In the course of this poem Lyndsay makes an appeal for the translation of the Bible into the vulgar tongue.

The Father of Hevin, quhilk wes and is Eternall,

To Moyses gaif the Law, on Mont Senay,
Nocht into Greik nor Latyne, I heir say.
He wrait the Law in Tablis hard of stone
In thare awin vulgare language of Hebrew,
That all the bairns of Israell, every one,
Mycht knaw the Law and so the same ensew.
Had he done wryt in Latyne or in Grew,'
It had thane bene bot ane sawrles jest ;

Ye may weill wytt God wrocht all for the best.

Sir Walter Scott introduces Lyndsay in his poem of

Marmion,' and he describes him thus:

He was a man of middle age;

In aspect manly, grave, and sage,
As on King's errand come;
But in the glances of his eye,
A penetrating, keen, and sly

Expression found its home;
The flash of that satiric rage
Which, bursting on the early stage,
Branded the vices of the age,
And broke the keys of Rome.

THE NEW LEARNING-ASCHAM.

IN 1453 Constantinople was captured by the Turks, and thereupon many learned Greeks sought refuge in the countries of Western Europe. They awakened in these lands a love for Greek art and Greek literature: the dry logic of Aristotle, known for the most part in Latin translations and compendiums, gave place to the poetical

wisdom of Plato, and Sophocles and Euripides were studied with greater eagerness than Plautus and Terence.

Italy first caught the enthusiasm, and two of the Popes, Nicholas V. and Leo X., were special patrons of the new learning. In time England also felt the revival, and in 1511 a new college, St. John's at Cambridge, was founded, which speedily gained great renown. A writer

eighty years later speaks of

that most famous and fortunate nurse of all learning, Saint Johnes in Cambridge, that at that time was as an university within it selfe; shining so farre above all other Houses, Halls, and Hospitalls whatsoever, that no colledge in the towne was able to compare with the tythe of her students; having more candles light in it, every winter morning before fowre of the clocke, than the fowre of clocke bell gave stroakes.

One of the most illustrious pupils of St. John's was Roger Ascham, who entered it in 1530 at the age of fifteen. In the same year two Fellows of the College were chosen, whom Ascham ever afterwards regarded with affectionate

reverence.

In St. John's Colledge in my tyme I do know that not so much the good statutes, as two gentlemen of worthy memorie, Syr John Cheke and Doctour Readman, by their onely example of excellency in learnyng did breed up so many learned men in that one Colledge of St. John's, at one time, as, I beleve, the whole University of Louvaine in many yeares was never able to affourd.

Under the teaching of such excellent masters Ascham made rapid progress, and in 1534 became a Fellow, and in 1538 Greek reader to the College.

From his youth he had taken delight in athletic sports, and he now wrote his Toxophilus; or, the Schole of Shooting.' In 1545 he presented a copy of the work to Henry VIII., and received as reward a pension of 101. He was soon afterwards introduced to the Princess

Elizabeth, and in 1548 became her private tutor, and read with her Cicero, Livy, Sophocles, and other classical authors. He, however, held the post only for a year, and in 1550 he went abroad as secretary to the ambassador to Charles V.

While on his way to Dover to embark he paid the visit to Lady Jane Grey which he so beautifully describes.

Before I went into Germanie, I came to Brodegate in Leicestershire to take my leave of that noble Ladie Jane Grey, to whom I was exceding moch beholdinge. Hir parentes, the Duke and Duches, with all the household, gentlemen and gentlewomen, were huntinge in the Parke; I founde her, in her chamber, readinge Phaedon Platonis in Greeke, and that with as moch delite as som gentlemen wold read a merie tale in Bocace. After salutation and dewtie done, with som other taulke, I asked hir, whie she wold leefe soch pastime in the Parke? Smiling she answered me; I wisse all their sporte in the Parke is but a shadoe to that pleasure that I find in Plato: alas, good folke, they never felt what trewe pleasure ment.'

While Ascham was abroad he visited Louvain and Cologne and other famous seats of learning, but found them inferior to his beloved St. John's. When Mary came to the throne his pension of 10l. ceased, but he received a salary of 20l. as Latin secretary to the queen, though he was a Protestant.

This salary was continued when Elizabeth became. queen, and he once more became her private tutor, and read Greek and played chess with her; and when he died, in 1568, she said she would rather have lost 10,000. than her old tutor.

The leisure of the last few years of his life was spent in planning and writing his most interesting work The Scholemaster,' in which he describes his own methods of

teaching and those of his great master Sir John Cheke, and in which he also gives interesting pictures of English life and manners in that age.

The following is his account of the occasion which led to his writing The Scholemaster':

When the great plage was at London, the yeare 1563, the Quenes Majestie Queene Elizabeth, lay at her Castle of Windsore: where upon the 10th day of December, it fortuned, that in Sir William Cicell's chamber, hir Highnesse Principall Secretarie, there dined together several personages, of which number the most part were of hir Majestie's most honourable privie counsell, and the rest serving hir in verie good place.

M. Secretarie hath this accustomed maner though his head be never so full of most weightie affaires of the Realme, yet, at diner time he doth seeme to lay them alwaies aside; and findeth ever fitte occasion to taulke pleasantlie of other matters, but most gladlie of some matter of learning ; wherein he will curteslie heare the minde of the meanest at his table.

Not long after our sitting doune, I have strange newes brought me. sayth M. Secretarie, this morning, that diverse scholers of Eaton be runne awaie from the schole, for feare of beating. Whereupon M. Secretary tooke occasion to wishe, that some more discretion were in many scholemasters, in using correction, than commonlie there is. Who many times punishe rather the weakenes of nature, than the fault of the scholer. Whereby, many scholers, that might else prove well, be driven to hate learning before they knowe what learning meaneth; and so are made willing to forsake their booke, and be glad to be put to any other kind of living.

ITALIAN INFLUENCE-LORD SURREY.

ASCHAM speaks bitterly in The Scholemaster' of the custom prevailing in his day of sending young English gentlemen into Italy to be educated. Not that he disliked or undervalued the Italian language, which, next the Greeke and Latin tonge, I like and love above all other,' but because of the evil influences to which young men were exposed in that land.

They have in more reverence the triumphes of Petrarche, than the Genesis of Moses; they make more account of a tale in Bocace, than a storie of the Bible. They count as fables the holie misteries of Christian Religion. . . . I was once in Italie myselfe, but I thanke God my abode there was but ix dayes; and yet I sawe in that little tyme, in one citie, more libertie to sinne, than ever I heard tell of in our noble citie of London in ix yeare.

Petrarch was at that time the favourite poet of Italy, and his songs in praise of his Mistress Laura were the great models of composition, not only in Italy, but also in the brilliant and festive courts of Henry VIII. and Francis I. Henry himself wrote songs, and one has been preserved which was addressed to Anne Boleyn. It begins thus:

The eagles force subdues eche byrde that flyes;

What metal can resyste the flamyng fyre?

Doth not the sunne dazle the cleareste eyes,

And melt the yce, and make the froste retyre?

In 1557, Tottel the printer published a book of 'Songes and Sonnettes' by various authors, which book became a favourite and was soon reprinted. In the Merry Wives of Windsor,' Master Slender at sight of 'sweet Anne Page' would give forty shillings to have his 'Book of Songs and Sonnettes' with him. Again, Shakespeare quotes from this book the gravedigger's song in Hamlet,' In youth when I did love, did love.'

The authors were gentlemen of King Henry's court, and chief among them were Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Earl of Surrey. Puttenham, a writer in Elizabeth's time, in his Arte of English Poesie' says:

In the latter end of King Henry's raigne spronge up a new company of courtly makers of whom Sir Thomas Wyat the elder and Henry earle of Surrey were the two chieftaines, who having travailed into Italie and there tasted the sweete and stately measures and stile of the Italian