DIRECTIONS FOR THE Latin Tongue.  
BY The Translator of Religio Medici.  
LONDON, Printed for Benj. took, at the Ship in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1681.   

THE PREFACE.  
LIttle or nothing needs more be said to recommend these ensuing Sheets to the Judicious or the Curious, besides acquainting thee that the Author of these Directions was the Translator of Religio Medici into Latin; and by being so, hath given an undeniable evidence of his skill and mastery in both Languages: It was not thought decent to the memory of that Great Man, especially some time since dead, to place his Name without either his leave or knowledge, before so small a tract; which was designed by him for nothing but private directions to his own Pupils above twenty years ago; but as transcribed by as many as had heard of it, or could procure it: And had it not fallen into the hands of an Ingenious and Learned Person, who had more Charity for the Public, than to suffer such judicious and accurate Directions to remain concealed in a few private hands, it had been in a short time lost for ever. This manner of writing is plain and familiar, condescending to the meanest capacity, but the subject matter of it weighty and judicious, and some of the Observations are unusual and peculiar. After the first difficulties of Grammar are conquered, you will not easily meet with a better Guide through the best Authors of the purer Latin Age; nor a better Director to imitate as well as unstand them. The public and famous Schools amongst us, where the Learned Languages are most exactly taught, and without all Pedantry, will find the design of this to be manly, and so most agreeable with their own: Nor will it be below the careful perusal of the younger Students in the Universities. If it may be of use to any in public or private, it hath obtained its end; if not, there will be but little money misspent in the purchase, and less time in the perusal.   

SOME DIRECTIONS FOR THE BETTER LEARNING OF THE Latin Tongue,  
Praeceptor. Discipulus.  Dis. 
SIR, you have often exhorted me, and urged me to take pains to make myself a good Latinist, I desire that you would set me in a way for the attainment thereof, and I myself (God willing) shall employ my best endeavours therein.  P. 
I am very glad to hear you say so▪ and on my part nothing shall be wanting, which may further your desire. But first tell me what you mean by good Latin, for there are not a few which spend much time in pursuit of it, and yet never know what it is; like him that went into the Garden to look Celandine, and knew it not when he saw it.  D. 
Sir, I must needs acknowledge myself to be one of that number, for one while I thought I made good Latin, when I could patch together a great many hard uncouth words, or unusual Phrases, out of the most crabbed Authors into Themes and Orations: another while having heard one that was esteemed a very good Scholar say that such Latin was pedantic, conceited and ridiculous, and that that was the best Latin that was composed of such Words and Phrases as were found in the most approved Latin Authors, whereupon I set myself to read Tully, Virgil, Seneca, etc. gathering out all the best Phrases as I went along, yet I have since heard you say that one may do all this, and be far from a good Latinist.  P. 
I can easily excuse your ignorance in that particular, having known many, and they not highly graduated in the University, as far to seek in this particular, as you are, if not farther. I shall by and by inform you what you are to understand by good Latin, in the mean time though you do not know what good Latin is, yet I suppose you know what Latin is.  D. 
Sir, I think there are few Scholars but they know that.  P. 
Not so few Scholars as you imagine, I do not doubt but that you are better instructed, and more ingenious than to be ignorant, that it is a Language, and that Language which was used in Italy some Ages ago, as Italian is now used there, or as Spanish is now used in Spain, French in France, English in England.  D. 
Sir, so I conceive it to be, though indeed I can yet remember the time when I looked upon Latin as nothing else but a Book full of hard words, to be construed, declined and conjugated, with Rules given for them out of the Grammar, not knowing any other end or use in them.  P. 
Answer yourself that there are not a few in the world which never raise their Learning or Understanding so high as to cast off that Notion which you had then of it, I could name one to you who is Master of Arts, and beneficed in the Country, who (I having occasionally said, that Tully was happy that learned Latin at his Mother's breast, not needing to spend eight or nine years at the Grammar-School for it, as we ordinarily do) replied seriously that he conceived Tully learned as we do, and that it was never vulgarly spoken as we speak English. I could name you another who was of far greater standing, and a far greater Divine, one that leads whole Towns after him by the ears, as Orpheus did Trees and Stocks: who when I told him upon his demanding of it, that they had not the same Grammar in the Low-Country Schools which we have in England, said surely then they did not use such kind of Latin as we did. I could relate several passages of many others, to show you what strange fancies some have of Latin, but I hasten to what I propounded, this is enough to let you see that I had some reason for it, when I asked you what you understood by Latin, which you rightly conceive to be a Language as English is, in times past, though not at the present, used in Italy, as English is in England.  D. 
And that Latin is now changed into Italian, now used in Italy instead of it, as the old Saxon Language once used in England, is changed by degrees into this present Language we now have, so that Saxon is as it were old English, and Latin old Italian.  P. 
Right, well then, if Latin be a Language, then have you no better way to judge of the nature of it, and the manner how to learn it, than by some other Language which you know already.  D. 
Sir, I know no other but English, and a little Greek.  P. 
You desire to know what good Latin is.  D. 
Yes, Sir.  P. 
First then, do you know what good English is? for if you know the one, you may (as I said) judge of the other by it.  D. 
I suppose a man is said to speak good English when he can express himself in significant words, good Language and expression.  P. 
What do you call good Language?  D. 
When a man uses elegant words, and quaint expressions, and writes good lines.  P. 
If your Friend come to your Chamber and say, Sir, I would desire you to lend me your Virgil for an hour or two, and I shall send it safe back, whether doth he speak good English or no?  D. 
Yes, Sir, it were English good enough, but it is not such as we usually call good English, when we say a man speaks good English or so.  P. 
You perhaps would count it better English, if he come unto you, and say unto you, Most esteemed and worthy Sir, I come here an humble Suitor to your courteous ingenuity, that you would be pleased to accommodate me with the ingenious Works of incomparable Virgil, but only so long as till Phoebus have traveled two hours forward to his evening repose, after which period of time it shall have a speedy and a safe return to yourself again.  D. 
Sir, this is such as I mean, but if my friend should use such language to me upon this occasion, I should rather laugh at his simplicity than commend his good English.  P. 
What, because he useth it upon this occasion.  D. 
I, Sir, I suppose the former would be a great deal better English upon this or the like occasion.  P. 
So then, you grant the other to be good English in this place, though it be but plain and homely.  D. 
The better because it is plain.  P. 
Plain English is good English then in its due place.  D. 
I see it is, but what do they mean when they say such a man or such a man speaks good English: or why should one man be said to speak better English than another, seeing there is no body but can speak as good as this?  P. 
If you take good English in your sense that speak so, you should rather call it good Language than good English, for the one is as good English as the other, but the one is not so good Language as the other, i e. not so quaint and elevated a stile, which queintness and loftiness of stile is not proper in all places, as you have partly understood already, but either in a set Speech or written Book, seldom in a Letter, and seldomer in common discourse: but of this more hereafter, for the present it is enough, that you grant that the first plain English as you call it, is good English, and better than the other in its place, though not so elevated a stile.  D. 
It is clear that it is so.  P. 
So then, he that writes or speaks as good Latin as this is English, writeth and speaks good Latin, though never so plain if in its due place.  D. 
I am forced to grant it.  P. 
Is this the good Latin then which you desire to learn.?  D. 
That, Sir, I suppose I can do already indifferent well with such plain and easy Latin as that, my desire is, how I may write quaint, elegant Latin in lofty stile.  P. 
Before you come to that I see I must rectify your judgement concerning this plain easy Latin, as you term it, which, howsoever it be plain, yet it is not so easy as you and many beside you think it is, there are a great many who can make a shift to make a Theme or Oration, or a Paper of Verses in this kind of elegant Latin, who if they should be put to tell a Story, or make a Dialogue, or hold a Discourse, or any such like matter, which requires a plain familiar stile, would be at a loss in every clause.  D. 
Sir, I cannot conceive how they that can write and speak elegant and quaint Latin, and Phrase, should be unable to speak plain ordinary Latin.  P. 
I shall endeavour as well as I can to make you conceive it, and convince you that it is so. You must know that in an elegant stile there is a great latitude and variety of expression, so as when you have a word or Phrase which you think is mean and bald, you can change it for another, and that for another, and vary the same conception if need be a hundred several ways, till you light upon an expression which pleaseth you, because this kind of Latin chief depends upon the fancy and tropical expressions, which are infinite. In plain and familiar Latin it is not so, for in that there is but one, or at least not many, and the certain and definite Phrases, and forms of Speech for such and such occasions, which if you do not use, you speak improperly, and consequently bad Language: as for example. If upon the former occasion of borrowing your Virgil, one should say thus to you, my Friend, I do desire you that you shall lend to me the Works of Virgil, to one or two hours, and I will give it unhurt to you again. Were this good English, or not?  D. 
Certainly it is not.  P. 
Why, what is the reason? The words are all good English words, they are joined together grammatically, and in their right signification; what is the reason that they are not good English?  D. 
Sir, I can give no other reason, but that it is not proper and usual to speak so.  P. 
But suppose a Foreigner as a Frenchman, or Italian were learning English, how shall he know that it is not proper, nor usual to speak so? or if that it be not proper, how shall he know what is proper? Not by his Grammar, for they are all grammatically set together, nor by his Dictionary, for that is the proper and usual signification of the words. How shall he know how to speak properly?  D. 
Methinks he should not ever happen upon such an uncouth expression, but having consulted his Grammar and Dictionary, should without any more to do say, Sir, I would desire you to end, & c.  P. 
You think so, because it is your own Mother Tongue, and you by long use and custom have been so used to this, and no other Phrase upon this subject, that all other seem uncouth to you, but to convince you that it is far otherwise than you imagine, you must know that Language in itself (as I told you even now when I spoke of a quaint and elegant stile) is in some manner infinite, there being almost no sentence or form of Speech which may not be changed an hundred several ways, all which ways in a quaint and elegant stile are indifferent to be made use of, because there none of them is used more than another, and the less they are used the better: but in a plain familiar stile which we are now speaking of, is one, or some few of this large variety in use and propriety, and the rest are never meddled with, seeming as uncouth and strange, as our proposed examples, which you say you suppose no man could happen upon. Tell me this, seeing every thing may be expressed so many ways, and seeing some few of the ways are only proper, because they only are in use, the rest remain uncouth and strange, Do you think that all Nations have made choice of the same forms, and expressions to be in common use, and agreed together which should be rejected?  D. 
It were impossible that they should, for how should we that speak English know what Phrases they have made choice of to be in common use in France, Italy or Spain? or what are the common Phrases in Germane, Turkish, or Persian Language, and as impossible would it be for them to know what ours are.  P. 
So that now you must confess that if one of any of these Nations should come to learn our Language, and know the signification of all English words, yet he might fall upon as uncouth a Phrase as that which I propounded.  D. 
I am now convinced that he may, for how shall he know that these are in use more than any other in our Language? having one perhaps clear differing from ours in his own Language, and probably ours will seem as strange to him as his does to us.  P. 
No question but it will. But this which you rightly apprehend, will be more clear by an instance or two. Suppose Latin were spoke in Italy, as once it was; here comes one of that Country into England, and Latin is the Language. He hath desire upon occasion to speak the same in effect, which we have already propounded for an example. The manner of speech in use in his Language for the purpose is this. Rogo te, Amice, mihi Virgilium tuum ad horam unam aut alteram utendum des & eum tibi reddam integrum. Which he will probably translate into our Language, knowing no other way to utter his mind in particular, so that he willcome to you and say. I entreat thee, my Friend, that thou mayst give to me to be used thy Virgil, to one hour or another, and I shall render him to you entire.  D. 
I cannot indeed well conceive how he should speak any otherwise, being ignorant of our usual manner of speech in this particular; but surely we should count it very strange English.  P. 
If a Frenchman should come he would have some other kind, which yet would differ as much from our English, and seem as strange, the same you may understand of an Italian, of a Spaniard, of a Dutchman, or any other whatsoever, all would be different, and all uncouth. A Frenchman would say, My Master, I pray you of lending me your Virgil for an hour or two, & c. A Dutchman would say, Do me though (amabo) your Virgil an hour, two, three, and I will give you it back again unhurt. Then see how these differ both from one another, and you need not think there is less variety in the rest. The same variety will appear in any other phrase. If a Latinist should ask you how you do, i. e. salute you at the first meeting, he would say, according to his own Dialect, Salve Amice, Be safe Friend. A Frenchman would say, Good day, my Master, how do you bear yourself? An Italian, How stands your Lordship? or how stand you? A Dutchman, Good day my Master, how goes it with your health? whereas they must say, if they would speak good English, How do you do Sir, I am glad to see you well; for the other are their familiar expressions, and this is ours. By what I have said you see that the same thing may be expressed with infinite variety, and that some few of those ways are used in a Language, and all the rest are obsolete and uncouth. So that to the perfect knowledge of a Language is required (besides the signification of the words, and the grammatical joining them together) that you acquaint yourself with the use and custom of a Language, by observing what manner of Phrases and Forms of Speech are used in it, upon such occasions and in such subjects, which is the business, the greatest labour that belongs to a Language. This propriety and use of such and such Phrases, is called the Idiom or Propriety of a Tongue, and such manner of usual Phrases and Expressions are called Idiotisms, and he that hath attained to that perfection in any Tongue, that he can use these in their due places, without uncouth and unusual Phrases, is said to speak pure, i. e. properly, or as we say, for example, good English, good Latin, good French, or the like. And now having told you what good Latin is, it remains that according to your desire I give you some directions for the attaining of it.  D. 
I perceive that I have a greater business in hand than I dreamt of, for the attainment of Latin. I thought that now being an indifferent Grammarian, and able (as I supposed hitherto) to make a piece of ordinary Latin indifferent well, I had not wanted much of a perfect Latinist, but now I see plainly that there is yet such a task for me behind, before I can arrive ever to write good plain ordinary Latin, that I am ready to despair of attaining to it.  P. 
Why should you say so?  D. 
Why Sir? Because I see as you have convinced me that every Language, and particularly Latin, hath for every particular occasion and conception, a peculiar phrase, and idiom different to all ours; all which to observe and be acquainted with, considering the multitude and multiplicity of occasions, subjects, and conceptions that will occur, must needs be too long a task to be performed in any reasonable time, or pains.  P. 
If that be all, take a good heart; do but take along with you a consideration or two, which I shall give you, and you will confess the difficulty is not so great as you imagine it to be at the first sight. First then, you must know that a great part of this long task which you so fear, is over already: you have with your first Rudiments, taken in a great many of these Idiotisms, in learning your Grammar and other School Authors; and for what is still behind, assure yourself, that one quarter of a year well employed in the way which I shall set you, will dispatch so much of it, that the remainder will be delightsome, and such as may be pursued with pleasure. Again, you must know that very few do ever attain to such an exactness, no not in their own Mother-tongue, as to be acquainted with the several Idiotisms thereof; but as he is best which knows most, so he may be accounted a Master for perfection in a Language, who knows so much as he can express himself in proper phrase, at least in some measure, upon any subject whatsoever: not (I say) as though any one could know them all, for there are many times several expressions, not a few▪ and all proper and usual for the same thing; all which you will not stand in need of, but only one or two of the choicest and most received.  D. 
What Books will you have me to read, to observe those Idiotisms out of?  P. 
That was the next thing which I intended to instruct you in; you have already seen that good Language and good Latin are several things.  D. 
I have so, and conceive that I must first learn to make good Latin, and then good Language, or elegant Latin.  P. 
That must undoubtedly be the way, and here it is clear, that in common Schools they go preposterously to work, that make Latin first, or at least their chiefest exercises; for their Scholars Themes and Verses, which require elegancy as well as propriety; whereas they should at first exercise them well in a plain and proper stile, by making Epistles or Dialogues, or telling of Stories and making Relations, by which they might learn to speak purely and properly upon every subject; for when they can do that, elegancy of speech will come of itself, being a thing that depends upon fancy and invention; for by this preposterous course of theirs, it comes to pass, that if you put one of those who have been taught after this method, to make a Theme or a Speech, they will bring you a piece of stuff, patched up of several expressions, scraped together out of Poets and Orators, which, if every Bird had its own feather, would have nothing left, but here and there a bald Anglicism; and if you put them to write an Epistle of any familiar matter, or make a relation of some occasional subject, you will quickly see how far they are from good Latinists; for there you shall have nothing of them but English phrases in Latin words, unless they can bring in ever and anon one of their Oratorical or Poetical expressions, which is very incongruous to the matter.  D. 
I must needs confess that it is as you say, but would you not have Scholars taught to write elegant Latin as well as proper.  P. 
Remember to ask me of that again by and by, I will first dispatch what I am in hand withal, about plain and proper Latin, which I say must first be learned, before you learn elegancy of speech. If you were to teach one of these Strangers (which I mentioned) English, would you first teach him to write strong lines, as we call them, before he could use proper expressions?  D. 
Methinks that is as if one should go about to teach a Child to dance before you teach it to go.  P. 
A Musician must first learn Plain song before he come to Division and Discant. A Limner must first learn to draw before he learn to paint: and a Linguist must first learn to speak in usual and proper phrase, before he come to a quaint stile, and strong lines; but I promised to tell you what Authors must be read for gaining this propriety of phrase which must first be aimed at.  D. 
I Sir, I pray do so.  P. 
They first then in this kind are all Tullies works, except his Orations.  D. 
May I read any of the other works indifferently?  P. 
No, there must be choice used in them too; his Epistles are the plainest, and are most fit for this purpose, containing in them all manner of subjects incident, and consisting of a plain and familiar stile, such as we use in common discourse. The other, as his Offices, De senectute, de amicitia, de natura Deorum, de finibus, de oratore, Tuscul. Questions, do now and then rise above a quotidian stile, which is easily discernible: Among these you may choose out such subjects as you desire most to benefit yourself in; as for example, If you desire to be well furnished with expressions for Disputations, which is a thing very necessary and commendable, take his Tusculan Questions, where he brings in mere disputing Dialoguewise, and so in other subjects.  D. 
Pray Sir, why do you except his Orations? for none are more usually read in Schools than they.  P. 
The Orations are of a acquaint and lofty stile, and yet not to be meddled with, till you have made good progress in the first kind of Latin; and whosoever would have their Scholars learn Latin out of them sooner, & indeed before they be better grounded than they usually are in common Grammar Schools, will never make good Latinists.  D. 
You have already given me convincing reasons for that: What other Books do you commend besides Tully?  P. 
Tully alone were almost sufficient, being so large and full of variety for all manner of subjects: But yet for diversity, and to supply what is wanting in him for common ordinary talk, Terence, or Erasmus his Colloquies, the first especially for all manner of familiar discourse; the latter both for telling of Stories and Relations; and for discourse, which to do well, is one of the most difficult things in a Language. To these, it would not be amiss to add a Book or two of Caesar's Commentaries, which will fit you with all propriety of speech concerning Soldiery, Wars, descriptions of countries', and other terms of History, which you will scarce find so conveniently in any other: For as he calls his Book a Commentary, that is, a Journal or short relation of passages; so he is content to make a bare relation of the carriage and managery of his own War, with several other Occurrences, without any quaintness of Phrase, or flourishes of Rhetoric, the only impediment of learning a Language.  D. 
You have told me what Books I must read, I would now desire you to give me some rules for the profitable reading of them.  P. 
That I shall scarce need to do, if you have well observed what I have already told you concerning the nature and propriety of a Language; it will be necessary in this reading of Authors, for the better observing the Idiom of every sentence and form of speech, to turn it into English as you go along, comparing it with the idiom of your own Language, and noting their difference down in a Paper-book for that purpose, as oft as you meet with any thing observable, that is, with any thing you did not know before, or which you might have failed in, had you been to make that into Latin, without the knowledge of that Latin Idiotism; as for example, read me any Sentence out of your Terence.  D. 
Where shall I read?  P. 
Any where; read the beginning of the second Act, and the third Scene of Andria.  D. 
Quid igitur sibi vult pater? cur simulat? ego dicam tibi.  P. 
Quid igitur sibi vult pater? How will you English that?  D. 
what is my Father's meaning? or what doth my Father intent?  P. 
Suppose you had had this English to have put into Latin? how would you have done it?  D. 
I believe scarce as it is here; if I had not known otherwise the Latin phrase before, I should have said perhaps, Quaenam est intentio patris? or so.  P. 
It is not improbable you would; take then your Paper-book and write down, Quid igitur: What means he then? adding to it such a caution as this when it is needful, not tum, not quaenam est intentio ejus? But of this kind of exercise I shall give you a large example apart hereafter, out of which you will better understand the nature of it than by any precepts.  D. 
But methinks Sir, that it should be an infinite and endless task, to go through a Book on this fashion; for I shall probably find some difference in the Idiom, and consequently something to observe, and to set down almost in every clause; nay, when I find no difference, as in this which follows here, Ego dicam tibi, I suppose it would not be amiss to set that down, that I might know in this, or such an Idiotism, there is no difference between us and Latin.  P. 
It were good to do indeed as you say; but for the endlesness of the task, it is no Tie, so as you imagine at the first apprehension. Remember what I have already told you, that you know many of those Idiotismes already, that no man knows them all, neither are they all necessary to be known; and assure yourself, had you but gone through one Comedy in Terence thus, with a Colloquy or two in Erasmus, and half a dozen of Tullies, you were in a manner already a Latinist.  D. 
If that were so, it would be a great encouragement to me.  P. 
Though as a Learner you are bound to believe your Teacher, in what faculty soever it be, and therefore it should be enough to you that I say so: Yet the better to convince you of it, know, First, that by that time you have done so much, you will have got most of the most usual Phrases, and common Idiotisms, so that the remainder will lie thin, here and there scattered, which to glean up, will be no toil, but a delight. Again, know that before you have done thus much, you shall begin to meet with the same Idiotism again, and again, as also with variety of them for the same thing, which to observe and compare together, you will find delight some. And lastly, in the Idiom of the Language, which when you once come to, you will find such a delight in, that it will draw you on with the greatest pleasure imaginable, and never let you rest till you have fully attained it. Take this from me as a secret which I have proved by experience, in the learning of five several Languages: It is no greater delight to read the most delightful Story, or the most pleasant Romance, than to read any thing in a Language, which you once got the Idiom of; without which, as you shall never fully and perfectly understand the matter of which the Book treats, so shall you never have any relish, or take any delight in the reading of it; and if in this particular you should not believe me, or think it my peculiar Genius to take such delight in it, hear what Vigerius that exact Grecian says, to the same purpose in his Epistle to his Greek Idiotismes. Ita enim se res habet (saith he) ut nonnullo quoque dicendi usa dicimus, linguae omni Graecaeque praesertim suus quidam est ac singularis genius, & certis quasi formulis alligens, quam simul ac deprehendere coeperis ames continuo, ne ante persequi desinas quam assequaris idem, nisi te afflaverit frustra suades, nec minus inani quam molesto labore jactoris necesse est. For thus it is (says he) as by some experience in teaching I have found; every Language, but especially the Greek, hath a certain peculiar stream or genius restrained within certain Phrases or forms of speech, which as soon as you get hold of, you presently fall in love with, and never give over till you have attained it; and if you do not come to get a taste of this, you will assuredly lose your labour, and your pains will be as fruitless and toilsome. So he; whose testimony (as I say) I can approve by experience. But add further; though reason should not enforce you to believe this, yet, that I as your instructor, have authority to enjoin you to believe that it is not so difficult and so tedious a thing (if you set yourself about it in a right way) as you perhaps think it is to learn a Language, and as indeed we usually make it here in England to learn Latin; you shall have one that is any thing Studious, learn both to speak and write perfect French or Italian, and the pronounciation in two years' time, or less, which Languages do, notwithstanding, require little less pains, either Grammar or Idiom than Latin, besides the difficulty in pronounciation, which in Latin you are not much troubled with. In the Low-countrieses, you shall have a Lad ordinarily of 15. or 16. years old, speak Latin and French both, and both very well, and in propriety. Nay, I met with one not much above the same Age, who spoke both Latin, Spanish, Italian, and High-dutch, besides Flemish and French, which were both in a manner his Native tongues, being Born in the Borders of France and Flanders; and in any of those he would maintain any ordinary discourse, without any remarkable impropriety of Speech: And what should be the reason then that Latin amongst us at seven, eight, nay ten or twelve years should be so difficultly attained to, and that without any great perfection too, but that we are out of the way and the method?  D. 
It is very probable.  P. 
The consideration of this did at first clearly convince me, though I knew it in a confused manner before, that we ought to go the same way to work in learning of Latin, which they do both in learning that and other Languages.  D. 
Pray Sir what way do ye go?  P. 
Why after some few Grammar grounds, which are as short, and yet as exact too as may be, they come to this observation of the propriety and Idiom, and never meddle with any quaintness of style, till that be in some measure attained; and to this purpose, both their ordinary exercise, both there and in France, are only such as require a plain and familiar style; to wit, writing of Letters, & making of Dialogues, & Relations of ordinary passages, as Going abroad, Buying & Selling, and the like; Verses and Orations being only proper to the two last years in the Grammar-School, & that in several Forms, & with several Masters; for there every Form hath a several Master belonging to it, and they are commonly seven in number, in every of which, Boys make their stay according to their proficiency: The first four years they commonly employ to make them Latinists, the next in Humanity (as they call it) that is History, Mythology, and the like; the sixth in Oratory and Poetry, and in the two next after, which they continue also in the same School, they go through all Philosophy as far as our Bachelors of Art in the University, for this is also taught in their public Schools; and then after that, such as have a mind to Study Law, Divinity, Physic, or the like faculty, go to the University for it.  D. 
So that it seems in eight years' space, after they can well Writ and Read, they are made in their ordinary Schools as good Scholars as our Bachelors of Arts.  P. 
They are so, and many often in less time, if they be capacious and diligent.  D. 
Capacity and diligence must needs be things of no small importance, and therefore I suppose, if Boys, who are generally averse from Learning, and will commonly learn no more than they needs must, are yet ordinarily brought to be good Latinists in four years' space; one that would set himself about it with study and earnestness, would do as much in one year or two at the most.  P. 
No question but he might: I knew a Boy once, and one not of the largest capacity neither, that having been taught to Write and Read, and having learned his Accidence, with some part of Propria quae maribus, gave over School at ten years of Age for the space of five years; his Parents being but of mean estate, and intending nothing less than to make him a Scholar; to which notwithstanding he having a desire, got his Friends o let him go to School again, when he was about 15 years of age; after which, in a year and a halfs time, he learned both Greek and Latin, and went to the University, though perhaps not so well grounded as he ought to have been, but I am sure as well as most go out of Country-Schools, and had he been set in a right way, might probably with the same pains have attained to greater perfection in the same time, though I say, his Master's care was as commendable as his own diligence.  D. 
Sir, I have heard that you got your Learning in as short a space.  P. 
It matters not much who it was: Thus much take from me, that it is very true, and my end in relating of it, is to let you see that learning of a Language, however it may seem at first, as it doth, I perceive, to you a thing very laborious and difficult, yet with a little pains and time, rightly employed, will be found otherwise. And if from the first Rudiments such a time will serve sor some proportionable attainment of it how much less will serve such an one as you, that have already thus far proceeded in it?  D. 
Sir, your discourse hath now delivered me from that discouraging apprehension, which I had of the difficulty and tediousness of the business: So that now I can resolve to settle to it as a thing facile; only I shall desire you to give me leave to ask you another question or two, which I suppose will not be altogether impertinent.  P. 
You cannot please me better, than to ask me questions in whatsoever may concern your own improvement, and therefore ask freely, both now and at other times, whatsoever you desire satisfaction in.  D. 
Sir, I suppose this Notebook which you would have me make for my Idiotismes, will be but a kind of Phrase-book; now seeing there is great variety of these Printed, and to my hand, whether would not one of them serve me as well?  P. 
By no means, and that for many Reasons.  
First, Because though there be many kinds of them, yet none are made in that manner which I ascribe most advantageous, because they do not give the particular signification of every Phrase by itself, nor set down the difference of Idiotisms, which is chief to be observed, but only put down own Sentence or Conception in general, and reduce many Phrases to it, as to an head or common place which have any affinity with it.  
Secondly, Because many times they confound Idiotismes with Elegancies, or expressions of fancies, which if they be not distinguished, you shall never find any end of your labour: For Idiotismes, though they be not few in number which belong to a Language, yet is the number of them certain and definite. But expressions of fancy (as I have told you already) are infinite, and every where various and different, according to the genius and fancy of the Author.  D. 
How may I know an Idiotism from an expression of fancy?  P. 
Ask me by and by and I shall tell you.  
Thirdly, My third Reason against your common Phrase-book, is, because they only gather such Idiotismes as consist in whole clauses or sentences, neglecting those which consist in single words, and small particulars, as Adverbs, Conjunctions, Praepositions, & c. which are not less if not more to be regarded, as you will find by diligent observation, as I shall show in those large examples which I promised you.  
Fourthly, My last Reason is, because they are gathered to your hand already; for the main advantage which you reap by this exercise, consists more in the gathering of them, than in having them already gathered; because this by little and little imprints them in your mind, and the frequent meeting with the same Phrase or Idiotism in your reading, and comparing it with others which are allied to it, fixeth them so in your memory, as to have them ready at hand upon occasion, which you shall never have by a Printed Phrase-book, though you should get it without book. These are my Reasons why I account them insufficient. Before I go any further, I shall satisfy your demands concerning the difference betwixt an Idiotism and an expression of fancy.  D. 
That indeed I would willingly know.  P. 
The difference in short is no more but this, as I have in a manner told you before. An Idiotism is generally used of every one in plain and familiar speech: An expression (for so I shall henceforth call it, to distinguish it from an Idiotism) every man hath, or may have peculiar to himself. As for example: In English, if I should say thus, I have not received a Letter from you this twelve month; this were an Idiotism, because a common and usual Phrase which every man in familiar speech useth upon the same occasion: But if I should say, The Sun hath once completed his yearly Circuit since you graced me with a Letter from you; this were an expression; because any man may form the like according to his own fancy: As another might have said in the same sense, The Sun hath made his annual progress through all his Celestial Houses, since I broke up the Seal of one of your Letters. Another thus: 〈…〉 run through all the lines in the Zo●●●● 〈…〉 saw one from you. Another thus, 〈…〉 now the second August since I saw your hand at a Letter. Another thus: You writ Letters to me as men do Almanacs, once a year; and so a thousand ways, according as every man's fancy leads him. I suppose I need not show you the same over again in Latin: you will easily understand from what I have already said, that whether in English or Latin; or what Language soever, the true and only difference betwixt an Idiotism and expression is; that the one is common and familiar in all men's mouths upon such a subject, and the other used but of one, or at least borrowed of him by some few others; as we see men will many times make use again and again, of an expression which they like, having had it from the mouth of another, or met with it in some Book. And so essential is the difference which I have already laid down, that if any expression of fancy come to be vulgarly used, it ceaseth to be an expression, and becomes an Idiotism, as were easy to show by examples in our own Language. Our common form of speech used to be: Sir, I shall make bold to come and see you by and by. After, some made use of this, as a more elegant and civil expression: Sir, I shall take the boldness to wait upon you; which is now grown as common as the other, and therefore is no longer an Expression, but an Idiotism. We used to say, I do verily believe such a thing; then came in these and the like expressions; I verily persuade myself; I am very confident; or, I do assume myself of such and such a thing, and the like; which, however at first when they were new, they were Expressions, yet being now grown common and familiar, they pass for Idiotisms. Nay, it is very probable that most of our common Expressions and Phrases, which are now most common and vulgar, were acquaint and new Expressions, and made Idiotisms by common use, in which conditions they shall continue, till other new ones come in their places, and usurp their rooms, which I conceive to be the chief, if not the only cause of that vicisitude and change which Languages are obnoxious unto▪ as well as other things: For whilst we naturally grow weary of old things, and delight in novelties, it comes to pass that old words and Phrases give place to new ones; and perhaps old Antiquated ones, after some Ages, like old fashions, come into request again, as Horace tells us;  

Multa renascentur, quae jam cecidére, cadent que  
Quae nunc sunt in honore vocabula si volet usus,  
Quem penes arbitrium est & jus & norma loquendi.   D. 
This being then the difference (as you have shown me) betwixt an Expression and an Idiotism, I suppose that it will be consequent to say, that whensoever a man will speak or write a familiar ordinary style, he must use Idiotisms, which are common Expressions; and when he would speak or write a style more raised or acquaint, he must use Expressions, i. e. such forms of speech that are not made vile & cheap, as it were, by common Use.  P. 
Very right; and as we laugh at him, who in any thing that requires Elegancy, as (in set speech, or the like) useth common homely expressions, letting his style (as we say) creep upon the ground. So on the contrary, he is as ridiculous that in common and ordinary talk affects strong lines and bombast phrases (as we call them) which perhaps would fit well in another place.  D. 
To return again to my question concerning Phrase-books, it seems Sir, that you do not allow any one of those Printed ones, but only such as are of my gathering.  P. 
There is one notwithstanding which may be made some Use of, and that is Erasmus de copia verborum, who according to his extraordinary perfection in that Language, hath briefly gathered together in that little Book, under a certain number of pertinent heads, most of the considerable Idiotisms of that Language; and the way to benefit by that Book, would be now and then to spend an hour or two in turning them into English, and transcribing them into the Notebook, after the same manner which I prescribed you for the reading of your Authors.  D. 
Is there no other Book of that nature, that can be made use of?  P. 
There is one more, but not altogether of that nature, which I must needs commend to you.  D. 
What is that I pray Sir?  P. 
Laurentius Valla de elegantiis, which I would advise you by all means to join with the reading of the prescribed Authors, for he hath in a great part done to your hand what you read these Authors for, gaving gathered a great part of these Idiotisms and proprieties together.  D. 
How Sir? hath he gathered them better than Erasmus?  P. 
He goes in a way plain different from him; Erasmus only, or chief gathers Phrases and Sentences, but Valla hath taken the most pains in showing the true and proper signification of particular words, and the right Use of those particulars which I spoke of before; and indeed, in these things as much as any, consists the Idiom of a Language.  D. 
Pray Sir, what will be the best way to read his Book with advantage?  P. 
Why having read over a Chapter, which commonly is very short, and treats but of one word or Idiotism, contract the substance of it as briefly as you can, and so writ it down in your Paper-book.  D. 
Must I write it down in Latin or in English?  P. 
Only the Phrase or Word itself in Latin, but all the Explication of it, as much as needs, in English. Take for an example if you will, the particular Idiom of the Verb Committo, which besides its ordinary signification, it often hath, and is then followed with (ut), and sometimes with Quamobrem: When it hath ut after it, I perceive by his example, it signifies the same in this Idiotism that we express by this English Phrase. Be sure you do not such or such a thing; and when it hath Quamobrem, the same that this, I will be sure never to give any occasion why I should not do so, or so; which you may set down in short in your Paper-book thus,  Lib. 3. Cap. 56. Committo with ut, or Quamobrem. 
Non committam ut mihi dicendum sit, non putaram, I will be sure never to be put to say, Non putaram. Nihil committam quamobrem non eò veniam; I will be sure never to give any occasion why I should not come there, or which may hinder me from coming there: And thus have you a brief sum of the Chapter, and may in the same manner contract the rest according to your own fancy, some one way, and some another, but of this I shall also give a larger example apart; for I would have you read these Books of Valla very diligently, because they will save you a great deal of labour in collecting at random; and indeed Books of that nature are the chief helps for getting of Languages. And I shall advise you, that what Language soever you learn, and desire to be exact in, that you will get such a one of that Language, if it be to be had. In Latin you have this; In Greek you have Vigerus, his Idiotisms: In Italian, French, and Spanish, you have them more plentifully. But so much for this; I have now, I suppose, satisfied you concerning Phrase-books; what other question would you ask me?  D. 
When you first mentioned Valla de elégantiis, I was in hope you were going to speak something concerning the manner of attaining elegant Latin, which before I desired to know of you; but seeing his Book gives you not occasion to speak of it, I make bold to put you in mind of it again, as you then willed me.  P. 
You desire to know how one may write or speak acquaint elegant Latin.  D. 
IS r, first whether it may be learned or no? and then how? for you seemed before to intimate that it cannot, or ought not to be learned.  P. 
There is a great deal of difference betwixt learning this and the other plain familiar Latin, which is as it were the groundwork in a Language, and must only be learned out of Books, because there only you can have those Idiotisms which are proper to every subject and occasion, and without which you cannot deliver your mind in a familiar discourse without the censure of affectation.  D. 
I have observed already that it is so; but pray Sir, what may be the reason of it?  P. 
Because expressions of fancy, being not in ordinary way of delivery, but such as scorn the common road, and beaten path of Language, raising themselves aloft as it were, and soaring above the pitch of ordinary parts and wits, he that useth them, will always make show of ostentation of Parts, Wit, or Language above other men; which kind of ostentation in words; is called affectation. Now on the other side, in a set Speech or Verses, or Books, it is both supposed and expected that a man should take pains to express himself above the ordinary rate of vulgar words and phrases; and therefore in such cases there is no fear to be censured for affectation, if it be done with discretion, and the stile suited to the matter in hand: You see then the necessity of knowing all these vulgar forms of speech, which I call Idiotisms: In this regard amongst the rest, that you may speak without affectation, which (as I told you before) you have no other way to judge of so well, as by your own Language, wherein you are best acquainted, and therefore when a man speaks with affectation and when not; because you do know when he useth Idiotisms, and when not, which in Latin, or any other Language which you are not yet very well expressed and familiar in, you cannot be so sensible of, not▪ knowing so exactly, for want of use, what Phrases are Idiotisms, and what are expressions: But when by diligent and frequent observation of your Authors you can distinguish them, you will be as sensible of the affectation in Latin, as you are of it in English; which you may also apply to the distinguishing of propriety of speech in a Language, which many are not sensible of in Latin, or any other foreign Language for want of use and familiarity of it, to know what is proper, and what improper: But to one that is exercised in a Language as he ought to be, such impropriety of speech is as sensible, as it is to you in your own Language. As for example, Look how strange and uncouth it is in English, to say Be safe friend, instead of saying How do you Sir; or to say You come most wished for, instead of saying. You are very welcome; or to say, I do not hear it being merry, instead of saying, I am sorry to hear it: so uncoath it is in any other Language, to those that are well exercised in it, to use any phrase or manner of speech which is not usually received. Now to return from the digression to our purpose, that Idiotisms are only to be learned out of books in Latin, because it being not now vulgarly spoken, as most other Languages are; you have none other way to know what an Idiotism is, and what not. But for a acquaint stile, and elegant Latin, the learning whereof you desire to be informed in, though it may be, and always is much helped by books, yet doth it more depend on a man's peculiar fancy and genius.  D. 
Sir, I would desire you, if you please, first to show me how it depends upon a man's fancy and genius; and then how it may be helped by reading.  P. 
I shall for the first then: You must know that all elegancy of speech, and quaintness of phrase, especially in respect of the signification of words, howsoever it is very large, and in some manner infinite, as we may perceive by that infinite variety of expression of the same thing which we find in Orators and Poets; none of them ever using (or at least frequently) the same expression which either themselves or others have had before; yet is there not one expression in all this large variety of Language and elegancy which is not deduced to one of the four Tropes usually taught in Rhetoric, Metonymia, Ironia, Metaphora, Synecdoche, as you will easily perceive by a little observation. Now you know that these Tropes, howsoever they be taught by Art, which in this as in other things, may be helpful to nature: Yet we do find by common experience, that he that is not naturally inclined by his own genius to make use of those Tropes in his expression, will never be brought by Art to any considerable perfection in it: We see in common English some naturally express themselves by Similitudes and Metaphors, which they never studied for; others likewise by contraries or Ironies, and so of the rest as their peculiar fancy leads them. And he that can properly once express himself in plain Phrase, will easily as he hath a mind, raise himself to a figurative expression. As for example: He that can say such an one hath a great opinion of himself, can (if he have a mind to express himself better) say one is swollen or puffed up with self-conceit. He that can say such an one desires and seeks after honour, can say (if he have a mind) such an one hunts or pants after honour; or by an Irony, such an one cares not at all for honour; or by a Metonymy, such an one desires to be cringed to, or stood bare to by others; and so in any other. For any one that once knows the true and proper signification of words, can easily make use of them for any tropical and figurative expression.  D. 
This, Sir, I now fully conceive, viz. how this elegancy of speech depends upon the fancy: I desire now that you will show me what use may be made of books to this purpose, which was the second thing.  P. 
In attaining to elegancy of speech, you are not to make the same, nor so much use of books to this purpose as some ignorantly do, who will not use any form of speech or expression but what they find in some Latin Authors; so that their Latin is nothing else but a cento, or a patched composition, pieced together out of several books: But such as those know not the difference between an Idiotism and an expression. The first whereof are indeed to be had out of books, the other from the fancy: There are again others, who though they do not tie themselves so strictly to the expression of their books, yet are they so desirous to bring out of themselves what they can, that many times they bring in things very incongruously and improperly, which either express more or less than the matter requires; or at least break that integrity and evenness which ought to be in a stile. A third and last sort there are of others, who because they have some confused notion that elegancy of speech consists, as indeed it doth, in having something extraordinary, or above the vulgar phrase, and know not in the mean time how to come by it; seek out all the uncouth words that they can find in Plautus, or Apulens, or the like books, and think themselves more elegant than Tully, if they can but besprinkle their speech thick enough with such as these; but these are rather to be accounted Antiquaries than Linguists; and for the love of old things (as Erasmus saith) deserve to live upon nothing but rotten Eggs and stinking Beef, and wear old Shoes and torn Breeches. Hitherto I have told you the abuses that are commonly made of Books and Authors in gaining of Eloquence; I shall now show you the true use that is to be made of them, and that is double.  D. 
What is the first?  P. 
The first use that may be made of Orators and Poets for this purpose, is this: That the reading of them raiseth a man's fancy, and hath a peculiar force to put it in a frame of expressing things out of the vulgar road. A man's brain is of a ducible pliable nature, easily moulded and conformed to what it is most conversant about: you shall frequently observe, that one man by keeping company with another, will get the same garb and carriage, will talk like him, discourse like him, express himself after the same manner; all which he hath not got with industry, and set purpose of learning them, but even insensibly and before he was ware, only by conversing with him. It is just so in reading of Authors, which if a man be conversant in, though without any intention of learning their expression and stile, yet he shall find himself insensibly at last wrought to it, and if immediately after the reading of them he come to write or speak any thing; he shall find he will write and speak like them, which is not unknown to those that will undertake in a paper of Verses to imitate any of the old Poets, as Virgil, Ovid, Claudian, etc. as we see Strada hath done most successively in his Academical Prolusions.  D. 
Would you have me to read them only, without any endeavour to imitate their phrase, or observe their stile, leaving that to come insensibly of itself, as you say.  P. 
It would not be amiss now and then to observe a good expression, which pleaseth you more than the rest, that you may remember it, though you do not make any use of it in your own expression, but only lay it up in your fancy as the seed of other expressions to be moulded from it: And to this purpose it would not be amiss now and then to get such expressions and passages without book, or at least frequently to read them over, because this kind of exercise doth by little and little work your brains to this kind of expression; so that upon the like occasion it will naturally run of itself into the like. Now as once or twice doing a thing is not sufficient to produce an habit of such actions, so doth not once or twice reading of an expression leave a sufficient touch upon the fancy, to wind it up to the like expression upon the like occasions: But there must be a frequency and iteration sufficient to work and mould the brain to such a kind of habit. So that when you light upon any Author, whose phrase and manner of expression pleaseth you, and that you desire to imitate him, I shall advise you to use none other means for the attainment of this imitation, but only frequently in reading of him, and here and there getting something which you like best, without-book; of which getting without-book I shall tell you more by and by.  D. 
Would you not advise me rather to take a book upon the recommendation of some good Scholar, than of mine own choice?  P. 
To take one upon another man's commendation perhaps would not be amiss; but yet there is such variety in men's fancies in this particular, that a book may be commended to you, and by a judicious Scholar too, which will never suit with your genius, and consequently your fancy will never be moulded to the genius of it; or at least, not with that success which it would have been, had it been more suitable to your nature: And therefore I say, I should rather of the two advise you to take one of your own choice.  D. 
Is there none that take any other course in reading of Authors, for gaining their styles?  P. 
I would not have you to suspect this way, for I can approve it by mine own experience to be very successful. There are indeed some who would have you to gather out the chief expressions; first turning the matter into a plain stile, and then observe how they have raised themselves above the vulgar. But I conceive this way both more toilsome and tedious, and less effectual, as not conducing so much to the producing of that habit, and readiness in the fancy, which is so necessary to a Language.  D. 
What is the second use that may be made of reading of Authors, for the attainment of elegancy in expression?  P. 
The second is more large, extending to what book soever you read, whereas the first is only of some one, at least of few particularly, to which you tie yourself for imitation: And this it is, Though I would have you principally to depend upon your own fancy for expression, and only be beholden to your Authors for the habit and readiness in exercising them. Yet because in all Authors of any worth, you ever and anon shall find some expressions and say remarkable for wit and elegancy above the rest, and such as ordinarily a man's own fancy will not furnish him withal; such as these I would have you writ out, and commit to memory, not only for the use aforesaid, but also that you may have ready to insert, either in speech or writing upon occasion; for such it is lawful and warrantable to make use of, though they be not our own. And if the Author be one in esteem and Classical, it's better to name him than not, with this or the like form: As such an one saith, or As such an one expresseth it. But yet that with this proviso, that such raisings and expressions be not already grown too common and familiar in every man's mouth: for if they be, it is not good to use them, unless you invert and vary them by some Paronomacy, Amphiboly, or the like; as if instead of O bone vir curasti probè, you should say, O bone vir jurasti probè; instead of vir sapit qui pauca loquitur, you should say, vir loquitur qui pauca sapit: Instead of ne quid nimis, ne quid minùs. Or as if in an abusive way you should say, you knew such a one to be such a man's Son, because he is like him; making use of that in Virgil, Sic canibus▪ catulos similes, sic matribus haedos noram. Or lastly, as if in reproof of a deboist and idle Philosopher, you should apply that Greek Proverbial sentence, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And this is the second use you are to make of reading of Authors; and all I shall say for the present of them, unless there be any thing else which you desire to be satisfied in.  D. 
Sir, if you conceive these rules and directions sufficient for the attainment of good Latin, I desire no more.  P. 
Only one thing or two I must put you in mind of, for a right use of the Collections, and so I shall leave you for the present. First then, you must not think that the bare gathering of the Idiotisms is sufficient, but you must have some set times to look over them so often, and so frequently, that in a manner you have them without book. For take this for a certain and necessary rule, that though a man know never so many Phrases and Idiotisms, and have them in some measure without book, yet he shall never be able to make use of them or any thing else in discourse, till by use he render them so familiar not only to his memory, but fancy also, that they come in of themselves, without thinking of them, or studying for them, which use and frequent repetition of them will easily and insensibly bring you to. But on the contrary, without this readiness and habit thus gotten, whole Volumes of Phrases and Collections lying by you, not only in your books, as all acknowledge, but even in your memory also, which few consider, will be as useless to you as Lessons and Instruments of Music are to one that hath not the habit to play or sing; and howsoever the frequent meeting with the same Phrases in the collecting of them, did bring this readiness in some, which indeed for the present are only useful for you, yet there still remains much behind among them to be completed by frequent reviews and relations.  
In the second place I must put you in mind of frequent Exercises, and making and writing of Latin, which indeed is the very life of all your labours, viz. whilst you are learning the Idiom. Epistles, Dialogues, Relations, Stories, and the like, into which stile to bring as many as you can of your collected Idiotisms; for that will make you both perfect in the use of such as you have, and let you see where you are defective, which will make you more careful in the observing of those which you want, and the finding of them more delightful.  
Lastly, know that besides your collections, it will much conduce to the attainment of the Idiom of Latin, or any other Language, to make choice of some convenient Author to get without book, as I prescribed you before for expression, where I left you to your own choice, for the reasons there alleged. But here I shall tie you to some part of some of your Authors, prescribed for the Idiom: as for example, one of Terence his Comedies; two or three of Erasmus his Colloquies, or a proportionable number of Tully's Epistles; and that which you so get without-book, need not have collections made out of it; only it will be expedient, that at the first reading it over, as you go along, you turn it into as proper English as you can: This committing it to memory, or rather frequent reading it over, to commit it to memory, doth as it were naturalise the Idiom to you, and so work and mould your fancy to it, and it will bring it to that familiarity and readiness, which is very necessary for Language, as I have told you already: And because I would not have you discouraged with the pains of getting without book, I do not require that you should take that tedious and wearisome way of committing it to memory, that Schoolboys do; but only tie yourself to read it over once or twice a day, till you find that you can readily, without help of memory, as it were only by a kind of natural rheum of the fancy, repeat a clause or sentence to the end of it, which will be enough for your purpose. Neither is it at all necessary, but rather prejudicial to repeat a whole page, or three or four, or a whole treatise from end to end by a continued recitation, which only rather burdens and dulls the memory, than helps the fancy to any readiness of expression. That you may more fully conceive my meaning herein, you must know the habit of a Language, or readiness of man's expressing himself, is like that habit which a Musician gets in his fingers, being such as depend very little upon the memory, but rather upon the fancy, or indeed the nerves or motive faculty of the soul, wherein the habit resides. For there are many which can remember a whole lesson perhaps upon the Lute, knowing both what notes and strokes succeed one another, and how every one of them is to be stopped and strucken, and yet for want of practice, or rather that habit and ready faculty which is got by practice cannot play that tune very well, perhaps not at all; whereas another which hath the exercise and habit, who perhaps if you put him to his memory before hand, cannot tell two notes together how they are struck, will notwithstanding play the whole tune so readily and exactly, that he can scarce play otherwise if he would; only because he hath got the habit or readiness in his joints and nerves, which by that alone run (as it were of themselves) without any direction from the memory; so it is, I say, in learning a Language. Many will speak very eloquently and properly upon such a subject, who perhaps cannot repeat you two Phrases out of any book and Author. The reason is, by use and exercise they have got that habit, which where it is, will bring in these Phrases of themselves, as it were when we think not of them; as it is easy to observe in the speaking of our own Language, where we use a thousand several expressions, readily without any stay; which if we consult our memory for, we are to seek, as you will find sufficiently by experience, when you come in the Collections to English your Latin Idiotisms, as I directed you, where you shall find yourself at a loss many times for an English Phrase; which if you had been in discourse upon that subject, you would never have stuck at. The sum of all is the seeing, it is not the memory, though never so good, which is sufficient for the perfection of a Language, though that be very necessary too at the first beginning, but there must be this habit or readiness also in the faculty of Language; it is so clear, that the attainment hereof, as all other habits, must depend much upon frequent exercise, which is the reason that I commend to you above all things, this way for getting without book, which is more easy, and more effectual.  D. 
Methinks Sir, this way alone might be sufficient without all collections.  P. 
No by no means, because it is not so exact for the gaining of the Idiotism. You will leave many things unobserved in reading, and getting without book, which you will not in collecting; and besides, it will be necessary to collect out of more books than you can possibly get without book, though after this easy manner; yet it is also true, the more you get without book, the less you need collect.  
And now I suppose I have satisfied your desires, and furnished you with all necessary rules for making you a good Latinist: And not only so, but further also these same rules will direct you in some sufficient manner how to set yourself about learning any other Language. I was desirous to take some opportunity for this very purpose, which now in some measure I have fulfilled, and am glad this hath been offered, hoping you will make good use of it, for the attainment of this accomplishment so necessary for a Scholar without it; though it cannot be deemed but our English are very defective in this particular, witness the few books written in Latin, in comparison of what other Nations have; witness the general defect of our Nation in speaking of Latin, where not one among forty, even in our Universities, is able to entertain a Foreigner in that Language, which is so known a thing, that it is taken notice of in all our neighbour Nations; whereas in other countries', but especially in Holland, you shall not meet a Scholar, nor indeed a Gentleman, but will be able to hold you very good discourse in Latin, upon any subject. It is usual indeed with our Nation, that they may undervalue them, and excuse themselves, to say, That they can indeed speak it very fluently; but that they speak, is very plain and bald; where if they take plain and bald for one and the same thing, they betray their want of skill, both in that and all other Languages, supposing none to be good Latin but that which is made up of Poetical and Oratorical Phrases. That their Latin is plain I grant; which kind of Latin is only proper for discourse, as I have already shown, and indeed is most difficult to speak; but that it is bald and impure I utterly deny: and indeed, though we should grant it were so, which it is not, our Countrymen might very well bear with them, who if put to discourse, can seldom maintain it Grammatically true; which general defect amongst us, I am verily persuaded, and I think I have very good ground for it, is one of the chief, if not the only cause, which keeps Learning at so low an ebb in the generality of our English Clergy. For though our Commonwealth have some men always eminent for Learning, which may enter comparison with the best of Nations, yet it cannot be denied but those are thin sown, and that our Nation in the generality comes short of others; but this is easier to bewail, than to know how to remedy, unless every one will undertake to mend one, which I hope you for your part will do.  D. 
It is a thing Sir, which by God's blessing, and the hope of your directions, I do fully intent.  P. 
I hope you will, and doubt not but the way which I have set you in, will in short time, and with easy pains make you Master of your desires; and this I will assure you of for your better encouragement▪ that the content and benefit which you shall receive by it, will make a large recompense for your pains.  
FINIS.