The education or bringinge vp of children, translated oute of Plutarche by syr Thomas Eliot knyght

¶ A moderate direction to prouoke chil∣dren to lerne. And of the folye of in∣discrete fathers. Cap. ix. (Book 9)

I Do affirme surely in myne opi∣nion, chyldren oughte not to be brought to honest exercise, by bea∣tynge and strokes, but by exhorta∣cion and reasonyng. For punisshe∣ment is meter for villaynes and slaues / than for them that be franke or of gentill bloud: whiche with trauaile be hardned, and some tyme beinge aferde of the whippe / applieth them to labour. But children of gentyll nature take more profite by praise or lyghte rebuke, than by stripes. For praises stere them to worshyp, and rebuke doth withdrawe them from folye. wherfore it requi∣reth at sondry tymes to myngle sharpe wordes with praises. After ye haue strongely rebuked, than to prouoke them to shamefastnes, and efte∣sones to reuoke their corages with prayses: and therin nources are to be folowed, whiche whan they haue made theyr children to wepe, furthe∣with

with they do gyue vnto them theyr pappes, therby for to styll them. But beware gyue them not to many prayses, le••te they take therby to moche courage and presumption: and with to moche cockenayenge be spylled and lost. I haue knowen many faders, whom to moche loue hath caused, that they loued not their children. But what may I say, to tell it more playnlyer? For where they make haste, that their chyldren may the soner excel other, they do put vnto them infynite labours, wherof beynge werye and op∣pressed with intollerable paynes, fynallye they fynde lyttell pleasure or swetenes in lernynge. A lyttell water maketh herbes to growe, and with to moche they be soone glutted. In lykewyse the mynde with moderate labour is quickened, and with inordinate labours is oppressed and drow∣ned. wherfore in studyes and labours some re∣creacion is to be gyuen to children. For we must remembre / that al our lyfer deuided in to study and reste. And therfore not onely watche is ne∣cessarie, but also slepe: not batayle only, but also peace: not wynter and stormes, but also fayre wether and somer: not onely warke dayes, but also hygh feastes and holy dayes: and generally ydelnes and reste is sauce vnto labour: and that may you perceyue not onely in thynges hauynge lyfe, but also in those thynges that lacke life. For we do vnbende our bowes, and vnwra••te our lu∣••es and harpes, to the entent efte••ones to bende them and wraste them. And fynally the body to

preserued with lacke and sustinance, the mynde / with remyssyon and laboure.

Many faders be to be blamed, and that with good cause, whiche so cōmytte theyr children to Tutours and maysters, that they them selfe did neuer se nor here howe their children haue in ler∣nynge profited / wherin they offende more than nede: for in a lyttell space they may haue experi∣ence, for theyr chyldrens furtherance by examy∣nynge theyr chyldren: and not putte theyr hoole truste in the disposicion of a man hired. For mai∣sters and tutours vse more diligence aboute the children, whan they knowe that they shal make answere and rekenynge for them: Accordynge to the propre sayenge of the wyse horseman, that sayde, that nothynge made a horse so sone fatte as the eie of his mayster.