_Lothbury, London, Jan. 25, 1658_.
_N.B._ Those Heads or Descriptions which concern things beyond the
present apprehension of Children’s wits, as, those of Geography,
Astronomy, or the like, I would have omitted, till the rest be learned,
and a Child be _better able to understand them_.
_The Judgment of Mr. _Hezekiah Woodward_, sometimes an _eminent
Schoolmaster in LONDON_, touching a work of this Nature; in his _Gate to
Science_, chap. 2._
Certainly _the use of Images or Representations is great_: If we could
make our words as legible to Children as Pictures are, their information
therefrom would be quickned and surer. But so we cannot do, though we
must do what we can. And if we had Books, wherein are the Pictures of
all Creatures, Herbs, Beasts, Fish, Fowls, they would stand us in great
stead. For Pictures are the most intelligible Books that Children can
look upon. They come closest to Nature, nay, saith Scaliger, Art exceeds
her.