ASCHAM, Roger. The Scholemaster, 1570. Peter Harrington Rare Books.

Presented by Adam Douglas, Senior Rare Books Specialist at Peter Harrington. Small quarto (182 x 130 mm). Eighteenth-century polished calf, gilt panelled spine with raised bands, sides with double gilt fillet borders. Dark red goatskin pull-off case by Riviere-Mounteney with raised bands and gilt lettering. Black letter, title within border of typographical ornaments, woodcut initials and typographical tailpieces, large woodcut printer’s device on colophon leaf. Ruled in red throughout. Occasional spots and some finger-soiling, a few headlines shaved, an excellent copy. First edition of the most important Tudor work on education. Known for his beautiful handwriting, Roger Ascham (1514/15–1568) was appointed tutor to Princess Elizabeth in 1548, Latin Secretary to Queen Mary in 1553 and private tutor to Queen Elizabeth in 1558. The Scholemaster was written at the suggestion of Sir Richard Sackville following a debate over dinner with Sir William Cecil and others on the question of flogging children. Ascham was vehemently opposed to the practice. Ascham was particularly influenced by the educational ideas of his long-time friend and correspondent, the Strasburg humanist Johann Sturm. The Scholemaster is divided into two books: the first describes the ideal tutor and scholar and draws heavily on Plato; the second treats the method of instruction by double translation using proper imitation of classical models, and draws equally heavily upon Cicero. The book remained...