and verbes to can by roote in howe manye cases, moodes
and tenses one worde is put: as muse in the genetiue
and datiue singuler, the nominatiue and vocatiue
plurel? Legeris of legor, and of legerim, and legero?
What a beatyng is thẽ in the schole, whẽ chyldren be
axed these thynges? ¶ Some light teachers to boast their
lerynge are wonte of purpose to make these thynges
somewhat harder. Whyche faute maketh the beginnynges
almost of all sciences in doute, and paynfull,
specially in logicke. And if you shewe them a better
waye, they answere they were brought vp after thys
fashion, and wyll not suffer that anye chyldren shulde
be in better case, then they them selues were when
they were chyldren. All difficultye eyther therefore
muste be auoided, whyche is not necessarye, or that is
vsed oute of tyme. It is made softe and easy, that is
done whẽ it shuld be. But when tyme is, that of
necessitie an harde doute muste be learned, than a
cunnynge teacher of a childe shall studye as muche as
he may to folowe the good and frendlye Phisicians,
[Sidenote: A good schol master in teachyng, muste
folow a phisicion in medicines.] whych whan they shalt
gyue a bytter medicyne do anoyut, as Lucrecius faith,
the brimmes of their cuppes with honye, that the
chylde entised by pleasure of the swetenes shuld not
feare the wholesome bytternes, or else put suger into
y^e medicine it selfe, or some other swete sauoryng
thynge. Yea they wyl not be knowen that it is a
medicine, for the only imaginacion sometyme maketh vs
quake for feare. Finally thys tediousenes is sone
ouercome, if things be taught them not to much at
once, but by lytle and litle, and at sundrie times.
Howebeit we ought not to distrust to much chyldrens
strength, if perhaps they muste take some paines.
A chyld is not myghty in strength of bodye, but he is
stronge to continue, and in abilitie strong inough. He
is not myghty as a bull, but he is strong as an emet.
[Sidenote: Note the sentence.] In some thinges a flye
passeth an elephant. Euerye thyng is mighty in that,
to the whyche nature hathe made hym. Do we not se
tender chyldren rũne merueylouse swyftlye all the daye
long, and feele no werinesse. What is the cause?
Because playe is fitte for that age, and they imagine
it a playe and no labour. And in euerye thynge the
gretest part of payne is imaginacion, whych somtyme
maketh vs feele harme, when there is no harme at all.
Therefore seynge that the prouidence of nature hath
taken awaye imaginacion of laboure from chyldren, And
howe muche they lacke in strengthe, so muche they be
holpen in thys part, that is, that they feele not
labour, It shal be the masters parte, as we sayde
before, to put away the same by as many wayes as he
can, and of purpose to make a playe of it. ¶ There be
also certen kindes of sportes meete for chyldren,
wherwyth theyr earnest studye must somwhat be eased
after they be come to that, they muste lerne those
higher thynges whyche can not be perceiued wythoute
diligence and laboure: as are the handling of Themes,
to turne latine into Greeke, or greeke into latine, or
to learne cosmographie wythout booke. But moste of all
shall profite, if the chylde accustume to loue and
reuerence hys master, to loue and make muche of
learnyng, to feare rebuke, and delyght in prayse.
[Sidenote: The last obieccion touching the profit of
y^e chyld in his young yeres.] There remayneth one
doute, wonte to be obiected by those whych saye: The
profite that the chylde getteth in those thre or foure
yeres to be so lytle, that it is not worthe the
laboure, eyther to take so muche payne in teachynge,
or bestowe so much coste. And these in dede seme vnto
me, not so muche to care for to profite the chyldren,
as for the sparyng of theyr money, or the teachers
labour. But I wyl saye he is no father, whyche when
the matter is of teaching his child, taketh so greate
care for expenses. Also it is a folyshe pitie, to
thintent the master shuld saue his labour, to make his
sonne lose certen yeres. I graunt it to be true indede
y^t Fabius sayth, y^t more good is done in .i. yere
after, then in these .iii. or .iiii. why shuld we set
light by this litle y^t is won in a thyng far more
precious. Let vs graunt that it is but a very lytle,
yet were it better the chylde to do it, then eyther
nothyng at al, or lerne somewhat that after muste be
vnlerned. Wyth what businesse shall that age be better
occupied as sone as he beginneth to speake, whiche in
no wyse can be vnoccupied? Also how lytle soeuer it be
that the former age doth bringe, yet shal the chylde
lerne greater thynges, euen in the same yeres, when
smaller shuld haue ben lerned, if he had not lerned
them before. Thys sayth Fabius, euery yere furthered
and increased profiteth to a great summe and as much
tyme as is taken before in the infancie, is gotten to
the elder age. It nedeth not to rehearse that in those
first yeres certen thinges be easely lerned, which be
more hard to be lerned whẽ we be elder. For it is very
easely lerned, that is lerned in time conueniente. Let
vs graunt that they be small and litle thynges, so we
confesse them to be necessarye. Yet to me in deede it
semeth not so litle a furtheraunce to lerning to haue
gotten though not a perfit knowledge, yet at the least
waye a taste of bothe the tongues, besydes so many
vocables and names of thinges, and finally to haue
begun to be able to reade and write prõptly. It
greueth vs not in thinges much more vile, to gette all
the vauntage we can, be it neuer so lytle. A diligente
marchaunt setteth not light bi winning of a farthing,
thinkyng thus in hys mynde: it is in dede of it selfe
but a litle, but it groweth to a summe, and a litle
often put to a lytle, wyll quyckelye make a great
heape. The Smithes ryse before daye, to wyn as it were
parte of the day. Husband men vpon the holy daye do
some thynges at home, to make an ende of more worke
the other dayes. And do we regarde as nothyng the
losse of .iiii. yeres in oure chyldren, when there is
nothyng more costly then tyme, nor no possession
better thẽ lerning? It is neuer lerned tymely inoughe
that neuer is ended. For we muste euer learne as longe
as we lyue. ¶ And in other thyngs the lucre that is
loste by slackenes, maye be recouered by diligence.
Time whẽ it is once flowen awaye (and it flyeth
awaye very quickely) may be called againe by no
inchauntmentes. For the poets do trifle whyche tell of
a fountayne, wherby olde men do as it were waxe yong
agayne: and the phisicions deceiue you, whych promise
a gay floryshyng youth to old men thorowe a certeyn
folishe fyft essence I wote not what. Here therfore we
ought to be verye sparyng, because the losse of tyme
may by no meanes be recouered. Beside this the fyrst
part of our lyfe is coũted to be best, and therfore
shuld be bestowed more warelye. Hesiodus aloweth not
sparynge, neyther at the hyest, nor at the lowest,
because when the tunne is full it semeth to hasty, and
to late when it is spente: and therefore byddeth vs
spare in the myddes. But of tyme we muste nowher cast
away the sparing, and if we shuld spare when the tunne
is ful for thys cause that wyne is best in the
myddest, then shulde we most of all saue our yonge
yeres, because it is the best parte of the life, if
you exercise it, but yet y^t goeth swyftest awaye. The
husbande manne if he be anye thynge diligente, wyll
not suffer anye parte of hys lande to lye vacante,
and that that is not meete to brynge forthe corne, he
setteth it eyther wyth yonge graffes, or leaueth it to
pasture, or storeth it wyth potte hearbes. And shall
we suffer the beste parte of our lyfe to passe awaye
wyth oute all fruite of lerning? Newe falowed ground
must be preuented wyth some fruitfull thynge, leste
beynge vntylled, it brynge forthe of it selfe naughty
cockle. For needes muste it brynge forthe somewhat.
Lykewyse the tender mynde of the infante, except it
bee strayghte wayes occupyed wyth fruitefull
teachynges, it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce. An earthen
potte wyll keepe longe the sauoure of the liquore that
it is fyrste seasoned wyth, and it wyll be long or it
go out. But as for an earthen vessell beynge newe and
emptye, you maye keepe it for what liquore ye wyll.
¶ The mynde eyther bryngeth forth good fruite, if you
caste into it good seede, or if ye regard it not, it
is fylled wyth naughtines, whych afterwardes must be
pulled vp. And not a litle hath he wonne whyche hathe
escaped the losse, neyther hathe he brought small
helpe to vertue, whiche hath excluded vyce. But what
nede many wordes? Wylt thou see howe muche it
auayleth, whether one be brought vp in learnynge or
not? Beholde how excellently lerned in the olde tyme
men were in their youth, and how in oure daies they
that be aged be hable to do nothyng in studie?
[Sidenote: Ouide.] Ouide beyng a verye yonge man wrot
hys verses of loue. What olde man is hable to do lyke?
[Sidenote: Lucane.] What maner of man Lucane was in
hys youth hys workes declare. Howe came thys? Because
that beynge but .vi. moneths old he was brought to
Rome, & strayght waie deliuered to be taught of two
the best gramarians, Palemõ, and Cornutus. [Sidenote:
Bassus.] Hys companions in studye were Salcius Bassus,
and Aulus Persius: [Sidenote: Persius.] that one
excellente in historye, that other in a Satyre.
Doubtles hereof cam that most perfite knoweledge that
he had in all the seuen sciences, & his so marueylous
eloquence, that in verse he was both an excellente
oratoure, & also a Poet. In thys our time ther wãteth
not exemples of good bringing vp (although thei be
veri few) & y^t as wel in womẽ as mẽ. Politiã praised
y^e wit of y^e maidẽ Cassãdra. ¶ And what is more
marueylous thã Vrsinus a childe of .xii. yeres olde?
for the remẽbraunce of him, he also in a very eligãte
epistle put in eternall memorye. How fewe men shal you
nowe fynd, whiche at one time be able to endite two
epistles to so manye notaries, that the sẽtence in
euerye one do agree, and that there shoulde happen no
inconueniente speache. That chylde did it in fyue
epistles & gaue the argumentes w^tout any study, & was
not prepared afore hãd to do it. Some men when they se
these things, thinking that thei passe al mens
strength, ascribe it to witchcraft. It is done in dede
by witchcrafte, but it is an effectual enchaũting,
to be set in time to a learned, good, and vigilant
master. It is a stronge medicine to learne the best
things of learned men, and emonge the learned.
[Sidenote: Alexander.] By such wytchcrafte Alexander
the greate, whan he was a yonge man, besides
eloquence, was perfit in al the parts of Philosophie,
and except the loue of warres, & swetenes to raygne
had quite raught away his inclinaciõ, he might haue
bene counted the chiefe among the beste Philosophers.
By the same meanes Caius Cesar beinge but a yonge man,
was so eloquent & wel sene in the mathematical
sciences. So well sene also were many Emperors: Marcus
Tullius, also Virgil, and Horace in their lusty youth
were so excellent in learninge and Eloquence, all
bycause they were strayght waye in their tender age
learned of their parentes & nourses the elegancy of
the tonges, and of the beste maisters the liberal
sciences: as Poetry, Rhetorique, Histories, the
knowledge of antiquities, Arithmetique, Geographye,
Philosophye, moral and political. And what do we I
praye you? wee kepe our children at home till they be
past fourtene or fiftene yere old, and whan they be
corrupted wyth idlenes, ryot, & delicatenes, with
muche worke at the laste we sende them to the cõmen
scholes. There to further y^e matter wel, they taste a
little grammer: after, whan they can declyne words, &
ioyne the adiectiue and the substãtiue togither, they
haue learned al the grammer, and thã be set to that
troubled Logike, wher they must forget againe if they
haue learned to speake anie thynge well. But more
vnhappye was the tyme whan I was a child whiche al to
vexed the youth with modes of signifiinge, and other
folyshe questions, & teching nothinge els then to
speake folishelye. Verely those masters bicause they
wold not be thought to teach folish thinges, darckened
grammer wyth difficulties of Logike and Metaphisike:
euen for this verelye, that afterwardes they shold
returne backwardelye to learne grammer, whã they were
olde, which we see happeneth nowe to some diuines that
be wyser, that after so manye hye degrees and all
their titles, wherby they maye be ignoraunte in
nothing, they be faine to come againe to those bookes,
which are wonte to be reade vnto children. I blame thẽ
not, for it is better to lerne late then neuer, that
thing which is necessary to be knowen.
Good Lorde what a world was that, whan wyth greate
boastynge Iohn Garlandes verses wer read to yonge men,
and that with longe and painefull commentaries? whã a
greate parte of tyme was consumed in folyshe verses,
in saying thẽ to other, repetynge them, and hearynge
theim agayne? whan Florista and Florius were learned
without booke? for as for Alexander, I thynke him
worthye to be receiued amonge the meaner sorte.
Moreouer howe muche tyme was loste in Sophistrye, and
in the superfluous mases of Logyke? And bicause I will
not be to longe, howe troublesomelye were all sciences
taughte? howe paynefully? whiles euerye reader to
auaunce him selfe, wolde euen straighte waye in the
begynninge stuffe in the hardest thynges of all, and
sometyme verye folyshe thyngs to. For a thyng is not
therfore goodly bycause it is harde, as to stand a far
of, and to caste a mustarde seede thorowe a nedles eye
& misse not, it is hard in dede, but yet it is a verye
trifle: and to vndo a payre of tariers, it is much
worke, but yet a vayne and idle subilltye.
Adde here vnto, that oftentymes these thynges be
taught of vnlearned men, and that is worse, of lewd
learned men, somtyme also of sluggardes and
vnthriftes, which more regarde takynge of money thã
the profite of their scholers. Whã the commune
bryngynge vp is suche, yet do wee maruayle that fewe
be perfitly learned before they be old. [Sidenote:
Nota.] The beste parte of oure lyfe is loste wyth
idlenes, with vices, wherewith whan we be infected,
we giue a litle parte of our tyme to studies, and a
greate parte to feastes and plaies. And to an yll
matter is taken as euil a craftes manne, either
teachynge that is folyshe, or that whiche must be
vnlearned againe. And after this we make our excuse
that the age is weake, the wyt not yet apte to learne,
the profite to be verye small, and manye other
thinges, whan in dede the fault is to be ascribed to
euill brynginge vp. I wil not trouble you any lẽger,
onelie wil I speake to your wisdome whyche is in other
thynges verye sharpe and quycke of syght. [Sidenote:
A goodli brief rehearsall of the thinges before
spokẽ.] Consider howe deare a possession youre sonne
is, howe diuerse a thynge it is and a matter of muche
worke to come by learnynge, and how noble also the
same is, what a redines is in all childrens wyttes to
learne, what agilitie is in the mynd of mã howe easily
those thynges be learned whyche be beste and agreable
to nature, inespeciallye if they be taught of learned
and gentle maisters by the waye of playe: further how
fast those thynges abide with vs, wherew^t we season
fyrste of all the emptye and rude myndes, whiche selfe
thynges an elder age perceyueth boeth more hardelye,
and soner forgetteth: Beside thys how dear and the
losse neuer recouered, tyme is, howe much it auayleth
to begin in seasõ, and to learne euery thyng whan it
shold be, how much continuaunce is able to do, & howe
greately the heape that Hesiodus speaketh of, doeth
increase by puttinge to little and litle, how swiftly
the time flieth away, how youth wyll alwayes be
occupied, & howe vnapte olde age is to be taught: If
thou consyder these thynges thou wilt neuer suffer
that thi litle child shoulde passe away (I wil not
say) seuen yere, but not so much as thre dayes, in the
whiche he maye
be eyther prepared or in-
structed to learnynge
though the profit
be neuer so
litle.
FINIS.
¶ Impryn-
ted at London by Iohn Day,
dwellinge ouer Aldersgate, beneth
saint Martyns. And are to be sold
at his shop by the litle conduit
in Chepesyde at the sygne
of the Resurrec-
tion.
Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum
solum. Per septennium.
* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
_Paragraphs_
Some paragraph breaks in this e-text are conjectural. The printed book
had the following kinds of breaks:
--conventional paragraph with indented first line
--unambiguous paragraph with non-indented first line
--ambiguous paragraph: previous line ends with blank space, but the
space is not large enough to contain the first syllable of the
following line
--sentence break corresponds to line break: this happens randomly in
any printed book, and only becomes ambiguous when the book also has
non-indented paragraphs
In this e-text, the second type of paragraph is marked with a pilcrow ¶.
The third type has a pilcrow ¶ but no paragraph break. The fourth type
is not marked.
_Errors and Inconsistencies_ (Noted by Transcriber)
Unless otherwise noted, spelling and punctuation are unchanged.
Spelling:
The pattern of initial “v”, non-initial “u” is followed consistently.
The spelling “they” is more common than “thei”.
The form “then” is normally used for both “then” and “than”;
“than” is rare.
The most common spelling is “wyll”, but “wyl”, “wil” and “will”
also occur.
Word Division:
Line-end hyphens were completely arbitrary; words split at line break
were hyphenated about two-thirds of the time. The presence or absence
of a hyphen has not been noted. Hyphenless words at line-end were joined
or separated depending on behavior elsewhere in the text:
Always one word (re-joined at line break):
som(e)what, without, afterward(e)s
Usually one word: often()times, what()so()euer
One or two words: an()other
Usually two words: it/him/my.. self/selues; shal()be;
straight()way
Always two words: here to
Roman Numerals:
Numbers were printed with leading and following .period. When the number
came at the beginning or end of a line, the “outer” period was sometimes
omitted. These have been silently supplied for consistency.
Notes:
what soeuer is tolde in the oracion be shewed him in a table.
[_in context, “table” looks like an error for either “tale” or
“fable”, but it means picture (Latin _tabula_)_]
the grekes says dracontes in the genitiue case
[_Latin _draco, draconis_;
Greek δρακων, δρακοντος (_drakôn, drakontos_)_]
Errors:
what plante wyll bee as the owener or [or or]
They lerne to loke fierslie, the learne to loue the swearde
[_text unchanged: “the” error for “they/thei”?_]
What thynke ye then is to be looked for [is to de]
a yonge man behauinge hym selfe [behaninge]
Straight waye the colt of a lusty courage [Sraight]
so be there also of sciences.
[_text has “sci-/cences” at line break_]
were not made by Hesiodus. [_final . missing_]
thought it to be of Hesiodus doing. [_final . missing_]
And hẽce we ought [hece]
things y^t be naught. [_final . missing_]
Nowe is thys theyr onlye care [_one printing has “thyer”_]
dayntines hathe perswaded vs to comune this office
[_one printing has “commit”_]
more easelye by feare, that one brought vp
[_text unchanged: “that” error for “then/than”?_]
hym to whome he committed the chyefe rule of hys colledge, surnamed
of the thynge [_text unchanged_]
theyr seruauntes, and their threatnynges, [threatnynges,,]
After suche daynties, they exercysed suche lozdelynes.
[_text unchanged: “z” may be intended for some other letter_]
When the sicknes of the body was somewhat put away [sickens]
these things be alowed of suche as haue [suche is]
But if he be of hye degre [_“if” invisible in one printing_]
I wil braule no more [wll]
fayries, witches, nightmares wood men and gyauntes
[_punctuation unchanged_]
that so in manner they myghte eate vp their letters
[_final “t” in “that” invisible_]
of laboure from chyldren, And howe muche [_punctuation unchanged_]
they feele not labour, It shal be the masters parte
[_punctuation unchanged_]
a thyng far more precious. Let vs
[_text has “preci-//Let” at page break; “ous” supplied from
catchword_]
it wyl be ouercoued wyth vyce
[_text unchanged: error for “overcouered”?_]
End of Project Gutenberg's The Education of Children, by Desiderius Erasmus