But bycause I must applie my positions to some one ground, I haue chosen the Elementarie, and him rather then the Grammarian: for that the Elementarie is the verie lowest and first to be dealt with, and the circunstances being well applyed vnto him, may with very small ado, be transported afterward to the Grammarian or anie other else. And vnder the title of the particular circunstance, (though it seeme peculiarly to appertaine to the Elementarie, by waie of mine example, which I do applie vnto him primitiuely) yet I do trauell commonly with the generall considerations in all persons which use the same circunstance, in anie degree of learning, as the places themselues hereafter will declare. Which I do both to ende these positiue arguments at once, and to make the precept also somewhat more pleasant to the reader, hauing the entertainement of some forreine, but no vnfit discourse.
The positions therefore which I do meane, be these and such other. At what time the child is to be set to schoole. What he is to learne when he is at schoole. Whether all be to be set to schoole. Whether exercise be to be vsed as a principle in trayning. Whether young maidens be to be set to learne. How to traine vp young gentlemen. How to procure some vniformitie in teaching. Of curtesie and correction. Of priuate and publike education. Of choise of wittes, of places, of times, of teachers, of schoole orders. Of restrayning to many bookish people, and many other like argumentes, which the nature of such discourses useth to hale in by the waie. Wherin I require my countreymens consent, to thinke as I do, and will do mine endeauour to procure it, as I can, before I deale with the particular præceptes, and schooling of children. Which while I do, as I follow the præsident of the best writers, for the methode, which I chuse, so for the matter it selfe I will vse no other argument, then both nature and reason, custome and experience, and plaine shew of euident profit shall recommend to my countrie without either manifest appearaunce, or secrete suspicion of a fantasticall deuise: considering it were an argument of verie small witte knowing fantasticallnes to disgrace the man, and impossibilitie to displace the meane: in so necessarie a thing as I pretend this to be, to entermingle either fantasticall matter, for all men to laugh at, or impossible meane, for as many to muse at. If earnest desier to haue some thing bettered, do cause me wishe the amendement, I hope that will not be accounted fantasticall, vnless it be to such, as do thinke themselues in health when they are deadly sicke, and feeling no paine, bycause of extreme weaknes, do hold their freindes halfe foolish, which wishe them to thinke vpon alteration of life.