CASTALIAM _molli divertitur orbita clivo._

(Georg. libi. iij.)

With sweet love rapt, I now by deserts pass,
And over hills where never track of yore:
Descending easily, yet remembered was,
That led the way to CASTALIE before.

(Peacham.)

But instead of many good, they have infinite bad; and go
stumbling from the right, as if they went blindfold for a
wager. Hence cometh the shifting of the scholler from master
to master; who, poor boy (like a hound among a company of
ignorant hunters hollowing every deer they see), misseth the
right, begetteth himself new labour, and at last, by one of
skill and well read, beaten for his paines," pp. 29, 30.
Peacham next notices the extreme severity of discipline
exercised in some schools. "I knew one, who in winter would
ordinarily, in a cold morning, whip his boys over for no
other purpose than to get himself a heat: another beats them
for swearing, and all the while sweares himself with
horrible oaths. He would forgive any fault saving that! I
had, I remember, myself (neer St. Alban's in Hertfordshire,
where I was born) a master, who, by no entreaty, would teach
any scholler he had farther than his father had learned
before him; as if he had only learned but to read English,
the son, though he went with him seven years, should go no
further: his reason was, they would then prove saucy rogues,
and controle their fathers! Yet these are they that
oftentimes have our hopefull gentry under their charge and
tuition, to bring them up in science and civility!" p. 27.
This absurd system is well contrasted with the following
account of the lenity observed in some of the schools on the
continent: "In Germany the school is, and as the name
imports, it ought to be, merely, LUDUS LITERARIUS, 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 half so ready in writing and speaking Latin, which
boys of ten and twelve years old will do so roundly, and
with so neat a phrase and style, that many of our masters
would hardly mend them; having only for their punishment,
shame; and for their reward, praise," p. 24. "Wherefore I
cannot but commend the custome of their schools in