If his scholars hate the muses, being presented unto them in the shape of fiends and furies. Junius* complains "de insolenti carnificina" of his schoolmaster, by whom conscindebatur flagris septies aut octies in dies singulos." the lamentable verses of poor Tusser in his own life: Yea, hear Such an Orbilius‡ mars more scholars than he makes: their tyranny hath caused many tongues to stammer, which spake plain by nature, and whose stuttering at first was nothing else but fears quavering on their speech at their master's presence; and whose mauling them about their heads hath dulled those who in quickness exceeded their master. He makes his school free to him, who sues to him "in forma pauperis." And surely learning is the greatest alms that can be given. But he is a beast, who, because the poor scholar can not pay him his wages, pays the scholar in his whipping. Rather are diligent lads to be encouraged with all excitements to learning. This minds me of what I have heard concerning Mr. Bust, that worthy late schoolmaster of Eton, who would never suffer any wandering begging scholar (such as justly the statute hath ranked in the forefront of rogues) to come into his school, but would thrust him out with earnestness, (however privately charitable unto him,) lest his schoolboys should be disheartened from their books, by seeing some scholars, after their studying in the University, preferred to beggary. He spoils not a good school to make thereof a bad college, therein to teach his scholars logic. For besides that logic may have an action of trespass against grammar for encroaching on her liberties, syllogisms are solecisms taught in the school, and oftentimes they are forced afterward in the University to unlearn the fumbling skill they had before. Out of his school he is no whit pedantical in carriage or discourse; contenting himself to be rich in Latin, though he doth not jingle with it in every company wherein he comes. To conclude, let this amongst other motives make schoolmasters careful in their place, that the eminencies of their scholars have commended the memories of their schoolmasters to posterity, who otherwise in obscurity had altogether been forgotten. Who had ever heard of R. Bond, in Lancashire, but for the breeding of learned Ascham, his scholar? or of Hartgrave, in Brundly school, FRANCIS JUNIUS, who died in 1602, professor of divinity at Leyden, whose autobiography contains brief notices of his school and schoolmasters-is probably referred to. He was the author of Commentaries, Hebrew Lexicon, Translations of the Scriptures, etc. NICHOLAS UDAL, Head Master of Eton College, from 1530 to 1555, and of Westminster from 1555 to 1564, through the Schoolmaster of Roger Ascham, and Thomas Tusser's Account of his own life, seems destined to an unenviable immortality for his flogging propensities. He was born in Hampshire in 1506, educated at Oxford, and died in 1564. He was the author of a "Moral play" entitled Ralph Royster Doyster. ! ORBILIUS PUPILLUS, was a native of Beneventum, where having received a good educa tion, served as a soldier in Macedonia, taught for some time in his native place, until in the consulship of Cicero, B. C. 63, he removed to Rome and opened a school, which was attended by Horace, who seems to have carried away with him a stinging remembrance of his flogging propensities, and for which he has made him infamous to all time. In his Epistle to Augus tus, (Ep. 11. 1, 70.1 he calls him plagosum-fond of flogging. Suetonius in his Liber de Illustribus Grammaticis describes Orbilius in these words: Fuit autem naturæ acerba non modo in anti sophistas, quos omni sermone laceravit, sed etiam in discipulos, ut Horatius significat, plagosum eum appellans, et Domitius Marsus scribens: The ferula, the general instrument of punishment in school, was the stalk of a reed or cane of that name, in which Prometheus conveyed the spark of fire from heaven. Many teachers act as though they thought some of the divine fire had impregnated the stalk for future use. Scutica was a lash, and a more flexible and severe instrument of punishment, like the raw hide, made of untanned leather twisted. Orbilius lived to be nearly one hundred years old, and must have had a more cheerful tem per than Horace gave him credit for. His native city erected a statue to his memory. Ile is said to have written a book on school-keeping. : in the same county, but because he was the first did teach worthy Doctor Whitaker? nor do I honor the memory of Mulcaster* for anything so much, as for his scholar, that gulf of learning, Bishop Andrews. This made the Athenians, the day before the great feast of Theseus, their founder, to sacrifice a ram to the memory of Conidas, his schoolmaster that first instructed him. OLIVER GOLDSMITH. 1728-1774. We shall have occasion to notice some of the peculiarities in Goldsmith's own education, and of his experience as a teacher in the republication in a future number of his admirable Essay on Education, in which he claims to have anticipated some of the suggestions of Rousseau in his Emilius. The portraitures in the Deserted Village, whether drawn from Irish or English life, are among the classic characters of our language. THE VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER. Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way There, in his noisy mansion skill'd to rule, A man severe he was, and stern to view; "Twas certain he could write and cipher too; Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage; In arguing too the parson own'd his skill, For e'en tho' vanquished, he could argue still; While words of learned length, and thund'ring sound Amaz'd the gazing rustics rang'd around; And still they gaz'd; and still the wonder grew, That one small head could carry all he knew But past is all his fame; the very spot Where many a time he triumph'd, is forgot. JAMES DELILLE, 1738-1813. JAMES DELILLE, was born in Auvignon, in 1733, educated in Paris, and made Professor at Amiens, in 1760, and afterward in Paris,— His * RICHARD MULCASTER was born at Carlisle, educated at Eton under Udal, and at Kings' College, Cambridge, and Christ Church, Oxford.-commenced teaching in 1559, and appointed first master of Merchant Tailors' School in 1561, where he served till 1596, when he was made upper master of St. Paul's school,-died in 1611. He was a severe disciplinarian, but received many marks of grateful respect from his pupils, when they came of age and reflected on his fidelity and care. He was a good Latin, Greek, and Oriental scholar. Latin verses spoken on the occasion of one of Queen Elizabeth's visits to Kenilworth Castle, are considered favorable specimens of his I atinity. He made a contribution to the literature of his profession, under the title of Positions, wherein those primitive Circumstances be considered which are necessary for the training up of children, either for Skill in their books. or Health in their Bodies. London, 1581." translated Virgil's Georgics into French verse, and afterward composed an original work of the same character, entitled Jardins. Driven from France by the revolutionary outbreak, he afterward resided in Switzerland and Germany. In 1792, he published the Country Gentlemen, (Homme des Champs,) a poem in five cantos, in which he depicts country life in various characters and aspects--and among others, that of the school and the schoolmaster. We copy the last in an English translation by John Maunde. Some of the finest strokes are borrowed from Goldsmith's picture-unless both are copied from the same original. He died in 1813. THE VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER. Descend, my muse, nor yet debate thy strain, And paint the pedant of the village train. His infant tribe their destiny may know. He nods, they part; again, and they assemble: Smiles, if he laughs; and if he frowns, they tremble. He soothes, or menaces, as best befits, And now chastises, or he now acquits. E'en when away, his wary subjects fear, Lest the unseen bird should whisper in his ear Who laughs, or talks, or slumbers o'er his book, Nor distant far the birch is seen to rise The birch, that heeds not their imploring cries. If chance the breeze its boughs should lightly shake With pale affright the puny urchins quake. Thus, gentle Chanonat, beside thy bed, I've touched that tree, my childhood's friend and dread ; That willow-tree, whose tributary spray Amid my stern pedant with his sceptered sway. Such is the master of the village-school: Be it thy care to dignify his rule. The wise man learns each rank to appreciate; But fools alone despise the humbler state. In spite of pride, in office, great or low, ROBERT LLOYD, 1733-1764. ROBERT LLOYD was born in London in 1733. His father was under-master at Westminster School, and after completing his education at Cambridge, became usher under his father, without bringing to the work that moral fitness and love for teaching, without which it becomes intolerable drudgery. He soon left the occupation in disgust, and tried to earn a subsistence by his pen. He died poor in 1764. A SCHOOL USHER. Were I at once empowered to show For one, it hurts me to the soul, The links and points, and rules of verse: To deal out authors by retail, Like penny pots of Oxford ale; Oh'tis a service irksome more, Then tugging at a slavish oar! No joys, alas! his toil beguiles, His own is fallow all the while. "Yet still he's on the road, you say, Of learning." Why, perhaps he may; Nor getting on nor standing still; For little way his learning reaches, Who reads no more than what he teaches. THE SCHOOL AND THE TEACHER IN LITERATURE. WILLIAM SHENSTONE, 1714-1763. WILLIAM SHENSTONE was born at Leasowes, in the parish of HalesOwen, Shropshire, in 1714. He was taught to read at a "dame school," the house, and teacher of which, have been immortalized in his poem of the Schoolmistress-spent four years at Pembroke College, Oxford,—and then impoverished himself in embellishing a small paternal estate, which he made the envy of men of wealth, and the admiration of men of taste. His poems, essays, and lectures, were collected and published after his death, which occurred in 1763. His "Schoolmistress," a descriptive sketch in imitation of Spenser, ranks in poetry, with the paintings of Teniers and Wilkie, for its force and truthfulness to nature, as well as its quiet humor. THE SCHOOLMISTRESS. (1.) Ah, me! full sorely is my heart forlorn, In every village mark'd with little spire, For unkempt hair, or task unconn'd, are sorely shent. And all in sight doth rise a birchin tree, (2.) |