try. It was chiefly through this channel that the famous Florentine library was formed by Cosmo and Laurence of Medici, and by the dukes of Florence, their munificent succes

sors.

Lilly, the famous grammarian, resided, about the year 1500, during five years, in the island of Rhodes. Hence, we are informed by Rhenanus, that he was not only acquainted with the whole circle of Grecian authors, but with the domestic life and familiar conversation of the Greeks. He was the first teacher of Greek at any public school in England. He was appointed head master of St. Paul's school, in 1510, by dean Collet, the founder, After his residence at Rhodes, he added an additional polish to his Latin stile at Rome, under Johannes Sulpicius, and Pomponius Sabinus; and thus became one of the most accomplished scholars of his age. He died of the plague in 1522.

This practice of visiting Italy and Greece for instruction, was encouraged by some of the bishops, though they had received their education in the English universities. Pacc, one of our learned countrymen, and friend of Erasmus, was removed, while yet a boy, by

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Langton, bishop of Winchester, from the school within the precincts* of his own palace to the university of Padua. The same bishop bequeathed by will to this his scholar, an exhibition of ten pounds a year, for seven years, to support him while studying at Bononia. His instructors at Padua were Cuthbert Tonstal, afterwards bishop of Durham, and Hugh Latimer.

Again, before the year 1520, Richard Croke, one of the first restorers of the Greek language in England, was educated at the expence of archbishop Wareham, at the universities of Paris, Louvain, and Leipsic. He afterwards succeeded Erasmus in the Greek professorship at Cambridge. Croke published at Cologne, Introductiones in Rudimenta Graca, 1520, dedicated to his patron archbishop Wareham,

About this time, strong symptoms were manifested, that the mists of ancient prejudice

*It was customary in these early times, for the bishops to educate in their families a number of youths, particularly the sons of the nobles and of gentlemen. In the 13th century, Grosthete, bishop of Lincoln, educated in this manner most of the nobility in the kingdom. These youths were placed there in quality of pages: Filios nobilium procerum regni, quos secum habuit domicellos.-Cardinal Wolsey likewise educated in his house many of the young nobility.

were clearing off. From the year 1503 to the reformation, nearly twenty new grammar schools were founded and endowed in England-a greater number than had been esta blished for three centuries before. Among these was cardinal Wolsey's school at Ipswich an institution which rivalled those of Winchester and Eton. In addition to the scholars, it consisted of a dean, twelve canons, and a numerous choir.

As early as the year 1506, we find a lecturer established at Christ's College, in Cambridge; who, together with logic and philosophy, is ordered to read vel ex poetarum, vel ex oratorum operibus. This was in the course of col legiate discipline, A more decisive instance of an attempt to depart from the ancient contracted plan of education, occurs in the appointment of two professors for the Greek and Latin languages, by Fox, bishop of Winchester, on his founding of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in the year 1517. The Latin professor is expressly directed to extirpate barbarism from the new society; and his course of lectures was not restricted to the limits of the college, but open to the students of the university in general, The Greek lecturer

was instructed to explain the best Greek clas sics; and the poets, historians, and orators which are particularly mentioned, are among the purest extant.

About the year 1519, was founded also at Oxford, by cardinal Wolsey, a public lecture in rhetoric and humanity. He soon after established the first public chair in England for the Greek language. Both of these lectures were endowed with ample salaries. Four or five years afterwards, a public lecture for the learned languages was opened at Cambridge, by Robert Wakefield, at the instance of Henry VIII. And it should be mentioned to the honour of Robert Barnes, prior of the Augustines, at Cambridge, that he, assisted by his scholar, Thomas Parnell, explained Plautus, Terence, and Cicero, within the precincts of his own monastery. About the same time also, Erasmus expounded at Cambridge the grammar of Chrysoloras. Erasmus was admitted lady Margaret's professor, about 1511, being the fourth from its foundation. Among these early scholars also, bishop Fischer and sir Thomas More hold a distinguished rank; but I shall have occasion to speak more particularly of them hereafter..

But these bold attempts at improvement did not pass without the most violent opposition. The university of Oxford was rent into factions, under the classical and hostile appellations of Greeks and Trojans. The latter were the champions of the schools, and of the old modes; the former were the advocates of the new plan of study; who, unable to prevail by persuasion and argument, were frequently urged to blows with their bigotted and obstinate antagonists. These absurd and dishonourable contests, which the prowess of the parties themselves was ineffectual to decide, were at length appeased by the good sense, and especially by the wit and ridicule, of sir Thomas More*.

Attention now began to be paid to improve the vernacular language. Erasmus particularly mentions Collet, dean of St. Paul's, who, with a view to adorn the stile of his discourses, employed much time in the perusal of Chaucer, Gower, Lydgate, and other English poets; but students still visited Italy, to give the last polish to their Latin stile. This combination of endeavours to introduce a li

See his Epistola Scholasticis quibusdam Trojanos se appellantibus, published by Hearne, 1716, 8vo.