KIND TREATMENT OF PUPILS.

17

to lead him.* Originality and independence of mind, love of truth for its own sake, the power of reflecting, and of forming correct judgments, were not merely neglected-they were suppressed in the Jesuits' system. But in what they attempted they were eminently successful, and their success went a long way toward securing their popularity.†

Their popularity was due, moreover, to the means

*The advantages of learning by heart are twofold, says Sacchini: “Primum memoriam ipsam perficiunt, quod est in totam ætatem ad universa negotia inestimabile commodum. Deinde suppellectilem inde pulcherrimam congregant verborum ac rerum: quæ item, quamdiu vivant, usui futura sit: cum quæ ætate illa insederint indelebilia soleant permanere. Magnam itaque ubi adoleverint, gratiam Præceptori habebunt, cui memoriæ debebunt profectum, magnamque lætitiam capient invenientes quodammodo domi thesaurum quem, in ætate cæteroqui parum fructuosa, prope non sentientes parârint. Enim vero quam sæpe viros graves atque præstantes magnoque jam natu videre et audire est, dum in docta ac nobili corona jucundissime quædam promunt ex iis quæ pueri condiderunt?" The master, he says, must point out to his pupils the advantages we derive from memory; that we only know and possess that which we retain; that this can not be taken from us, but is with us always, and is always ready for use-a living library, which may be studied even in the dark. Boys should therefore be encouraged to run over in their minds, or to say aloud, what they have learnt, as often as opportunity offers, as when they are walking or are by themselves: "Ita numquam in otio futuros otiosos; ita minus fore solos cum soli erunt, consuetudine fruentes sapientum. Denique curandum erit ut selecta quædam ediscant quæ deinde in quovis studiorum genere ac vita fere omni usui sint futura."-Cap viii.

† Ranke, speaking of the success of the Jesuit schools, says: "It was found that young persons learned more under them in half a year than with others in two years. Even Protestants called back their children from distant schools, and put them under the care of the Jesuits.”—Hist. of Popes, book v., p. 138. Kelly's Trans.

employed, as well as to the result attained.

"6

The

Jesuit teachers were to lead, not drive their pupils, to make disciplinam non modo tolerabilem, sed etiam amabilem." Sacchini expresses himself very forcibly on this subject. "It is," says he, "the unvarying decision of wise men, whether in ancient or modern times, that the instruction of youth will always be best when it is pleasantest: whence this application of the word ludus. The tenderness of youth requires of us that we should not overstrain it, its innocence that we should abstain from harshness.

That which enters into willing ears the mind as it were runs to welcome, seizes with avidity, carefully stows away, and faithfully preserves."* The pupils were therefore to be encouraged in every way to take kindly to their learning. With this end in view (and no doubt other objects also), the masters were carefully to seek the boys' affections. "When pupils love the master," says Sacchini, "they will soon love his teaching. Let him, therefore, show an interest in everything that concerns them and not merely in their studies. Let him rejoice with those that rejoice, and not disdain to weep with those that weep. After the example of the Apostle let him become a little one amongst little ones, that he may make them adult in Christ, and Christ adult in them. . . Let him

"Sapientum hoc omnium seu veterum seu recentum constans judicium est, institutionem puerilem tum fore optimam cum jucundissima fuerit, inde enim et ludum vocari. Meretur ætatis teneritas ut ne oneretur: meretur innocentia ut ei parcatur. Quæ libentibus auribus instillantur, ad ea velut occurrit animus, avide suscipit, studiose recondit, fideliter servat."

WORK NOT TOO DIFFICULT.

19

unite the grave kindness and authority of a father with a mother's tenderness."*

In order that learning might be pleasant to the pupils, it was necessary that they should not be overtasked. To avoid this the master had to study the character and capacity of each boy in his class, and to keep a book with all particulars about him, and marks from one to six indicating proficiency. Thus the master formed an estimate of what should be required, and the amount varied considerably with the pupil, though the quality of the work was always to be good.

Not only was the work not to be excessive, it was never to be of great difficulty. Even the grammar was to be made as easy and attractive as possible. "I think it a mistake," says Sacchini, "to introduce at an early stage the more thorny difficulties of gramfor when the pupils have become familiar with the easier parts, use will, by degrees, make the more difficult clear to them. His mind

mar:

*"Conciliabit facilè studiis quos primùm sibi conciliârit. Det itaque omnem operam illorum erga se observantionem ut sapienter colligat et continenter enutriat. Ostendat, sibi res eorum curæ esse non solum quæ ad animum sed etiam quæ ad alia pertinent. Gaudeat cum gaudentibus, nec dedignetur fiere cum fientibus. Instar Apostoli inter parvulos parvulus fiat quo magnos in Christo et magnum in eis Christum efficiat. Seriam comitatem et paternam gravitatem cum materna benignitate permisceat." Unfortunately, the Jesuit's kind manner loses its value from being due not so much to kind feeling as to some ulterior object, or to a rule of the Order. I think it is Jouvency who recommends that when a boy is absent from sickness or other sufficient reason, the master should send daily to inquire after him, because the parents will be pleased by such attention. When the motive of the inquiry is sus pected, the parents will be pleased no longer.

expanding and his judgment ripening as he grows older, the pupil will often see for himself that which he could hardly be made to see by others. Moreover, in reading an author, examples of grammatical difficulties will be more easily observed in connection with the context, and will make more impression on the mind, than if they are taught in an abstract form ly themselves. Let them, then, be carefully explained whenever they occur."*

In collecting these particulars about the Jesuit schools, I have considered not how this or that might be used in attacking or defending the Order, but, simply, what would be of most interest to those who are engaged in education.

No other school system has been built up by the united efforts of so many astute intellects; no other system has meet with so great success, or attained such wide-spread influence. It deserves, therefore, our careful consideration; and, however little we may approve that system, and wish to imitate it as a whole, it may suggest to us not a few useful reflections on our own practice; may lead us to be clearer in our aims; and to value more highly a well-organized plan of instruction-without which even humble aims will mostly prove unattainable.

"Errorem existimo statim initio spinosiores quasdam grammaticæ difficultates inculcare cum enim planioribus insueverint difficiliora paulatim usus explanabit. Quin et capacior subinde mens ac fermius cum ætate judicium, quod alio monstrante perægre unquam percepisset per sese non raro intelliget. Exempla quoque talium rerum dum prælegitur autor facilius in orationis contextu agnoscentur et penetrabunt in animos quam si solitaria et abscissa proponantur. Quamobrem faciendum erit ut quoties occur runt diligenter enucleentur.”

II.

ASCHAM, MONTAIGNE, RATICH, MILTON.

MASTERS and scholars who sigh over what seem to them the intricacies and obscurities of the "Headmasters' Primer" may find some consolation in thinking that, after all, matters might have been worse, and that their fate is enviable indeed compared with that of the students of Latin 400 years ago. Did the reader ever open the "Doctrinale" of Alexander de Villa Dei, which was the grammar in general use from the middle of the thirteenth to the end of the fifteenth century? (v. Appendix, p. 296.) If so, he is aware how great a step toward simplicity was made by our grammatical reformers, Lily, Colet, and ErasIndeed, those whom we now regard as the forgers of our chains were, in their own opinion and that of their contemporaries, the champions of freedom (Appendix, p. 297).

mus.

I have given elsewhere (Appendix, p. 299) a remarkable passage from Colet, in which he recommends the leaving of rules and the study of examples in good Latin authors. Wolsey also, in his directions to the masters of Ipswich School (dated 1528), proposes that the boys should be exercised it the eight parts of speech in the first form, and should begin to speak Latin and translate from English into Latin in the second. If the masters think fit, they may also let the pupils read Lily's "Carmen Moni