“Utile in primis, ut multi præcipiunt, ex Græco in Latinum, et ex Latino vertere in Græcum: quo genere exercitationis, proprietas splendorque verborum, apta structura sententiarum, figurarum copia, et explicandi vis colligitur. Præterea imitatione optimorum, facultas similia inveniendi paratur: et quæ legentem fefellissent, transferentem fugere non possunt. Intelligentia

ex hoc, et judicium acquiritur.”

You perceive how Pliny teacheth, that by this exercise of double translating is learned easily, sensibly, by little and little, not only all the hard congruities of grammar, the choice of aptest words, the right framing of words and sentences, comeliness of figures and forms fit for every matter and proper for every tongue; but that which is greater also, in marking daily and following diligently thus the steps of the best authors, like invention of arguments, like order in disposition, like utterance in elocution is easily gathered up; whereby your scholar shall be brought not only to like eloquence, but also to all true understanding and right judgment both for writing and speaking. And where Dionysius Halicarnassæus hath written two

vis explicandi, præterea imitatione optimorum similia inveniendi facultas paratur: simul quæ legentem fefellissent, transferentem fugere non possunt. Intelligentia ex hoc, et judicium acquiritur."

Now lest any should wonder at this strange inaccuracy (for so it seems to be) in a person of Mr. Ascham's learning and judgment; I shall transcribe what Casaubon, in his notes on Theocritus, has remarked on the like occasion.

“Veterum grammaticorum mos est in proferendis auctorum locis, id unicum, cujus gratia eos laudant, spectare, neglecta interim sententia. Ex eo est, quod multa sæpe apud eos aliter scripta inveniuntur, quam in ipsis auctoribus habentur."

excellent books, * the one de Delectu Optimorum Verborum (the which, I fear, is lost), the other, Of the right framing of words and sentences, which doth remain yet in Greek, to the great profit of all them that truly study for eloquence: yet this way of double translating shall bring the whole profit of both these books to a diligent scholar, and that easily and pleasantly, both for fit choice of words and apt composition of sentences.

And by these authorities and reasons am I moved to think this way of double translating, either only or chiefly, to be fittest for the speedy and perfect attaining of any tongue. And for speedy attaining, I durst venture a good wager, if a scholar, in whom is aptness, love, diligence, and constancy, would but translate after this sort, one little book in Tully, (as de Senectute, with two epistles, the first ad Q. Fratum, the other ad Lentulum, the last save one in the first book,) that scholar, I say, should come to a better knowledge in the Latin tongue, than the most part do, that spend four or five years in tossing all the rules. of grammar in common schools. Indeed this one book, with these two epistles, is not sufficient to afford all Latin words (which is not necessary for a young scholar to know), but it is able to furnish him fully for all points of

* Dionysius, in the beginning of his excellent treatise πepì Συνθέσεως ὀνομάτων, acquaints young Rufus Melitius, he designed him another present the year following, on his next ensuing birth-day, which should be a treatise concerning the right choice of words. But whether he ever performed what he there promises, is uncertain. Ἐὰν δὲ ἐγγένηταί μοι σχολὴ, καὶ περὶ τῆς Ἐκλογῆς τῶν ὀνομάτων ἑτέραν ἐξοίσω σοι γραφὴν, ἵνα τὸν Λεκτικὸν τόπον τελειώς ἐξειργασμένον ἔχης. ἐκείνην μὲν οὖν τὴν πραγματείαν εἰς νέωτα πάλιν ὥραις ταῖς αὐταῖς προσδέχου.

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, Phodon Platonis, and Demosthenes most notable oration, Teρì 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.

2

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 Пapáppaoi esse interpretationem tantum volo, sed circa eosdem sensus certamen atque æmulationem." Quintil. lib. 10, c. 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 pηrs, 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.