treason, nor greatly touching God nor the Prince: although in
very deede, in the end, the good or ill bringing vp of children,
doth as much serue to the good or ill seruice, of God, our
Prince, and our whole countrie, as any one thing doth beside.
I do gladlie agree with all good Scholemasters in these
pointes: to haue children brought to good perfitnes in learning:
to all honestie in maners: to haue all fautes rightlie amended:
to haue euerie vice seuerelie corrected: but for the order and
waie that leadeth rightlie to these pointes, we somewhat differ.
Sharpe // For commonlie, many scholemasters, some, as
Schole- // I haue seen, moe, as I haue heard tell, be of so
masters. // crooked a nature, as, when they meete with a
hard witted scholer, they rather breake him, than bowe him,
rather marre him, then mend him. For whan the scholemaster
is angrie with some other matter, then will he sonest faul to
beate his scholer: and though he him selfe should be punished
for his folie, yet must he beate some scholer for his pleasure:
though there be no cause for him to do so, nor yet fault in the
scholer to deserue so. These ye will say, be fond scholemasters,
and fewe they be, that be found to be soch. They be fond in
deede, but surelie ouermany soch be found euerie where. But
Nature // this I will say, that euen the wisest of your great
punished. // beaters, do as oft punishe nature, as they do
correcte faultes. Yea, many times, the better
nature, is sorer punished: For, if one, by quicknes of witte,
take his lesson readelie, an other, by hardnes of witte, taketh it
not so speedelie: the first is alwaies commended, the other is
commonlie punished: whan a wise scholemaster, should rather
discretelie consider the right disposition of both their natures,
and not so moch wey what either of them is able to do now,
Quicke // as what either of them is likelie to do hereafter.
wittes for // For this I know, not onelie by reading of bookes
learnyng. // in my studie, but also by experience of life,
abrode in the world, that those, which be commonlie the
wisest, the best learned, and best men also, when they be olde,
were neuer commonlie the quickest of witte, when they were
yonge. The causes why, amongst other, which be many, that
moue me thus to thinke, be these fewe, which I will recken.
Quicke wittes commonlie, be apte to take, vnapte to keepe:
soone hote and desirous of this and that: as colde and sone
_the brynging vp of youth._ 189
wery of the same againe: more quicke to enter spedelie, than
hable to pearse farre: euen like ouer sharpe tooles, whose edges
be verie soone turned. Soch wittes delite them selues in easie
and pleasant studies, and neuer passe farre forward in hie and
hard sciences. And therefore the quickest wittes commonlie
may proue the best Poetes, but not the wisest Orators: readie
of tonge to speake boldlie, not deepe of iudgement, // Quicke
either for good counsell or wise writing. Also, // wittes, for
for maners and life, quicke wittes commonlie, be, // maners &
in desire, newfangle, in purpose, vnconstant, light // lyfe.
to promise any thing, readie to forget euery thing: both benefite
and inurie: and therby neither fast to frend, nor fearefull to foe:
inquisitiue of euery trifle, not secret in greatest affaires: bolde,
with any person: busie, in euery matter: sothing, soch as be
present: nipping any that is absent: of nature also, alwaies,
flattering their betters, enuying their equals, despising their
inferiors: and, by quicknes of witte, verie quicke and readie, to
like none so well as them selues.
Moreouer commonlie, men, very quicke of witte, be also,
verie light of conditions: and thereby, very readie of disposition,
to be caried ouer quicklie, by any light cumpanie, to any riot
and vnthriftines when they be yonge: and therfore seldome,
either honest of life, or riche in liuing, when they be olde.
For, quicke in witte, and light in maners, be either seldome
troubled, or verie sone wery, in carying a verie heuie purse.
Quicke wittes also be, in most part of all their doinges, ouer-
quicke, hastie, rashe, headie, and brainsicke. These two last
wordes, Headie, and Brainsicke, be fitte and proper wordes,
rising naturallie of the matter, and tearmed aptlie by the
condition of ouer moch quickenes of witte. In yougthe also
they be, readie scoffers, priuie mockers, and euer ouer light and
mery. In aige, sone testie, very waspishe, and alwaies ouer
miserable: and yet fewe of them cum to any great aige, by
reason of their misordered life when they were yong: but
a great deale fewer of them cum to shewe any great counten-
ance, or beare any great authoritie abrode in the world, but
either liue obscurelie, men know not how, or dye obscurelie,
men marke not whan. They be like trees, that shewe forth,
faire blossoms & broad leaues in spring time, but bring out
small and not long lasting fruite in haruest time: and that