york00orns

226 YORK.
The foundation of St. Paul's school by Dean Colet
was the first great step taken as regarded the education
of the youth of England upon a higher and better
system. He took counsel with Erasmus at almost
every step when he was perfecting his arrangements
for his great work. It was the first public school
where Greek was taught as well as Latin.i There is
something singularly suggestive and touching in the
account Erasmus gives of the arrangements of the
school. They would scarcely have been so minutely
recorded by that great scholar if they had not been
unique in their character. An image of the Saviour
of the world is placed over the Master's seat, but He
is not represented on the cross of shame. Their
eyes were to look up to Jesus in the simplicity of
the Holy Childhood,—that character in which children
to the end of time are to love and venerate him who
said, " Suffer little children to come unto Me." The
words, " Hear ye Him," were placed above the image
at Erasmus' suggestion. Day after day when the
school was opened a hymn of praise to Jesus was
sung by the scholars with eyes reverently directed to
the image of the Divine Child. It was chanted also
when the labours of the day were ended. Colet
recognised the truth that the art of the sculptor and
the painter had a holy use as well as a superstitious
application. The latter he condemned,- the former
' .See Knight's "Life of Dr. John Colet/' &c. (Oxford,
1823), p. 17.
^ One of the accusations of heretical teaching brought
against him was grounded upon his having condemned the
worship of images.— See Knight's "Life," &c., p. S3.