mode of instruction is followed out in all its consequences? And what will their own language be but unmeaning jargon, producing, as a necessary consequence, utter confusion of thought, and imbecility of mind, if they are taught to reject those forms of sound words, which have cost the labor and study of more experienced intellects? Authority is the first lesson, as well for the intellectual as the moral nature of man, and previous submission to it is the surest guaranty of subsequent mental independence. We have already made this present article longer than was at first intended. We would therefore close abruptly by the expression of the conviction, that although some of our expectations may be unfounded, and some of our calculations may appear extravagant, there are at all events a few thoughts which are worthy the attentive consideration of teachers and taught." could exercise its own powers until it possessed substantial subjects of thought clothed in "good forms of sound words," and treasured up in a clear, retentive and well exercised memory. It is this which has given rise to our mental arithmetics, our inductive systems of English Grammar, the substitution of the more easy plan of questions and answers for the former method of synthetical rules, and of an undigested mass of Sabbath school books in the place of the old concise and logical catechisms. The writer was for years engaged in elementary instruction, and during that period had experience enough of the systems which have been mentioned. Misled by their plausible pretensions, he was once to some extent induced to adopt them. Actual trial, however, soon convined him of their worthlessness, both in scientific and religious instruction An apparently rapid progress at first is soon found to be utterly barren of any permanent results. Like water poured into a sieve, instruction, attempted to be conveyed to the mind without precise synthetical rules and the rigid discipline of the memory, soon vanishes away, leaving scarcely a trace behind. Good rules or logical formulas may be regarded as repositories in the mind, framed for the reception and retention of thought. In this age of things there is nothing so much in danger of being overlooked as the importance of good forms of sound words, and there is reason to apprehend that the process may go on until the relations of things can neither be properly classified, expressed, or even conceived in the mind, and science, losing its meaning, become merely the confused knowledge of individual objects. There is no greater enemy (I am satisfied) to the cause of education in this country than the almost universal preference of the systems to which allusion has been made. ART. II.-SOME NOTICE OF ROGER ASCHAM. THIS eminent scholar and teacher was born in the year 1515, at Kirby Wiske, near North Allerton in Yorkshire. His father, John Ascham, was steward in a family by the name of Scroop; a station more honorable in his days than in ours. The early education of young Ascham was superintended by one Bond, a private tutor in the family of Sir Anthony Wingfield, who seems to have adopted him and brought him up with his own sons. Having made suitable proficiency in the rudiments of classical knowledge, and a more than ordinary acquaintance with English literature, he was entered by Sir Anthony, in St John's college, Cambridge, in 1530. The doctrines of the reformation were then exciting much attention in England, and that ardent devotion to the learning of Greece and Rome, which was both a cause and a consequence of the reformation, glowed in the hearts of many whom the new religion had not yet affected. Ascham, on his admission to college entered with great zeal upon the study of Greek, and pursued it with remarkable success. These studies, which ever cherish the love of liberty, aided in his gentle, and studious, and truth-loving temper, a tendency to protestantism, which at length he openly professed, while the profession was yet dangerous. He took his degree of bachelor of arts in February, 1534, and in the following March was elected a fellow of St Johns, mainly through the influence of Dr Medcalf,* the master. The attainment of a fellowship relieved him from dependence on Sir Anthony Wingfield, and gave him the means and the promise of a life spent in what minds such as his most covet, the "quiet and still air of delightful studies." He now applied himself more diligently to the study of his favorite Greek, and read private lectures in his chambers, to which many resorted. Of whom Ascham says he was a man meanlie learned himself, but not meanly affectioned to set forward learning in others. Now Dr Medcalf was partiall to none, but indifferent to all, a father to everie one in that college. He was a Papiste indeede; but would to God, among all us Protestants, I might once see but one, that would win like praise, in doing like good, for the advancement of learning and vertue."-Ascham's Works, Pp. 314-5, 4to ed. In 1537, in his twenty first year, he took his master's degree, and was appointed by the university to teach the Greek languages publicly in the schools. At this time a somewhat violent controversy was carried on, respecting the true pronunciation of Greek. A new style was introduced and defended by Sir John Cheke* and Sir Thomas Smith,† and This celebrated Grammarian and statesman was born at Cambridge, and educated at St John's college in that University. He was principally instrumental in reforming the pronunciation of the Greek language, being first chosen Lecturer, and afterwards Professor. He wrote a learned tract on the subject, entitled "De Pronunciatione Græcæ." He was appointed, with Sir Anthony Cooke, by King Henry VIII., Latin tutor to Prince Edward, from whom, after his accession to the throne, he received a pension of one hundred marks. He also received the honor of knighthood, and was made Secretary of State and Privy Counsellor. He was imprisoned in the tower by Queen Mary, and deprived of his honors and estates, for having acted as secretary to Lady Jane Gray during the few days of her unfortunate reign. In 1554 he obtained leave to go abroad, and in his sojourn was compelled to read Greek lectures at Strasburg to gain a subsis. tence. On a journey to Brussels, to meet his wife, in 1556, he was arrested by Philip II. and sent to London, where he was again imprisoned. He had embraced Protestantism and was persecuted, in part at least, for adherence to that party. He resisted many efforts to convert him back to the Romish church, and stood out till he received an intimation from Mary that he must turn or burn; an argument too strong to be easily resisted. He died soon after, Sep. 1557. Ascham, who studied under him, calls him "the cunningest master and one of the worthiest gentlemen" he ever knew. The inscription on his tombstone concludes with these lines: Gemma Brittana fuit, tam magnum nulla tulerunt This eminent scholar and statesman was born at Saffron Walden in Sussex, about 1514. He entered Queens college, Cambridge, at the age of thirteen, and was chosen a Fellow of the same in 1531. In 1535 his diligence in the study of the Greek language and his uncommon attainments were rewarded by an appointment to the King's Greek Professorship. The knowledge and study of Greek were as yet in their infancy in England. The pronunciation of it, which in general was little understood, and very defective, received much attention from Sir Thos. Smith, who, with the co-operation of Sir John Cheke, effected a reform, though with much opposition. Sir Thos. wrote, in the course of the controversy, a masterly treatise, entitled De recta et emendata Linguæ Græcæ Pronunciatione. Ascham called these two learned men "the stars of the University of Cambridge, who brought Aristotle, Plato, Tully, and Demosthenes to flourish as notably as ever they did in Greece and Italy." Smith went abroad in 1539, to visit foreign universities, in search of knowledge. He received the degree of Doctor in the Faculty of Civil Law at Padua, where he studied some time. After his return he was made King's Professor of Civil Law. About this time he published a treatise De recta et emendata Lingue Anglica Scriptione, having at heart no less the improvement of his native tongue, than the advancement of classical learning. Under Edward VI. Sir John Smith entered political life, and rose rapidly, by favor of Somerset the Protector, to the office of Secretary of State. He was like opposed by Gardiner, the chancellor of the university, and at first also by Ascham, who afterward adopted the new pronunciation. Ascham was an elegant Latin as well as Greek scholar, and his pen was now usually employed in writing the university letters. He wrote also a remarkably fine hand, and was employed to teach penmanship to the Dukes of Suffolk. He was much addicted to archery both for relaxation and for health. Being censured for this seeming waste of time, he vindicated himself in his "Toxophilus, The Schole or Partitions of Shooting. Pleasaunt for all Gentlemen and Yeomen of England; for theyr pastime to reade, and profitable for theyr use to followe bothe in warre and in peace." For this production, which was dedicated to King Henry, he received a pension of ten pounds. In the same year, 1514, he was chosen University Orator. He pursued his studious occupations in the university, in agreeable intimacy with its scholars and wits till 1548, when he was sent for to court to instruct the Lady Elizabeth in the learned languages, in reference to which he said, “ he had been pupil to the greatest teacher and teacher to the greatest pupil in England." In this occupation he continued two years, and taught her with so much skill and gentleness, and she was so apt and ready to learn, that Grant in his eulogium says, it were difficult to say which were the better pleased. He read with her, a great part of Cicero and of Livy, the tragedies of Sophocles, some orations of Demosthenes, the Greek testament, and many other books in both tongues. At the end of two years he left this employment and resumed his office of pub wise in the same reign Ambassador to Brussels and to France. Under Mary, who ascended the throne in 1553, he was deprived of all his preferments, and was secured from the penalties of his protestantism by the favor of a friend, who had from the Pope an indulgence for himself and five of his friends, in which number he chose Sir Thos. Smith. Early under Elizabeth, he accepted some public employments, but soon left the court and retired to his seat in Essex. Later he was made aga'n a Secretary of State. He died in 1577. With all his learning, and he was an excellent statesinan, and mathematician, and perfectly master of five languages, he was a believer, to his loss, in the transmutation of metals, and as a justice of the peace, a diligent prosecutor of witches. On his monument are these lines, What earth, or seas, or skies contain, What creatures in them be, My mind did seeke to know; Wilson. Mem. Cantab. lic orator to the university. In 1550 he received and accepted an invitation to accompany Sir Richard Morysine the Entbassador to Germany. He remained in that country three years, and formed a personal acquaintance with its distinguished scholars, with many of whom he had corresponded before. With his other occupations as secretary to the Embassy, he gave much time to private study with Sir Richard, to whom, four days in the week, he read and explained Herodotus, Demosthenes, Sophocles and Euripides. He also, during this absence wrote a very curious and valuable tract, on the politics of Germany, entitled "A Report and Discourse, written by Roger Ascham, of the Affairs and State of Germany, and of the Emperor Charles and his Court, during certain years, while the said Roger was there." It is written with great clearness, and is full of acute observations. During his absence he was appointed Latin secretary to the king, but before his return Edward died, and Ascham was recalled, and lost his place and his pension. He was however reappointed Latin secretary under Mary, at the instance of Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester. This appointment by a Popish Prelate under the bigoted Mary has excited some surprise, and is a strong testimony both to the talents and the prudence of Ascham. He was highly esteemed by Cardinal Pole, the Pope's Legate, and himself, one of the finest Latin scholars of the age, who yet employed him to translate into Latin the speech he had spoken in English to the Parliament. He was retained in his post of Latin secretary under Elizabeth, whom he also continued to instruct in Latin and Greek authors. He died in London, Jan. 1568. Of his character, beyond what may be gathered from these imperfect notices, we know little. He seems to have been universally esteemed for the sweetness of his manners, and [his cheerful courtesy, and his writings bear ample testimony to the purity of his sentiments and the piety of his life. Buchanan has well expressed his character in the following epigram: Aschamum extinctum patriæ Graiæque Camenæ, Et Latiæ vera cum pietate dolent. Re modica; in mores dicere fama nequit. The work by which he is best known is the one from which the following extract is taken. It was begun in |