from his booke, and becummeth after eyther student of
Hard wits // the common lawe, or page in the Court, or
proue best // seruingman, or bound prentice to a merchant,
in euery // or to som handiecrafte, he proueth in the ende,
kynde of // wiser, happier and many tymes honester too, than
life. // many of theis quick wittes do, by their learninge.
Learning is, both hindred and iniured to, by the ill choice
of them, that send yong scholers to the vniuersities. Of whom
must nedes cum all our Diuines, Lawyers, and Physicions.
Thies yong scholers be chosen commonlie, as yong apples be
The ill // chosen by children, in a faire garden about _S._
choice of // _Iames_ tyde: a childe will chose a sweeting, because it
wittes for // is presentlie faire and pleasant, and refuse a Runnet,
learnyng. // because it is than grene, hard, and sowre, whan the
one, if it be eaten, doth breed, both wormes and ill humors:
the other if it stand his tyme, be ordered and kepte as it should, is
holsom of it self, and helpeth to the good digestion of other meates:
Sweetinges, will receyue wormes, rotte, and dye on the tree, and
neuer or seldom cum to the gathering for good and lasting store.
For verie greafe of harte I will not applie the similitude:
but hereby, is plainlie seen, how learning is robbed of hir best
wittes, first by the great beating, and after by the ill chosing
of scholers, to go to the vniuersities. Whereof cummeth
partelie, that lewde and spitefull prouerbe, sounding to the
greate hurte of learning, and shame of learned men, that, the
greatest Clerkes be not the wisest men.
And though I, in all this discourse, seem plainlie to prefer,
hard and roughe wittes, before quicke and light wittes, both for
learnyng and maners, yet am I not ignorant that som quicknes
of witte, is a singuler gifte of God, and so most rare emonges
men, and namelie such a witte, as is quicke without lightnes,
sharpe without brittlenes, desirous of good thinges without
newfanglenes, diligent in painfull thinges without werisomnes,
and constant in good will to do all thinges well, as I know was
in Syr _Iohn Cheke_, and is in som, that yet liue, in whome all
theis faire qualities of witte ar fullie mette togither.
But it is notable and trewe, that _Socrates_ saith in _Plato_ to
_Plato in_ // his frende _Crito_. That, that number of men is
_Critone_. // fewest, which far excede, either in good or ill, in
wisdom of folie, but the meane betwixt both, be
_the brynging vp of youth._ 193
the greatest number: which he proueth trewe in diuerse other
thinges: as in greyhoundes, emonges which fewe // Verie
are found, exceding greate, or exceding litle, // good, or
exceding swift, or exceding slowe: And therfore/ verie ill
I speaking of quick and hard wittes, I ment, the // men, be
common number of quicke and hard wittes, // fewest in
emonges the which, for the most parte, the hard // number.
witte, proueth manie times, the better learned, wiser and
honester man: and therfore, do I the more lament, that soch
wittes commonlie be either kepte from learning, by fond fathers,
or bet from learning by lewde scholemasters.
And speaking thus moche of the wittes of children for
learning, the opportunitie of the place, and good- // Horsemen
nes of the matter might require to haue here // be wiser in
declared the most speciall notes of a good witte for // knowledge
learning in a childe, after the maner and custume // of a good
of a good horsman, who is skilfull, to know, and // Colte, than
hable to tell others, how by certein sure signes, a // scholema-
man may choise a colte, that is like to proue an // sters be, in
other day, excellent for the saddle. And it is // knowledge
pitie, that commonlie, more care is had, yea and // of a good
that emonges verie wise men, to finde out rather a cunnynge // witte.
man for their horse, than a cunnyng man for their // A good Ri-
children. They say nay in worde, but they do so // der better
in deede. For, to the one, they will gladlie giue // rewarded
a stipend of 200. Crounes by yeare, and loth // than a good
to offer to the other, 200. shillinges. God, that // Schole-
sitteth in heauen laugheth their choice to skorne, // master.
and rewardeth their liberalitie as it should: for he suffereth
them, to haue, tame, and well ordered horse, but // Horse well
wilde and vnfortunate Children: and therfore in // broken,
the ende they finde more pleasure in their horse, // children ill
than comforte in their children. // taught.
But concerning the trewe notes of the best wittes for
learning in a childe, I will reporte, not myne own opinion, but
the very iudgement of him, that was counted the best teacher
and wisest man that learning maketh mention of, // _Plato_ in 7.
and that is _Socrates_ in _Plato_, who expresseth // de Rep.
orderlie thies seuen plaine notes to choise a good
witte in a child for learninge.