45 : Seeing the Wind 1515-1568 O see the wind, with a man his eyes, it is unpossible, the nature of it is so fine, and subtle, yet this experience of the wind had I once myself, and that was in the great snow that fell four years ago: I rode in the highway betwixt Topcliffe-upon-Swale, and Borowe Bridge, the way being somewhat trodden afore, by wayfaring men. The fields on both sides were plain and lay almost yard deep with snow, the night afore had been a little frost, so that the snow was hard and crusted above. That morning the sun shone bright and clear, the wind was whistling aloft, and sharp according to the time of the year. The snow in the highway lay loose and trodden with horse feet so as the wind blew, it took the loose snow with it, and made it so slide upon the snow in the field which was hard and crusted by reason of the frost overnight, that thereby I might see very well, the whole nature of the wind as it blew that day. And I had a great delight and pleasure to mark it, which maketh me now far better to remember it. Sometime the wind would be not past two yards broad, and so it would carry the snow as far as I could see. Another time the snow would blow over half the field at once. Sometime the snow would tumble softly, by and by it would fly wonderfull fast. And this I perceived also that the wind goeth by streams and not whole together. For I should see one stream within a score on me, then the space of two score no snow would stir, but after so much quantity of ground, another stream of snow at the same very time should 28 score) twenty paces be carried likewise, but not equally. For the one Iwould stand still when the other flew a pace, and so continue sometime swiftlier, sometime slowlier, sometime broader, sometime narrower, as far as I could see. Nor it flew not straight, but sometime it crooked this way sometime that way, and sometime it ran round about in a compass. And sometime the snow would be lift clean from the ground up into the air, and by and by it would be all clapped to the ground as though there had been no wind at all, straightway it would rise and fly again. And that which was the most marvel of all, at one time two drifts of snow flew, the one out of the West into the East, the other out of the North into the East And I saw two winds by reason of the snow the one cross over the other, as it had been two highways. And again I should hear the wind blow in the air, when nothing was stirred at the ground. And when all was still where I rode, not very far from me the snow should be lifted wonderfully. This experience made me more marvel at the nature of the wind, than it made me cunning in the knowledge of the wind: but yet thereby I learned perfectly that it is no marvel at all though men in a wind lose their length in shooting, seeing so many ways the wind is so variable in blowing. 46 From the Preface to FTER dinner I went up to Toxophilus tongue, as I well remember, that noble Oration of Demosthenes against Eschines, for his false dealing in his Embassage to King Philip of Macedony. Sir Rich. Sackville came up soon after, and finding me in her Majesty's privy Chamber, he took me by the hand, and carrying me to a Window, said: 'Mr. Ascham, I would not for a good deal of Money have been this day absent from dinner. Where, though I said nothing, yet I gave as good Ear, and do consider as well the Talk that passed, as any one did there. Mr. Secretary said very wisely, and most truly, that many young Wits be driven to hate Learning before they know what Learning is. I can be good witness to this myself; for a fond Schoolmaster, before I was fully fourteen year old, drave me so with fear of Beating from all Love of Learning, as now, when I know what difference it is to have Learning and to have little or none at all, I feel it my greatest Grief, and find it my greatest Hurt that ever came to me, that it was my so ill chance to light upon so lewd a Schoolmaster. But seeing it is but in vain to lament things past, and also Wisdom to look to things to come, surely, God willing, if God lend me Life, I will make this my mishap some Occasion of good hap to little Robert Sackville, my son's son. For whose bringing up I would gladly, if it so please you, use specially your good advice. I hear say you have a son much of his age; we will deal thus together. Point you out a Schoolmaster, who by your Order shall teach my Son and yours, and for all the rest I will provide, yea, though they three do cost me a couple of hundred pounds by year; and beside, you shall find me as fast a Friend to you and yours, as perchance any you have.' Which Promise the worthy Gentleman surely kept with me until his dying day. The Schoolmaster 47 Lady Jane Grey BE to EFORE I went into Germany, I came to Brodegate in Leicestershire, to take my Leave of that noble Lady Jane Grey, to whom I was exceeding much beholding. Her Parents, the Duke and Duchess, with all the Household, Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, were hunting in the Park. I found her in her Chamber reading Phaedon Platonis in Greek, and that with as much Delight as some Gentlemen would read a merry Tale in Boccace. After Salutation, and Duty done, with some other Talk, I asked her, why she would lose such Pastime in the Park? Smiling, she answered me : 'I-wis, all their Sport in the Park is but a Shadow to that Pleasure that I find in Plato. Alas! good Folk, they never felt what true Pleasure meant. And how came you, Madam, quoth I, to this deep Knowledge of Pleasure? And what did chiefly allure you unto it, seeing not many Women, but very few Men, have attained thereunto? I will tell you, quoth she, and tell you a Truth which perchance ye will marvel at. One of the greatest Benefits that ever God gave me, is, that he sent me so sharp and severe Parents, and so gentle a Schoolmaster. For when I am in Presence either of father or mother, whether I speak, keep Silence, sit, stand, or go, eat, drink, be merry, or sad, be sewing, playing, dancing, or doing anything else, I must do it, as it were, in such Weight, Measure, and Number, even so perfectly, as God made the World; or else I am so sharply taunted, so cruelly threatened, yea, presently sometimes with Pinches, Nips, and Bobs, and other ways (which I will not name for the Honour I bear them) so without measure misordered, that I think myself in Hell, till Time come that I must go to Master Elmer; who teacheth me so gently, so pleasantly, with such fair Allurements to Learning, that I think all the Time nothing, while I am with him. And when I am called from him, I fall on weeping, because whatsoever I do else but Learning is full of Grief, Trouble, Fear, and whole misliking unto me. And thus my Book bath been so much my Pleasure, and bringeth daily to me more Pleasure and more, that in respect of it, all other Pleasures in very deed, be but Trifles and Troubles unto me. 48 I Of Translation The Schoolmaster HAVE been a looker on in the Cockpit of Learning these many Years; and one Cock only have I known, which with one Wing even at this day doth pass all other, in mine Opinion, that ever I saw in any Pit in England, though they had two Wings. Yet nevertheless, to fly well with one Wing, to run fast with one Leg, be rather rare Masteries much to be marvelled at, than sure Examples safely to be followed. A Bishop that now liveth, a good man, whose Judgement in Religion I better like, than his Opinion in Perfectness in other Learning, said once unto me: 'We have no Need now of the Greek Tongue, when all things be translated into Latin.' But the good man understood not that even the best Translation is for mere Necessity but an evil imped Wing to fly withal, or a heavy Stump Leg of Wood to go withal. Such, the higher they fly, the sooner they falter and fail: the faster they run, the ofter they stumble, and sorer they fall. Such as will needs so fly, may flie at a Pie, and catch a Daw: and such Runners, as commonly they shove and shoulder to stand foremost, yet in 23 imped) grafted |