¶ 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 woldest that I shulde shewe the those thynges that be meete for the inclinaciõ of that age, and whiche shuld by and by be taughte the lytle yongons. Fyrst the vse of tonges whych commeth to them without any greate studye, ther as olde folkes can scarse be hable to learne them wyth great labour. [Sidenote: Chyldren desyre naturally to folow & do as other do.] And here to as we sayde, moueth the chyldrẽ a certen desyre to folowe and do as they se other do: of the which thing we see a certen lyke fashion in pies and popiniayes. What is more delectable then the fabels of poetes, which wyth their swete entisynge plesures to delight childrens eares that thei profite vs very much whẽ we be olde also, not only to y^e knowledge of the tong, but also to iudgement and copye of elegant speche? What wyll a chyld hear more gladlye then Esops fabels, whyche in sporte and playe teache earnest preceptes of philosophy? and the same fruite is also in the fabels of other poetes. The chylde heareth that Vlisses felowes were turned into swyne, and other fashions of beastes. The tale is laughed at, and yet for al that he lerneth that thing that is the chiefest poynte in al morall philosophye: Those whyche be not gouerned by ryght reason, but are caried after the wyll of affeccions, not to be men, but beastes. ¶ What coulde a stoycke saye more sagely? and yet dothe a merye tale teache the same. In a thynge that is manifest I wyll not make the tarye with many exãples.