TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources. No other changes have been made to the text. THE EDUCATIONAL WRITINGS OF RICHARD MULCASTER PUBLISHED BY JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS, GLASGOW, Publishers to the University. MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD., LONDON. _New York_, _The Macmillan Co._ _London_, _Simpkin, Hamilton and Co._ _Cambridge_, _Macmillan and Bowes_. _Edinburgh_, _Douglas and Foulis_. MCMIII. THE EDUCATIONAL WRITINGS OF RICHARD MULCASTER (1532-1611) _ABRIDGED AND ARRANGED, WITH A CRITICAL ESTIMATE_ BY JAMES OLIPHANT, M.A., F.R.S.E. AUTHOR OF “VICTORIAN NOVELISTS,” ETC. GLASGOW JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS Publishers to the University 1903 GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO. TO MY SISTER AMY M. SMITH PREFACE. Some apology is needed for the presentation of an Elizabethan writer to English readers in any form but that of the original text. The justification of the present volume must lie in the fact that in the three centuries and more that have elapsed since the educational writings of Richard Mulcaster were given to the world, they have entirely failed to gain acceptance as literature. This neglect of one of our most interesting and important educationists is no doubt chiefly to be regarded as part of the general indifference which until recently the British public has consistently shown to all discussion of educational problems, but when we consider the reputation of Mulcaster’s contemporary, Roger Ascham, who had far less to say, but knew how to say it with lucidity and grace, we are constrained to admit that Mulcaster has lost his opportunity of catching the world’s ear, and that if his writings are to be known and appreciated as they deserve by this generation, it must be rather for their substance than for their literary style. It is true that the serious student may now be trusted to investigate for himself the thoughts of earlier authors in spite of difficulties of form and expression, but the general reader will expect more help than, in the case of Mulcaster at least, is at present available. The earlier of his two chief works, the _Positions_, published in 1581, was out of print for 300 years, until the issue in 1888 of an almost facsimile edition by the late Mr. Quick, to whom the credit of discovering this author is mainly due, while the second work, the _Elementarie_, has never been reprinted at all. It is safe to assume that not many readers will care to possess themselves of the somewhat expensive reprint of the former work, or to institute a search for one of the rare copies of the original and only edition of the latter. And if these