unication, in order to
authorise themselves by example. To this point, then, he directs the rules
of his subjects employed in education; to {200} this he calls the attention
of every professor, the vigilance of every prefect of studies, of every
master, the solicitude of every rector, the inspection of every provincial.
The wise framers of the _Ratio Studiorum_, which is adopted into the
institute, explaining his ideas still farther, require every master to
study the temper and character of his pupils; to distract their passions by
application; to fire their little hearts with laudable emulation. For this,
they must encourage the diffident and modest, curb the forward and
presumptuous: for this they must assign to merit alone those scholastic
appellations of dignity, those titles of _emperor_ and _praetor_, puerile
indeed in themselves, but not less important to boys than are the sounds of
titles, and colours of ribbands to men. On the same principle, in much
frequented colleges, each class was divided into two rival classes, usually
distinguished by the opposite banners of Rome and Carthage, which mutually
dreaded, provoked, and defied each other, in classical duels, or in general
trials of skill, each whetting his {201} memory on the edge of that of his
rival; and then would often flow those precious tears of emulation, which
watered rising genius, expanding it to fertility. Hence, again, are
prescribed those public and solemn annual rewards, distributed with pomp
and show, which reduced the self-love of youth to the love of virtue; which
enamoured them of study by the prospect of success, and, by raising a
desire of pleasing, really taught them how to please.
The institute proceeds to remove from youth every species of bad example.
It directs the prefect and the master how to dissolve growing friendships,
that might be dangerous; it forbids the public explanation of books, or of
single passages, which might mislead active imaginations; it ordains a
scrutiny of all books, that come into the pupil's use; it charges the
master to watch every trespass against the rules of civility and good
manners. Falsehood and detraction, swearing, and foul words, are to be
quickly corrected, or not tolerated within the {202} college. It is, again,
the master's particular duty to form the manners of his pupils to decency,
modesty, and politeness; to correct their errors in language, their faults
in pronunciation, their awkwardness in ge
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