If the childe haue a weake bodie, though neuer so strong a witte, let him grow on the longer, till the strength of his bodie, do aunswere to his witte. For experience hath taught me, and calleth reason to record, that a sharp young witte hastened on to wounder at, for the quiknesse of his edge, hath therby most commonly bene hastened to his graue, thorough the weaknesse of body: to the greife of the freindes, whose delite is cut of, and some wite of their witte, for ouerhasting their child: Nay, what if it hath pleased God to lend him longer life? he neuer sinketh deepe, but fleeteth still aboue, with some quicknesse of conceit, continuing that wonder, which he wanne in his childhood: neuer burdened with much to ballase his head: but still aunswering at reboundes, the fairest crop of so hasty an haruest. Sometime his witte will grow worse, the wonder will vanishe, the bodie will proue feeble, and soone after perishe.
But now if he liue, with all these infirmities, of decaying witte, decreasing wonder, puling bodie, he liues with small comfort, in such a world of weaknesse, which vsually commeth of to much moisture, the corrupter of such carcasses, the most vile, and violent massacrer, of the most, and best studentes, generally for want of trauell, sauing onely to their braine, which the more it is occupyed, the sorer it stilleth, and the sorer it stilleth, the sooner it killeth, the moe the more pitie. Wherfore I could wishe the wittier child, the lesse vpon the spurre, and either the longer kept from learning, for turning his edge, as a to sharpe knife: or the sklenderer kept at it, for feare of surfait, in one hungring to haue it. Yet must not this quickling be suffered to do nothing at all, for feare he grow reasty, if that nothing be dumpishe, and heauie: or passe beyond reclaime, if it be dissolute, and wanton.
The meane conceiuer, in some strength of bodie, is the best continuer, and as he serues all places best, in his height of learning, so in all respectes, ye may venture on his schooling, when it shall please you, with but ordinarie regard.
A dull witte in a strong body, if ye like to haue it learne, as by learning ye finde it: so till some degree, it may well learne, for necessarie seruice in the rest of his life: and may be hastened on boldly. For the bodie can beare labour, it is so well boaned, and the witte will not cloye, it so hardly receiueth. The sharpenesse of witte, the maister will sound by memorie, and number: the strength of the bodie, the mother will marke, by complaint, and cause.