Of Education
John Milton
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O
F E D
U C A T I O N.
To
Master Samuel
Hartlib.
Written
above
twenty Years since.
Master Hartlib,
Am long since
persuaded that
to say and do aught worth memory and imitation, no purpose or respect
should
sooner move us than simply the love of God and of mankind.
Nevertheless,
to write now the reforming of education, though it be one of the
greatest
and noblest designs that can be thought on, and for the want whereof
this
nation perishes, I had not yet at this time been induced but by your
earnest
entreaties and serious conjurements; as having my mind for the present
half diverted in the pursuance of some other assertions, the knowledge
and the use of which cannot but be a great furtherance both to the
enlargement
of truth, and honest living with much more peace.
Nor
should
the laws of any private friendship have prevailed with me to divide
thus
or transpose my former thoughts; but that I see those aims, those
actions
which have won you with me the esteem of a person sent hither by some
good
providence from a far country to be the occasion and incitement of
great
good to this island. And (as I hear) you have obtained the same repute
with men of most approved wisdom and some of the highest authority
among
us; not to mention the learned correspondence which you hold in foreign
parts, and the extraordinary pains and diligence which you have used in
this matter both here and beyond the seas, either by the definite will
of God so ruling, or the peculiar sway of nature, which also is God's
working.
Neither
can I think that, so reputed and so valued as you are, you would, to
the
forfeit of your own discerning ability, impose upon me an unfit and
over-ponderous
argument; but that the satisfaction, which you profess to have received
from those incidental discourses which we have wandered into, hath
pressed
and almost constrained you into a persuasion, that what you require
from
me in this point I neither ought nor can in conscience defer beyond
this
time, both of so much need at once, and so much opportunity to try what
God hath determined.
I
will
not resist, therefore, whatever it is either of divine or human
obligement
that you lay upon me; but will forthwith set down in writing, as you
request
me, that voluntary idea, which hath long in silence presented itself to
me, of a better education, in extent and comprehension far more large,
and yet of time far shorter and of attainment far more certain, than
hath
been yet in practice. Brief I shall endeavour to be; for that which I
have
to say assuredly this nation hath extreme need should be done sooner
than
spoken. To tell you, therefore, that I have benefited herein among old
renowned authors I shall spare; and to search what many modern Januas
and
Didactics more than ever I shall read have projected, my inclination
leads
me not. But if you can accept of these few observations which have
flowered
off, and are, as it were, the burnishing of many studious and
contemplative
years altogether spent in the search of religious and civil knowledge,
and such as pleased you so well in the relating, I here give you them
to
dispose of.
The
end,
then, of learning is to repair the ruins of our first parents by
regaining
to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love him, to imitate
him,
to be like him, as we may the nearest, by possessing our souls of true
virtue, which, being united to the heavenly grace of faith, makes up
the
highest perfection. But because our understanding cannot in this body
found
itself but on sensible things, nor arrive so clearly to the knowledge
of
God and things invisible as by orderly conning over the visible and
inferior
creature, the same method is necessarily to be followed in all discreet
teaching.
And
seeing
every nation affords not experience and tradition enough for all kind
of
learning, therefore we are chiefly taught the languages of those people
who have at any time been most industrious after wisdom; so that
language
is but the instrument conveying to us things useful to be known. And
though
a linguist should pride himself to have all the tongues that Babel
cleft
the world into, yet if he have not studied the solid things in them as
well as the words and lexicons, he were nothing so much to be esteemed
a learned man as any yeoman or tradesman competently wise in his
mother-dialect
only.
Hence appear
the many mistakes which have made learning generally so unpleasing and
so unsuccessful. First, we do amiss to spend seven or eight years
merely
in scraping together so much miserable Latin and Greek as might be
learned
otherwise easily and delightfully in one year. And that which casts our
proficiency therein so much behind is our time lost in too oft idle
vacancies
given both to schools and universities; partly in a preposterous
exaction,
forcing the empty wits of children to compose themes, verses, and
orations,
which are the acts of ripest judgment, and the final work of a head
filled,
by long reading and observing, with elegant maxims and copious
invention.
These are
not matters to be wrung from poor striplings, like blood out of the
nose,
or the plucking of untimely fruit; besides the ill habit which they get
of wretched barbarizing against the Latin and Greek idiom with their
untutored
Anglicisms, odious to be read, yet not to be avoided without a
well-continued
and judicious conversing among pure authors, digested, which they
scarce
taste. Whereas, if after some preparatory grounds of speech by their
certain
forms got into memory they were led to the praxis thereof in some
chosen
short book lessoned thoroughly to them, they might then forthwith
proceed
to learn the substance of good things and arts in due order, which
would
bring the whole language quickly into their power. This I take to be
the
most rational and most profitable way of learning languages, and
whereby
we may best hope to give account to God of our youth spent herein.
And
for
the usual method of teaching arts, I deem it to be an old error of
universities,
not yet well recovered from the scholastic grossness of barbarous ages,
that, instead of beginning with arts most easy (and those be such as
are
most obvious to the sense), they present their young unmatriculated
novices
at first coming with the most intellective abstractions of logic and
metaphysics;
so that they, having but newly left those grammatic flats and shallows
where they struck unreasonably to learn a few words with lamentable
construction,
and now on the sudden transported under another climate, to be tossed
and
turmoiled with their unballasted wits in fathomless and unquiet deeps
of
controversy, do, for the most part, grow into hatred and contempt of
learning,
mocked and deluded all this while with ragged notions and babblements,
while they expected worthy and delightful knowledge; till poverty or
youthful
years call them importunately their several ways, and hasten them, with
the sway of friends, either to an ambitious and mercenary, or
ignorantly
zealous divinity: some allured to the trade of law, grounding their
purposes
not on the prudent and heavenly contemplation of justice and equity,
which
was never taught them, but on the promising and pleasing thoughts of
litigious
terms, fat contentions, and flowing fees. Others betake them to state
affairs
with souls so unprincipled in virtue and true generous breeding, that
flattery,
and court-shifts, and tyrannous aphorisms appear to them the highest
points
of wisdom, instilling their barren hearts with a conscientious slavery,
if, as I rather think, it be not feigned. Others, lastly, of a more
delicious
and airy spirit, retire themselves, knowing no better, to the
enjoyments
of ease and luxury, living out their days in feast and jollity; which,
indeed, is the wisest and safest course of all these, unless they were
with more integrity undertaken. And these are the errors, these are the
fruits of mis-spending our prime youth at the schools and universities,
as we do, either in learning mere words, or such things chiefly as were
better unlearned.
I
shall
detain you no longer in the demonstration of what we should not do, but
straight conduct you to a hillside, where I will point you out the
right
path of a virtuous and noble education; laborious indeed at the first
ascent,
but else so smooth, so green, so full of goodly prospect and melodious
sounds on every side, that the harp of Orpheus was not more charming. I
doubt not but ye shall have more ado to drive our dullest and laziest
youth,
our stocks and stubs, from the infinite desire of such a happy nurture,
than we have now to hale and drag our choicest and hopefullest wits to
that asinine feast of sow-thistles and brambles which is commonly set
before
them as all the food and entertainment of their tenderest and most
docible
age. I call, therefore, a complete and generous education, that which
fits
a man to perform, justly, skilfully, and magnanimously all the offices,
both private and public, of peace and war. And how all this may be done
between twelve and one-and-twenty, less time than is now bestowed in
pure
trifling at grammar and sophistry, is to be thus ordered.
First,
to find out a spacious house and ground about it fit for an Academy,
and
big enough to lodge a hundred and fifty persons, whereof twenty or
thereabout
may be attendants, all under the government of one who shall be thought
of desert sufficient, and ability either to do all, or wisely to direct
and oversee it done. This place should be at once both school and
university,
not needing a remove to any other house of scholarship, except it be
some
peculiar college of law or physic, where they mean to be practitioners;
but as for those general studies which take up all our time from Lilly
to the commencing, as they term it, master of art, it should be
absolute.
After this pattern, as many edifices may be converted to this use as
shall
be needful in every city throughout this land, which would tend much to
the increase of learning and civility everywhere. This number, less or
more, thus collected, to the convenience of a foot-company or
interchangeably
two troops of cavalry, should divide their day's work into three parts
as it lies orderly--their studies, their exercise, and their diet.
For
their
studies first, they should begin with the chief and necessary rules of
some good grammar, either that now used, or any better, and while this
is doing, their speech is to be fashioned to a distinct and clear
pronunciation,
as near as may be to the Italian, especially in the vowels. For we
Englishmen,
being far northerly, do not open our mouths in the cold air wide enough
to grace a southern tongue, but are observed by all other nations to
speak
exceeding close and inward; so that to smatter Latin with an English
mouth
is as ill a hearing as law French.
Next, to
make them expert in the usefullest points of grammar, and withal to
season
them and win them early to the love of virtue and true labour, ere any
flattering seducement or vain principle seize them wandering, some easy
and delightful book of education would be read to them, whereof the
Greeks
have store, as Cebes, Plutarch, and other Socratic discourses; but in
Latin
we have none of classic authority extant, except the two or three first
books of Quintilian and some select pieces elsewhere.
But
here
the main skill and groundwork will be to temper them such lectures and
explanations upon every opportunity, as may lead and draw them in
willing
obedience, inflamed with the study of learning and the admiration of
virtue,
stirred up with high hopes of living to be brave men and worthy
patriots,
dear to God and famous to all ages: that they may despise and scorn all
their childish and ill-taught qualities, to delight in manly and
liberal
exercises; which he who hath the art and proper eloquence to catch them
with, what with mild and effectual persuasions, and what with the
intimation
of some fear, if need be, but chiefly by his own example, might in a
short
space gain them to an incredible diligence and courage, infusing into
their
young breasts such an ingenuous and noble ardour as would not fail to
make
many of them renowned and matchless men.
At
the
same time, some other hour of the day might be taught them the rules of
arithmetic, and, soon after, the elements of geometry, even playing, as
the old manner was. After evening repast till bed-time their thoughts
would
be best taken up in the easy grounds of religion and the story of
Scripture.
The
next
step would be to the authors of agriculture, Cato, Varro, and
Columella,
for the matter is most easy; and if the language be difficult, so much
the better, it is not a difficulty above their years. And here will be
an occasion of inciting and enabling them hereafter to improve the
tillage
of their country, to recover the bad soil, and to remedy the waste that
is made of good; for this was one of Hercules' praises.
Ere
half
these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily)
they
cannot choose but be masters of any ordinary prose; so that it will be
then seasonable for them to learn in any modern author the use of the
globes
and all the maps, first with the old names and then with the new; or
they
might then be capable to read any compendious method of natural
philosophy.
And, at the same time, might be entering into the Greek tongue, after
the
same manner as was before prescribed in the Latin; whereby the
difficulties
of grammar being soon overcome, all the historical physiology of
Aristotle
and Theophrastus are open before them and, as I may say, under
contribution.
The like access will be to Vitruvius, to Seneca's Natural Questions,
to Mela, Celsus, Pliny, or Solinus. And having thus passed the
principles
of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and geography, with a general
compact
of physics, they may descend in mathematics to the instrumental science
of trigonometry, and from thence to fortification, architecture,
enginery,
or navigation. And in natural philosophy they may proceed leisurely
from
the history of meteors, minerals, plants, and living creatures, as far
as anatomy. Then also in course might be read to them out of some not
tedious
writer the institution of physic; that they may know the tempers, the
humours,
the seasons, and how to manage a crudity; which he who can wisely and
timely
do is not only a great physician to himself and to his friends, but
also
may at some time or other save an army by this frugal and expenseless
means
only, and not let the healthy and stout bodies of young men rot away
under
him for want of this discipline, which is a great pity, and no less a
shame
to the commander.
To
set
forward all these proceedings in nature and mathematics, what hinders
but
that they may procure, as oft as shall be needful, the helpful
experiences
of hunters, fowlers, fishermen, shepherds, gardeners, apothecaries; and
in the other sciences, architects, engineers, mariners, anatomists,
who,
doubtless, would be ready, some for reward and some to favour such a
hopeful
seminary. And this would give them such a real tincture of natural
knowledge
as they shall never forget, but daily augment with delight. Then also
those
poets which are now counted most hard will be both facile and pleasant,
Orpheus, Hesiod, Theocritus, Aratus, Nicander, Oppian, Dionysius; and,
in Latin, Lucretius, Manilius, and the rural part of Virgil.
By
this
time years and good general precepts will have furnished them more
distinctly
with that act of reason which in ethics is called proairesis, that they
may with some judgment contemplate upon moral good and evil. Then will
be required a special reinforcement of constant and sound
indoctrinating
to set them right and firm, instructing them more amply in the
knowledge
of virtue and the hatred of vice, while their young and pliant
affections
are led through all the moral works of Plato, Xenophon, Cicero,
Plutarch,
Laertius, and those Locrian remnants; but still to be reduced in their
nightward studies, wherewith they close the day's work, under the
determinate
sentence of David or Solomon, or the evangels and apostolic scriptures.
Being perfect
in the knowledge of personal duty, they may then begin the study of
economics.
And either now or before this they may have easily learned at any odd
hour
the Italian tongue. And soon after, but with wariness and good
antidote,
it would be wholesome enough to let them taste some choice comedies,
Greek,
Latin, or Italian; those tragedies also that treat of household
matters,
as Trachiniae, Alcestis, and the like.
The
next
remove must be to the study of politics; to know the beginning, end,
and
reasons of political societies, that they may not, in a dangerous fit
of
the commonwealth, be such poor shaken uncertain reeds, of such a
tottering
conscience as many of our great councillors have lately shown
themselves,
but steadfast pillars of the State. After this they are to dive into
the
grounds of law and legal justice, delivered first and with best warrant
by Moses, and, as far as human prudence can be trusted, in those
extolled
remains of Grecian lawgivers, Lycurgus, Solon, Zaleucus, Charondas; and
thence to all the Roman edicts and tables, with their Justinian; and so
down to the Saxon and common laws of England and the statutes.
Sundays
also and every evening may now be understandingly spent in the highest
matters of theology and church history, ancient and modern: and ere
this
time the Hebrew tongue at a set hour might have been gained, that the
Scriptures
may be now read in their own original; whereto it would be no
impossibility
to add the Chaldee and the Syrian dialect.
When all
these employments are well conquered, then will the choice histories,
heroic
poems, and Attic tragedies of stateliest and most regal argument, with
all the famous political orations, offer themselves; which, if they
were
not only read, but some of them got by memory, and solemnly pronounced
with right accent and grace, as might be taught, would endue them even
with the spirit and vigour of Demosthenes or Cicero, Euripides or
Sophocles.
And now, lastly, will be the time to read with them those organic arts
which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously, elegantly, and
according
to the fitted style of lofty, mean or lowly. Logic, therefore, so much
as is useful, is to be referred to this due place, with all her
well-couched
heads and topics, until it be time to open her contracted palm into a
graceful
and ornate rhetoric taught out of the rule of Plato, Aristotle,
Phalereus,
Cicero, Hermogenes, Longinus.
To
which
poetry would be made subsequent, or, indeed, rather precedent, as being
less subtile and fine, but more simple, sensuous, and passionate. I
mean
not here the prosody of a verse, which they could not but have hit on
before
among the rudiments of grammar, but that sublime art which in
Aristotle's Poetics, in Horace, and the Italian commentaries of
Castelvetro,
Tasso, Mazzoni, and others, teaches what the laws are of a true epic
poem,
what of a dramatic, what of a lyric, what decorum is, which is the
grand
masterpiece to observe. This would make them soon perceive what
despicable
creatures our common rhymers and play-writers be; and show them what
religious,
what glorious and magnificent use might be made of poetry, both in
divine
and human things.
From hence,
and not till now, will be the right season of forming them to be able
writers
and composers in every excellent matter, when they shall be thus
fraught
with an universal insight into things. Or whether they be to speak in
Parliament
or council, honour and attention would be waiting on their lips. There
would then also appear in pulpits other visages, other gestures, and
stuff
otherwise wrought, than what we now sit under, ofttimes to as great a
trial
of our patience as any other that they preach to us. These are the
studies
wherein our noble and our gentle youth ought to bestow their time in a
disciplinary way from twelve to one-and-twenty, unless they rely more
upon
their ancestors dead than upon themselves living. In which methodical
course
it is so supposed they must proceed by the steady pace of learning
onward,
as at convenient times for memory's sake to retire back into the middle
ward, and sometimes into the rear, of what they have been taught, until
they have confirmed and solidly united the whole body of their
perfected
knowledge, like the last embattling of a Roman legion. Now will be
worth
the seeing what exercises and recreations may best agree and become
these
studies.
Their Exercise
The
course of
study hitherto briefly described is, what I can guess by reading,
likest
to those ancient and famous schools of Pythagoras, Plato, Isocrates,
Aristotle,
and such others, out of which were bred up such a number of renowned
philosophers,
orators, historians, poets, and princes all over Greece, Italy, and
Asia,
besides the flourishing studies of Cyrene and Alexandria. But herein it
shall exceed them, and supply a defect as great as that which Plato
noted
in the commonwealth of Sparta. Whereas that city trained up their youth
most for war, and these in their Academies and Lycaeum all for the
gown,
this institution of breeding which I here delineate shall be equally
good
both for peace and war. Therefore, about an hour and a half ere they
eat
at noon should be allowed them for exercise, and due rest afterwards;
but
the time for this may be enlarged at pleasure, according as their
rising
in the morning shall be early. The exercise which I commend first is
the
exact use of their weapon, to guard, and to strike safely with edge or
point. This will keep them healthy, nimble, strong, and well in breath;
is also the likeliest means to make them grow large and tall, and to
inspire
them with a gallant and fearless courage; which, being tempered with
seasonable
lectures and precepts to make them of true fortitude and patience, will
turn into a native and heroic valour, and make them hate the cowardice
of doing wrong. They must be also practiced in all the locks and gripes
of wrestling, wherein Englishmen are wont to excel, as need may often
be
in fight to tug, to grapple, and to close. And this, perhaps, will be
enough
wherein to prove and heat their single strength. The interim of
unsweating
themselves regularly, and convenient rest before meat, may both with
profit
and delight be taken up in recreating and composing their travailed
spirits
with the solemn and divine harmonies of music heard or learned either
whilst
the skilful organist plies his grave and fancied descant in lofty
fugues,
or the whole symphony with artful and unimaginable touches adorn and
grace
the well-studied chords of some choice composer; sometimes the lute or
soft organ-stop, waiting on elegant voices either to religious,
martial,
or civil ditties, which, if wise men and prophets be not extremely out,
have a great power over dispositions and manners to smooth and make
them
gentle from rustic harshness and distempered passions. The like also
would
not be unexpedient after meat, to assist and cherish nature in her
first
concoction, and send their minds back to study in good tune and
satisfaction.
Where having
followed it under vigilant eyes till about two hours before supper,
they
are, by a sudden alarum or watchword, to be called out to their
military
motions, under sky or covert, according to the season, as was the Roman
wont; first on foot, then, as their age permits, on horseback to all
the
art of cavalry; that having in sport, but with much exactness and daily
muster, served out the rudiments of their soldiership in all the skill
of embattling, marching, encamping, fortifying, besieging, and
battering,
with all the helps of ancient and modern stratagems, tactics, and
warlike
maxims, they may, as it were out of a long war, come forth renowned and
perfect commanders in the service of their country.
They would
not then, if they were trusted with fair and hopeful armies, suffer
them
for want of just and wise discipline to shed away from about them like
sick feathers, though they be never so oft supplied; they would not
suffer
their empty and unrecruitable colonels of twenty men in a company to
quaff
out or convey into secret hoards the wages of a delusive list and a
miserable
remnant; yet in the meanwhile to be overmastered with a score or two of
drunkards, the only soldiery left about them, or else to comply with
all
rapines and violences. No, certainly, if they knew aught of that
knowledge
which belongs to good men or good governors, they would not suffer
these
things.
But
to
return to our own institute. Besides these constant exercises at home,
there is another opportunity of gaining experience to be won from
pleasure
itself abroad: in those vernal seasons of the year, when the air is
calm
and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature not to go
out and see her riches and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and
earth.
I should not, therefore, be a persuader to them of studying much then,
after two or three years that they have well laid their grounds, but to
ride out in companies with prudent and staid guides to all the quarters
of the land, learning and observing all places of strength, all
commodities
of building and of soil for towns and tillage, harbours, and ports for
trade. Sometimes taking sea as far as to our navy, to learn there also
what they can in the practical knowledge of sailing and of sea-fight.
These ways
would try all their peculiar gifts of nature, and if there were any
secret
excellence among them, would fetch it out and give it fair
opportunities
to advance itself by, which could not but mightily redound to the good
of this nation, and bring into fashion again those old admired virtues
and excellencies, with far more advantage now in this purity of
Christian
knowledge.
Nor
shall
we then need the monsieurs of Paris to take our hopeful youth into
their
slight and prodigal custodies, and send them over back again
transformed
into mimics, apes, and kickshaws. But if they desire to see other
countries
at three or four and twenty years of age, not to learn principles, but
to enlarge experience and make wise observation, they will by that time
be such as shall deserve the regard and honour of all men where they
pass,
and the society and friendship of those in all places who are best and
most eminent. And perhaps then other nations will be glad to visit us
for
their breeding, or else to imitate us in their own country. Now,
lastly,
for their diet there cannot be much to say, save only that it would be
best in the same house; for much time else would be lost abroad, and
many
ill habits got; and that it should be plain, healthful, and moderate, I
suppose is out of controversy. Thus, Mr. Hartlib, you have a general
view
in writing, as your desire was, of that which at several times I had
discoursed
with you concerning the best and noblest way of education; not
beginning,
as some have done, from the cradle, which yet might be worth many
considerations,
if brevity had not been my scope. Many other circumstances also I could
have mentioned; but this, to such as have the worth in them to make
trial,
for light and direction may be enough. Only I believe that this is not
a bow for every man to shoot in that counts himself a teacher, but will
require sinews almost equal to those which Homer gave Ulysses. Yet I am
withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it
now seems at distance, and much more illustrious: howbeit not more
difficult
than I imagine; and that imagination presents me with nothing but very
happy and very possible according to best wishes, if God have so
decreed,
and this age have spirit and capacity enough to apprehend.
This etext was typed by
Judy Boss
in Omaha, Nebraska.
HTML conversion by Risa S.
Bear,
December 1997.
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