say) the particular study and affairs of him that by the providence of God is called to the most difficult care of a public weal." The Second Book of the "Governor" begins, accordingly, with the preparation that should be made by one who first receives any great dignity, charge or governance of the weal public. His first consideration should be that from God only proceedeth all honour and power; his second should be not of the honour but of the care and burden, esteeming the place and its revenues as no booty or prey, but a laborious office and travail. The more dominion, the greater need of care and study. The finer clothes and ornaments, the more need to think what a reproach it would be "to surmount in that which be other man's works and not theirs, and to be vanquished of a poor subject in sundry virtues, whereof they themselves be the artificers." Sir Thomas dwells on the reponsibility to God and the service to man as a just judge, and an observed example. Then follows a picture of majesty, fuller discussion of the outer state and the inner spirit of nobility, which is only the praise and surname of virtue. Chapters follow on the three qualities of gentleness, Affability, Placability, and Mercy. Then Sir Thomas Elyot turns to "the nature or condition of man wherein he is less than God Almighty, and excelling notwithstanding all other creatures on earth." This is his Humanity, "which is a general name to those virtues in whom seemeth to be a mutual concord and love, in the nature of man. And although there be many of the said Virtues, yet be there three principal, by whom Humanity is chiefly compact. Benevolence, Beneficence, and Liberality, wh ch maketh up the said principal virtue called Berignity or gentleness." These virtues having been severally discussed, Friendship, in which Benevolence and Beneficence are specially comprehended, is next treated of, and this leads to an old story re-told in the illustrative chapter which—a complete in itself has been given in another volume of this Library, "The Wonderful History of Titus and Gisippus, and whereby is fully declared the figure of perfect amity." The rest of the Second Book discusses the Division of Ingratitude and the dispraise thereof, the election of friends and the diversity of flatterers. "This," says Sir Thomas Elyot, "I trust shall suffice for the expressing of that incomparable treasure, called Amitie; in the declaration whereof I have aboden the longer, to the intent to persuade the readers to insearch thereof vigilantly, and being so happy to find it, according to the said description, to embrace and honour it, abhorring above all things Ingratitude, which pestilence hath long time reigned among us, augmented by Detraction, a corrupt and loathly sickness whereof I will treat in the last part of this work, that men of good nature copying it, need not,

See "Shorter Prose Works," pages 18 to 23; and "Shorter English Poems," page 161, note 3. The story of Titus and Gisippus was of ancient date. It had been told by Petrus Alphonsus in the twelfth century; was in the "Gesta Romanorum ; was told again by Boccacio, Gower and Lydgate, before it was re-told by Sir Thomas Elyot.

if they list, be therewith deceived." The subject of Detraction supplies matter accordingly for one of the chapters in the Third Book of The Governour."

The Third Book of "The Governour" proceeds with the training in Ethics, by discussions and illustrations of Justice (to which man is directed by reason, society and knowledge, and of which Faith or Fidelity is the foundation), and of the opposites of Justice, fraud and deceit. In Aristotle's Ethics Vices consist only in the too much or too little of a virtue. Following this system, Elyot speaks of Fortitude and the vices formed by its extremes, Audacity and Timerosity; of Patience; of Magnanimity, which may be named Valiant Courage, and of Obstinacy and Ambition, familiar vices following Magnanimity; of Abstinence and Continence; of Constancy; of Temperance; of Sapience and the Definition thereof; of understanding and of experience which hath preceded our time, with a defence of histories. Then follows a chapter on the Experience or practice necessary in the person of a Governor of a Public Weal. The next chapter is of Detraction, and the Image thereof made by the painter Apelles.

This evil report called Detraction was wonderfully well expressed in figures by the most noble painter Apelles. After he was discharged of the crime whereof he was falsely accused to Ptolemy, king of Egypt, having for his amends of the said king twelve thousand pounds sterling and his accuser to his bondman perpetually, the table wherein Detraction was expressed, he painted in this form.

At the right hand was made sitting a man having long ears, putting forth his hand to Detraction, who far off came towards him. About this man stood two women: that is to say Ignorance and Suspicion. On the other side came Detraction, a woman above measure well trimmed, all chafed and angry, having her aspect or look like to the fire in showing a manner of rage or fury. In her left hand she held a burning torch or brand, and with her other hand she drew by the hair of his head a young man who held by his hands towards heaven, calling God and the Saints for witness: with her came a man pale and evil favoured, beholding the young man intentively, like unto one that had been with long sickness consumed, whom ye might lightly conject to be Envy. Also there followed two other women that trimmed and apparelled Detraction, the one was Treason, the other Fraud. followed a woman in a mourning weed, black and ragged, and she was called Repentance, who turning her back, weeping and sore ashamed, beheld Verity who then approached.

After

There are but three chapters upon Counsel for the Public Weal between this and the close of the book called "The Governour." There may be a little reason in the idleness of speculation when one thinks of this among the books young Spenser would very probably have read with special liking, and holds it not inconceivable that the first vague thought of a poem which took definite shape as "The Faerie Queene" was born of that little suggestion from Lucian of an allegorical picture at the end of a book that with variety of pleasant illustration. applied the system of ethics to the shaping of a perfect gentleman.

ORE'S "Utopia" dealt with suggestions of the need of higher reason than society admitted in the shaping of a Commonwealth. Elyot's "Governour" dealt with the firm foundation and the moulding of the pillars of the state. The same direction of thought, INITIAL. (From the Edition by English practical religious Frobenius of More's "Utopia,' 1518.) earnestness touched by the influence of the Renaissance and the inspiration drawn from newly introduced Greek studies, is in Roger Ascham's "Scholemaster." The style of "The Schoolmaster" has also been illustrated in another volume of this Library by its Preface to the Reader, which itself is a complete narrative, telling how the book came to be written.'

Of the Two Books into which "The Schoolmaster" is divided the first treats of the bringing-up of youth, the second book teaches the ready way to the Latin tongue. Ascham opens his first book with the best way of teaching of Latin.

The waie is this. After the three Concordances learned, as I touched before, let the master read unto hym the Epistles of Cicero, gathered togither and chosen out by Sturmius, for the capacitie of children.

First, let him teach the childe, cherefullie and plainlie, the cause, and matter of the letter: then, let him construe it into Englishe, so oft, as the childe may easilie carie awaie the understanding of it: Lastlie, parse it over perfitlie. This done thus, let the childe, by and by, both construe and parse it over againe: so, that it may appeare, that the childe douteth in nothing, that his master taught him before. After this, the childe must take a paper booke, and sitting in some place, where no man shall prompe him, by him self, let him translate into Englishe his former lesson. Then shewing it to his master, let the master take from him his latin booke, and pausing an houre, at the least, than let the childe translate his owne Englishe into latin againe, in an other paper booke. When the childe bringeth it, turned into latin, the master must compare it with Tullies booke, and laie them both togither: and where the childe doth well, either in chosing, or true placing of Tullies wordes, let the master praise him, and saie here ye do well. For I assure you, there is no such whetstone, to sharpen a good witte and encourage a will to learninge, as is praise.

But if the childe misse, either in forgetting a worde, or in chaunging a good with a worse, or misordering the sentence, I would not have the master, either froune, or chide with him, if the childe have done his diligence, and used no trewandship therein. For I know by good experience, that a childe shall take more profit of two fautes, jentlie warned of, then of foure thinges, rightly hitt. For than, the master shall have good occasion to saie unto him: N. Tullie would have used such a worde, not this: Tullie would have placed this worde here, not there: would have used this case, this

number, this person, this degree, this gender: he would have used this moode, this tens, this simple, rather than this compound this adverbe here, not there: he would have ended the sentence with this verbe, not with that nowne ог participle, &c.

Gentleness in teaching is still insisted upon, as a few more general directions are given for the right study of Latin. Ascham proceeds then to direct condemnation of sharp schoolmasters, who, "when they meet with a hard-witted scholar, rather break him than bow him, rather mar him than mend him. . . . Even the wisest of your great beaters do as often punish nature as they do correct faults. Yea, many times the better nature is sorer punished; for if one by quickness of wit take his lesson readily, another, by hardness of wit, taketh it not so speedily; the first is always commended, the other is commonly punished: when a wise schoolmaster should rather discreetly consider the right disposition of both their natures, and not so much weigh what either of them is able to do now as what either of them is likely to do hereafter. For this I know, not only by reading books in my study, but also by experience of life abroad in the world, that those which be commonly the wisest, the best learned, and best men also, when they be old, were never commonly the quickest of wit when they were young." The causes of this he proceeds to reason Different qualities of mind in children, and ill discrimination among parents and teachers leads to an ill choice of the minds that are to be specially trained to learning. Horsemen understand a colt much better than schoolmasters a child. "And it is a pity that commonly more care is had-yea, and that amongst very wise men-to find out rather a cunning man for their horse than a cunning man for their children. They say nay in word, but they do so in deed. For to the one they will gladly give a stipend of two hundred crowns by year, and loth to offer to the other two hundred shillings. God, that sitteth in heaven, laugheth their choice to scorn, and rewardeth their liberality as it should; for He suffereth them to have tame and well-ordered horses, but wild and unfortunate children, and, therefore, in the end they find more pleasure in their horse than comfort in their children."

out.

Then Ascham gives, from Socrates in Plato, seven plain notes to choose a good wit for learning in a child. He should be (1) euphues, that is, apt in all ways by nature, with full use of all his senses; (2), mnemōn, good of memory, and the marks of a good memory are three, that it is quick in receiving, sure in keeping, and ready in delivering forth again; (3), philomathes, given to love learning; (4), philoponos, having a lust to labour, and a will to take pains. But where love is present, labour is seldom absent, and especially in study of learning and matters of the mind. And yet, goodness of nature

may do little good; perfection of memory may serve to small use; all love may be employed in vain ; auy labour may be soon gravelled, if a man trust always to his own singular wit, and will not be glad sometime to hear, take advice, and learn of another; and, therefore, doth Socrates very notably add the fifth note. The good scholar is (5) philekoös, glad to hear and learn of another; (6), zētētikos, naturally bold to ask any question, desirous to search out any doubt, not ashamed to learn of the meanest, not afraid to go to the greatest, until he be perfectly taught and fully satisfied; (7), he is philepainos, loves to be praised for well doing at his father's or master's hand. A child of this nature will earnestly love learning, gladly labour for learning, willingly learn of others, boldly ask any doubt. Of these seven points of a good scholar, "the two first be special benefits of nature, which, nevertheless, be well preserved and much increased by good order. But, as for the five last,-love, labour, gladness to learn of others, boldness to ask doubts, and will to win praises, be won and maintained by the only wisdom and discretion of the schoolmaster, which five points, whether a schoolmaster shall work sooner in a child by fearful beating or courteous handling, you that be wise, judge." Nevertheless, remarks Ascham, men who are really wise, though not in this matter, uphold the severe customs of the school. If children think play pleasant, and work wearisome, "the matter lieth not so much in the disposition of them that be young as in the order and manner of bringing up by them that be old, nor yet in the difference of learning and pastime. For, beat a child if he dance not well, and cherish him though he learn not well, ye shall have him unwilling to go to dance, and glad to go to his book." The season of youth is apt for learning; therefore, if to the goodness of nature be joined the wisdom of the teacher, in leading young wits into a right and plain way of learning, surely children, kept up in God's fear, and governed by His grace, may most easily be brought to serve God and country both by virtue and wisdom. Ascham here illustrates his argument by the story of his visit to Lady Jane Grey at Broadgate. She was studious because her teacher had made school-time the happiest part of her young life.

Children of old, says Ascham, were under the rule of three persons, the Preceptor or Schoolmaster, the Pedagogue who corrected his manners, and the Parent. The Preceptor taught learning with all gentleness; the Pedagogue corrected with much sharpness. "But what shall we say when now in our days the schoolmaster is used both for Præceptor in learning and Pædagogus in manners. Surely I would he should not confound their offices, but discreetly use the duty of both so, that neither ill touches should be left unpunished, nor gentleness in teaching any wise omitted. And he shall well do both, if wisely he do appoint diversity of time, and separate place, for either purpose: using always such discreet moderation, as the schoolhouse should be considered a sanctuary against fear." The schoolhouse should be considered a sanctuary against fear. It will be well with England when all teachers are so far of Ascham's mind that knowledge within the

schoolhouse shall no longer be restrained from slowly shaping itself into wisdom.

But Ascham turns next to the duty of the pedagogue, and complains that while there had come to be in his time too much severity in teaching, there was too much laxity in discipline of manners. Between seventeen and twenty-seven, young men, he says, have commonly the reins of all licence in their own hand, especially those who live at the Court. Nobility without wisdom breaks upon the rocks; "the fault is in yourselves ye noblemen's sons, and therefore ye deserve the greater blame, that commonly the

meaner men's children come to be the wisest counsellors and greatest doers in the weighty affairs of this realm." Youth is marred by ill company and the ill judgment of courtiers.

Error and phantasie do commonlie occupie the place of troth and judgement. For, if a yong jentleman be demeure and still of nature, they say, he is simple and lacketh witte: if he be bashefull, and will soon blushe, they call him a babishe and ill brought up thyng, when Xenophon doth preciselie note in Cyrus, that his bashfulnes in youth was the verie trewe signe of his vertue and stoutnes after: If he be innocent and ignorant of ill, they say, he is rude, and hath no grace, so ungraciouslie do som gracelesse men misuse the faire and godlie word GRACE.

But if ye would know, what grace they meene, go, and looke, and learne amonges them, and ye shall see that it is: First, to blush at nothing. And blushyng in youth, sayth Aristotle, is nothyng els, but feare to do ill: which feare beyng once lustely fraid away from youth, then foloweth, to dare do any mischief, to contemne stoutly any goodnesse, to be busie in every matter, to be skilfull in every thyng, to acknowledge no ignorance at all. To do thus in Court, is counted of some the chief and greatest grace of all: and termed by the name of a vertue, called Corage and boldnesse, whan Crassus in Cicero teacheth the cleane contrarie, and that most wittelie, saying thus: Audere, cum bonis etiam rebus conjunctum, per seipsum est magnopere fugiendum. Which is to say, to be bold, yea in a good matter, is for it self, greatlie to be eschewed.

Moreover, where the swing goeth, there to follow, fawne, flatter, laugh and lie lustelie at other mens liking. To face, stand formest, shove backe: and to the meaner man, or unknowne in the Court, to seeme somwhat solemne, coye, big, and dangerous of looke, taulk, and answere: To thinke well of him selfe, to be lustie in contemning of others, to have some trim grace in a privie mock. And in greater presens, to beare a brave looke to be warlike, though he never looked enemie in the face in warre: yet som warlike signe must be used, either a slovinglie busking, or an over-staring frounced hed, as though out of everie heeres toppe should suddenlie start out a good big othe, when nede requireth, yet praised be God, England, hath at this time manie worthie Capitaines and good souldiours, which be in deede, so honest of behaviour, so cumlie of conditions, so milde of maners, as they may be examples of good order, to a good sort of others, which never came in warre. But to retorne, where I left: In place also, to be able to raise taulke, and make discourse of everie rishel to have a verie good will, to heare him selfe speake: To be seene in Palmestrie, wherby to conveie to chast eares, som fond or filthie taulke.

And, if som Smithfeild Raffian take up some strange

1 Rishe, rush, trifle.

going: som new mowing with the mouth: som wrinchyng with the shoulder, som brave proverbe : som fresh new othe, that is not stale, but will rin round in the mouth: som new disguised garment, or desperate hat, fond in facion, or gaurish in colour, what soever it cost, how small soever his living be, by what shift soever it be gotten, gotten must it be, and used with the first, or els the grace of it is stale and gone: som part of this gracelesse grace was discribed by me in a little rude verse long ago.

To laughe, to lie, to flatter, to face:
Foure waies in Court to wia men grace.
If thou be thrall to none of these,
Away good Peek goos, hence John Cheese:
Marke well my word, and marke their dede,
And thinke this verse part of thy Crede.

Would to God this taulke were not trewe, and that som mens doinges were not thus: I write not to hurte any, but to proffit som; to accuse none, but to monish soch, who, allured by ill counsell, and folowing ill example, contrarie to their good bringyng up, and against their owne good nature, yeld overmoch to thies folies and faultes:

Ascham dwells upon the influence of unworthy servants, the neglect of religion, contempt of the simplicity which is indeed the innocence of youth. He cites the glory of Athens that grew out of the good ordering of youth, upholds the learning of Greeks, contemns the contempt of learning, and the vain trust in experience as its substitute. "Learning," he says, teacheth more in one year than experience in twenty: and learning teacheth safely, when experience maketh more miserable than wise.

It is a notable tale, that old Syr Roger Chamloe, sometime chiefe Justice, wold tell of him selfe. Whan he was Auncient in Inne of Courte, certaine yong Jentlemen were brought before him, to be corrected for certaine misorders: And one of the lustiest saide: Syr, we be yong jentlemen, and wise men before us have proved all facions, and yet those have done full well this they said, because it was well knowen, that Sir Roger had bene a good feloe in his yougth. But he answered them verie wiselie. In deede, saith he, in yougthe, I was, as you ar now: and I had twelve feloes like unto my self, but not one of them came to a good ende. And therfore, folow not my example in yougth, but folow my councell in aige, if ever ye thinke to cum to this place, or to thies years, that I am cum unto, lesse ye meete either with povertie or Tiburn in the way.

Erasmus said wisely that experience is the common schoolhouse of fools and ill men men of wit and honesty be otherwise instructed. Ascham does not decry honest pleasures, learning joined with pastimes.

To ride cumlie to run faire at the tilte or ring: to plaie at all weapones: to shoote faire in bow, or surelie in gon: to vaut lustely: to runne: to leape: to wrestle: to swimme: to daunce cumlie: to sing, and playe of instrumentes cunnyngly to hawke: to hunte: to play at tennes, and all pastimes generally, which be joyned with labor, used in open place, and on the day light, conteining either some fitte exercise for warre, or some pleasant pastime for peace, be not onelie cumlie and decent, but also verie necessarie, for a Courtlie Jentleman to use.

But of all kinde of pastimes fitte for a Jentleman, I will, God willing, in fitter place, more at large, declare fu lie, in

my booke of the Cockpitte: which I do write, to satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be more curious in marking other mens doinges, than carefull in mendyng their owne faultes. And som also will nedes busie them selves in merveling, and adding thereunto unfriendlie taulke, why I, a man of good yeares, and of no ill place, I thanke God and my Prince, do make choice to spend soch tyme in writyng of trifles, as the schole of shooting, the Cockpitte, and this booke of the first Principles of Grammar, rather than to take some weightie matter in hand, either of Religion, or Civill discipline.

Wise men, I know, will well allow of my choice herein: and as for such, who have not witte of themselves, but must learne of others, to judge right of mens doynges, let them read that wise Poet Horace in his Arte Poetica, who willeth wise men to be ware of hie and loftie Titles. For great shippes require costlie tackling, and also afterward dangerous government: Small boates be neither verie chargeable in makyng, nor verie oft in great jeoperdie: and yet they cary many tymes as good and costlie ware, as greater vessels do. A meane Argument may easelie beare the light burden of a small faute, and have alwaise at hand a ready excuse for ill handling: And some praise it is, if it so chaunce, to be better in deede, than a man dare venture to seeme.

Ascham cites examples that young gentlemen might follow :—

If kyng Edward had lived a litle longer, his onely example had breed soch a rase of worthie learned jentlemen, as this Realme never yet did affourde.

And in the second degree, two noble Primeroses of Nobilitie, the yong Duke of Suffolke, and Lord H. Matrevers, were soch two examples to the Courte for learnyng, as our tyme may rather wishe, than looke for agayne.

At Cambridge also, in S. Johns Colledge, in my tyme, I do know, that not so much the good statutes, as two Jentlemen of worthie memorie, Syr John Cheke and Doctour Readman, by their onely example of excellency in learnyng, of godlynes in livyng, of diligencie in studying, of councell in exhorting, of good order in all thyng, did breed up so many learned men in that one College of S. Johns at one time, as I beleve, the whole Universitie of Lovaine in many yeares was never able to affourd.

Present examples of this present tyme I list not to touch: yet there is one example for all the Jentlemen of this Court to folow, that may well satisfie them, or nothing will serve them, nor no example move them to goodnes and learnyng.

It is your shame, (I speake to you all, you yong Jentlemen of England, that one mayd should go beyond you all, in excellencie of learnyng and knowledge of divers tonges. Pointe forth six of the best given Jentlemen of this Court, and all they together shew not so much good will, spend not so much tyme, bestow not so many houres, dayly, orderly, and constantly, for the increase of learning and knowledge, as doth the Queenes Majestie her selfe. Yea I beleve, that beside her perfit readines in Latin, Italian, French and Spanish, she readeth here now at Windsore more Greeke every day than some Prebendarie of this Chirch doth read Latin in a whole weeke. And that which is most praise worthie of all, within the walles of her privie chamber she hath obteyned that excellencie of learnyng, to understand, speake and write, both wittely with head, and faire with hand, as scarse one or two rare wittes in both the Universities have in many yeares reached unto. Amongest all the benefites that God hath blessed me with all, next the knowledge of Christes true Religion, I counte this the greatest,

that it pleased God to call me to be one poore minister in settyng forward these excellent giftes of learnyng in this most excellent Prince. Whose onely example if the rest of our nobilitie would folow, than might England be for learnyng and wisedome in nobilitie a spectacle to all the world beside. But see the mishap of men: The best examples have never such force to move to any goodnes, as the bad, vaine, light and fond, have to all ilnes.

He urges next by illustration the great force of bad example, and the responsibility that lies on men in prominent position, who, by their example, make

or mar other men's manners.

Then Ascham passes on to the danger of the much resort of English youth to Italy.

Syr Richard Sackvile, that worthy Jentleman of worthy memorie, as I sayd in the begynnynge, in the Queenes privie Chamber at Windesore, after he had talked with me for the right choice of a good witte in a child for learnyng, and of the trewe difference betwixt quicke and hard wittes, of alluring yong children by jentlenes to love learnyng, and of the special care that was to be had to keepe yong men from licencious livyng, he was most earnest with me to have me say my mynde also, what I thought concernyng the fansie that many yong Jentlemen of England have to travell abroad, and namely to lead a long lyfe in Italie. His request, both for his authoritie and good will toward me, was a sufficient commaundement unto me to satisfie his pleasure with utteryng plainlie my opinion in that manner. Syr, quoth I, I take goyng thither and living there, for a yonge jentleman, that doth not goe under the kepe and garde of such a man as both by wisedome can and authoritie dare rewle him, to be mervelous dangerous. And whie I said so than, I will declare at large now: which I said than privatelie and write now openlie, not bicause I do contemne, either the knowledge of strange and diverse tonges, and namelie the Italian tonge, which next the Greeke and Latin tonge I like and love above all other: or else bicause I do despise the learning that is gotten, or the experience that is gathered in strange contries: or for any private malice that I beare to Italie: which contrie and in it namelie Rome, I have alwayes speciallie honored: bicause tyme was, whan Italie and Rome have bene, to the greate good of us that now live, the best breeders and bringers up of the worthiest men, not onelie for wise speakinge but also for well doing, in all Civill affaires, that ever was in the worlde. But now that tyme is gone, and though the place remayne, yet the olde and present maners do differ as farre, as blacke and white, as vertue and vice.

Vertue once made that contrie Mistres over all the worlde. Vice now maketh that contrie slave to them, that before were glad to serve it. All men seeth it: They themselves confesse it, namelie soch as be best and wisest amongest them. For sinne by lust and vanitie hath and doth breed up every where common contempt of Gods word, private contention in many families, open factions in every Citie: and so, makyng themselves bonde to vanitie and vice at home, they are content to beare the yoke of servyng straungers abroad. Italie now is not that Italie that it was wont to be: and therfore now not so fitte a place, as some do counte it, for yong men to fetch either wisedome or honestie from thence. For surelie they will make other but bad Scholers, that be so ill Masters to them selves.

Upon this subject he dwells at length, setting forth the causes and the forms of the corruption caught

from the Italian Circe; so closing the First Book of his "Schoolmaster." In the more technical Second Book, teaching the ready way to the Latin Tongue, Ascham lays great stress upon double translation ; translation from Latin into English and then back into Latin. The teacher should himself translate a piece of Cicero into plain natural English, give his translation to be restored into Latin, and then carefully compare his pupil's Latin with Cicero's.

Whan he bringeth it translated unto you, bring you forth the place of Tullie: lay them together: compare the one with the other: commend his good choice and right placing of wordes: Shew his faultes jently, but blame them not over sharply for of such missings, jentlie admonished of, procedeth glad and good heed taking: of good heed taking, springeth chiefly knowledge, which after groweth to perfitnesse, if this order be diligentlie used by the scholer and jently handled by the master: for here shall all the hard pointes of Grammer both easely and surelie be learned up: which scholers in common scholes by making of Latines be groping at with care and feare, and yet in many yeares they scarse can reach unto them. I remember, whan I was yong, in the North they went to the Grammer schole little children: they came from thence great lubbers: alwayes learning, and litle profiting: learning without booke every thing, understandyng with in the booke litle or nothing: Their whole knowledge by learning without the booke was tied onely ta their tong and lips, and never ascended up to the braine and head, and therfore was sone spitte out of the mouth againe They were as men alwayes goyng, but ever out of the way and why? For their whole labor, or rather great toyle without order, was even vaine idlenesse without proffit. In deed they took great paynes about learning: but employed small labour in learning: Whan by this way prescribed in this booke, being streight, plaine and easie, the scholer is alwayes laboring with pleasure, and ever going right on forward with proffit: Alwayes laboring I say, for, or he have construed, parsed, twice translated over by good advisement, marked out his six pointes by skilfull judgement, he shall have necessarie occasion to read over every lecture a dozen tymes at the least. Which bicause he shall do alwayes in order, he shall do it alwayes with pleasure: And pleasure allureth love: love hath lust to labor: labor alwayes obteineth his purpose.

Ascham illustrates by reference to the swift progress of a much-loved pupil, John Whitney, and puts upon record his own lines of lament in rude Then English verse written after his pupil's death. he takes in turn the six ways of study, Translation, Paraphrase, Metaphrase, Epitome, Imitation, Declamation. He objects by the way to English rhyming, taking Greek versification as the pattern of true excellence, and finally sketches the characteristics of the chief Latin writers.

Let us part from Roger Ascham with a playful passage in which he refers to a sentence in one of Cicero's Letters to Atticus, the 16th of the 4th Book:

And here for my pleasure I purpose a litle by the way to play and sporte with my Master Tully: from whom commonlie I am never wont to dissent. He him selfe, for this point of learnyng, in his verses doth halt a litle by his leave. He could not denie it, if he were alive, nor those defend hym