OCRed data provided
for searching only. SHAKSPERE'S THEMES 291
matter aforehand; I would have them provide a large Common place book, in which they should write at least those heads which Mr. Farnabie hath set down in his Index Rhetoricur, and then busie themselves (especially) on Tuesdaies and Thursdaies in the after-noons, after other tasks ended, to collect,
x. Short Histories out of Plutarch. Valerius Maximus. Justin. Caesar Lucius Florus. Livie. Plinie. Paraeus Medulla Historiae, Aelianus, &c.
2. Apologues and Fabilles out of &sop. Phaedrus. Ovid. Natales Comes, &c.
3. Adagies out of 4dagia Selecta. Erasmi Adagia, Drax's Bibliotheca Scholastica, &c.
4. Hieroglyphicks out of Pierius and Causinus, &c.
3. Emblems and Symbols out of diciest. Beza. Quarles. Reusnerus. Chartarius, &c.
6. Ancient Laws and Customs out of Diodorus Situ/us. Paulus Minutius, Plutarch, &c.
7. Witty Sentences out of Golden Grove. Moral Philosophie. Sphinx Philosophica. Wits Common Wealth. Flores Doctorum. Tullies Sentences. Demonsthenis Sententiae. Enchiridion Morale. Stobaeus. Ethica Ci[cjeroniana. Gruteri Florilegium,
8. Rhetorical exornations out of Vossius, Farnaby, Butler, &c.
9. Topical places, out of Caussinus. Tresmarus. Orator Extemporaneus. &c.
xo. Descriptions of things natural and artificial, out of Orbis Pictus. Caussinus. Plinius, &c. that I may not forget Textors Officina. Lycosthenes. Erasmi Apophthegmata, Carolina lpophthegmata, and Polyanthea, which, together with all that can be got of this nature, should be laied up in the Schoole Library for Scholars to pick what they can out of; besides what they read in their own Authours,
Now the manner I would have them use them, is thus;
Having a Theme given then to treat of, as suppose, this;
Non aestas semperfuerit, componite nidos.
Let them first consult what they have read in their own Authours, concerning, Tempus, Aetas, occasio, or opportunitas, and then,
2. Let every one take one of those books forementioned, and see what he can finde in it for his purpose, and write it down under one of those heads in his Common-place book; but first let the Master see whether it will suit with the Theme.
3. Let them all read what they have written, before the Master, and every one transcribe what others have collected, into his own book; and thus they may alwayes have store of matter for invention ready at hand, which is far beyond what their own wit is able to conceive. Now to furnish themselves also with copy of good words and phrases, besides, what they have collected weekly, and what hath been already said of varying them; they should have these and the like Books reserved in the Schoole-Library; viz. Sy/ma Synonymorum, Calliepia. Huisse's phrases, Winchesters phrases, Lloyds phrases, Farnabies phrases, Enchiridion Oratarium, Clarkes Phraseologia, and his English Adagies; Willis A'nglicismes, Barrets Dictionary,