the politeness of his manners." "He was not, indeed, without a tincture of bigotry; but he, generally, disapproved! of the cruelties exercised in Mary's reign."

410

ROGER ASCHAM.*

[1515-1568.]

WE are now entering upon one of the most splendid periods of English history. In 1558, Elizabeth ascended the throne; a Queen personally endowed with great talents for government, and happily surrounded by men of distinguished eminence, equally qualified to serve their country in every department of the church and the state.t

Of these, the first entitled to grateful remembrance, for the share which he had in forming the mind of that illustrious Sovereign, is Roger Ascham, third son of John Ascham, ‡ steward to the ancient family of

* AUTHORITIES. Graunt's Oration in honour of Ascham, prefixed to his Epistles, and Johnson's Life of Ascham.

+ To this brilliant æra no less than seventy-four poets are assigned in the new edition of the Theatrum Poetarum,' and the catalogue might certainly be farther extended. Of these, however, the far greater number have been very generally consigned to oblivion; and a few, such as Drayton, Fairfax, Warner, Sir John Harrington, Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Ralegh, &c. continue to be cited chiefly in deference to their ancient reputation: but Shakspeare, Jonson, Fletcher, and Spenser, are still confessed to be unrivalled in their several stiles of composition.

His mother Margaret, who was allied to several considerable families, is said to have lived sixty-seven years in perfect har

Scroop. He was born at Kirkby-Wiske,* near Northallerton in Yorkshire, about the year 1515; and, in his early youth, was taken under the patronage of Sir Antony Wingfield, who finding in him a signal aptitude for literary attainments, sent him in 1530 to St. John's College, Cambridge, at the critical juncture when Greek began to be taught without opposition in the English universities. The doctrines of Luther, circulated throughout Europe by the intervention of the new art of typography, had diffused a general inclination to study the points in controversy between the Romish church and that illustrious Reformer, which could only be satisfactorily done by attaining a competent knowledge of that language, Accordingly, to Greek Ascham applied himself so assiduously, that he was quickly able to read lectures upon it with great credit and success. To teach, or to learn, was at this æra the business and the pleasure of the academical life; and he had the happiness of associating with men of equal genius, and of similar dispositions with himself. Sir John Cheke, Preceptor to Edward VI., was his rival and friend. This distinguished scholar, as it has already been stated more at large in his Life, in conjunction with Sir Thomas Smith (Secretary of State in the reigns of

mony and affection with the object of her maiden choice, and to have died at last almost on the same hour of the same day.

* Kirkby-Wiske is stated, in a note to Graunt's Oratio de Vita et Obitu Rogeri Aschami (prefixed to his edition of the Epistles) to have been distinguished by the family likewise of Palliser Archbishop of Cashel, and by the birth of Dr. George Hickes, as he himself informs us in his Dissertation on the Use of the Northern Languages,' addressed to his friend Shower in his Thesaurus.

Edward VI., and Elizabeth) had introduced a more correct pronunciation of the Greek tongue * than had previously prevailed; which Ascham at first op

* This language was, previously, little understood in England. If any indeed saw a piece of Greek, they used to say, Græcum est, non potest legi, i. e. It is Greek, it cannot be read.' And those few, that did pretend to some insight into it, read it after a strange corrupt manner; pronouncing the vowels and diphthongs so, that there was little or no difference between them. These errors Cheke detected, partly by considering the power of the letters themselves, and partly by consulting with Greek authors, Aristophanes and others, in some of whom they found footsteps to direct them how the ancient Greek was pronounced; and he, at length, succeeded in exploding them. The more studious and ingenious sort of scholars, being convinced (says Strype) gladly forsook their old way of reading Greek for this most right and true, though new found out, shown them by their learned reader. But there was a party in the university, who disliking any thing that was new, and dreading alterations, and blindly admitting every thing that was old, would by no means allow of this pronunciation; but opposed it with all their might by disputing against it, and at last by complaining to Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, the Chancellor of the University, against Cheke and his adherents for this great misdemeanor: who being of the same mind with the complainants, and fearing innovation more than was need, made a solemn decree dated the Kalends of June 1542, confirming the old corrupt sounding of Greek; and directing, under severe penalties, that none should philosophise at all in sounds, but all use the present, and that if any thing were to be corrected in them, let it all be left to authority!'But whatever opposition of injunctions, decrees, and penalties were made against it, yet as it was said of truth, It is great and will prevail,' so this true way of speaking and reading Greek got the day in the university. And those that were the greatest ornaments of learning then in Cambridge, Redman, Smith, Ponet, Pickering, Ascham, Tong, Bill, and all others, who either read any thing publicly in the schools, or privately in the colleges, gave themselves wholly to this correct way. (Strype's Life of Cheke.)

posed, till being convinced that they were in the right, he finally adopted and patronised it from the chair. He gained likewise the approbation of Dr. Metcalf, the master of his college, who (though meanly learned himself) having the interest of learning at heart, recommended him to a fellowship in 1534. This however, from the favourable disposition which he had discovered toward the Reformed Faith, he obtained with difficulty! At the same time Pember, an eminent promoter of Greek literature, advanced his reputation, not only by applauding his public lectures,* but by advising the under-graduates of his acquaintance to attend him at his chambers, to hear the authors in that language read and explained. As a relaxation from study, Ascham learned to play on musical instruments, and to write a very fine hand (an accomplishment then growing into repute) which contributed not a little to his future success in life.

In 1536 he took the degree of M. A., and soon afterward was appointed by the University teacher of Greek in the public schools, for which he received a respectable salary. He likewise commenced tutor, and had several young students of rank placed under his care for other branches of education, some of whom subsequently became eminent scholars; par ticularly William Grindal, recommended by Sir John Cheke to be master of languages to the Princess Elizabeth.

* Pember assured his young friend, that' upon the maxim, Qui docet discit, he would gain more knowledge by reading with a boy a single fable in Æsop, than by hearing another read Latin lectures on the whole Iliad.' Ascham studied Cicero and Cæsar in particular, as the best models in forming his Latin stile.