Give law to Words, or war with Words alone,
Senates and Courts with Greek and Latin rule,
180 And turn the Council to a Grammar School!
Remarks
- ↑ Ver. 176. Some gentle James, &c.] Wilson tells us that this King, James the first, took upon himself to teach the Latin tongue to Car, Earl of Somerset; and that Gondomar the Spanish Ambassador wou'd speak false Latin to him, on purpose to give him the pleasure of correcting it, whereby he wrought himself into his good graces.
This great Prince was the first who assumed the title of Sacred Majesty, which his loyal Clergy transfer'd from God to Him. "The principles of Passive Obedience and Non-resistance (says the Author of the Dissertation on Parties, Letter 8.) which before his time had skulk'd perhaps in some old Homily, were talk'd, written, and preach'd into vogue in "that inglorious reign.
their parts; but complain that when men come into the world they are apt to forget their Learning, and turn themselves to useful Knowledge. This was an evil that wanted to be redressed. And this the Goddess assures them will need a more extensive Tyranny than that of Grammar schools. She therefore points out to them the remedy, in her wishes for arbitrary Power; whose interest it being to keep men from the study of things, will encourage the propagation of words and sounds; and to make all sure, she wishes for another Pedant Monarch. The sooner to obtain so great a blessing, she is willing even for once to violate the fundamental principle of her politics, in having her sons taught at least one thing; but that sufficient, the Doctrine of Divine Right.
Nothing can be juster than the observation here insinuated, that no branch of Learning thrives well under Arbitrary government but Verbal. The reasons are evident. It is unsafe under such Governments to cultivate the study of things of importance. Besides, when men have lost their public virtue, they naturally delight in trifles, if their private morals secure them from being vicious. Hence so great a Cloud of Scholiasts and Grammarians so soon overspread the Learning of Greece and Rome, when once those famous Communities had lost their Liberties. Another reason is the encouragement which arbitrary governments give to the study of words, in order to busy and amuse active genius's, who might otherwise prove troublesome and inquisitive. So when Cardinal Richelieu had destroyed the poor remains of his Country's liberties, and made the supreme Court of Parliament merely ministerial, he instituted the French Academy. What was said upon that occasion, by a brave Magistrate, when the letters-patent of it's erection came to be verified in the Parliament of Paris, deserves to be remembered: He told the assembly, that this adventure put him in mind after what manner an Emperor of Rome once treated his Senate; who when he had deprived them of the cognizance of Public matters, sent a message to them in form for their opinion about the best Sauce for a Turbot.
