Time enough is that meane which perfiteth all, the Elementarie in his kinde, the Grammarian in his, the Graduate in his, and so profiteth the common weale by perfiting all: the prerogatiue to thought: the mother to truth: the tuchestone to ripenesse: the enemy to errour: mans only stay, and helpe to aduice.
For the Grammarians time, though it be not within this argument, as many other thinges which the affinitie drew in, yet thus much may I say. That his perfitnesse hath a pitche, and his yeares yeilde his good, as it shall appeare in his owne place, whose time must needes be limited, bycause he is so placed after the Elementarie, and before the Uniuersitie, as the well appointing of his time shall disapoint neither of them. For the times, and yeares of studie before degrees in the Vniuersitie, Plato himselfe in his exquisite republike cannot, nor doth not appoint them better then they be there already, if the Grammar, and Elementarie haste marred not, and made them that come to soone seeke also to proceede to soone, yet euen so fulfilling statutes, which appoint the continuing yeares, though smallie for their benefit, which are not appointed in yeares, and lesse then not appointed in substaunce. The distances betwene degrees orderly employed, and the midle learninges being caryed before them, as it is imported by their stiles: might worke in the most very reasonable knowledge, for methode and ground in habite, though not for particulars, which be alwayes endlesse, still without art, though most within experience, for their most needfull number. Now if that helpe of readers, which I wished for, were put in execution, me thinke, the world should see, a marueilous number of excellent professours in euery degree. I am to long in talking of to litle: but the times hanging one vpon another haue led me thus onward: wherfore it is now time for me to determine that time, which I do take to be enough for the Elementarie. When the child can read so readily, and roundly, as the length of his lesson shal nothing trouble him for his reading: when he can write so faire and so fast, as no kinde of exercise shalbe tedious vnto him for the writing: when his penne or pencill shall delite him with bragge: when his Musicke both for voice, and hand is so farre forward, as a litle voluntarie will both maintaine, and encrease it: all which thinges the second maister must haue an eye vnto: then hath the Elementarie had time enough. If the parent account not of all, yet perfitnesse in his choice must be his cheife account. The childes ordinarie exercises, will continue his writing, and reading, himselfe will alwaye be drawing, bycause it deliteth his eye, and busieth not his braine. But for Musicke, the maister and the parentes delite must further it. For that in those yeares, children be Musicall rather for other then for them selues. Once in, this is a certaine ground, and most infallible, that in tarying long, and perfiting well, there is no losse of time, specially seeing those qualities euen alone, be a pretie furniture of houshold if they be well gotten. The hasting on to fast to see the frute too soone, when circunstances perswade tarying, is to winne an houre in the morning, and to lease the day after. Thus much concerning the Elementarie time, determinable not by yeares, but by sufficiencie. If yeares could be limittes to knowledge, as they be very good leaders, the rule were more certaine: but where witte goeth not by yeares, nor learning without, sufficiencie is the surest bounder, to set out, wherin enough is. Howbeit in the Elementarie, and so forth I will limit the time somwhat nearer, with all the considerations, both for varietie of the matters which are to be learned, and the men which are to teach, and such thinges as seeme not so proper to be set downe here.
CHAPTER 43.
How to cut of most inconueniences wherwith schooles and scholers, maisters and parentes be in our schooling now most troubled. Wherof there be two meeanes, vniformitie in teaching and publishing of schoole orders. That vniformitie in teaching hath for companions dispatch is learning, and sparing of expenses. Of the abbridging of the number of bookes. Of curtesie and correction. Of schoole faultes. Of friendlinesse betwene parentes and maisters.
A great learned man[73] in our dayes thought so much of the troublesome and toilsome life, which we teachers lead, as he wrate a pretie booke of the miseries of maisters. We are to thanke him for his good will: but when any kinde of life be it high, be it low, is not troubled with his proportion to our portion, we will yeild to misery. Our life is very painfull in deede, and what if beyond comparison painfull? Much a do we haue, and what if none more? Yet sure many as much, though they deale not with so many, and moe more miserable, bycause they better not so many. But I will neither rip vp those thinges, which seeme most restlesse in vs, though the argument offer spreding: neither will I medle with any other trade, no lesse troublesome then teaching, by comparing to seeme to lessen: bycause comparisons in miseries be vncomfortable to both, though some ease to either. To what purpose should I shew, why the maister blames this, the parent that, the child nothing more then the rod, though he will not but deserue it? Such a disease we haue to repine at the paine, and not to waye the offence, which deserueth the paine. Why beat ye him sayeth one? Why offendeth he sayeth none? so harde a thing it is to finde defense for right, so easie a thing it is to finde qualifying for wrong. Therefore to omit these vnpleasant rippinges, I will deale with the remedies how to cut of the most of those, which he calles miseries, I terme inconueniences, wherwith the trade of teaching at this day seemeth to haue a great conflict. Which counsell though it be first laid for the youngest scholers, yet may it well be translated further, and beseeme both the biggest, and best, in any learned course.
These remedies I take to be two: 1. The one vniformitie in teaching, which draweth after it, dispatch in learning, and sparing of expenses about to great a number of bookes.
2. The other is publike schoole lawes, set downe, and seen, which bring with them for companions agreement of parentes and teachers, continuance of scholers, conference to amend, comfort to freindes, and commoditie to the common countrey.
Vniformitie in teaching.
For vniformitie in teaching how many gaules that will heale, wherwith schooles be now greiued, it will then best appeare, when it shalbe shewed, what good it will worke, and how necessarie a thing it is, to haue all schooles reduced vnto it. That there is to much variety in teaching, and therfore to much ill teaching (bycause in the midst of many bypathes, there is but one right waye) he were senseles, that sees not: if he either haue taught, or haue bene taught himselfe. Which whence it springeth, diuersities of iudgement bewraie, that men haue gotten by better or worse training vp in youth: by lesse or more trauell in studie: by longer or shorter continuance at their booke: by liking or misliking some trade in teaching: by accommodating themselues to the parentes choice: and many wayes moe, which either brede varietie, or else be bred by varietie. But of all varieties there is none vayner, then when ignoraunce sweares that that is an aphorisme, the contrarie wherof sound knowledge hath set downe for a sure oracle. Now in this confusion of varieties what hinderance hath youth? what discredite receiue schooles? what inequalities be the Vniuersities molested with? what toile is it to Tutours? how small riddaunce to readers? when diuersities of groundworke do hinder their building, and the scholers weakenesse discrieth his maister? And yet oftimes the weake maister bringes vp a strong scholer, by some accident not ordinarie, and the cunninger man by some ordinarie let makes small shew of his great labour. Do not the learners also themselues commonly when they come to yeares and misse that commoditie, which ther maisters could not giue them, being very weake themselues, then blame their fortune and feele the want of foresight? For if varietie had bene wipte awaye by vniformitie, euen the weakest maister might haue done very well if he had had but a meane head to follow direction being set downe to his hand.