John Brinsley the elder
Encyclopedia
John Brinsley the elder was an English schoolmaster, known for his educational works.
, where he graduated B.A. in 1584 and M.A. in 1588. He became the master of the school at Ashby-de-la-Zouch
in Leicestershire
, brought there by Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon
. The astrologer William Lilly
, who calls him a "strict puritan", was one of his pupils. Around 1620 he was expelled from the post for nonconformity, and went to London as a lecturer.
He married a sister of Joseph Hall; John Brinsley the younger
was their son.
, and was not concerned to be an innovator within the tradition of humanist education, but he did indicate ways of adapting that tradition to the particular context of the grammar school
. The work takes the form of a dialogue of two schoolmasters, discussing education of the young in the large. It argues for more regard for the vernacular tongue.
He was much concerned and occupied with classical texts, as translator and for their rhetorical values. The Latin grammar on which he relied was that of William Lilye
. Brinsley recommended Ovid
, and the Raphael Regius
edition, in A Consolation for our Grammar Schooles. In the same work he advocates a more sympathetic approach to teaching, and teacher training, in several anticipations of the views of Comenius
.
His Posing of the Parts was recommended by Samuel Hartlib
in a 1635 survey of systematic reading methods. This was in the pansophic
context of orderly acquisition of knowledge.
Attribution
Life
He was educated at Christ's College, CambridgeChrist's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, where he graduated B.A. in 1584 and M.A. in 1588. He became the master of the school at Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, brought there by Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon
Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon
Sir Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon, KG KB was the eldest son of Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon and Catherine Pole.-Ancestry:...
. The astrologer William Lilly
William Lilly
William Lilly , was an English astrologer famed during his time. Lilly was particularly adept at interpreting the astrological charts drawn up for horary questions, as this was his speciality....
, who calls him a "strict puritan", was one of his pupils. Around 1620 he was expelled from the post for nonconformity, and went to London as a lecturer.
He married a sister of Joseph Hall; John Brinsley the younger
John Brinsley the younger
John Brinsley the younger was an English nonconforming clergyman, an ejected minister in 1662.-Life:He was born at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, son of John Brinsley the elder. Having been taught by his father, he was admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, at the age of thirteen years and...
was their son.
Works
His best-known work is Ludus Literarius: or, the Grammar Schoole; shewing how to proceede from the first entrance into learning to the highest perfection required in the Grammar Schooles, London, 1612 and 1627. Generally Brinsley follows Roger AschamRoger Ascham
Roger Ascham was an English scholar and didactic writer, famous for his prose style, his promotion of the vernacular, and his theories of education...
, and was not concerned to be an innovator within the tradition of humanist education, but he did indicate ways of adapting that tradition to the particular context of the grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
. The work takes the form of a dialogue of two schoolmasters, discussing education of the young in the large. It argues for more regard for the vernacular tongue.
He was much concerned and occupied with classical texts, as translator and for their rhetorical values. The Latin grammar on which he relied was that of William Lilye
William Lilye
William Lily was an English classical grammarian and scholar. He was an author of the most widely used Latin grammar textbook in England and was the first headmaster of St Paul's School, London.-Life:...
. Brinsley recommended Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
, and the Raphael Regius
Raphael Regius
Raphael Regius was a Venetian humanist, who was active first in Padua, where he made a reputation as one of the outstanding Classical scholars, then in Venice, where he moved in the periphery of an elite group composed of a handful of publicly-sanctioned scholars, salaried lecturers employed by...
edition, in A Consolation for our Grammar Schooles. In the same work he advocates a more sympathetic approach to teaching, and teacher training, in several anticipations of the views of Comenius
Comenius
John Amos Comenius ; ; Latinized: Iohannes Amos Comenius) was a Czech teacher, educator, and writer. He served as the last bishop of Unity of the Brethren, and became a religious refugee and one of the earliest champions of universal education, a concept eventually set forth in his book Didactica...
.
His Posing of the Parts was recommended by Samuel Hartlib
Samuel Hartlib
Samuel Hartlib was a German-British polymath. An active promoter and expert writer in many fields, he was interested in science, medicine, agriculture, politics, and education. He settled in England, where he married and died...
in a 1635 survey of systematic reading methods. This was in the pansophic
Pansophic
Pansophism, in older usage often pansophy, is a concept of omniscience, meaning "all-knowing". In some monotheistic belief systems, a god is referred as the ultimate knowing spirit...
context of orderly acquisition of knowledge.
Further reading
- John William Adamson (1921), Pioneers of Modern Education 1600-1700, pp. 20–31.
External links
Attribution