GOOD MANNERS for SCHOOLS, Or, A PARAPHRASE upon QUI MIHI, etc.  Done into English Verse by O. DYKES, For the Use of the Grammar-School at the Academy in Chancery-Lane. 

boy, that would Scholars be, your Minds dispose  
To learn Good Manners and obey these Laws.  
Rise early, and shake off the drowsy Nod;  
Then kneel you down, and humbly Pray to God.   

First, wash your Hands and Face; then comb your Hair,  
And dress you with a neat and decent Air.  
Keep your Apparel clean from Ink or Stain,  
And nasty Spots of Dirt or Grease refrain:  
Your  not torn to Tatters every Day,  
By stubborn Fight, and your Ramping Play.  

Fly Slothfulness, and make away to School;  
And never play the Tardy-lingring Fool,  
That loses both his Time and breaks my Rule.    

There, a Good morrow to your Master pay,  
And greet your Fellows with a Happy Day.  

Sat down, and your appointed Seat ne'er quit,  
Without Command, or Leave to vacate it,  
When Nature prompts you to refresh your Wit.   
He's Highest still who best performs his Part:  
And understands his Lesson best by Heart:  
For Real Merit always must take Place,  
And Undeserving Idle Boys disgrace.   

Pen, Ink and Paper, are such useful Tools,  
As must be ready in the Labouring Schools,  
Fit for your Business; But Good Pens, I mean;  
Your Ink the Blackest, and your Paper Clean:  
That you may write your Master's Dictates Fair,  
T'emprove your Learning and commend your Care;  
Without one fulsome Fault or filthy Blot,  
Like a dull Sloven or an Idle Sot.  

But for good Precepts, little Books are fit;  
Fair Writing to lose Papers ne'er commit:  
You should preserve, not throw away your Wit.    

Weigh what you read; your Lesson often Conn,  
Till you well know the meaning of what's done:  
For chattering, like a Parrot, Things by Rote,  
Is arrant Nonsense, and a mighty Faued.  
Consult your Fellows and your Betters ask,  
Upon a difficult or doubtful Task;  
By Doubts and Questions Knowledge is obtained,  
Who nothing doubted, nothing ever gained.  

Dull Blockheads stand, like thoughtless Statues, mute,  
That seek no Information in a Doubt,  
To know the Truth of Things beyond dispute.   
Who ask no Questions and make no demand,  
Will never Learn, and never Understand.   

Learn Wisdom; and make what is taught your own;  
Oblivion will provoke an awful Frown.  
To be instructed, and forget the Sense,  
Argues intolerable Negligence.  
It is in vain to teach a rambling Brain,  
That never thinks, and nothing will retain.  
You must be mindful and attentive still,  
To hear your Master's Judgement and his Will.  
All his Instructions and his Words must be  
Laid up in Everlasting Memory:  
For if what's told the heedless Boy, is lost;  
He might as well have taught a Senseless Post.   

Nothing's so Hard, so Crabbed and Abstruse  
In a dark Author, or mysterious Muse,  
But may be quickly overcome with Ease:  
And difficulties, after Conquest, please.  
Take pains; and Learning easy you will find,  
By care and application of the Mind.  
When you're so careful and industrious grown,  
Knowledge and Glory will your Labour Crown.  
For as the Earth's uncultivated Soil,  
Without good Tillage and continual Toil,  
Brings forth no hopeful Flowers nor Lovely Fruit;  
But all lies Waste and Barren Ground about:  
So Boys, that do not exercise their Sense  
With earnest study and great diligence,  
For loss of Time may justly be reviled;  
Their Parts are Fruitless, and their Wit grows Wild.   

The Laws of speaking you must nicely mind;  
Pratling's impertinent and noisy Wind.  
Govern the forward Tongue, and still be free  
From too much Babbling and Loquacity.  
Clamour creates your Master mighty Pain;  
Offends his Ear, and more disturbs his Brain.  
Plying your Lesson then, avoid all Noise;  
Speak with a Modest, Low, submissive Voice:  
But saying to your Master, speak aloud,  
To be distinctly heard and understood.  
Learn at your Finger's Ends what e'er you get,  
And every Word without your Book repeat.  
Pronounce your Latin roundly; stammering shun;  
That common Vice, called Hesitation.  
Let no one prompt or tell you when you say;  
Such faltering Repetitions spend the Day,  
Make Lessons long and tedious by delay.  
All Prompting prejudices foolish Boys;  
The sense confounds, and Memory destroys.   

To every Question let your Answer be  
Modest, Ingenious, Pertinent and Free;  
Wise answers will your commendation raise;  
Advance your Learning, and deserve great Praise.  
Gambling too fast or drawling out too slow,  
Your Words, are two abhorred Extremes, you know,  
Of speaking well: Betwixt both Vices lie,  
The grace of Speech, and common Decency.   

As often as occasion bids you speak,  
It must be still in Latin, or in Greek,  
As every Boy's capacity, among  
Your Fellows; understands each  Tongue.  

But barbarous Language and false Latin shun,  
Like an Infection spreading through the Town,  
This Vice is dangerous, and catching grown.   
Instruct your Fellows too, when they require,  
And th' ignorant with better light inspire;  
Show them in every dark and unknown Line,  
The great advantage of good Discipline.  
Whoever teaches the unlearned, will find,  
His own improvement in the others Mind,  

And though he were the most unlearned, before;  
What he Imparts, like Charity to the Poor,  
Will both Confirm his Knowledge and increase his Store.    

But forward Babblers never imitate,  
Who Barbarism do confidently prate;  
Talk Latin fluent; but gross Smatt'rers be,  
To the disgrace of Roman Purity.  
The Silly'st Coxcomb of 'em all is Proud  
Of being cried-up by the Barbarous Crowd:  
As if Assurance Falshood justifies,  
And Popular Applause makes ignorance Wise.  
If you would rightly know the Grammar Rules,  
And learn to speak true Latin in the Schools,  

With greater Elegance and better Grace;  
You must more Learned Company embrace;  
Read the best Authors of the Latin Race.   
Study their Writings of the purest Note,  
One Easy Subjects for Good Breeding Taught.  
Tully, and Terence, and great Virgil's fit,  
T'employ your Youth and Exercise your Wit.  
Who never read their Famous Books, ne'er saw  
The Light of Learning, nor the Roman Law.   

Some naughty Boys delight to spend their Times  
In Sordid Trifles, or Notorious Crimes;  
Who ne'er to Virtue do their Minds apply;  
Renounce all Goodness and Sobriety,  
For a more lazy Life of Tempting Play,  
Which Scholars to Ill Courses does betray.  
Others are better Fed then Taught at Home;  
Grow to their Fellows Rude and Troublesome;  
Disturb the Studious with their Hands or Feet,  
And never will be Quiet in their Seat.  
Others again do boast themselves wellborn,  
Inferiors Hector, and Revile with Scorn.  
But their Illustrious Birth and Noble Blood,  
Can ne'er make Pride or such Ill-Manners Good:  

And they will no Respect of Persons find,  
With a Just Master and Impartial Mind,  
To all Distinctions, but of Merit, Blind.   
Such Vile Examples and such illbred Fools,  
You must not Fellow in well-governed Schools;  
For fear of such Correction as the Wise  
Have thought Convenient to punish Vice.  

You must not Buy, nor Sell, nor give one Cross;  
Nor Money Lend, nor Change, nor Things Engross,  
To reap Advantage by Another's Loss.   
money's the Root of Evil and Disgrace,  
And makes fond Boys Extravagantly Base.  
But what Ingenuous Education brings,  
Are generous and Unmercenary Things.   

Rude Brawling, Giggling, and wild Noise decline,  
Banished to Frantic Bedlam's Discipline.  
Loud Laughter, Scoffing, and Reproach forsake;  
They breed Ill Blood and Mad Distraction make.  
Lewd Quarrels, little Lies, and Pilf'ring Crimes  
Of wicked Boys to Newgate sent betimes,  
Condemn for fatal Qualities, portend  
Some growing Mischief, or some Dismal End.   

Your Common Chat must always be secure,  
From Language that's Immodest or Impure.  

Speak not one Word that's Smutty or Profane;  
But filthy Talk and Vile Discourse refrain,  
May Virtue Teint or Reputation Stain.   
Observed, as certain as you draw your Breath,  
That every Tongue has Power of Life and Death.   

Of Monstrous Faults and Horrid Sins beware;  
In Conversation neither Curse nor Swear.  
For 'tis a Foul Abominable Vice  
To give Ill Language to your Enemies.  
And with Reproachful Words to treat your Friends,  
Is the Ingratitude of Human Fiends.  
But to Profane the Sacred Name of GOD,  
Can never Mercy find, nor ' scape the Rod.   

Remember this unalterable Rule,  
To keep the Faithful Secrets of the School:  
For Treachery and Telling Tales abroad,  
Incur Displeasure of the Angry Rod.  
Therefore, Good Boys, observe, wherever you go,  
Great Government, and Manly Conduct show.  

Your Books and all your Things in Order keep:  
By Care, this Satisfaction you will reap;  
No Apprehensions can disturb your Sleep.   
For when the business of the School 've done,  
You'll go to Bed with Recreation,  
And Rise again both unconcerned and Gay,  
For th' Exercises of the coming Day.   

In short, you must consult your Master's Ease,  
And for your Life do nothing may displease;  
Provoke his Anger, or disturb his Peace.    

London, Printed by J. Rawlins, for JOHN PLACE at Furnivals-Inn-gate in Holborn, MDCC. Price 3 d.