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
the extreme prejudice of their Body and Mind what must Children suffer that without any restraint eat and drink to the end of their Appetites For the Palatâ— continues the Pleasure of Tasting many Degrees beyond the Necessity of the Stomach and the Requirements of the Digestive Faculty Is not this teaching Children even in the very Cradle to be Gluttons Which being strengthned and improved by repeated Practice is at last so deeply radicated that it becomes a Second Nature So that it is no wonder to see so many Men and Women Intemperate and Debauched nay it is very hard to conceive it should be otherwise when there has been so much Pains taken and so many Years spent to confirm and corroborate the Habit and that even in their Youthful Age when Impressions are soonest and deepest made For the Soul of Man is endued as I said before with an Universal Spirit both of Good and Evil. There is no Property or Quality in the whole Nature of Things that does not find in Man somewhat wherewith to assimilate and affix it self Upon this account it is that he is capable of learning all things Humane and Divine and those Precept and Examples that are first presented have the strongest Effect and take the deepest Root Temperance and Order are the fiâ— things that ought to be taught Childreâ— being the Foundation of all excelleâ— Learning 'T is by their Direction aâ— and Influence that Man arrives to thâ— Accomplishment of his Nature anâ— dignifies his Species above the Rank oâ— his Fellow-Creatures So that if Children are accustomed to these things from their Birth to Twelve or Fifteen Years of Age it is almost impossible then they should become Intemperate without the hazard of Sickness or running the risque of many unpleasant Inconveniences Which Consideration together with an early and habitual Practice of those Vertues will make it as easie and familiar for them to be Temperate as Men are now prone to be Extravagant and Debauch'd Besides this Method would extraordinarily contribute to the Ease and Satisfaction of all Families keeping them from many torturing Diseases and great Expences both in Servants Meats and Drinks and render all things sedate quiet and delightful Custom and Precept have wonderful and amazing Influences over all the Ceâ— lestial Powers and Configurations of thâ— Stars and Elements and over innatâ— Dispositions Inclinations and Comâ— plexions So great is their Power botâ— in the Good and Bad that they lead Meâ— to commit the highest Evils and Out rages even Murther it self without any Trouble or Regret For Example Takâ— a Boy of Two or Three Years old thaâ— is dignified in the fiery Trigon in hiâ— Nativity under Mars who consequently is by his Complexion addicted to practice all manner of Wrath Fiercenesâ— and Cruelty let this Child be undeâ— the Tuition of a Bannian Woman oâ— some other Person that scruples all Violence or the killing either Man oâ— Beast where they live temperately anâ— observe sober Methods and you shaâ— soon discern notwithstanding his Maâ— tial Inclinations and the Power oâ— Celestial Influences that the Custom Religion and Example of those Peoplâ— he is brought up among will quicklâ— insinuate and conform themselves witâ— their Similes in the Child's Soul anâ— and gain an intire Dominion over all thâ— fierce and rude Dispositions he was â—earen'd with from his Nativity or â—edominating Consteilation For cerâ—n it is That the Soul contains the comâ—at and true Nature of all Things â—nd though one Quality or Property be â—onger than another in the Soul yet the other cling to it and come after â—cording to their Degrees of Strength Weakness and that Form or Quality â—at is weakest can easily be made strongâ— by Custom Precept and Example â—nd so on the other side that Quality â—at in the Nativity was most Strong â—n by the same Rule be made Weak â—d Impotent This is further manifested in Religion â—hich is made up of great Varieties of â—otions and Practical Ceremonies there â—ing as much difference as there is in â—e Nature of Things many of them â—antastical Vain and Irrational and â—ost of them Ridiculous the Zealous â—pprobation whereof and Formal Praâ—ise are convincing and undeniable â—rguments of the Force and Power of â—ustom Will not those that have been â—structed in Base and False Notions and constantly us'd to conform with humane and detestable Ceremonies as easily perswaded to die for their Râ—gion as they call it as those that hâ— really embrac'd the Truth and lâ— under the most sober and agreeable Mâ—thods of God's Law Without all pâ— adventure they will and the frequeâ— Instances mention'd in the Records of Histories determine the Question Haâ— there not been Turks and Indians Childrâ— that being educated in the Christian â—ligion have prov'd as zealous and fâ—ward in the Defence of that Cause the Child of a Christian And on 〈◊〉 other hand are not the Ianizaries 〈◊〉 the most part the Sons of Christianâ— yet there are not within the Confiâ— of the Ottoman Empire more obstinâ— and inveterate Mussulmen In shoâ— Children may be brought to any thinâ— Their Souls are so cereous and flexibâ— that they may with the greatest faciliâ— be form'd into any Shape or any Figurâ— Good and Evil are alike to them thâ— know no difference nor distinction Tâ— that they are first taught fixes the Chaâ—cter obtains the Ascendant and deâ—n minates the Person either Vertuous or â—cious For this Reason it was that our Saviour â—mmanded little Children to be brought â—to him Which had not relation only their Innocency but to their Capacity â—eir Minds being as it were Free and â—mpty not yet bound Apprentice to â—e Vanity of Custom and Prejudice â—he Ground was clean and exempt from â—e Weeds of Diâ—der and Wickednâ— â—hereby they 〈◊〉 render'd more fit â—d capable to â—ve the Good Seed â—id not our Gâ—at Master likewise go â—to the Streets and High-ways to preach â—e Gospel to the Common and Ordiâ—ary sort of People Why did he not â—tner honour the Synagogues and preach â—s Doctrine to the Scribes and Pharisees â—ose learned and strict Observers of the â—aw No the former were not fastned 〈◊〉 Prejudice nor so deeply rooted in the â—ormalities of the Law and Tradition â—nd therefore more likely to embrace the â—ruth There were not those Obstacles â—nd Impediments in them as were in the â—tter For the more free any Man is from â—e Power of Custom the more room there is in the Soul to entertain Verâ— As the Proverb has it No Fool like the Fool Because Folly is so deeply groâ—ded in him that there is no place any thing else On the other hand Children at thâ— arrival into this World are utter Strâ—gers to Custom and Tradition they 〈◊〉 as it were like the Incorporeal Being their Imaginations and Fancies are 〈◊〉 bâ—nded or mis-led 〈◊〉 that we call Râ—son they penetra◠〈◊〉 and imitateâ— things that they hea◠〈◊〉 oâ— see done aâ— this without any Consideration whetâ— it be
good or evil possible or impossiâ— being alike exempt from the fear of 〈◊〉 learning and hope of future Beneâ— they press forward and attain to 〈◊〉 Knowledge of Things with wonder expedition and accuracy And tâ— Younger they are the more capable 〈◊〉 they of receiving Instruction but A and Experience must improve theâ— Early Plants naturally take the surest aâ— deepest root and with great vigour aâ— force attract the Vertues of the Earth 〈◊〉 their Nourishment and being dresâ— and cultivated by the industrious Hâ— bandman the good Juices soon grow â—ong insomuch that they will overâ—me the Weeds themselves Upon this Consideration of the wonâ—rful Nature and Aptitude of the Soul receive any thing that shall be offer'd it it appears of what Importance it is â—at particular care be taken to sow good â—ed at first That if Parents neglect to â—ant Children will do it themselves or the Soul will not be empty Emptiâ—ess having no Being in Nature So that you do not teach and shew them good â—ethods and Precepts they will soon â—arn evil ones For their whole Emâ—oyment and Business is to learn and â—itate what they see and hear As we â—ave observed before all Languages and Tongues are alike to them the one is as â—asie as the other but that which the Child first learns takes the deepest root â—nd gets the government over all the â—est So that it is in the Power of the Mother if she be a Linguist to make Latin or any other Tongue the Moâ—her-Tongue as well as English and it â—ill be as easie natural and familiar for â—he Child to imitate her in three or four several Languages as one Likewise arrive at a proper and distinct Methâ— of Speaking if the Mother Nurse 〈◊〉 whoever has the Care of the Child coâ—mitted to them be a Person so qualify and accomplish'd Which is also to bâ— understood of the attaining to all otheâ— Arts and Sciences Hence it follows That the Female ought to have the principal and best Education they being the first Planters oâ— Tutors having the Children always with them whom they will imitate and observe Besides Women have a wonderful Dignification in their Natures and Complexions God having implanted Modesty in their Constitution which iâ— the Foundation of all Excellence and Vertue They are of a quick penetrating Fancy apt to comprehend any thing that is fine or curious as the Arâ— of Housewifery Needle-work Painting Musick Writing c. In these thingâ— no Man can exceed them if they havâ— timely and proper Education and Instruction being both by their Genius and Complexions naturally adapted for alâ— easie Employments and curious Arts the Males are to Tillage the Manageâ—ent of Cattle Building and all Employments that require greater Force and â—trength of Body to perform which â—he Females ought by no means to unâ—ertake or meddle with Now if the Women were thus instructed themselves how easie and natural wou'd it be for them to begin anâ— teach â—heir Children all excellent Things even from the very Cradle Wiâ—h how little difficulty might they temper and regulate the Methods of their Eating Drinking Sleeping and Waking For I must tell you That Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness are taught even as any Art or Science tho' with much more Ease and â—ess Fatigue and with unconceivably more Success and Benefit Use and Practise are the Life and Spirit that give Vertue and Skill to all Persons whatsoever If the Children see no Disorderly nor Intemperate Examples but have the Representation and Character of the contrary Vertues continually placed before their Eyes they will undoubtedly conform themselves to that Image in Practice and Imitation If these Truths were thoroughly believed and rightâ— managed what an Healthy Off-spriâ— should we have every way adorn'd wiâ— Vertue and the Knowledge of all useâ— and excellent Things Thus you see hoâ— much it depends upon the Care and Skâ— of Parents Tutors Nurses c. to for the Souls of Children and make theâ— what they please to have them Whaâ— ever they see or hear they will practioâ— Do but shew them the Way of Vertuâ— and hide from them the contrary Patâ— they will walk in it whether you wiâ— or no to the end of their Lives Theâ— will never depart from such deep-rooteâ— Laws and so timely implanted Preceptâ— For the Soul takes the Biass and Turâ— of its future Inclinations from those firâ— and early Impressions It is likewise to be consider'd Thaâ— Children ought not to be kept to any Employment or Art too long For thâ— Humane Soul being compounded and endued with the Nature of all Thingâ— as we have before mention'd causeâ— all People to delight in Variety it being most like her self but especially Children do mightily press after and lovâ— Variety and there is nothing more â—rateful to their juvenile and unbounded â—ancies So that they will never dwell â—ong upon any thing nor be confin'd â—ith Pleasure even to that Sport or â—lay they seem to take most delight in â—urther than their own voluntary Incliâ—ations shall sway and induce them Beâ—ides it would extremely dull and perolex their Understandings and retund â—he tender Acumen of their Wit and Spiâ—it But when they come to Years of Discretion as they call it they will apply themselves closer and longer to some â—ne particular Employment or Study â—ecause then Custom Reason and Self-â—nterest engage and perswade them â—o it Moreover as any one sort of Grain too often sown on any one piece of Land without Intermission exhausts â—ts strength and makes it weak so that â—it will bear but a poor Crop because every sort of Grain does draw and attract from the Earth a proper Juice suitable to the Nourishment of its own Body For which reason the prudent Husband-man will often change his Seed to give the Ground variety by which means hâ— obtains a fruitful and plentiful Croâ— every Year if other Causes do not imâ— pede The like must be conceived oâ— the Humane Ground For Variety iâ— the very Foundation and Compositioâ— of our Lives nothing conduces morâ— to the Health and Prosperity of Manâ— kind nor is more agreeable to the Nature of Man than Change of Diet Exercise and Employment Besides Children are more Inquisitiveâ— by many Degrees and more violently desirous of Knowledge the five first Years of their Age than afterwards for their Souls and Minds are as it were empty and long to be filled which naturally moves the Spirit to Industry and aâ— Desire after Knowledge But so soon as those green Years are past and the Fancy is filled up with the false and mistaken Notions of Custom and Tradition Men become as it were full and satiated more or less dull and stupid and consequently unapt to incline to the Study of any sort of curious Learning For this reason it is That whatever a Child is taught to imitate at Three or Four Years of Age it is to be understood of â—ound and Healthy Children which â—ost wou'd be were the
Rules before â—rescribed to Women duly observ'd â—akes double the root and makes deeper â—mpressions upon them than what they â—re taught at Five and that at Five double to what they are taught at Ten â—nd so on proportionably till Fifty or Sixty Years of Age. For as Persons grow up into Years their Souls and Minds are not only filled up and sullied with the irregular Dictates of inveteâ—ate Custom but the Natural and Animal Spirits become muddy and impure whereby the Apprehension and Understanding are less quick and penetrating For the Fineness and Thinness of the Spirits begets Acuteness of Wit and supplies the Fancy with more Curious and Noble Images of Things seeing the finer any Man's Spirits are the more capable he is of understanding the Mysteries of Arts and Sciences From hence it is evident That Order and Method do mightily strengthen and advance the Humane Nature and render all Persoâ—s that observe them more ready and adapt to learn than such aâ— live Irregular Lives especially Children who through the Fineness and Tenderness of their Spirits cannot endure thâ— over-charging of Nature without manifest Detriment and Prejudice So that those Parents Tutors c. that press them on to a Debauch or permit or encourage them to Eat or Drink or use any Exercise beyond what the Necessity of Nature exacts are guilty of horrid Impiety against God manifest Breach of Trust towards the Children and accountable for all the sad Consequences of so fatal a Miscarriage Again Since Children at first do all that they do by Example and Imitation it must of necessity be the indispensible Duty of all Parents or Others with whom the Charge of their Education is intrusted to be industriously careful that they neither hear nor see any Unseemly Action Such Precedents will be quickly Copied and Transcribed by them and in a short time be so deeply fix'd in the Imagination that all the Art and Pains they can administer shall never be able totally to deface or remove them And if ever they wou'd have their Children to bear any Character in the World and do any thing to Purpose â—hey must be sure to avoid that foolish Half-speaking and Lisping when they wou'd prattle with them and divert them It is impossible to believe what Damage they do their Children by this absurd and abominable Practise pronouncing their Words by halves and not one in an hundred properly and truly as it ought to be thereby putting the Children to a double and treble Task and Inconvenience first by their own Example fondly instilling into them an huddle of imperfect and broken Nonsence and then after they have discern'd the Folly and Mischief of stocking them with such Trash ridiculously hoping to make them unlearn it again by Whipping and Beating them They ought to be us'd to plain Discourses and Words properly fully and distinctly pronounced not with a grinning kind of Smile and comick Distortion of the Visage but in a grave folemn manner and with a sedate and calm Countenance even as you would propound Questions and male Answer to a Judgâ— or Senator For when they are us'd tâ— such a pertinent and handsom way oâ— Speaking they will apply their utmoâ— Diligence to imitate and practice thâ— same For 't is the same thing to thâ— Child both as easie and natural to speak Words distinct and pertinent as lisping and abrupt Many Children have reason to condemn their Governors and Nurses all the Days of their Life for those manifold Inconveniences they are expos'd to by an uncomfortable Imperfection in the Utterance of their Speech Their Governors also are sedulously to instruct them to avoid all Passion Anger and Violence and as much as lies in their Power keep them from seeing any Acts of that nature There is a contagious Infection in them that ought as carefully to be shunn'd as the Plague or Leprosie They ought to acquaint and make their Pupils sensible not only of the Danger but also of the Ugliness and Deformity of such preposterous and irregular Inclinations Their Peace in this World and Happiness in the next intirely depend upon it All the Preaching Precept and Practice of our Great Law-Giver tended to this End to inâ—ulcate into his Disciples a Principle of Meekness Love and Unity to exercise a mutual Charity and Forbearance â—owards one another A compassionate Forgiveness of one another's Faults is the highest Conquest we can gain over our selves and the nearest Approach we can make to Heaven and the Occasions of it is the fairest Field Christianity has to display her self in with her true and proper Colours Ecce quam Christiani Amant Behold how the Christians Love was the Heathen Persecutors Saying of old and ought to be the Motto and Character of all that would be called Christians now Therefore our Great Master said unto Peter Put up thy Sword My Kingdom is not of this World Nothing but Peace Love and Concord can open the Gates into those blessed Realms of Light and Love Except therefore the first Sallies and Motions of the Soul towards these Irregularities be corrected and reformed nothing but the most fatal and irremediable Mischief will ensne It is I confess a Work of great Difficulty yet that shou'd not discourage our Endeavours nay 't is in the Infancy of our Children if ever that we can reasonably hope for Success Besides the Practise of these Vices rencounters the Oeconomy of the whole Creation For all things both in the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms do proceed from one Ground and though the Multitude and Variety of them be beyond any humane Number yet Each and Every of them do in one degree or another contain the true Nature and Property of the Whole and in Man they have their Central Being and Existence though not in all alike but in some one Quality is strong in others another from whence proceeds Mens Difference in Dispositions Inclinations Love and Hatred but the Property which is strongest in the Radix ever sways and governs the whole Life There is another base and depraved Custom too frequently used viz. To scare and affright Children with horrid and terrible Names thinking thereby to bring them to their Lure and make them quietly comply with what they wou'd have them not considering of what mischievous Consequence it is to the Child to have its tender Soul so alarm'd and prepossess'd with such monstrous Images of Things as keep Nature in a perpetual Agitation and Trembling If the Child's Soul be of a strong and vigorous Complexion you thereby awaken the Seeds of Envy Hatred Malice and many other surly Dispositions and so by mistakenly endeavouring to lay One Devil you raise a Thousand in his room But if the Soul be of a soft meek and gentle Temper you utterly confound and ruine it It shall never be Master of one Regular Thought and by consequence never produce an Handsom and Commendable Action It shall be eternally subjected to doubt Irresolute in its Designs and