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monk； as teacher of mankind； and that scholars should form； for a while； a
new and powerful aristocracy； limited and privileged； and all the more
redoubtable； because its power lay in intellect； and had been won by
intellect alone。
Those who； whether poor or rich； did not fear the monk and priest； at
least feared the 〃scholar；〃 who held； so the vulgar believed； the keys of
that magic lore by which the old necromancers had built cities like Rome；
and worked marvels of mechanical and chemical skill； which the
degenerate modern could never equal。
If the 〃scholar〃 stopped in a town； his hostess probably begged of him
a charm against toothache or rheumatism。 The penniless knight
discoursed with him on alchemy； and the chances of retrieving his fortune
by the art of transmuting metals into gold。 The queen or bishop worried
him in private about casting their nativities； and finding their fates among
the stars。 But the statesman； who dealt with more practical matters； hired
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him as an advocate and rhetorician； who could fight his master's enemies
with the weapons of Demosthenes and Cicero。 Wherever the scholar's
steps were turned； he might be master of others； as long as he was master
of himself。 The plaints which he so often uttered concerning the
cruelty of fortune； the fickleness of princes and so forth； were probably no
more just then than such plaints are now。 Then； as now； he got his
deserts； and the world bought him at his own price。 If he chose to sell
himself to this patron and to that； he was used and thrown away： if he
chose to remain in honourable independence； he was courted and feared。
Among the successful scholars of the sixteenth century； none surely is
more notable than George Buchanan。 The poor Scotch widow's son； by
force of native wit； and； as I think； by force of native worth； fights his way
upward； through poverty and severest persecution； to bee the
correspondent and friend of the greatest literary celebrities of the
Continent； parable； in their opinion； to the best Latin poets of antiquity；
the preceptor of princes； the counsellor and spokesman of Scotch
statesmen in the most dangerous of times； and leaves behind him political
treatises； which have influenced not only the history of his own country；
but that of the civilised world。
Such a success could not be attained without making enemies； perhaps
without making mistakes。 But the more we study George Buchanan's
history； the less we shall be inclined to hunt out his failings； the more
inclined to admire his worth。 A shrewd； sound…hearted； affectionate man；
with a strong love of right and scorn of wrong； and a humour withal which
saved himexcept on really great occasionsfrom bitterness； and helped
him to laugh where narrower natures would have only snarled；he is； in
many respects； a type of those Lowland Scots； who long preserved his
jokes； genuine or reputed； as a mon household book。 ｛16｝ A
schoolmaster by profession； and struggling for long years amid the
temptations which； in those days； degraded his class into cruel and sordid
pedants； he rose from the mere pedagogue to be； in the best sense of the
word； a courtier： 〃One；〃 says Daniel Heinsius； 〃who seemed not only
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born for a court； but born to amend it。 He brought to his queen that at
which she could not wonder enough。 For； by affecting a certain liberty in
censuring morals； he avoided all offence； under the cloak of simplicity。〃
Of him and his peers； Turnebus； and Muretus； and their friend Andrea
Govea； Ronsard； the French court poet； said that they had nothing of the
pedagogue about them but the gown and cap。 〃Austere in face； and rustic
in his looks；〃 says David Buchanan； 〃but most polished in style and
speech； and continually； even in serious conversation； jesting most
wittily。〃 〃Rough…hewn； slovenly； and rude；〃 says Peacham； in his
〃pleat Gentleman；〃 speaking of him； probably； as he appeared in old
age； 〃in his person； behaviour； and fashion； seldom caring for a better
outside than a rugge…gown girt close about him： yet his inside and
conceipt in poesie was most rich； and his sweetness and facilitie in verse
most excellent。〃 A typical Lowland Scot； as I said just now； he seems to
have absorbed all the best culture which France could afford him； without
losing the strength； honesty； and humour which he inherited from his
Stirlingshire kindred。
The story of his life is easily traced。 When an old man； he himself
wrote down the main events of it； at the request of his friends； and his
sketch has been filled out by mentators； if not always favourable； at
least erudite。 Born in 1506； at the Moss； in Killearnwhere an obelisk to
his memory； so one reads； has been erected in this centuryof a family
〃rather ancient than rich；〃 his father dead in the prime of manhood； his
grandfather a spendthrift； he and his seven brothers and sisters were
brought up by a widowed mother； Agnes Heriotof whom one wishes to
know more； for the rule that great sons have great mothers probably holds
good in her case。 George gave signs； while at the village school； of future
scholarship； and when he was only fourteen； his uncle James sent him to
the University of Paris。 Those were hard times； and the youths； or rather
boys； who meant to bee scholars； had a cruel life of it； cast desperately
out on the wide world to beg and starve； either into self…restraint and
success； or into ruin of body and soul。 And a cruel life George had。
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Within two years he was down in a severe illness； his uncle dead； his
supplies stopped； and the boy of sixteen got home； he does not tell how。
Then he tried soldiering； and was with Albany's French Auxiliaries at the
ineffectual attack on Wark Castle。 Marching back through deep snow； he
got a fresh illness； which kept him in bed all winter。 Then he and his
brother were sent to St。 Andrews； where he got his B。A。 at nineteen。 The
next summer he went to France once more； and 〃fell；〃 he says； 〃into the
flames of the Lutheran sect； which was then spreading far and wide。〃
Two years of penury followed； and then three years of school…mastering in
the College of St。 Barbe； which he has immortalisedat least； for the few
who care to read modern Latin poetryin his elegy on 〃The Miseries of a
Parisian Teacher of the Humanities。〃 The wretched regent…master； pale
and suffering； sits up all night preparing his lecture； biting his nails and
thumping his desk； and falls asleep for a few minutes； to start up at the
sound of the four…o'clock bell； and be in school by five； his Virgil in one
hand； and his rod in the other； trying to do work on his own account at old
manuscripts； and bawling all the while at his wretched boys； who cheat
him； and pay each other to answer to truants' names。 The class is all
wrong。 〃One is barefoot； another's shoe is burst； another cries； another
writes home。 Then es the rod； the sound of blows； and howls； and
the day passes in tears。〃 〃Then mass； then another lesson； then more
blows； there is hardly time to eat。〃 I have no space to finish the picture
of the stupid misery which； Buchanan says； was ruining his intellect； while
it starved his body。 However； happier days came。 Gilbert Kennedy；
Earl of Cassilis； who seems to have been a noble young gentleman； took
him as his tutor for the next five years； and with him he went back to
Scotland。
But there his plain speaking got him； as it did more than once
afterward； into trouble。 He took it into his head to write； in imitation of
Dunbar； a Latin poem； in which St。 Francis asks him in a dream to bee
a Gray Friar； and Buchanan answered in language which had the
unpleasant fault of being too clever； andto judge from contemporary
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evidenceonly too true。 The friars said nothing at first； but when King
James made Buchanan tutor to one of his natural sons； they； 〃men
professing meekness； took the matter somewhat more angrily than befitted
men so pious in the opinion of the people。〃 So Buchanan himself puts it：
but； to do the poor friars justice； they must have been angels； not men； if
they did not writhe somewhat under the scourge which he had laid on
them。 To be told that there was hardly a place in heaven for monks； was
hard to hear and bear。 They accused him to the king of heresy； but not
being then in favour with James； they got no answer； and Buchanan was
manded to repeat the castigation。 Having found out that the friars
were not to be touched with impunity； he wrote； he says； a short and
ambiguous poem。 But the king； who loved a joke； demanded something
sharp and stinging； and Buchanan obeyed by writing； but not publishing；
〃The Franciscans；〃 a long satire； pared to which the 〃Somnium〃 was
bland and merciful。 The storm rose。 Cardinal Beaten； Buchanan says；
wanted to buy him of the king； and then； of course； burn him； as he had
just burnt five poor souls； so； knowing James's avarice； he fled to England；
through freebooters and pestilence。
There he found； he says； 〃men of both factions being burned on the
same day and in the same fire〃a pardonable exaggeration〃by Henry
VIII。； in his old age more intent on his own safety than on the purity of
religion。〃 So to his beloved France he went again； to find his enemy
Beaten ambassador at Paris。 The capital was too hot to hold him； and he
fled south to Bordeaux； to Andrea Govea； the Portuguese principal of the
College of Guienne。 As Professor of Latin at Bordeaux； we find him
presenting a Latin poem to Charles V。； and indulging that fancy of his for
Latin poetry which seems to us nowadays a childish pedantry； which was
thenwhen Latin was the vernacular tongue of all scholarsa serious； if
not altogether a useful； pursuit。 Of his