Who Reasons Dictates solidly pursue Without Regard to Terms of Old or New Keep close to Nature in her own plain away By no new Lights and Notions led astray Whilst all their Art amounts to only This Nego Sequelam ergo Falleris A New Method OF EDUCATINâ— Children c. Of the Capacity of Children together with a True Method of their Education IT is a Truth generally acknowledged by Christians but seldom so well consider'd as it ought That Man is the compleat Image of God and Nature and contains in himself the Principles and Properties of all things Corporeal and Incorporeal That he is endued with an Elemental or Palpable Body actuated and informed by an Ethereal Spirit which directly answers to the great Soul of the World from whence it is taken and whereof it is an Epitome and Abridgment or if you please the Son and Off-spring And as the Soul of Man does contain all the true Properties of the Elements â—z Earth Air Water and Fire which are as it were the Mothers of the Body that nourish and sustain it so it has alsâ— the Principles of Fire and Light that is Spirit and Life that gives Motion to the Body which bears Relation to the Souâ— of the great World or that mighty Spirit which is the Moving Vivifying Creative and Conservative Power oâ— God Now Man being so wonderfully composed his Soul and Spirit containing the true Nature and Properties of every Being he must consequently have a Simile or Agreement with the innatâ— Nature Qualities Dispositions and Inclinations of all Beasts Fowl Fish Herbs Seeds c. both in the Visible and Invisible World and is thereby become a Microcosm a compleat Image or Resemblance of the Universe The Earth Essentially contains in iâ— self the Vertues and Qualities of all Seeds Fruits and Grains insomuch that whatever is sown into it immediately takes root and attracts to it self an agreeable Matter proper for the Support and Nourishment of its own Body and Spirit The like is to be understood of the Soul it being the Universal Humane Ground wherein whatever is sown whether Good or Evil takes root and powerfully though insensibly draws agreeable Matter out of all the Powers and Qualities of Nature to nourish and improve that Seed whereby it obtains a strong Form in the Soul the Essences whereof can never be destroy'd or defaced especially if the Seeds are sown in the first and tenderest Age of the Child For then the Soul is most empty and consequently most susceptible of Impressions and receiving any thing that is offer'd to it All the Powers of Nature standing then as it were naked unbyass'd by Custom and Prejudice with an earnest and ardent Appetite desiring to be stampt with some Character or other without any regard to either the Beauty or Value oâ— the Impression having no Distinction betwixt Good and Evil. Upon this account whatever a Child is first taught and accustomed to not only takes the deepest root in the Soul but beget Habits and Complexions and denominates the very Constitution it self This no wise Man can deny it being Matter of Fact and common Observation Besides all the Art and Industry of the best Tutors can never wholly remove or alter Qualities and Dispositions so earlily planted Thoâ— by continually representing to them good Examples back'd with Wholsom and Moral Precepts if the Soul be of a mild and gentle Nature they may for some time seem to be subdu'd yet upon the least Intermission and Neglect oâ— such a Method they shall be ready to exert themselves afresh and perhaps with redoubled Vigour Therefore Education and Examples in the Infancy and first Ages of a Child that is from Two to Eight Ten Twelve Years are the very Foundation of Vertue or Vice accordâ—ng as they are us'd or apply'd For â—hen Good and Evil are indifferent to â—he Soul and that which is first imâ—ibed takes the deepest root and begets the strongest habit From hence it is manifest of what â—mportance it is for Fathers Mothers Nurses c. to whom the Care of Children is committed to be watchful that â—he Precepts and Examples of Vertue have the Honour in making the first â—mpression on their Childrens Souls That they labour to acquaint them beâ—imes with the Excellence of Patience Humility and Compassion That they â—epresent to them the Noble and Tranâ—cendent Dignity of Justice and shew â—hem the Deformity of the contrary Vice That they make them understand â—hat there is as much Injustice in Wrongâ—ng a Man of a Penny as in Cheating â—im of a Pound That Writhing of the Neck of a Chicken with Delight is as great an Evidence of the Spirit of Cruelty as the Stabbing a Man They are to â—ccustom their Children to a proper and distinct Method of Speaking I am perswaded much of the Stammering Lisping in many People might have been prevented by a proper and due Management in their Childhood They ought also to be very careful to Teach them Temperance in Eating and Drinking and Moderation in their Sleep and Exercises By such Methods as these the Seeds of Vice might more easily because timely be subdued and a Foundation laid for the building up an Excellent and Accomplisht Person But seeing that the common Custom of the World commands us as soon as we are born to be submitted to the Care and Tuition of Women on whose good or ill Management of us in that tender Age a great part of the Felicity or Misery of our Lives depend And considering the Impressions that Women make whilst they are Impregnate and go with Child have a wonderful Influence upon their Issue I think it will prove no worthless Service to propose some Observations and Methods whereby they may be better directed to discharge their Duty 1. A good Diet ought to be observed that is they ought to accustom themselves to simple Meats and Drinks such in which no manifest Quality is too predominant that is not too sweet nor too bitter too salt nor too sharp c. For all Extreams beget their own Qualities and Complections All Strong Drinks are to be avoided for nothing is more inimical to the Nature of Children than things wherein Heat has the Ascendant All Spoon-Meats are very proper and Natural except such as are made of Spirituous Liquors as Wine Ale Beer Cyder c. but if sweetned with Sugar as is commonly practised they are exceedingly Hotter and ought to be avoided by all that value their own or their Childrens Health But Gruels Paps Rice variously dress'd are very wholsom Raw Herbs made into Sallads and eaten with Bread Butter and Cheese are excellently good and for Drink Midling Beer or Ale is the best except Water 2. They are also during their Impregnation to abstain from all Foods that are made Hot in their Preparation by Boiling Stewing Roasting Baking and the like They ought to let them be quite Cold before they eat them for their fiery sulphurous Vapours do mightily generate
Wavering in its Attempts For those Terrors and Amazements awaken the Internal or Central Spirits and Powers of Nature which incorporating and joyning with their Similes become as it were Consubstantiate with the Soul insomuch that those dreadful Conceptions which they form'd in their Childhood will never wholly depart but though for a time by a vigorous Exercise and use of Reason they may seem to be conquer'd yet upon any sudden Accident of Danger or Disaster their Fears shall start out a-fresh and they shall soon be discern'd to be yet under the Dominion of their Youthful Terrors Which timorous sort of Disposition how Unfit it is for the Business of the World and how Fatal it has prov'd to many that have been subjected to it need not be insisted on what we have already said may be sufficient to convict this abominable Practice of Ignorance Cruelty and Madness Another very great Evil and Prejudice to Children is To suffer them to play up and down promiscuously at all all sorts of Sports and with all sorts of Play-fellows Is it not lamentable for Parents to let their Children throw away that part of their Time in idle fruitless and dangerous Exercises that is the only proper Season for them to learn the Rudiments of Vertue and Knowledge in For One Hour well employ'd from Three Years of Age to Seven is of more avail towards the true learning of any one Art or Science than Ten when they come to a maturer Age as they call it If they are not well and thoroughly grounded then it will be very difficult to improve and accomplish them when they come to riper Years It is then the Seeds of True Knowledge and Philosophy ought to be sown if ever they expect to reap any Fruit from them hereafter Besides the foolish and juvenile Pastimes fill the Imagination with strange Images and Conceptions of Things that like so many rank and useless Weeds interrupt and divert the growth of Real Knowledge and True Literature corrupting the Ground so much that it will hardly be able to nourish and bring forth any thing of Esteem and Value Wou'd it not raise a Man's Spleen with Indignation to hear an old doating Sot of a Father cry out of his Son This Blockhead will never come to any thing There is not such a Dunce again upon the Face of the whole Earth It has cost me the Lord knows what and yet I can make him learn nothing I can make him understand nothing that is said to him Alas Old Fool why did not you begin sooner with him Why did you suffer him to squander away the best part of his Time in Idleness and Folly Oh then he was an arch Young Rogue a Witty Forward Child and you 'd warrant he 'd be no Fool if he liv'd but now he 's a mere Booby a Dunce and a Block-head Take him for your Pains Old Gray-bearded Dotard You may thank your self for all this and your Child is bound to Curse you Moreover there are other ill Effects that attend this Custom Their Sports are often-times especially if from under the Eye of their Parents and Tutors c. so rude and boisterous that they over-doe their own Strength and in a violent pursuit after their Play strain it to a pitch many Degrees above their Ability to the extreme Prejudice and often the irrecoverable Damage of their Limbs and Body which perhaps though not presently discover'd yet if they live succeeding Years will give them many sharp and troublesom Remembrances of it Like the Effects of Hardships and Youthful Colds that will not be forgot in the Winter of Old Age. Thus it is evident what a disastrous and Calamitous Influence these irregular Methods have both upon Mind and Body Now those that would really promote their Childrens Welfare and their own Peace must consult the Degrees and Abilities of Nature else they will soon run themselves into great Inconveniences The Bodies and Spirits of Children are young and tender so that they cannot endure hard and laborious Exercises without the Imputation of manifest Folly and Damage to their Health For all Labour or Exercise ought to be measured in Proportion to the Strength of the Body and Mind so that those appointed for Children ought to be gentle and easie such as will not strain the Body nor dull the Spirit together with a simple Temperate Diet rather partaking of Moisture than Dryness because their Growth requires more liquid Matter by reason of their implanted Heat and Fire than maturer Age. Besides those rustick and laborious Exercises do mightily offend and retard the Growth of Childrens Limbs far more than most People do imagine Hence appears the Necessity of Teaching Children from Three Years old and upwards some easie and useful Things instead of their idle and impertinent Games and Sports such as Musick Painting Housewifery c. Also to instruct them to Read and Speak Properly and Distinctly to implant in them the Seeds of Vertue and Good Manners likewise to Walk Streight and Upright to Run handsomly and to make True and Proper Steps This wou'd be a great Ornament and of good Service to them when they arrive to a more mature and adult Age It would cut off a great deal of their superfluous Time and employ it much better and more advantageously than is generally practised Moreover it wou'd soon discourage and discountenance the ill Custom of sending Children to be instructed at publick Dancing-Schools where they many times receive more Prejudice in a Month than they can repair or remove perhaps all their Lives after For it shou'd be the Care of Mothers and Nurses to order the Gaite and direct the Steps of the Children wherein if they are well instructed at first they will observe the same for ever For by neglect of this it is That so many Men and Women make such an Odd and Clownish Figure in their Walking and Moving sometimes their Steps are too thick sometimes too short and sometimes too long with some extraordinary and irregular Motions of their Backs and Hips as if their Legs were too weak to support the weight of their Body with many other unseemly Postures which might more easily and less chargeably be prevented were the Directions we prescribe but follow'd and observ'd For it is to be noted That ill Postures and other Habits if they are taken up betimes become so strong and powerfully grafted in the Disposition that it is almost impossible to root them out or unteach them again This is an undeniable Truth and it is a thousand times better if possible that Children should remain in an intire and and absolute Indifference and Neutrality without learning or doing any thing at all than to be taught or suffer'd to imitate preposterous Methods For if the Child be born with Streight Sound and Proportionable Limbs there is but one True Proper and Handsom way of Going which they may be as easily taught and brought to as they are to Speak
wanton and lascivious Dancing Racing c. with a thousand other Vanities that Parents and Elder People by their own Practice teach their Children whereof some are Rude Rustick Unmanly and Unseemly others Cruel Bloody and Oppressive others Mean Base and Effeminate but all Sinful and Detestable and ought to be condemn'd to the darkest and deepest Pit of Hell And all this forsooth must be excus'd with the ridiculous Name of Pastime As if our Time which is the greatest Blessing we have were so intollerable a Burthen that we must be beholden to the Devil's Invention to help it off our Hands Surely we shall one day find That all we had was but little enough to do our Duty in Now when I speak of Idleness 't is not to be understood of an utter insensible Stupidity of Soul and Body a state of absolute Inactivity or the doing nothing at all but the doing of Evil or that which Children ought not to do which is the worst sort of Idleness for in the other sence there is scarce any thing Idle in the whole Course of Nature If Children be not exercised in some useful Art and Things tending to Vertue they will be always doing the contrary For in their First and Second Age which is from their Birth to Seven Years of Age and from thence to Fourteen their Spirits are extraordinarily brisk and airy Their Imaginations Desires cannot stand still but will be endeavouring to penetrate into the Knowledge of Things Upon which account good and wholsom Examples ought to be set before them Their particular Tasks ought to be assigned them that they may betimes learn to dress the Gardens of their Souls and sortifie them against the over-spreading Weeds of Vice and Ignorance and keep their Bodies clean from Diseases and Distempers For Idleness and Ignorance are the most inhumane Tyrants in the World and Mankind's greatest Enemies which this present Age has brought into great Favour and Esteem And because they are resolved to have their Children intirely under their Subjection most Parents accustom 'em to 'em even from their Birth and as soon as they begâ—n to Speak fill their Heads with a Rhapsody of idle Prattle Nonsence and Lies and so as it were erect a School in their own Houses for the Nurture of Ignorance and Vice and take no Pains to inform and instruct them in the Rudiments of Vertue and true Knowledge It is a grand Mistake not to begin to teach Children any thing of Value till they are Eight or Ten Years of Age As if they ought to commence then when they shou'd almost have done Learning They are early and timely Plants that take surest root and thrive amain as the Experience of all Mankind can testifie In India they teach their Children to Spin fine Callico's and Muslins at Three Years old Nor cou'd they ever bring them to Perfection did they begin later Italy abounds with fine Painters and Holland and England with curious Spinners of Thread and Wool In which Arts all that have any Reputation are very earlily instructed Pray tell me What Excellence can Age attain to in Writing Reading Speaking Languages Musick Painting c. if there have not been first some youthful Instruction implanted in them It is a certain Truth That the sooner we begin the surer and better Progress we are like to make It is no wonder then that the Princes and Great Men of this World are so mightily given up to Wrath Fierceness and Fighting when we consider they are bred to it from their very Cradles As soon as they can handle a Sword they must have a small one provided and when the Child shall in the least degree imitate any Warlike and Fierce Action his Tutor and People about him praise him to the Skies I 'll warrant say they my little Master will be a General before he dies Then when he 's able to Ride a Horse must be bought with Holsters and Pistols and all other proper Furniture so his little Lordship must be forthwith mounted Now his Ears are open to nothing but War and Battles he dreams of nothing but Fighting Killing and Conquering all the Discourse about him is of nothing but Armies and Sieges of Battalions and Squadrons of Trenches Bastions Half-Moons Parapets and Counterscarps with such impertinent Iargon that the little Warrier fancies himself already in the Battle just now a going to enter the Breach and the Town 's our own By such Methods as these they animate and excite the Spirit of the Child and stir up the Seeds of Fierceness and Wrath in his Soul which they ought with the greatest Care imaginable to suppress and mollifie Thus all Children are taught from their Infancy the Trade of Killing and by practising on Inferiour Creatures arrive by degrees to the Perfection of Murther in killing of Men. This makes so many rash Young Men leave an honest and profitable Trade where they have all Things convenient and necessary to run heedlessly in the Wars of Princes blindly though voluntarily submitting themselves to almost intollerable Fatigues and Hardships opening their Breasts to Guns and Swords and yet after all if they offer to quit their Colours they are sure to be Hang'd having bound themselves Apprentice to the worst sort of Slavery in the World And this also makes the Gentlemen leave their Wives and Children and all the Delights and Enjoyments of their Estates to travel into foreign Countries and there fight like mad and venture their Lives against those they never had any Quarrel with Now I say if Men are not well fraighted with good store of this unlucky Commodity call'd Wrath it wou'd be impossible for them to Act as they do contrary to all Humanity and True Vertue but the Power of Education is very great and captivates all Mankind in one degree or other Therefore of whatever Spirit Fathers Mothers Tutors c. wou'd have their Children to be let them take care to sow the Seeds thereof betimes in the Child's Soul Wou'd you have your Child to Love and Fear God You may easily do it to what Degree you please provided he does not hear nor see contrary Examples Wou'd you have him Temperate in Meats and Drinks Then accustom him to proper Quantities and agreeable Qualities in his Diet. Wou'd you have him Hardy Strong and Healthy Then use mean Foods and give them in Order and with constant Exercise proportionable to the Strength of the Child Or Wou'd you have him a Curious and Excellent Artist Then keep him constant to the Practice of that Art and where he may always see Examples of the same The like is to be understood of all other Things Some Rules concerning Proper FOODS for Children IT is agreed on by all prudent Men That simple Meats and Drinks are most friendly and acceptable to Nature and Healthier than those that are rich and compounded of various Ingredients but more-especially for the tender Nature of Children Did Mothers and Nurses truly understand
for the learning of those things they stand most in need to know This sort of Instruction wou'd abundantly advance and beget Frugality and Order even to a Miracle For having obtain'd their Knowledge by their Pains and Industry it wou'd be as valuable to them as an Estate or Money procured by a Man 's own Toil and Labour So innumerable are the Advantages that wou'd hereby accrue that it is impossible to do any more than hint at the many Benefits and Vertues that result from an Early Prudent and Well-methodized Education There wou'd be little Reason then to reflect That Boys and Girls play away that Time with Drums and Babies which they might employ to more profitable Uses and turn to a far better Account And the Reason hereof is evident Because as we have already demonstrated they do all Things by Example and Imitation Having before no Prepossession or Prejudice they must of necessity own that for their Sovereign and be subjected to its Conduct Methods and Institutions of a SCHOOL for the advantagious Education of Young Persons Propos'd FIRST There must be a Skilful Master or Governour 1. One that has been well acquainted with the World and knows the Mystery and Intrigue of it He must in general be a good Natural Philosopher and have some Knowledge of the Mathematicks and Astronomy together with a competent measure of Ethicks which is the Life of all In short He must be a Person able to bear the Character he undertakes and instruct the Inferiour Tutors and Assistants in all the particular Methods that contribute to the Promotion of Learning Vertue and True Knowledge It is not much insisted on whether he took his Degrees at the University and his Learning as to point of Scholarship is less to be regarded than his Discretion For as the greatest Scholars are not always the best Preachers so neither are the Academicks ever the best Tutors 2. There must be a Sub-Tutor under the Governour that can speak Latin and French readily and properly But if one that is a general Master of both Languages cannot be found there must be two chosen one for each 3. Twice a Week a Musick-Master must come and teach those that are willing to learn that Science There must be one in the School that understands it also to hear and keep them to their Business and Tune their Instruments Likewise a Painter must come twice a Week to instruct and give Patterns to such Children whose Inclinations lead 'em to practice that Art 4. Now when such Masters are provided as are every way accomplish'd for this purpose you must proceed in a regular Order and Method Which will not only make all Learning easie to the Children but also to the Masters and Tutors 5. Take Ten or Twenty Children from Three Years old to Five or Six at most who are not to be suffer'd to speak one Word of English but all keep silence and observe And as much as may be the Master and Tutors must make it their Business continually to speak Latin and French to them commanding them to do this and fetch that And when the Children do not understand them they are to teach them by Example doing and fetching the thing themselves By this means they will understand the Names of most things about the House in Six Weeks or Two Months and in the interim they must be taught to Read the Languages they learn So that in a Year's time they shall all speak both Latin and French as well as any Children shall do English at that Age. And when these first Children speak the Tongues then all that are admitted into the School will naturally learn it of Course by Conversation and Reading as easily as any learns English from their Mothers c. Nay they shall Speak it better and more properly Pronounce it than most Children do their Mother-Tongue 6. The Maids and Nurses and other Servants shall not speak any other Tongue but what is learn'd and taught in the School and before they arrive to it they shall be silent and do all things by Signs 7. The Day shall be divided into so many Parts as the Children learn Arts or Things The Master and Tutors shall neither Whip Beat nor shew Anger or Passion toward any Child be he never so dull But instead of such Correction shall take the dull Child aside and Commend and Praise him for his Endeavours inform him how many Men of mean Birth have advanc'd themselves to a Noble Pitch of Eminence and Glory by their Learning Vertue and Sobriety and by these Means they shall excite and prompt him on to an honourable Ambition and Emulation This no doubt will have a good Effect For both Wise Men and Fools do a-like love to be Praised But other Methods shall be used for the executing of Justice if at any time the Children become vicious and criminal such as shall not irritate the Spirit or provoke Passion which is a great Enemy to the Souls and and Faculties of most Children and too too frequently practised in most Schools which will be wholly prevented by the good and regular Methods we prescribe For Order when Children are accustom'd to it has as great Power and Influence as Disorder 8. The School shall be at some Distance from other Houses or any Town that there may be no Communication between the Children of the School and other wild Children that they shall not know what Swearing or any such frothy Discourse is or that there is any such thing in the World And so of all other evil Communication So that it will be easie to govern them when Order and Custom have their free Influences and where there is nothing else seen or known but the Practice of Vertue and Study of Learning 9. In the Winter the Children shall go to Bed at Seven a Clock at Night and Rise at Seven in the Morning and in the Summer at Eight at Night and Rise at Six in the Morning For above all things Children shou'd have Rest enough and Sleep enough which does mightily strengthen and refresh Nature and renders them brisk and alart at their Learning 10. As soon as they are up in the Morning they shall spend one Hour in Reading and then eat their Breakfast After which such as love Musick shall play and practice one Hour and those that are for Painting the like The others shall walk in Gardens for the same time with their Tutors and discourse of the Nature and Vertues of Herbs Pâ—ants and Flowers and of the Art of Husbandry and Gardening all in the Language they then learn then they shall all return into the School and learn their Books for one Hour After which they shall be instructed in the Business of the House and the Art of Oeconomicks also the Manner and Preparation of the Food they have each day for Dinner and have the Reasons of every thing discovered to them Then they shall all go to Dinner after which in