A Light to Grammar and All Other Arts and Sciences, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Rules of practiſe, amongst which the Method of our proceeding is cleared to be according to Nature, and right Reaſon.
1. HEre I muſt reſume againe what was ſaid in the beginning of the fourth Chapter, and inlarge it a little, for thereon depends very much. It was this, That Grammar learning, as it is taught, is a matter of greater difficulty, then any ſtudy that a man afterwards undertakes: For here can be no ſuch preparatory to the underſtanding as the Philoſopher requireth in all ſtudies. Here examples and precepts are alike difficult, either being as ſtrange, and as unknowne as the other: and therefore like to yeild a poore illuſtration, where their proceeding is ab ignoto ad ignotum. Whereas in other Studies, if the precepts bee difficult, yet ſuch examples may bee had for explication of them, as are obvious to every mans experience. Hence it muſt needs follow, that ſeeing for the ſtudy of Latine, and of other Languages, there is no foreign in Nature; there is Reaſon good enough to leave the ordinary courſe, and to make a preparation unto rule by experience, which may ſerve in ſtead of Nature. But this way of experience, which is nothing elſe but the very method of Invention, being in it ſelfe conſidered, and without the other, muſt needs be very confuſed, as being exerciſed in ſingulars, which (as the Philoſophers ſay) are infinite, and mutable, and therefore not ſcientificall. Beſides, it can give but little ſatisfaction, as propoſing only the foreign, and leaving the foreign to the labour of the learner. Nor can it but be long, before it attaines the end, which is the making Analogie knowne. For if the rules of Grammar being already framed by men of Heroick wits that were the firſt inventors of them, have yet ſuffered ſo many alterations of after Ages, before they could bee brought to their true Generalities: and ſo many ſupplements of other rules, deſeried by them afar off, and more clearely ſeene, and found out of others by occaſion of their former labours, together with their owne endeavours, before the diſcipline could be ſuckt to a perfect and proportionable body; How long may we thinke it will bee before Children, who are led more by the ſenſe then by the underſtanding, and therefore can hardly uſe abſtraction, will bee able to frame unto themſelves generall rules by induction out of particular examples.
On the other ſide, The Method of Doctrine muſt needs bee too ſubtile for Children; as taking his beginning from Ʋniverſals and ſo neceſſarily requiring ſubſtraction, which is not to bee expected from that age. Beſides it cannot but be dry, tedious, and liveleſſe in this caſe, as being without all Principles. So then there is a mid way to be taken, a Method mixt of both theſe, beginning in experience, as the way to rule, preventing the difficulties of generalities; and ending in rule, as the perfection of experience taking away the tediouſneſſe of Induction. And this is the moſt Cardinall rule, the very hinge whereon the whole frame doth hang and turne it ſelfe; The moſt naturall method, ſetting uſe aſide; whereby wee gaine the Language, which reduceth all Grammars to one, and teacheth them all alike for the manner, Thus.
2. The Child muſt obſerve what eye-ſervice he can do himſelfe, when he is upon Declenſion (there he begins, for by one example there, he ſooner learnes what part of ſpeech, number, caſe, and gender, then by ſaying the rules thereto belonging ten times over) Declenſion and Verbe; and the ſervice is this, he obſerves that there are letters which ſtand in the one and other, as ſubſtantially fixed, and unchangeable as a roote, the ſame ſtill in every Caſe, Tenſe, and Perſon therein: Some letters againe are very accidentall, and moveable, of a ſervile condition, ſerving onelyonly their turne, Time, and Place, and then away giving place to ſome other. This muſt be diſtinctly obſerved, and no ſubtilty at all, but with this direction; That he Muſ: … Libr…i Lapi… isſhall find theſe Radicall letters (now the word is eaſie) in the firſt or ſecond caſe of the Noune, (the ſecond never failes, nor the firſt caſe in the firſt, fourth, fifth Declenſion) and then the Laud: … Laudav: i Lauda…: Iung: o lunx: i lun…tu:ſame all along; but in the Verbe, three Cardinals, and the Radicals more or leſſe, and moſt times different in all. The ſame to be obſerved in the Greeke, but more Cardinals; wee meane by a Cardinall ſuch a Tenſe, which is, as it were, the hinge on which the Verbe is turned; or where-from all the Tenſes are framed or derived.
And this is as proper to the Latine and Greek, as to the Hebrew it is every whit, onelyonly with this diſtinction; Theſe ſervants, theſe ſervile letters, are ſtill at the end of the Latine and Greek word, (except in the Tenſe wherein the firſt fyllable is doubled) in the Hebrew they are in the beginning, middle, and end, but more ſtayed, not ſo fleeting.
3. All this ſervice, the childs pen hath made eaſie and familiar to him, and more ſervice it muſt doe then this; for the Engliſh muſt be written anent the Muſa, A Song. A Song, Muſa. So in the Verb.Latine, after firſt, then before, and in the ſame manner he muſt be examined; and hereof the child ſhall quickly ſee full uſe; full indeed, for hereby he hath attained, that which in the ſtudy of language we ayme at, even theſe two things, To underſtand others; and to expreſſe our ſelves; And this the child muſt practice in ſimple words firſt, before he can effect it in ſentences, that being the order of nature to proceed a ſimplicibus ad compoſita, materialls firſt, and then compoſition, a putting them together. And ſo expreſſing one language by the other in declining and examining of words, faire way is made for Syntax, the formet for the conſtruing, the later for the making of Latin: For all words in any one language of the ſame Accidents alwayes have the ſame expreſſions in another language, in reſpect of thoſe accidents. So that in conſtruing, having the ſignification, the childe cannot faile in the adſignification: and in making Latine, having the word, he will not faile in the accident. Where we may note by the way, That the hardeſt matter, and whereat we ſtick, is the ſupplying the child in words, what is Latine for this, and that: for having the Accidents of five, and foure, he hath them in all. My meaning is; The child in his way never ſticks at the adſignification of his word; as if ranarum be the word, he will ſay of, but he may not know that rana is a frogge, ſo if the word be ambichant, he knows his Analogie, as audiebant, they did, and there ſtops. Here uſe muſt help us, and that wherein we are ſo wanting; labour. I know no other help where-from to ſupply us; But the child goes on in true method, for by the ſame way he pronounceth his word right alſo, ſeeing the Analogie, and Agreement betwixt them, their Dorivation, Compoſition, all three.
4. But here we goe very leiſurely as nature doth, and will: if we leap and skip now, we ſhall fall back again preſently. The childe muſt goe very gradually here, ſpecially at the firſt ſteps, as up a paire of ſtaires: every ſtep gains a degree of light, which he puts out preſently, if he haſtens up, and aſcends but to ruine. My plaine meaning is this; The child muſt make a ſtand at his firſt word, till he well underſtands the Accidents thereof; for there comes in the light, which cleares the way to all the reſt. But if the Maſter will haſten the childe to the next ſtep, before he ſees his ſtanding on the firſt, the child doth but ſtep up and fall downe, learne and unlearn all along; for certain it is, there is a gradation in Grammar, ſo in all Arts, as up a paire of ſtaires, a naturall order, and aſcent, which if we break, we are ſure to fall back: we may ſeemingly move onward, but promote the child never a whit; our labour is rather in circle, then in progreſſion; The child would on apace, and that pleaſeth the Parent; for it is not in their Philoſophy, to conſider, that examples are rules, which is our Poſition all along: And that in learning them by tale, we rather Multiply then Number; for though we ſeeme in our ſtand, but to make Cyphers here, yet we gaine places now, more then two or three, ſo making one word ſtand for more then a thouſand. I will briefly ſet down the manner how.
So ſoone as we are exact in three Declenſions, (we muſt be exact all along, for one miſtake in the beginning, multiplies in our proceeding) ſo ſoone, I ſay, as we have perfected the three Declenſions, with all their Accidences, wetake two Adjectives (indeed for ſome conſiderable differences to a Novice, we take foure, ater, albus, (not bonus being irregular) audax, dulcis, and in theſe two we have declined all Adjectives, whether Noune, Pronoune, or Participle, and compared them exactly well. The example makes the impreſſion, and from the particular the child is able to conclude the Generall rule, by the help of his Maſter queſtioning the childe, ſo workin up the underſtanding aThe ſame is to bee done in a Verb. And this is to Catechize indeed, be it in high matters or in low: for hereby knowledge is diſtilled, or dropped into the minde, by the greateſt eaſe that can be imagined, to the Teacher, and Learner both. I know full well, That Cuſtome, the Univerſall Monarch or King of the world (faith Herodot) would beare down this with the impetuouſneſſe of its ſtreame, but it ſhall be found for all that, as firme as the earth, if ſo be that time (which makes all wiſe that obſerve it) and experience may be ſuffered to give in their verdict bVere. dictum. A true rcport. A report of the Truth …ort,ſcue of the Law. Chap. 26.. The childe hath ſpent ſome time in learning the Grammar without book, What hath he gained? Not the knowledge of the Vocative Caſe in the ſecond Declenſion, when the Nominative endeth in us; nor how many Caſes are alike when the Gender is Neuter, though he hath ſaid the rule twenty times; nor knowes he from what Tenſe or Perſon the Praeterperfect Tenſe is framed, ſo experience tells us, though As in preſenti is as familiar with him, as his bread and butter. But now let him fixe upon the examples here, and work out the rule, which by the help of his Maſter he will very quickly doe, then he underſtands it, and it is under ſafe lock and key, ready for his uſe alwaies. I could cleare very well, how naturall the progreſſe is from the ſenſe to the underſtanding, thence to the memory; how unnaturall and retrograde the other way is. But I have ſaid enough to him that will underſtand: I will adde but this here; It is the readieſt way in the world to nuzzle up the childe, or the man (for hee is a childe in knowledge) in ignorance, if we keep him in his rode, and content our ſelves that he ſaith perfectly by rote. This comes to nothing: we muſt parcell forth his leſſon into queſtions, whereto, in his rode way, it is not poſſible he ſhould frame an anſwer.
And thus if we doe, we ſhall make Grammars all alike to the child, let me ſay, and Catechiſmes alſo; And now I have ſpoken that which is of infinite uſe, and mighty concernment to the Catechiſt, whether he teacheth men or boyes.
There is an Objection: That the old method produced as good ſcholars anciently, as any new can doe now. I verily beleeve it, and better ſcholars too; but no thanks to the method. I ſhall give a full reaſon for that in a few words, but I referre it to the laſt both Part, and Chapter. I proceed now onward in my rules directing our practice.
5. We obſerve the univerſall uſe of all in Analyſis, commonly called conſtruing and parſing; and in Geneſis termed Making Latine. In conſtruing, the firſt & principall care is to finde out the Nominative Caſe, (by the rule of Logick that Caſe muſt be ſought firſt, being the theame or ſubject of the Axiom, but the child will ſooner finde out the Verb, and let him take his way) the Verb next, (this is the argument or predicat:) both together make the Axiome. Where alſo we note by the way, that the ſecond Concord is taught preſently after the Declenſion, and indeed it is the firſt in nature, being moſt ſimple, and having a Topicall diſpoſition, without affirmation or negation, whereas the diſpoſition of the other is axiomaticall; but no need of this to the childe. It is enough he can finde out the Verb, and his Nominative Caſe, (for that is eaſieſt) and knowes the reſt are additaments, depending upon one of the two.
6. The phraſes are to be conſtrued, firſt rendringword for word, for the learners underſtanding; then rendring phraſe for phraſe for his uſe in tranſlation, that he may underſtand that all languages have their ſeverall properties, which are by no meanes to be violated, nor the compoſition of the Authour neither; wherein Caeſar is moſt exact, as he is the beſt Hiſtory in the world, (ſaith a great Scholar) expreſſed in the greateſt propriety of words, and perſpicuity of Narration that ever was.
7. His Authours muſt be ſuch as are moſt ſenſuall, I meane ſuch as doe beſt inſtruct his underſtanding, and life together, whether Fables, Colloquies, Comedies, or Epiſtles, familiar Hiſtories. Poets alſo of the very beſt; for though verſifying ſuppoſeth plenty of words, and freedome of ſpeech, yet if a childe ſtay til then, for ought I know, (I know what their ſlackneſſe is) he will never reade a Poet in the Schoole. And then no ſmall want, though I know proſe ſhould be well perfected firſt. But if to a verſe, then why not to Homer, Virgil, Ovid, and Horace? we all are ſure they are the beſt, and a childe muſt be acquainted with more kinde of verſes then one. But there the childe may find the worſt too, and ſo he may alſo even in thoſe Poets, which we account, and indeed are moſt Chriſtian. We never knew any garden weeded ſo cleane, but ſomething there was which might offend there; our inſtruction was long ſince, wee know no better now: Wee muſt imitate the Bee: and then we ſhall finde honey, or make it ſo foreign &c. Iſoc. ad Dem. w..
8. Concerning Tranſlation, and Imitation, &c. what can be ſaid after M. Aſcham, M. Horn, and many others? So alſo touching aydes or helps to ſpeech and invention: Such are Apologues, Proverbs, Emblems, Hiſtories, Cauſes, Effects, Topicks, the heads or places which aſſiſt us therein. So much hath been ſaid in all this, as I know not what can be added. Beſides, it is beyond my ſcope in this place, which is no more then to ſhew the way how the childe muſt be taught his Grammar, where all along the way, the Teacher muſt obſerve this, and it is the chiefe of his duty at this part; he ſhall heare more, at the concluſion of the next, but this now.
9. Now the Maſter muſt conſider all along that the firſt impreſſions in children are weak and wateriſh, no ſooner made but gone, like lightning, at once begun and ended. The firſt and ſecond time their leſſon is rather looked on then learned; and the Maſter muſt have patience for all that, he muſt compoſe himſelfe to goe as ſlowly as the childs conceit requires; if the Maſter be quick when the child is ſlow (then there is much matter offered unto paſſion, but then) paſſion goes on, and the child back. The Maſters wiſedome is to ſtoop to the childe, to ſee where he ſticks. His pen is but a dead thing, the Maſter muſt put life unto it; he muſt ſo ſpeak that the childe muſt ſee him ſpeak, he muſt (as ſome have done bChilds Patrimony Preface, p. 19.) heare with the eye, and learne to ſpeak by his fingers; and this will not be with ſome children, till the Maſter puts his words upon his fingers ends, a thing very poſſible to be done, nay it muſt be done.
I may not forget the counſell that Nazianzen gives to his fellow-Paſtors, and Overſeers; or rather what ſuch ſhould be: Not their words onelyonly, foreign, &c. Nazianz. Orat. 6.but their apparell, their going, their ſitting, their whole carriage, and deportment muſt have a tongue, & ſpeak forth, Holineſſe to the Lord; every thing about them muſt be ſo regulated, ſo expreſſe agreeing to rule; ſo lively a copy, as that it bid the lookers on, (and they are many; every ones eye is upon the light, and a City ſet upon an hill) aMat. 5. 14.) look on us, and as you ſee us doe, ſo doe yee. And this is of ſingular uſe for them, who teach youth alſo. But that I ſpecially noted for our purpoſe now, when I reade that Oration, (it is his ſixt) was this expreſſion; I have, ſaid he, ſet out before you, a Pictured ſpeech. bforeign.. What is that? I will expreſſe it as well as I can, for that is to our purpoſe, I have made my words ſo plain, and viſible, that your eyes may look upon them, as you may the picture, which the cunning workman hath ſet out: So plaine have I ſpoken. And ſo may yee all ſpeake; and alwaies ſpeake ye ſervants of the Lord! for this is to ſpeake with tongues indeed, when every thing about a Miniſter ſpeakes; And this is to ſpeake in the language of the moſt ſacred Scripture alſo, and in the Dialect of the people too; they underſtand it full well.
But I ſeeme to teach my Teachers: no, I doe but recite the counſell of an ancient father unto them, that they may learne how to ſpeake with tongues, and to the peoples underſtanding; They cannot be put in mind too often thereof, that their words may not ſwim in the braine onelyonly, but ſinke into the heart alſo; For us, who move in a lower ſpheare, anſwerably we muſt ſpeake, ſtooping, as low as is poſſible, to the capacity, or elſe we move in a round. or circle, we doe not goe forward, wee do not promote the Child; whether we would or no, whether pleaſing to us or not, we muſt, if we would doe good, ſo ſpeake to the child, as if we painted our words, he muſt ſee us ſpeake. He muſt read our words upon our fingers ends, even ſo; and how I have ſaid ſo, I had ſaid all; but that I muſt give further light hereunto, for at this point wee Teachers differ very much, and now it ſhall be cleared, who goes right, informing the Child the right way.
10. There is a fond opinion abroad, & ever was ſince I could remember, and will be when I am not, which is this, That every Schoole hath his Method, and every Maſter his way; A great miſtake that; As the Hoſt ſaid of Coena dabia.his various dainties, and doubtfull ſupper, though there ſeemed a variety, yet all was but Swines fleſh diverſly cooked; and yet not very diverſly neither, for all was either ſod or roſted; Iuſt ſo here: we all diſh in the Grammar to the Child: there ſhould bee no doubt of that, though it is objected and concluded againſt ſome, That they doe not ſerve-up the Grammar to the Child: Yes, they doe, and account it, though not as the principall Diſh, yet as neceſſary almoſt as Bread and Salt to a feaſt: wee all diſh-in the Grammar to the Child I ſaid: What diverſly cooked? every Teacher his way? No; there are but two wayes; They ſerve up the Grammar to the Underſtanding of a Child, but through the wrong doore, they begin with the memory firſt; We ſerve it up too, but in very good order by the doore of the Senſe, as the man cooked his meat; ſo proportioning it to the palat of the underſtanding; and now the Child can taſte or reliſh it, and well remember it altogether.
But it will bee ſtill ſaid, This is a ſtrange and novell way; No; The moſt familiar way; for what more eaſie to a Child, then to enter by his owne doore, ſet open by his owne key. And moſt ancient too; for, thus it was of old, from that, the Child ſaw or heard, he put a queſtion to his Father; What is this? What the meaning of that? Then the Father, improving the Childs ſenſes, anſwered, So and ſo; ſo informing the Childs underſtanding, in that he knew not, by that he knew. So anciently it was.Childs Pat…imony p. 99.
Wee affirme then (and it cannot be reaſonably contradicted) concerning our handling the Grammar, and theirs, as of old was ſaid of Rhetorick and Logick: Compare them together, and the difference is no more, (though it makes a great difference) but in contraction, and explication, obſcurity, Fugnus, paln…a.and perſpicuity: So here; In teaching the Grammar, They begin with memory firſt, that leaves the underſtanding in the darke: we with the ſenſe, ſo putting to the underſtanding; then to memory; this is explication, for it unfolds the underſtanding, makes all light there, and ſo perſpicuous, that the Child can ſee through all even to his memory alſo. And this is as it ſhould be. For this is a concluſion of experience; That words of a thing not ſenſible cannot be legible, then, nor intelligible to a Child. Therefore, That a Child cannot be ſaid to proceed, unleſſe his underſtanding and memory keepe mutuall correſpondency in pace, like two parallels, running on in equall extent, as beginning, ſo ending both together. And thus much, that my meaning might bee full, and fully explained; That the difference might be accorded, the true way taken, which certainly will bee by him, who ſhall thinke adviſedly on the matter. But yet I have not done; having two Rules more concerning our practiſe, Two alſo touching the practiſe of the Child, wherein I ſhall be very briefe, reſerving the fuller proſecution thereof to the laſt, the fitteſt place.
11. Wee muſt not neglect Geſture here, for as the tongue ſpeaketh to the eare, ſo the geſture ſpeaketh to the eye: And they that underſtand not one the others language, doe underſtand their minds expreſſed in geſtures, though not exactly, yet to ſerve the turne.
12. We had almoſt forgot one Rule, which may ſeeme ſtrange and of little worth, but yet a rule it ſhall be whereafter he will practiſe, who will conſider the matter. We make ſome faults willingly, as well as the Scholar will ignorantly; and as many doubts as wee can, and give good leave for enquiring after reſolution thereunto, which ſhall put the doubt out of all doubt, clearing the underſtanding therein, and then putting it out of the calender, and decarding it for afterwards. It is notable, which the great Scholar hath, That the entry of doubts, are as ſo many ſuckers, or ſponges, to draw uſe of knowledge, inſomuch as that, which, if doubts had not preceded, a man ſhould never have adviſed, but po… ſed it over without note, by the ſuggeſtion, and ſolicitation of doubts is made to bee attended and applied. He that will begin with Certainties, ſhal end in doubts; but if hee be content to begin with doubts, he ſhall end in certainties; ſo for our practiſe. Now to the Child.
13. Concerning whom, this wee muſt needs note; That the more carefull the Maſter is, the more negligent will he be: And for this we ſhall talke with him to good purpoſe in the cloſing of the ſecond Part. For this wee muſt obſerve ſtill all along, it wil regulate our practiſe alſo; That wee muſt not reckon with the Child for his negligence, till his leſſon be done: While we are inſtructing, we muſt be as Calme every whit, as they ſay the ſea is, when the Halcyon is building there. Therefore this to the laſt, but it muſt not be forgot, it is but deferred.
14. Laſtly, wee have not touched upon recreations all this while, yet they lie direct in our way, and they are as neceſſary in ſeaſon (and upon good choyſe of the Maſter) as the meat is. But at this point I had two conſiderations. Firſt, that here the Child will carve liberally enough to himſelfe, (labor eſt inhibere) whatſoever he neglects, he will not neglect his play; and for his neglects otherwiſe, hee hath more excuſes in his little pate, then hee hath bookes in his butchet. I will not plead for him at this point, onelyonly this I muſt ſay; The Child ſits too long, I do not ſay, at his booke, for that troubles him not; hee can ſit ſtill and doe nothing: but he ſits keeping a poſture too long; and cuſtome will have it ſo, though it makes againſt the childs health, and cuſtome of other Countries. Therefore I ſay; obſerve we the old verſe ſo much out of uſe, Puerum nil niſi pura: and ſpare not, let him take as much play as he will, for then it is as we would have it, true recreation, play and profit both; and this very thing was my after-conſideration;
That, for the boyes ſake, I have gained of the intelligent Maſter, to excuſe the child, though he doe not give him rime the very next morning ſaying his part without booke: For I remember well, that was a tedious worke once to me, and of no benefit then nor ſince: but account it reaſonable enough, that he can his Declenſions, and Verbes exactly well, giving ſuch an account of both every day, as that it may appeare hee takes all the rules of Engliſh and Latin Etymologie (the Latine ſupplies what the Engliſh doth want) along with him (for they containe all) and will evidence, That the boy is not led one inch further then his ſenſes (thoſe great intelligencers) ſhall give him through-paſſe to the underſtanding of the ſame (a mighty helpe to memory, beſides delight to boote.) It is indeed the greateſt eaſe to the Scholar, and the Maſter, that I can thinke of, whereby to gratifie both; and ſo will hee ſay that ſhall take leaſure to conſider throughly thereof. So much to the Rules, which may ſerve to promote him that comes after, and thinks fit to Practice the ſame way.