ROGER ASCHAM
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utor and secretary of Queen Elizabeth, and the first writer oneducation in England, Ascham ranks among the first great writers andthinkers of that grand period. He anticipated educational doctrinesand methods that have the sanction of modern authorities. "Tozophilns," a fascinating book from every point of view, waswritten " in the Englishe tongue, for Englishe men, " the first book ofits quality that discarded Latin. It set the fashion which brought theEnglish language to its literary perfection. Ascham was an enthusiast for the noble sport of archery. He wasbom in 151 5 in Yorkshire. Up to his writing of this work in 1544 arch-ery was the chief weapon of the soldiery. Ascham was eager to in-spire the people at large with his own pride in the national art ofshooting. Hence the double interest in this book as a brilliant literaryand patriotic exploit But the immortality of "Tozophilus " is well earned by the delicioushumor, the quaint conceits, the wonderful knowledge, and the happyworldly wisdom that glow from every page. The writer is a thorough-bred sporting Englishman as well as a deep scholarly philosopher. Asa fine example of racy pre-Shakespearian English, it is delightfulreading, full of pleasant surprises in its queerly spelt words, whichamusingly indicate their origin and throw light on many words andexpressions in present use. The spelling of feather, leather, weather,as fedder, ledder, wedder, marks the transition from Old English, withits peculiar letter d standing for the soft th as in Ma/, to the presentspelling. Some of these curious words still survive in provincialdialects. Perseverance in reading Ascham's English will quicklymake it a pleasure ; the seeming difficulties vanish as his peculiar geniusabsorbs our attention. 36
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