A JACOBEAN EDUCATIONIST.
WE hear a great deal nowadays about "modern educationists." We think of them as a new species, of whom Arnold and Thring were the earliest progenitors. It is quite startling to come across a Jacobean "educationist." Yet such was Henry Peacham, a gentleman by birth and up- bringing, who made his living as a private tutor. He may almost be called an Elizabethan, for he was already twenty-seven when the great Queen died, though he lived till the nineteenth year of Charles I. In middle life he embodied his views on his own subject in a book called "The Compleat Gentleman" (Oxford: at the Clarendon Press, 5s. net), dedicated "To the truly noble and most hopefun Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bathe, William Howard," who at the time of its publica- tion was only eight years old.
The tutor brings a strong indictment against the schools and schoolmasters of his day. Most of the reforms which he suggests have come to pass; some are still being canvassed. His first complaint—the reason for the writing of his book —is one we hear constantly made ti-day. Young English- men, he says, of the better classes are at a disadvantage with young Continentals, especially Germans, by reason of their lack of instruction. He compares English and German secondary education to the great detriment of the former; and urges the study of modern languages, of history, and of the arts. He deprecates the too great strain put upon the memory, the too little appeal made to the understanding by English teachers. He pleads for more time and trouble to be given to boys not naturally bookish, and declares that little good can be done till the dull grind of Latin grammar 1a varied ; till learning is made attractive; till the masters play games with the boys, and the boys cease to look upon the masters as their natural enemies. The majority of English schoolboys, he says, have no chance to learn. The masters believe "that there is no other Method of making a Seholler than by beating him." For one scholar they make, Ire laments, "they marre ten," being "fitter farre to keeps Beeves than to have the charge of Nobles and Gentlemen." The result is a mass of "brutish ignorance." "How many excellent wits have we in this Land, that smell of the Ceske, by neglecting their young time when they should have learned!" The first and main error of English teachers is, he says, "want of discretion," for "in such variety of Natures as different as their countenances, the Master never laboureth to try the strength of every capacity by it selfe, which must have the rule fitted to it, not that brought to the rule." One and the same method, he urges, agreeth not with all alike, yet "out of the Masters cart:m.1y judgement, like Horses in a teame, they are set to draw all alike, when some one or two prime and able wits in the Schoole, like fleet hounds gee away with the game, when the rest need helping over a stile a mile behind : hence being either quite discouraged in themselves, or taken away by their friends (who for the most part measure their learning by the Forme they set in), they take leave of their bookes while they live." "in Germany," on the other hand, "the schools is, and as the name importeth, it ought to be meerely Lucius hteranus, a very pastime of learning, where it is a rare thing to see a Rod stirring: yet I
heartily wish that our Children of England were but belle so ready in writing and speaking Latina, which Boyes of tenne and twelve yeeres old will doe so roundly, and with so neate a phrase and style, that many of our Masters would hardly mend them." As to the "plaine °nudge" which goes on in English schools, he believes that the difficulty of discipline would be almost done away if organised games were introduced. "So may a discreet Master, with as much or more ease, both to himself° and his Scholler, teach him to play at Tenniae, or shoot at Rovers in the field, and profit him more in one moneth beside his encouragement, than in halfe a yeere with his strict and severe usage."
Peacham is an urgent advocate of open air and exercise, and he does not approve of those schools which "enforce a precise and tedious strictnesse, in long keeping the &hollers by the walles," which, besides dulling a boy's wits and dejecting his spirit, takes off "the edge of his invention," and creates in him afterwards "a kinds of hate and carelessness° of study." He has seen a school in the Low Countries whew alternate hours were given to work and exercise, and he thinks the results good, for "strong and lively wits must have their retrait or intermission of exercise." He admits, however, that too much liberty and a careless master are as bad as too much application and a severe one, for in that case "every day is play-day" with the boys, they "bestowing the Summer in seeking Birds-nests, or haunting Orchards ; the Winter, in keeping at home for cold, or abroad all day with the Bow, or the Birding-peece." Evidently some of our little forefathers had a good time in spite of the "Beare-keepers."
Much educational evil, he thinks, arises from the fact that teachers are held for the most part "in basest repute," "the Schoolemaster almost in every Comedy being brought upon the Stage, to parallel the Zani, or Pantaloon." This state of things he regards, however, as largely their own fault, their position as petty tyrants leading them to indulge in "Humour and Folly." "I knew one," we read, "who in Winter would ordinarily in a cold morning, whip his Boyes over for no other purpose than to get himself° a heat"; and "I had I remember myselfe," be goes on, "a Master, who by no entreaty would teach any &holler be had farther than his Father had learned before him his reason was, they would then proove saucy rogues, and controule their Fathers."
But if Peacham objected to long hours, he certainly did not set before his ideal pupil a short curriculum. He is to have, by the time he goes to the University, a good knowledge of Latin, bringing to his work "an able j udgement," besides "your Dictionary." He is to be grounded in more than one modern language sufficiently well to be able to profit by future travel, though he must only expect "perfection from conference." He is to write a good English style, "taking heed of speaking, or writing such words, as men shall rather admire than under- stand." He is to learn as much history as possible, and, above all, "bee not a stranger in the History of your owne Country." In the mouth of our author the learning of history means no perfunctory effort of memory, but a real mental effort, for that, he says, is most properly called history "which telleth us of things as they were done." "Chronology," "genealogy," and " geography " he counts as secondary parts of the same subject. Some knowledge of literature is, he points out, a necessary part of history ; above all, some knowledge of poetry, "wherein no small part of the treasure of humane learning lyeth hid." And "if Mechanicall Arts hold their estimation by their effects in base subjects, how much more deserveth this to be esteemed, that boldeth so soveraigne a power over the minde, can tame brutislinesse into Civility, make the lewd honest (which is Scaligers opinion of Virgils Poeme), turne hatred to love, cowardice into valour, and in briefe, like a Queens command over all affections." Added to all this, he is to study geometry, to cultivate a taste for music and drawing, to take an intelligent interest in "antiquities," and to know something of heraldry. This for a boy who is not to be "a professed Scholler," but merely "a compleat Gentleman."
Against the custom of sending boys early to the University Peacham inveighs at length. "Young things" are sent, he complains, "at twelve, thirteene, or foureteene, that have no more care than to expect the next Carrier, and where to sup on Eridayes and Fasting nights no further thought of study, than to trimme up their studies with Pictures, and place the fairest Bookes in opened view, which poore Lads they scarce ever opened, or understand not." Again, he implores all parents not to settle upon professions for their sons without sufficiently consulting their inclinations. The work of the world is badly done because so many men are set upon the wrong piece. He sees men put to study law "who notwithstanding spend most of their time even in Divinitie at the Innes of the Courts, and how many Divines have we (I appeale to the Courts), helms of their fathers, friends, or purchased advousons, whom the buckram bagge would not better beseeme than the Bible ? ' In like manner, he goes on, "I have knowne many Com- manders and worthy Gentlemen, as well of our owns Nation as strangers, who, following the warns, in the field and in their Armes, have confessed to me, Nature never ordained them for that profession." That the soldiers and buccaneers of those days sometimes regretted that they were not put to learned professions is likely enough, and yet somehow it surprises the reader to hear it.
Peacham does not devote much space to theorising upon religious education. Had he lived now be would certainly have been called a " Cowper-Templeite." He urges his pupil to count no time lost which is spent in reading the Bible, warns him to avoid when travelling the poison of atheism, to remember that he belongs to the Reformed faith, but to hold his tongue upon all controversial points.
We congratulate Mr. Henry Frowde upon this excellent reproduction of a delightful book. It is impossible to read it without a feeling that we have met a man who lived in another age, and that after all he was very much like the men who live in this. By this sense the judicious reader will know that he has obtained a moment's historical insight.
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