forthwith proceed to learn the substance of good things, and arts in due order, which would bring the whole language quickly into their power. This I take to be the most rational and most profitable way of learning languages, and whereby. we may best hope to give account to God of our youth fpent herein: and for the usual method of teaching arts, I deem it to be an old errror of universities not yet well recover'd from the scholaftick groffness of barbarous ages, that instead of beginning with arts most easy, (and those be such as are most obvious to the fenfe,) they prefent their young unmatriculated novices at first coming with the intellective abstractions of logick and metaphyficks: fo that they having but newly left those grammatick flats and shallows where they stuck unreasonably, to learn a few words with lamentable conftruction, and now on the fudden transported under another climate to be toft and turmoil'd with their unballasted wits in fathomlefs and unquiet deeps of controverfy, do for the most part grow into hatred and contempt of learning, mock'd and deluded all this while with ragged notions and bablements, while they expected worthy and delightful knowledge; 'till

poverty or youthful years call them importunately their several ways, and hasten them with the fway of friends, either to an ambitious or mercenary, or ignorantly zealous divinity: fome allur'd to the trade of law, grounding their purpofes not on the prudent and heav'nly contemplation of justice and equity, which was never taught them, but on the promifing and pleafing thoughts of litigious terms, fat contentions, and flowing fees; others betake them to state affairs, with fouls fo unprincipled in virtue, and true generous breeding, that flattery, and court shifts, and 'tyrannous aphorifms appear to them the highest points of wisdom; inftilling their barren hearts with a confcientious flavery, if, as I rather think, it be not feign'd; others, lastly, of a more delicious and airy spirit, retire themselves, knowing no better, to the enjoyments of eafe and luxury, living out their days in feaft and jollity; which indeed is the wifeft and the fafeft course of all these, unless they were with more integrity undertaken. And thefe are the fruits of mifpending our prime youth at the schools and universities as we do, either in learning mere Hh 2

words, or fuch things chiefly as were better unlearnt.

I fhall detain you no longer in the demonftration of what we should not do, but straight conduct you to a hill-fide, where I will point ye out the right path of a virtuous and noble education; laborious indeed at the first ascent, but elfe fo fmooth, fo green, fo full of goodly prospect, and melodious founds on every fide, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming. I doubt not but ye fhall have more ado to drive our dulleft and laziest youth, our ftocks and stubs, from the infinite defire of fuch a happy nurture, than we have now to hale and drag our choiceft and te hopefulleft wits to that afinine feast of fowthistleste and brambles which is commonly fet before them, te as all the food and entertainment of their tenderest and most docible age. I call therefore a complete and generous education that which fits a man to perform juftly, skilfully and magnanimously, all the offices, both private and publick, of peace and war. And how all this may be done between twelve and one and twenty, less time than is now bestow'd in pure trifling at Grammar and Sophiftry, is to be thus order'd.

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First, to find out a fpacious house, and ground about it, fit for an Academy, and big enough to lodge an hundred and fifty persons, whereof twenty or thereabout may be attendants, all under the government of one, who shall be thought of desert sufficient, and ability either to do all, or wifely to direct, and oversee it done. This place should be at once both school and university, not needing a remove to any other house of scholarship, except it be fome peculiar college of law, or phyfick, where they mean to be practitioners; but as for those general studies which take up all our time from Lilly to the commencing, as they termit, master of arts, it should be abfolute. After this pattern, as many edifices may be converted to this use, as shall be needful in every city throughout this land, which would tend much to the increase of learning and civility every where. This number, lefs or more thus collected, to the conveneince of a foot company, or interchangeably two troops of cavalry, fhould divide their days work into three parts, as it lies orderly: their studies, their exercife, and their diet.

For their studies, first they should begin with the chief and neceffary rules of fome good gram

mar, either that now us'd, or any better: and while this is doing, their fpeech is to be fashion'd to a diftinct and clear pronunciation, as near as be to the Italian, especially in the vowels. For we Englishmen being far northerly, do not

may

open our mouths in the cold air, wide enough to obferv'd by all grace a fouthern

tongue;

but are

other nations to fpeak exceeding close and inward: fo that to fmatter Latin with an English mouth, is as ill a hearing as Law-French. Next to make them expert in the usefullest points of grammar, and withal to feafon them, and win them early to the love of virtue and true labour, 21 ere any flattering seducement, or vain principle of feize them wandring, fome eafy and delightful fa book of education fhould be read to them; where- ta of the Greeks have ftore, as Cebes, Plutarch, af and other Socratic difcourfes. But in Latin we th have none of claffic authority extant, except the be two or three first books of Quintilian, and fome th felect pieces elsewhere. But here the main skill Sc and ground-work will be, to temper them fuch of lectures and explanations upon every opportuni- fo ty, as may lead and draw them in willing obedi- be ence, inflam'd with the study of learning, and the ty