¶ I wolde wyshe to haue one of a lustye yonge age,
whome the chylde myght delyght in, and which wold not
be lothe to playe euerye parte. [Sidenote: A lykenynge
of scholemasters and nurses together.] Thys man shulde
do in fashionyng hys wytte, that parentes and nurses
be wont to do in formynge the bodye. Howe do they
fyrst teache the infante to speake lyke a man? They
applye their wordes by lyspyng accordyng to the
chyldes tatlynge. How do they teach them to eat? They
chaw fyrst their milke soppes, and when they haue
done, by lytle & litle put it in to the chyldes
mouthe. Howe do they teache thẽ to go? They bowe downe
their owne bodies, and drawe in theyre owne strides
after the measure of the infantes. Neyther do they
fede them wyth euerye meate, nor putte more in then
they bee able to take: and as they increase in age,
they leade them to bigger thinges. First they seeke
for noryshemente that is meete for them, not differyng
much frõ mylke, whych yet if it be thrust into the
mouthe to muche, either it choketh the chylde, or
beynge caste oute defileth hys garmente. When it is
softelye and pretelye put in, it doth good. Whych
selfe thynge we se cõmeth to passe in vesselles that
haue narowe mouthes: if you pour in muche, it bubbleth
out agayne, but if you powre in a litle, and as it
were by droppes, in deede it is a whyle, and fayre and
softely erste, but yet then fylled. [Sidenote: The
fedyng of the bodye and mynd cõpared together.] So
then as by small morsels, and geuen now and then,
the lytle tender bodies are noryshed: in lyke manner
chyldrens wyttes by instruccions meete for them taught
easely, and as it were by playe by lytle & litle
accustume thẽ selues to greater thyngs: & the
wearynesse in the meane season, is not felte, because
that small encreasynges so deceyue the felynge of
labour, that neuerthelesse they helpe much to great
profite. As it is told of a certen wrestler, whych,
accustumed to beare a calfe by certein furlonges, bare
hym whẽ he was waxen a bull, wythoute anye payne: for
the encrease was not felt, whych euerye daye was put
to the burden. But there be some that looke that
chyldren shulde strayghtwaye become olde men, hauyng
no regarde of their age, but measure the tender
wittes, by theyr owne strengthe. ¶ Straightway they call
vpon them bytterly, straightway they straitly require
perfect diligence, by and by they frowne wyth the
forhead if the childe do not as wel as he wold haue
hym, and they bee so moued as thoughe they had to do
wyth an elder body, forgettyng you maye be sure y^t
they thẽ selues wer once children. How much more
curteouse is it that Pliny warneth a certen master
that was to sore. Remember saythe he, that bothe he is
a yonge man, and that thou hast ben one thi selfe.
But many be so cruel against the tender chyldren, as
though thei remẽbred not neyther them selues, neyther
their scolers to be menne. [Sidenote: What things
lytle yonge chyldrẽ shold be fyrste taughte.] Thou
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