uſe of it in a method anſwerable to their capacities, and not much differing from the common rode of teaching.