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The PREFACE.

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HOEVER duly confiders the vulgar Management of Youth in our Grammar-Schools will fee Caufe to wonder that amidst the noble Endeavours for the Advancement of Learning, a right Method of Education has been in a Manner wholly overlook'd. Whilft the Great Men in the Commonwealth of Letters have been bufily and fuccefsfully employ'd in improving and carrying on the feveral Arts and Sciences, they have neglected what was equally neceffary, the Care of Youth. For had but this been as duly attended as the Importance of the Matter required, their Labours would have been of vaftly more Ufe to the World. Grammars and Notes upon Authors we have in Abundance indeed, and more by far than are good for any Thing; yet thefe, where they are useful, are only fo to fuch as have made a confiderable Progrefs in the Latin Tongue. But Beginners have been left wholly without any proper Helps, 'till of late fome few have been provided for them by one engaged in the laborious and troublesome Employment of teaching School, who confequently had both lefs Time, and lefs Eafe of Mind for that Work, than many others better qualified to promote a rational Method of Education amongst us, had they been pleafed to turn their Thoughts upon the Subject, and push the Matter, by fupplying our Schools with proper Books for the Purpose. But the Learned, it feems, have thought Things of this Kind below their Notice. There was more Credit and Fame to be got by writing for Men than Children; and therefore the latter have been ftrangely neglected.

As the Courfe of Life I was feveral Years engaged in obliged me to turn my Thoughts this Way, I have long fince publifhed my Sentiments upon the Subject, in a Treatife under the Title of, An Efay upon the Education of Youth in Grammar-Schools. What I have there faid, and elfewhere, upon the Usefulness of Translations for the more eafy expeditious Attainment of the Latin Tongue, I have thought fit to draw together under one View, but much enlarged with further Thoughts upon the Subject, in order to turn more effectually the Attention of the Publick upon a Matter of fuch great and general Concern.

TRANSLATIONS are of two Kinds, or there are two Ways of tranflating Authors for the Ufe of Schools; the one Literal or Verbal, in which the Latin is rendered into English Word for Word, or the Senfe and Meaning of every Word in the Original is given in the Tranflation; The other Free and Proper, wherein Regard is only had to the Senfe, which the Tranflator endeavours to exprefs in the most juft and handfome Manner, without pretending to give the precife Meaning of every individual Word, as in the Literal or Verbal Way. Now both thefe Sorts of Tranflations are fo highly and apparently useful, for the ready Attainment of the Latin Tongue, that it is really amazing the World fhould not long fince have

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been fenfible of it: And it is yet more amazing, that after so much has been faid upon the Subject, and Translations too of feveral Authors provided for the Ufe of Schools, to which no Exception has been taken, as ill done, that ever I could hear; yet a great many of our Masters should fhew fo ftrong an Averfion to what is fo manifeftly calculated for their Eafe, at the fame Time it is fitted for the greater Improvement of Youth under their Care. In order to open the Eyes of fuch, if poffible, upon a Matter fo much for their Quiet, Intereft, and Credit, I have thought fit to prefent them with this Differtation. I fhall therefore fpeak diftinctly to the Ufefulness of TRANSLATIONS, both Literal and Free. And first of the Literal.

WHEN Boys fet forward in the Reading of Authors, there are but three feveral Ways for them to proceed in. 1. By the Help of a Mafter to conftrue their Leffons to them. 2. By the Help of a Dictionary. Or, 3. By that of Literal Tranflations.

1. As to the firft, our Schools are very few of them provided with any more than two Masters; in which Cafe it is impoffible for a Man, that has three or four Claffes to take care of, to give that Attendance to them, all, in the Way of conftruing their Leffons to them, as to keep them employ'd a third Part of their Time they have to spend in the School. For it is not fufficient for a Master to conftrue Boys a Leffon once over from Beginning to End, in a Hurry (as is ufual, I believe) and fo clear his Hands of them, in Expectation that fhould ferve the Turn, by keeping them properly employ'd, and he be no more troubled with them, for his Affiftance upon that Leffon. Alas! this will fignify juft nothing at all. If he would affift them to any Purpofe, he must go over each Period of a Leffon diftinctly and flowly by itself, more than once; and then try the Boys in it one after another, helping them out where he finds them faulter or at a ftand, and not advancing further 'till the flowest of them are pretty perfect in what they are upon. But then whilft he is thus enga ged with one Clafs, the reft, for want of Help, will have little or nothing to do, but gape and ftare about them, if they be not worfe employ'd. Best, this is fuch a Piece of Drudgery, as few Mafters, I believe, will have any great Stomach to. For where the Ufe of Tranflations is rei jected, and the Maiter's Lungs are to fupply the Want of them, he, in regard to his own Eafe, and to fave his Breath, is apt to make very short Work of it, by fetting the Boys but very little Leffons, not a third, or not a fourth Part of what they might eafily get, and to greater Perfection, by the Help of à Literal Tranflation, without giving him any Trouble at all. Two Thirds then of their Time at least must be spent in Sauntering, or Trifing; and therefore this Way of proceeding will not answer the Defign propofed, or produce the defired Effect, the fpeedy Progrefs of Youth in their Bufinefs,

I may add too, that perhaps not very many Masters are qualified to furnish their Scholars in conftruing their Leffons to them, with Words fo fit and proper for their Purpofe, as Literal Tranflations will, done by a Perto qualified with a competent Skill in the Language for the Work. If any one wants to be convinced of this, let him make a Trial upon fome of the Ciaflick Authors already publifhed with Literal Tranflations, Juftin or Florus for Inftance, by tranflating three or four Chapters together, and comparing what he does with what is already done, and F

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doubt not but he will receive ample Satisfaction of the Truth of what I have faid. For tho' he may find his Performance to have the Advantage upon the Comparison, yet he will certainly find it coft him fome Thought and Trouble here and there, to work it up to that Perfection. For the Latin Idiom differs fo widely from the English, that it is no fuch eafy Business as fome may perhaps imagine to tranflate the Clafficks literally, and at the fame Time with tolerable Juftnefs and Propriety of Language, so as the English may bear a Reading without appearing abfolutely barbarous and ridiculous. It was this Difficulty of the Work, I guess, which deterred those, whofe proper Bufinefs it was, from attempting it, and fo has been the principal, if not the fole Occafion, that our Schools have not been long fince provided with that admirable and obvious Help of Literal Tranflations, fo obviously such, that many could not but be fenfible of it, who yet being deterred by the Difficulty of the Undertaking, and the Fear of Cenfure, would not engage in the Task of supplying our Schools with any Thing in that Way. Now if this be the Cafe, if it be no fuch eafy Matter to tranflate the Claffick Authors literally, with any tolerable Juftnefs or Propriety of Language, muft it not be a vaft Advantage to many School-Malters to be delivered from the Vexation of hunting for proper Words, and oft'times to no Purpose, by being provided with good Traflations, just and exact in their Kind? In short, I fhall be bold to say, that not only Boys, but Mafters themselves may many of them receive great Improvement in their Business from Literal Translations of Claffick Authors.

II. As to the Ufe of a Dictionary. That Way is yet more improper than the former. Young Boys are but very awkward at finding Words in a Dictionary, which Work will confequently make a fad Confumption of their Time, a fingle Word requiring as much as will fuffice them for the getting two or three Lines perfectly to conftrue by the Help of a Literal Tranflation. And then what a tedious while muft they be in getting fo many Lines to conftrue by the Ufe of a Dictionary, where they may have Occafion, as must often happen, to look out half a Dozen Words or more for that Purpose? Does not the Absurdity of fuch a Method of Proceeding ftare the Reader in the Face? And how can Gentlemen be eafy in having their Sons carried on in a Way fo manifeftly trifling? Which will appear yet more fo, when it is confidered that young Boys can indeed make but little Ufe of a Dictionary, for want of Senfe to diftinguish, amongst the various Significations many Words have, fuch as are proper for their Purpofe; not to fay too, that the best Dictionaries will in this Cafe frequently fail them. But fuppofe all this was otherwife, yet by what Kind of Conjuration muft young Lads, betwixt Ten and Fourteen, unravel that perplexed Order of Words in the Latin Tongue? This they can never do, give them what Inftructions you will for it, 'till they come to have a pretty general Knowledge of Words; fo as that, upon reading a Sentence once or twice flowly and attentively over, they either discover the Sense, or come pretty near it. That alone, and not any Directions you can give Boys fo young, will enable them to unravel the intricate Order Words ufually have in the Latin Tongue. Now Literal Tranflations direct them inmediately to the Order in which Words are to be taken, and at the fame 'Time immediately fupply them with the Meaning of fuck Words as they want to know the Meaning of. All that has been faid upon this Head appears to me fo very evident and inconteftable, that for my Part I fee not how it can be difputed by ony one.

III. THERE is then no other proper Help left for young Lads in the
Reading of Authors, for the first three or four Years at least of their be-
ing at School, but that of Literal Translations. If Boys, who cannot con-
jure to come at the Meaning of Words, muft be helped to the Meaning
of them fome Way or other, is not the most easy expeditious Way the
beft? And fuppofing a Mafter could affift them to keep them conftantly
employed, (which every one muft fee to be utterly impoffible) or fuppofing
they might make a hard Shift to do their Bufinefs in a poor blundering
Manner by a Dictionary (which is the utmost any one of the leaft Know-
ledge in thefe Matters can fuppofe) yet what Occafion can there be for
either, when it is to the last Degree visible their Bufinefs may be more
eafily and effectually done by the Help of Literal Tranflations. Is it not
vaftly more eligible for a Boy, when he is at a ftand for want of the
proper Order or Meaning of Words, to be fet a going immediately by
one fingle Caft of his Eye, than to be obliged to fpend Time in tumbling
and toffing the Leaves of a Dictionary backward and forward, or trotting
perpetually up and down the School to the Mafter or his Schoolfellows
for their Help? Is it not as abfurd to deny this as it would be to affirm
that the best Way for a Workman to go on eafily and expeditiously with
a Piece of Work is not to have his Tools and Implements in the Shop or
Work-house about him, all ready at Hand, but to have them all to feek,
fome in the Kitchen, others in the Garret, others in the Yard, or the
furtheft Part of the Town; to be all carefully hid again every Night,
that he may be fure to have them all to feek again the next Day, when
he wants them? Just like this is the common Way of proceeding in our
Schools, where the Ufe of Literal Tranflations is rejected. Help of the
beft Kind is provided for Boys, by virtue whereof they may proceed
eafly, chearfully, and expeditiously, in their Bufinefs; and yet a great
many Mafters will not let them make Use of it, but, instead thereof, will
oblige the poor Children to wafte two Thirds at least of their Time in
Sauntering and Play, or thumbing the Leaves of a Dictionary to Pieces,
for the Benefit of the Bookfellers, who alone reap any Benefit from this
Piece of Wisdom, whilft the poor Boys only lofe their Time, and the
Parents their Money by it.

BUT perhaps it may be alledged, (for fome I have known weak enough
to make the Allegation) That the getting their Leffons by a Dictionary
fixes the Meaning of Words better in the Memory of Boys than the
• Ufe of Translations.' To which I answer, Suppofing it practicable for
young Boys to get their Leffons by the Help of a Dictionary, which I
have fhewn it is not, yet does the toffing over the Leaves of a Dictionary
to find a Word contribute to fix the Meaning of it, when found, in the
Memory? If so, the longer. Boys are in finding a Word, that is, the lon-
ger they are e're they come at the Senfe of a Word, the better they will
remember it. Which is as much as to say, that the less Business they do,
the greater Progrefs they will make; which I fear is too ridiculous to
pafs with any body. The turning over the Leaves of a Dictionary, 'tis
evident, can fignify no more to the Purpofe than the tofling of a Ball,
or the knocking down of Nine-pins. What is it then that is of Ufe for
fixing the Meaning of a Word in the Memory? 'Tis plainly nothing
but feeing it in the Dictionary, and repeating it over and over again.
And is there any Thing of Charm in the Name of a Dictionary, that the

seeing

feeing the Meaning of a Word in a Tranflation running in a Column along with the Original, join'd with the like Repetition of it, fhould not produce the fame Effect, and conduce as much to fix it in the Memory? The reading a Word three or four Times over in a Dictionary, you say, will make a ftrong Impreffion upon the Mind. Will not reading the fame Word as often over in any other Book, under any other Denomination, produce the like Impreffion? If not, it must be because the Leaf of a Dictionary, as fuch, has fome ftrange bewitching Virtue in it, a Power of operating upon the Mind, and affecting it, which the Leaf of no other Book can poffibly have.Rifum teneatis.

I HAVE likewise heard it alledged, That the Ufe of Translations will 'make Boys idle;' an Allegation more ridiculous, if poffible, than the former. As Boys' Bufinefs is by the Ufe of Translations rendered vaftly more easy to them, if their Task or Leffon is increased in Proportion, as it ought to be, how is there any Encouragement given, or Allowance made, for Idlenefs? Tranflations are defigned to affift Boys in getting their Leffons only, not in faying them to the Mafter. In this latter Cafe the Tranflations are to be under close Cover, that, by the Manner of the Boys' acquitting themselves, the Mafter may have Proof of their Diligence, or the contrary. And if the fame Methods are taken to encourage Induftry, and difcourage Idlenefs, where Boys are helped by a Tranflation, as where they have the Help of a Mafter, or are left to the Ufe of a Dictionary, why fhould they not have the fame Effect? If Sugar Plumbs. Fruit, Play-things, or Half-pence, will make Boys attend diligently to the Inftructions of a Master, or thrum their Dictionary heartily, will they not operate as ftrongly to make Boys diligent in the Ufe of a Tranflation? Or, if Correction be neceffary, why fhould it not work up a Lad to Industry, as well where he has the Affiftance of a Tranflation, as where he has not? Will a Tranflation make him thicker-fkinned, or lefs fenfible of Pain? O rem ridiculam, Cato, & jocofam! It is therefore a very fenfelefs Thing to pretend, that Tranlations will make Boys idle. One Way to encourage them to Induftry is, to make their Business eafy and pleasant to them; which Tranflations certainly do, and therefore are a vifible Means not to make them idle, but induftrious. Whereas in the vulgar Method of our Schools Boys find it impracticable to do their Bufinefs to Content, and fo are oftentimes rendered defperately idle, as being convinced, by frequent and woeful Experience, that no Pains, no Industry they can ufe, will avail to fecure them effectually from the Lath. THESE Objections against the Ufe of Translations have not, however, hindered, but that Tranflations have been thought fo neceffary for the eafy and fpeedy Attainment of the Greek Tongue, that, for above these hundred and fifty Years laft paft, no Authors in that Language have been publish'd without them.

As for the Hebrew Tongue, to facilitate the learning of that, Arias Montanus long fince published the Hebrew Bible with an interlineary Verfion, for which, I doubt not, fuch, as apply themselves to the Study of the Hebrew Language, are thankful to his Memory; at least, they have a good deal of Reaton I am fure, having received myself a great deal of Benefit from the Ufe of it in learning that Language.

To conclude. The Ufe of Literal Tranflations has no Difficulty in it, employs nothing but Memory. The Boys have proper Words all ready

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