The Educational Writings of Richard MulcasterMulcaster, Richard
History
The Educational Writings of Richard Mulcaster
Mulcaster, Richard
Education -- History
The three professions above mentioned--Medicine, Law, and
Divinity--should each be endowed with its particular College and
livings, instead of having its students scattered. To have the
physician thus learned is not too much to ask, considering that his
proficiency depends on his knowledge, and with him ignorance is
simply butchery. As for Law, if the whole study were reduced into
one body, would our country have any cause to complain? Would she
not rather have great reason to be very glad? We have now three
several professions in Law, as if we were a three-headed State,
one English and French, another Roman Imperial, and the third
Roman Ecclesiastical, whereas English alone were simply best. The
distraction of temporal, civil, and canon law is in many ways very
injurious to our country. There can be no question that it is good
for the divine to have time to study the sciences that are the
handmaids to his profession.
General Study for Professional Men.
But is it advisable that those wishing to enter the professions
should have to go through all the colleges that offer a general
preparatory training,--the colleges for Languages, Mathematics,
and Philosophy? No one could doubt this, except such as are ready
to think themselves ripe, while they are still raw in the opinion
of other men. He that will be perfect in his profession ought at
least to have a contemplative knowledge of all that goes before.
It will be for the gain of the community that while the student’s
youth is wedded to honest and learned meditation, the heat of that
stirring age is cooled, which might set all on fire to the public
harm; ripe judgment is gained, and all ambitious passions are made
subject to self-control. Till young men who are coming forward to
the professions are made to tarry longer and study more soundly,
learning shall have no credit, and our country cannot but suffer.
It may be asked: “What hath a divine to do with Mathematics?” Well,
was not Moses trained in all the learning of the Egyptians? How can
the divine presume to judge and condemn sciences of which he knows
nothing but the name? And has not the lawyer to deal with many
questions that require a knowledge of the sciences? The physician
more than all should see that his professional skill is supported
by a wide general study.
A Training College for Teachers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account