Topicks, until it be Time to open her contracted Palm into a graceful and ornate Rhetorick, taught out of the Rules of Plato, Ariftotle, Phalerus, Cicero, Hermogenes, Longinus. To which Poetry would be made fubfequent, or indeed rather precedent, as being lefs fubtile and fine, but more fimple, fenfuous and paffionate. I mean not here the Profody of a Verfe, which they could not but have hit on before among the Rudiments of Grammar; but that fublime Art which in Ariftotle's Poeticks, in Horace, and the Italian Commentaries of Castlevetro, Tafso, Mazzoni, and others, teaches what the Laws are of a true Epic Poem, what of a Dramatic, what of a Liric, what Decorum is, which is the grand Mafter-piece to obferve.

This would make them foon perceive what defpicable Creatures our common Rhymers and Play-writers be, and fhew 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 Seafon of forming them to be able Writers and Compofers in every excellent Matter, when they shall be thus fraught with an univerfal Infight into Things. Or whether they be to speak in Parliament or Council, Honour and Attention would be waiting on their Lips. There would then alfo appear in Pulpits other Vifages, other Geftures, and Stuff otherwife wrought than what we now fit under, oft-times to as great a Trial of our Patience as any other they preach to us.

Thefe are the Studies wherein our noble and our gentle Youth ought to bestow their Time in a difciplinary 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 fo fuppos'd they must proceed by the fteddy Pace of learning onward, as at convenient Times for Memory's Ꮓ

Sake

Sake to retire back into the middle Ward, and fometimes into the Rear of what they have been taught, until they have confirm'd, and folidly united the whole Body of their perfected Knowledge, like the laft embattelling of a Roman Legion.

Now will be worth the feeing what Exercifes and Recreations may best agree, and become these Studies.

THEIR

EXERCISE.

T

HE Courfe of Study hitherto briefly defcrib'd, is, what I can guefs by reading, likeft to thofe antient and famous Schools of Pythagoras, Plato, Ifocrates, Ariftotle, and fuch others, out of which were bred up fuch a Number of renowned Philofophers, Orators, Hiftorians, Poets and Princes all over Greece, Italy and Afia, befides the flourishing Studies of Cyene and Alexandria. But herein it fhall exceed them, and fupply a Defect as great as that which Plato noted in the Common-wealth of Sparta; whereas that City train'd up their Youth moft for War, and thefe in their Academies and Lycæum, all for the Gown, this Inftitution of breeding, which I here delineate, fhall be equally good both for Peace and War. Therefore about an Hour and a half ere they eat at Noon should be allow'd them for Exercife, and due Reft afterward: But the Time for this may be enlarged at Pleasure, according as their rifing in the Morning fhall be early.

The Exercife which I commend firft, is the exact Ufe of their Weapon, to guard and to ftrike fafely with Edge, or Point; this will keep them healthy, nimble, ftrong, and well in Breath, is alfo the likelieft Means to make them grow large and tall, and to infpire them with a gallant and fearless Courage, which being temper'd

Z z

with

with feasonable Lectures and Precepts to 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 alfo practis'd in all the Locks and Gripes of Wrestling, wherein Englishmen were wont to excel, as Need may often be in Fight to tugg or grapple, and to clofe. And this perhaps will be enough, wherein to prove and heat their fingle Strength. The Interim of unfweating themfelves regularly, and convenient Reft before Meat, may both with Profit and Delight be tiken up in recreating and compofing their travail'd Spirits with the folemn and divine Harmonies of Mufick heard or learnt; either while the fkilful Organist plies his grave and fancied Defcant, in lofty Fugues, or the whole Symphony with artful and unimaginable Touches adorn and grace the well ftudied Chords of fome choice Compofer; fometimes the Late, or foft Organ-flop waiting on elegant Voices either to religious, material, or civil Ditties; which, if wife Men and Prophets be not extremely out, have a great Power over Difpofitions and Manners, to fmooth and make them gentle from ruftick Harshness and diftemper'd Paffions. The like alfo would not be unexpedient after Meat to affitt and cherish Nature in her first Concoction, and fend their Minds back to ftudy in good Tune and Satisfaction. Where having follow'd it clofe under vigilant Eyes till about two Hours before Supper, they are by a fudden Alarm or Watch-word, to be call'd out to their military Motions, under Skie or Covert, according to the Seafon, as was the Roman wont; firft on Foot, then as their Age permits on Horfe back, to all the Art of Cavalry; that having in Sport but with much Exactness, and daily Mufter, ferved out the Rudiments of their Soldiership in all the Skill of Embattling, Marching, Encamping, Fortifying, Befieging and Battering, with all the Helps of antient and modern Stratagems, Tacticks, and warlike Maxims, they may as it were out of a long War come forth renown'd and perfect Commanders in the Service of their Country. They would

not then, if they were trufted with fair and hopeful Armies, fuffer them for Want of juft and wife Difcipline to fhed away from about them like fick Feathers, tho' they be never fo oft fupplied: they would not fuffer their empty and unrecruitable Colonels of 20 Men in a Com-' pany, to quaff out, or convey into fecret Hoards, the Wages of a delufive Lift and a miferable Remnant: yet in the mean While to be over-mafter'd with a Score or two of Drunkards, the only Soldiery left about them, or elfe to comply with all Rapines and Violences. No certainly, if they knew ought of that Knowledge that belongs to good Men or good Governors, they would not fuffer thefe Things.

But to return to our own Inftitute, befides these con ftant Exercises at home, there is another Opportunity of gaining Experience to be won from Pleafure itself abroad. In thofe vernal Seafons of the Year, when the Air is calm and pleasant, it were an Injury and Sullennefs against Nature not to go out, and fee her Riches, and partake in her rejoicing with Heaven and Earth. I fhould not therefore be a Perfuader to them of studying mnch then, after two or three Years that they have well laid their Grounds, but to ride out in Companies with prudent and ftaid Guides, to all the Quarters of the Land; learning and obferving all Places of Strength, all Commodities of Building and of Soil, for Towns an 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.

Thefe ways would try all their peculiar Gifts of Nature; and if there were any fecret Excellence among them, would fetch it out, and give it fair opportunities to advance itself by, which cou'd not but mightily redound to the good of this Nation, and bring into fashion again thofe old admired Virtues and Excellencies, with far more advantage now in this Purity of Chriftian Knowle gco

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