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Appendix II - Wordsworth's Hawkshead and classical educations, and his College examinations at Cambridge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 August 2009

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Summary

Wordsworth's Hawkshead education

The subject of Wordsworth's education has been vexed since De Quincey wrote that,

though Wordsworth finally became a very sufficient master of the Latin language, and read certain favourite authors, especially Horace, with a critical nicety, and with a feeling for the felicities of his composition, I have reason to think that little of this skill had been obtained at Hawkshead. As to Greek, that is a language which Wordsworth never had energy enough to cultivate with effect. (Masson ii 265)

Even the barest facts indicate that De Quincey is being unfair.

Hawkshead Grammar School was an exceptionally fine example of the English Free Grammar School. There were three headmasters during Wordsworth's time there. The first, James Peake, graduated from St John's College, Cambridge, 1763-4. When he took over the running of the school in 1766 it was in a sorry state - dilapidated, and badly-managed. He organized an effective system of rent collection for the School's land in Lancashire and reformed its teaching methods. Like De Quincey, he enjoyed an excellent classical education at Manchester Grammar School, and was anxious that his charges be granted the same privilege. By the time he left in 1781 to become a priest, the Grammar School had established a fine reputation for classics and mathematics.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1993

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