A new discovery of the old art of teaching schoole in four small treatises ... : 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 the 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 ...

CHAP. III. (Book 3)

How to enter the Scholars of the sixth Forme into Hebrew; How to employ them in read∣ing the best and most difficult Authours in Latine and Greeke, and how to acquaint them with all manner of Schoole-Exercises, Latine, Greek, or Hebrew.

THis sixth Form is looked upon as the main credit of a Schoole, & the Master commonly delighteth most in teaching it, because therein he seems to reap the fruit of those labours, which he hath bestowed formerly. His care therefore is to exercise them in every thing that may compleat a Scholar, that whether they be privately examined, or upon any publick solemnity required to shew their parts, they may sa∣tisfy them that desire an account, and gain to themselves applause. And whereas I observe more variety in teaching this Form then the rest, because every Master

almost observes a several Method in reading such Authours as himselfe best liketh, I will not much trouble my self to declare what others do, but as plain∣ly as I can discover what course I have hitherto taken to enable these highest Scholars to shift for themselves.

1. Make them read (at least) twelve verses out of the Greek Testament, into Latine or English; or out of the Eng∣lish, or Latine Testament into Greek eve∣ry morning, before they say parts.

2. Let them repeat Parts (as they did before) out of the Latine and Greeke Grammars, and Elementa Rhetorices, eve∣ry Thursday morning, and give ac∣count what Grammatical or Rhetorical notes, they have collected and writ fair in their Common place Bookes for those Arts. Besides the Bookes which I for∣merly mentioned, I desire that Goclenii observationum ling••ae Latinae Analecta & Problemata Grammatica, may he made use of for this purpose.

3. Their parts on Mondaies, Tues∣dayes, and Wednesdaies, may be to learn the Hebrew tongue, which is very necessary for all such as would be ac∣quainted with the Original of the Bible, and is not very difficult to attain to,

because it goeth word for word with our English, and is not so copious in words as the Greek and Latine. And whereas many defer the Hebrew to be learned at the University, I may say it is rarely attained there by any that have not gotten (at least) the Rudi∣ments of it before hand, at a Grammar Schoole.

Now for the entering of them upon this holy Language, I conceive Buxtorf's Epitome is the best Introduction of He∣brew Grammar; partly because it is the most used in Schooles, and partly be∣cause most easie for young Scholars to apprehend. Though some prefer Mar∣tinius others Bellarmine, others Amoma, others Blebelius, and others Horologium Hebreae linguae, before it. Now in teach∣ing Buxtorfe, you may read your Scho∣lars a part of it, and cause them againe to read it over perfectly in your hear∣ing, and then let them get it by heart, as they did other parts, and when they say, be sure to examine how well they understand it. As they go over this Grammar, they should write out the letters, and chiefest Rules; but espe∣cially the declining of Nouns and Pro∣nounes, and all the Paradigmes, of the

Conjugations both in Hebrew and La∣tine Characters, with their proper signi∣fications; and this will cause them to minde the different shape of the Conso∣nants and Vowels, and Accents, and help to strengthen their memory in get∣ting the Rules by heart. They may get every day a certain number of Hebrew roots, together with their Grammar Parts out of some Nomenclator or Lexicon.

After they have learnt the Grammar, you may exercise them in those Texts of Scripture annexed as a Praxis at the end of it, which they must exactly con∣strue and parse, and write faire, by way of interlineary.

As they go over the Psalter, they may sometimes translate their lessons into La∣tine, and read them out of Latine into Hebrew in a Paper-book. Then they may with facility run along the Psalter, ha∣ving Tossani syllabus geminus, to help them in every word. Afterwards they may proceed in the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, of themselves; but be sure they be well acquainted with the Rules of find∣ing a Radix in Buxtorfe, or Pagnine, or the like useful Lexicon, which are fit to be reserved in the Schoole-Library. Though it be found a thing very rare,

and is by some adjudged to be of little use, for School-boyes to make Exercises in Hebrew; yet it is no small ornament, and commendation to a Schoole, (as Westminster-Schoole at ptesent can evi∣dence) that Scholars are able to make Orations and Verses in Hebrew, Arabick, or other Oriental Tongues, to the a∣mazement of most of their hearers, who are angry at their own ignorance, be∣cause they know not well what is then said or written. As for Orations, they may be translated out of Latine into Hebrew by help of Schind leri Pentaglotton, Buxtor∣sius, Pagnine Crinesius, or Trostius's Lexi∣con; and for Verses Buxtorf's Thesaurus will afford some Rules and Presidents, and Aviani Clavis Poeseos Sacrae, all sorts or Rithmes.

They that are more industriously stu∣dious in the Hebrew, may profit them∣selves very much by translating Janua Linguarum, into that language.

This that I have said may seem e∣nough to be learnt at Schoole, but if one desire to learne those Oriental Tongues, in which the great Bible is now happily printed, (by the great vi∣gilancie and industrie of Doctor Walton, who hath carried on the Work to the

honour of this Nation, the comfort of the poor Church of England, and the encouragement of good literature, in the midst of distracting times) he may make use of Introductio ad lectionem Lin∣guarum Orientalium, and of the Lexicon (which I conceive ere this time is well∣nigh finished) made of purpose to ex∣plicate the words of the Bible according to their several Languages; viz. He∣brew Chaldi, Samaritane, Syriack, Arabick, Persian, Aethiopick, Armenian, and Coptick, which is a kinde of Aegyptian Tongue.

4. Their forenoons Lessons on Mon∣daies and Wednesdaies, may be in He∣siods, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which they may now construe and parse of themselves, by help of the Latine translation, and Pasor opon it; or Screvelii Lexicon. One∣ly your self may now and then illustrate, some harder places out of Cerapine & Me∣lanctthon's Commentarie published by Jo∣hannes Frisius Tigurinus. And cause them to paraphrase in Greek upon such Les∣sons as are full of excellent matter, and which are worth getting by heart.

When they have gone this over, they may proceed in like manner to Homer, in which they may help themselves out of Clavis Homerica, or Lexicon Homericum,

or those Quorundum verborum Themata, at the end of Scapulae Lexicon. You may illustrate the difficult places in him out of Eustathius's his Commentary, and let your Scholars write some of his narrations in good Latine and Greek phrase. Chapman's English tran∣slation of Homer will delight your Scho∣lars to read in at leasure, and cause them better to apprehend the series of his Poetical discourses. When they are well acquainted with this Father of Poetry, (which will be after they have read two Books, either of his Iliads, or Odisseus) you may let them proceed to Pindar, and after they have tested some of his Odes, by the help of Benedictus his Com∣mentary; you may at last let them make use of Lycophron, which they will better do, having Canterus or Zetzius to unfold his dark meaning; and Longolii Lexicon to interpret and analyse most of his un∣couth words.

5. Their forenoone Lessons on Tues∣daies and Thursdaies, may be in Zeno∣nophon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for the first quarter, or somewhat longer, and af∣terwards in some of Euripides, and So∣phocles Tragedies, which you please to pick out, to enable them for the rest;

and if to these you adde a few of Aristo∣phanes Comedies which they may better understand by the help of Bisetus upon him, I suppose, you may turn them to any other Greek Authour, and they will give you a reasonable account thereof, having but a little time allowed them, to deliberate upon it, and necessary Sub∣sidiaries at hand to help themselves withall, in case they be put to a stand.

6. Their afternoons parts on Mon∣dayes and Wednesdayes, may be in Ant. de Laubegeois Breviarium Graecae Linguae, partly because the perusal of that book will help them to retain all the Greek Vocabula's in minde, and partly because those excellent Sentences being pickt out of many Authours, will ac∣quaint them with most of the hard words, that they are like to find in them.

7. Their afternoons Lessons may be in Horace, wherein they should be emploied.

1. In commiting their Lessons to me∣mory, as affording a rich mine of in∣vention.

2. In construing and parsing, and giving the Tropes and Figures.

3. In scanning and proving verses.

4. Sometimes in turning an Ode, or Epistle, into other kind of verses, Eng∣lish,

Latine, or Greek; sometimes in pa∣raphrasing or enlarging the words in an Oratorial style, as Mr. Horne doth give some Examples in his little golden book De usu Authoris.

Mr. Farnabie or Mr. Bonds Notes upon this Poet will encourage your Scholars to proceed in him: And after they have read what you best approve (for he that feeds cleanly, will pare his apple) in this Authour, you may let them proceed to Juvenall, and read some select Satyres, by help of Farnabies notes, or Lubines Com∣mentarie, and then let them read Per∣sius quite through, which besides the notes upon him, Mr. Holydaies English Translation will help them well to un∣derstand. As for Lucan, Seneca's Tra∣gedies, Martiall, and the rest of the finest Latine Poets, you may do well to give them a taste of each, and show them how and wherein they may imi∣tate them, or borrow something out of them. Mr. Farnabies Notes upon them will be helpful to understand them, and Pareus, or Taubman upon Plautus, will make that some merry Comedies of his, may be easily read over.

8. They may read some of Luciani se∣lecti mortuorum dialogi, on Tuesdaies in

the afternoons, and if those printed at Paris by Sebastian and Gabriel Cramoisy, cum interpretatione Latinâ & Grammaticâ singularum vocum explanatione were to be had, they might easily run them over, but (I suppose) they will now be able to go on of themselves in perusal of those lately printed by Mr. Dugard. After Lessons ended, they may benefit themselves by reading Jacobi Pontani Pro∣gymnasmata Latinitatis, which will fur∣nish them with good expressions for speaking Latine, and acquaint them with some patterns for exercises, which are not elsew here usually found.

9. On Thursdaies they may be im∣ployed in reading some of Tullies Ora∣tions, especially those pro Archia contra Catalinam, and Philippicae; and afterwards they may peruse Pliny Panegyrica, and Quintilian's Declamationes. After Lessons ended, they may busie themselves in pe∣rusing Goodwin's Antiquities, or the like. And here I do heartily wish, as Mr. Horne hath done formerly, that some of bet∣ter leisure and abilities, would make an Index Oratorius, like that Index Poeticus of Mr. Farnabies, which may point at the marrow of matter & words, in all the pu∣test Orators that are extant, either an∣cient

or modern, & that those Authours might be reserved in the Schoole Libra∣rie, whereunto Scholars may have re∣course touching any subject, whereof they have occasion to treat in their Schoole Exercises.

10. In the meane time this Forme should continue to make Themes and Verses, one week in Greek, and another in Latine; and ever and anon they may contend in making Orations & Declama∣ons, for which exercise the may find Helps and Patterns in Mr. Clerks Formu∣le Oratoriae, and Mr. Horne de usu Authoris. Likewise to bring themselves to an ha∣bituated perfection of a good style, they should be frequent in perusing and ex∣cerpting passages that may serve for their occasions out of Tully, Quintilian, Livie, Salust, Tacitus, Quintus Curtius, or the like ancient Orations; and acquaint themselves with those moderne Ora∣tors, whose eloquence we admire; viz. Turnerus, Baudius, Muretus, Heinsius, Pu∣reanus, Rainoldus, Lipsius, Barclaius, Sal∣matius, and others, to be laid up in the Schoole Library. Tesmarus, and Orator ex∣temporaneus, will shew them how to dispose their matter so, as to make an Oration of any subject in Latine, ex tempore;

and Aphthonius, and Libanius Sophista, will furnish them with patterns in Greek. For learning to write Greek Epistles, they may consult Isocrate's Epistles, and Sym∣machus.

They should often also vie wits a∣mongst themselves, and strive who can make the best Anagrams, Epigrams, Epi∣taphes, Epithalamia, Eclogues, Acrosticks, and golden verses, English, Latine, Greek, and Hebrew; which they will easily do, after a while, having good patterns be∣fore them to imitate, which they may collect out of Authours, as they fansie them, for their owne use and de∣light.

11. When they have done with Now∣ell, they may proceed to Birkets Cate∣chisme in Greek, or our common Church-Catechisme in Hebrew, which was printed for the company of Stationers in four Languages, A. D. 1638.

Thus have I at last done with my School-Discovery, in which I have proceeded so far as to make any Authour seem easie to young Scholars, in their future pro∣gresse at the Universities, where I would advise them (that have purses especial∣ly) to provide themselves of all the La∣tine and Greek Orators, and Poets, and

what they cannot understand without a Commentary or Scholiast, to procure those whereby they may best help them∣selves, and to have Stephani Thesaurus, Greek and Latine; Suidas, Hesychius, Bu∣daeus Commentaries, and the like, ever at hand; that they may be sure to im∣prove themselves in the Latine and Greek Tongues, as well as to minde the daily study of Arts and Sciences, which are delivered in them.

1. And would some able Tutour take the paines to describe a Right me∣thod of study and in what Authours Stu∣dents may best bestow their time for the first four years; it would doubtlesse be a means to encourage them to go on to that height of perfection, which we see few attain to, and those not untill they he ready to drop into their graves; and then they wish they could once run over again their former studies, and tell how easily they could cope-gaine that little measure of knowledge, which they have so industriously sought for all their life.

The constant employment of this sixth Form is,

1. To read twelve verses out of the Greek Testament every morning before Parts.

2. To repeat Latine and Greek Gram∣mar Parts, and Elementa Rhetorices every Thursday morning.

3. To learn the Hebrew Tongue on Mondaies, Tuesdaies, and Wednes∣daies, for morning Parts.

4. To read Hesiod, Homer, Pindar, and Lycophron, for forenoon lessons on Mon∣daies, and Wednesdaies.

5. Zenophon, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, on Tuesdaies, & Thursdaies.

6. Laubegeois's Breviarium Graecae lin∣guae, for afternoons Parts on Mon∣daies, and Wednesdaies.

7. Horace, Juvenal, Persius, Lucan, Se∣neca's Tragedies, Martial and Plautus, for afternoons lessons on Mondaies, and Wednesdaies.

8. Lucian's select Dialogues, and Pon∣tani Progymnasmata Latinitatis, on Tuesday afternoons, and

9. Tullies Orations, Plinies Panegryicks, Quintisians Declamations on Thursday af∣ternoons, and Goodwins Antiquities at leisure times.

10. Their exercises for Oratory, should be to make Themes Orations, and Decla∣mations, Latine, Greek, and Hebrew; and for Poetry, to make Verses upon such Themes, as are appointed them every week.

11. And to exercise themselves in A∣nagrauis, Epigrams, Epitaphs, Epithalamia's, Eclogues, and Acrosticks, English, Latine, Greek, and Hebrew.

12. Their Catechismes are Nowell, and Birket, in Greek, and the Church Catechisme in Hebrew. So that in six (or at the most seven) yeares time (which children commonly squander away, if they be not continued at the Schoole, after they can read Eng∣lish, and write well) they may easily at∣tain to such knowledge in the Latine, Greek, and Hebrew Tongues, as is re∣quisite to furnish them for future stu∣dies in the Universities, or to enable them for any ingenuous profession or employment, which their friends shall think fit to put them upon, in other places.

But having somewhat to say further, touching the well-ordering of a Grammar Schoole, (for I have here insisted chiefly concerning Teaching) I shall endeavour to proceed in my next Treatise, with Schoole-Discipline.

In the mean time you may observe, that the Method which I have here disco∣vered, is for the most part contrived ac∣cording to what is commonly practised in

England and foreign countries; and is in sundry particulars proportioned to the ordinary capacities of children under fifteen yeares of age. The subject matter which is taught, is the same with that which is generally used by Grammars, Authours, and Exercises: Touching Grammars, I prefer Lilies for Latine, Camdens for Greek, and Buxtorf's Epitome for Hebrew, not excluding any other that may con∣duce to the compleating of Grammar Art. The Authours which I prescribe to be used, are partly classical which eve∣ry Scholar should provide for himselfe; and because these are constantly learnt in most Grammar Schooles, I appoint them to be read at such times as are usu∣ally spent in Lessons.

The Subsidiary Books are those which are helpful to children in performing their tasks with more ease and benefit; and, because all the Scholars will not have like need of them, and they are more then any one will desire to buy: these should be laid up in the Schoole Library, for every Form to make use on, as they shall have occasion. Some of these serve chiefly to the explication of Grammar, and are applyed to it; some are needful for the better under∣standing

of classical Authours, and are appropriated to them; and others are very requisite for the gaining of words, and phrases, and an ability for speak∣ing or writing elegantly, and such times are set apart for perusing of them, as are commonly truanted away in idlenesse, or needlesse sport. Now by the joynt using of these together, I endevaour that a Scholar may have a pretty knowledge of the Language which he learneth, as well as of his bare Grammar Rules, which without it signifie nothing. And therefore to help children more easily to gain the Latine, I have translated such books as they learn whilest they get the Grammar, into their own mo∣ther-tongue, that by comparing, and using both together, they may be able after good acquaintance with the La∣tine, to waine themselves quite from English. He that desires further satisfa∣ction concerning the Translations which I have already made, may peruse that Advertisement, that I caused to be print∣ed before Cato's Distichs English and Latine.

And if any man shall think to tell me, that I seem to trouble my Scholars with too many books at once, because a

few, if well learned, will suffice to make a Grammarian; I will give him here to consider;

1. That I have to deale with children who are delighted and refreshed with variety of books, as well as of sports, and meats.

2. That a Schoolmasters aim being to teach them Languages, and Oratory, and Poetry, as well as Grammar, he must necessarily employ them in many Books which tend thereunto.

3. That the classical Authours are the same with other Schooles, and Subsidi∣aries may be provided at a common charge, as I shall afterwards shew.

The Scholars in a Grammar Schole may be fitly divided into six formes, whereof the three lowest, which are commonly under an Usher, may be termed.

1. Rudimentaries, that learne the Grounds.

2. Practitioners, that exercise the Rules.

3. Proficients, that can speak and write true Latine. The three highest Formes, are employed by the Master to learne the Greek and Hebrew Tongues, together with the Latine, and to gaine

some skill in Oratory and Poetry, and matters of humanity; and of these I may name the lowest Tertiani, the mid∣dlemost Secundani, and the highest Pri∣mani, because they seem to differ one from another in ability of learning, as these Roman legionary souldiers did in strength and use of Armes.

This division I have purposely made, that whether one Master alone be put to teach the whole, or have one, two, or more Ushers to assist him, he may con∣stantly train up his Scholars by one and the same Way of teaching, (altering now and then onely some circumstan∣ces, as his own Discretion shall better direct him,) and, that every Scholar may from his first entrance to the Schoole, proceed with cheerfulnesse in learning when he seeth plainly what he is to do from year to year, and how o∣thers before him in a playing manner, overskip those seeming difficulties, which he imagineth in his minde. And con∣ceive it will be no small satisfaction to Parents, and a mean to cease the indis∣creet clamors of some against School-masters, to see what method they ob∣serve in teaching, and how their chil∣dren profit by degrees, according to

their present apprehensions, and growth in years.

And now the God of heaven & earth, in whose alone power it is to give in∣crease; vouchsafe to bestow such a bles∣sing upon our planting and watering, that our young plants may grow up in all godlinesse and good learning, and abound in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom onely to know, is eternal life. Amen.