Parnassus is the prominence of a mountain range in central Greece, a few kilometres north of Delphi, of which the two summits, in Classical times, were called Tithorea and Lycoreia.
The Gradus ad Parnassum made famous under the name of Jesuit Paul Aler (1656–1727),[3] a schoolmaster, published in 1686, presented anew an earlier Thesaurus attributed to Pierre Joulet, sieur de Chastillon (1545–1621).
Known to many generations of students throughout Europe, and passing through numerous editions, 19th century English-speaking schoolchildren knew the 1818 revision by Dr John Carey (1756–1826)[5] simply as 'Carey's Gradus'.
It was specially intended for the study and appreciation of Latin poetry of the classical period, and to aid students in the practice of verse composition.
2, subtitled Gradus ad Parnassum, not as a pedagogical work but to display composition skills while he was a student at London's Royal College of Music.