grammar, with the right placing, ordering, and use of words, in all kind of matter. And why not? For it is read, that Dion Prussæus, that wise philosopher and excellent orator of * all his time, did come to the great learning and utterance that was in him, by reading and following only two books, Phædon Platonis, and Demosthenes most notable oration, περὶ Παραπρεσβείας. And a better and nearer example herein may be our most noble Queen Elizabeth, who never took yet Greek nor Latin grammar in her hand, after the first declining of a noun and a verb; but only by this double translating of Demosthenes and Isocrates daily, without missing every forenoon, and likewise some part of Tully every afternoon, for the space of a year or two, hath attained to such a perfect understanding in both the tongues, and to such a ready utterance of the Latin, and that with such a judgment, as they be few in number in both the universities, or elsewhere in England, that be in both tongues comparable with her majesty. And to conclude in a short room the commodities of double translation: surely the mind by daily marking, first, the cause and matter; then, the words and phrases; next, the order and composition; after, the reason and arguments; then, the forms and figures of both the tongues; lastly, the measure and compass of every sentence; must needs, by little and little, draw unto it the like shape of eloquence, as the author doth use, which is read. And thus much for double translation. * He lived in Trajan's time, and in great favour and esteem with the Emperor. PARAPHRASIS. Paraphrasis, the second point, is not only * to express at large with more words, but to strive and contend (as Quintilian saith) to translate the best Latin authors into other Latin words, as many, or thereabouts. This way of exercise + was used first by C. Carbo, and taken up for a while by L. Crassus, but soon after, upon due proof thereof, rejected justly by Crassus and Cicero; yet allowed and made sterling again by M. Quintilian: nevertheless, shortly after, by better assay, disallowed of his own scholar, Plinius Secundus, who termeth it rightly thus, audax contentio. It is a bold comparison indeed, to think to say better, than that is best. Such turning of the best into worst, is much like the turning of good wine, out of a fair sweet flagon of silver, into a foul musty bottle of leather; or to turn pure gold and silver into foul brass and copper. * "Neque ego Παράφρασιν esse interpretationem tantum volo, sed circa eosdem sensus certamen atque æmulationem," Quintil. lib. 10, с. 5, § 5. + In quotidianis autem cogitationibus equidem mihi adolescentulus proponere solebam illam exercitationem maxime, qua C. Carbonem nostrum illum inimicum solitum esse uti sciebam, ut aut versibus propositis quam maxime gravibus, aut oratione aliqua lecta ad eum finem, quem memoria possem comprehendere, eam rem ipsam, quam legissem, verbis aliis quam maxime possem lectis pronunciarem." Cic de Orat. lib. 1. + "Licebit interdum et notissima eligere, et certare cum electis. Audax hæc, non tamen improba, quia secreta, contentio: quanquam multos videmus ejusmodi certamina sibi cum multa laude sumpsisse, quosque subsequi satis habebant, dum non desperant, antecessisse." Pliny, in the same epistle. Such kind of Paraphrasis, in turning, chopping, and changing the best to worse, either in the mint or schools, (though Mr. Brokke and Quintilian both say the contrary,) is much misliked by the best and wisest of men. I can better allow another kind of Paraphrasis, to turn rude and barbarous, into proper and eloquent: which nevertheless is an exercise not fit for a scholar, but for a perfect master; who in plenty hath good choice, in copy hath right judgment, and grounded skill; as did appear to be in Sebastian Castalio, in translating Kempe's book, de Imitando Christo. But to follow Quintilianus' advice for Paraphrasis, were even to take pain to seek the worse and fouler way, when the plain and fairer is occupied before your eyes. The old and best authors that ever wrote, were content, if occasion required to speak twice of one matter, not to change the words, but ῥητῶς, that is, word for word, to express it again. For they thought that a matter, well expressed with fit words and apt composition, was not to be altered, but liking it well themselves, they thought it would also be well allowed of others. A schoolmaster (such one as I require) knoweth that I say true. He readeth in Homer, almost in every book, and especially in secundo et nono Iliados, not only some verses, but whole leaves, not to be altered with new, but to be uttered with the old selfsame words. He knoweth that Xenophon, writing twice of Agesilaus, once in his Life, again in the History of the Greeks, in one matter, keepeth always the self-same words. He doth the like, speaking of Socrates, both in the beginning of his apology and in the last end of ̓Απομνημονευμάτων. Demosthenes also, in the fourth Philippic, doth borrow his own words, uttered before in his oration de Chersoneso. He doth the like, and that more at large, in his orations against Androtion and Timo crates. In Latin also, Cicero in some places, and Virgil in more, do repeat one matter with the self-same words. These excellent authors did thus, not for lack of words, but by judgment and skill, whatsoever other more curious and less skilful do think, write, and do. Paraphrasis nevertheless hath good place in learning, but not, by mine opinion, for any scholar; but it is only to be left to a perfect master, either to expound openly a good author withal, or to compare privately for his own exercise, how some notable place of an excellent author may be uttered with other fit words. But if ye alter also the composition, form, and order, then that is not Paraphrasis, but Imitatio, as I will fully declare in fitter place. The scholar shall win nothing by Paraphrasis, but only, if we may believe Tully, to choose worse words, to place them out of order, to fear over-much the judgment of the master, to mislike over-much the hardness of learning; and by use to gather up faults which hardly will be left off again. The master, in teaching it, shall rather increase his own labour than his scholar's profit. For when the scholar shall bring unto his master a piece of Tully or Cæsar, turned into other Latin, then must the master come to Quintilian's goodly lesson de Emendatione; "which (as he saith) is * the most profitable part of teaching;" but not in mine opinion, and namely for youth in grammar schools. For the master now taketh double pains; first, to mark what is amiss; again, to invent what may be said better. And here perchance, a very good master may easily both deceive himself and lead his scholar into error. * "Sequitur emendatio, pars studiorum longe utilissima. Neque enim sine causa creditum est, Stilum non minus agere, quum delet." Quint. It requireth greater learning and deeper judgment than is to be hoped for at any schoolmaster's hand; that is, to be able always learnedly and perfectly, Mutare, * quod ineptum est : Transmutare, quod perversum est : Replere, quod deest ; Detrahere, quod obest : Expungere, quod inane est. And that which requireth more skill and deeper consideration, Premere tumentia: Extollere humilia ; Astringere luxuriantia: Componere dissoluta. The master may here only stumble, and perchance fall in teaching, to the marring and maiming of the scholar in learning; when it is a matter of much reading, of great learning, and tried judgment, to make true difference betwixt * These directions for emendation, are taken from Quintilian. "Hujus autem operis est, adjicere, detrahere, mutare. Sed facilius in his simpliciusque judicium, quæ replenda, vel dejicienda sunt: premere vero tumentia, humilia extollere, luxuriantia astringere, inordinata digerere, soluta componere, exultantia coercere, duplicis operæ." |