The golden book of St. John Chrysostom, concerning the education of children translated out of the Greek by J.E., Esq.

To my Most Incomparable Brothers GEORGE EVELYN Of Wotton in Surrey and RICHARD EVELYN Of Woodcot in Surrey, Esq^rs.

My Dear Brothers,

AMongst the very many diversions which I have ex∣perimented to mitigate and attemper the sor∣rowes which do still oppresse me, for the loss

of my Children, and especially of that One, so precious to me. I have found nothing that has afforded me a greater consolation then this: That it pleased God to give me oppor∣tunities and such a sub∣ject to work upon, as I cannot but hope he has in mercy accepted. And truly when I seriously contemplate the felicity of all those which are Well out of this misera∣ble world, I find the griefe which wee con∣ceive for their absence

to be a meer 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and does nothing at all con∣cerne them whom we mourne for, that have served God, their Ge∣neration with honour, and left a memorial without reproach. You have, Brothers, both of you lost Children, but none of them for whom you had reason to be so sensible as my selfe; because they di∣ed Infants, and could not so intirely engage your affections, as if they had arrived to yeers of more maturity, and

the Spring had flattered you with the expecta∣tion of a fruitful harvest as me it did.

But because we are all obnoxious, and that Cuivis potest accidere, quod cuiquam potest, be assured, That of al the afflictions w^ch can touch the heart in this life, one of the most superlative is the loss of a hopeful child; and till I had the expe∣rience of this my self, I have often wondered That David should suf∣fer himselfe to be so far transported for the death

of a Rebel, that had vi∣olated all the Relations which ought to be be∣twixt a Son and a most indulgent Father. I know well that another cause might contribute to the effect, but all who shall read that sad story, cannot but impute as much to his paternal af∣fections as by man could be expressed. These are, Brothers, the con∣tingencies (which since we can never be exemp∣ted perfectly of) have caused me to seek the re∣medies which I presume

here to have at last en∣countred, and which I here likewise affection∣ately present unto you. Let us make our Chil∣dren fit for God, and then let us not be dis∣pleased whensoever he takes them from us. Deus nobis illos educandos non mancipio dederat. There are a multitude of other precepts, that I might recollect out of the con∣solatory Writings which are at hand, Plutarch and Cicero, Seneca and others. But all their Topicks (S. Hierom and some few

Christians only except∣ed) are most of them de∣rived from Philosophy, the pride and courage of another Institution, and afford us but uncertain consolations in the wi∣ser estimate of things. So that hereby we may be less troubled in wan∣ting the writings of Dio∣genes, Clitomachus, Carnea∣des, Possidonius upon the same Subject; there be∣ing nothing capable truly to compose the mind of a good man for the absence of his friend or of his Child, like the

contemplation of his undoubted felicity.

It is that which I there∣fore endeavor here to se∣cure, in offering to you this Golden Book of S. Chrysostom, which ha∣ving afforded me soe great a consolation, I cannot but ••hope may be likewise acceptable to you, and useful to as many as have either bin touched with the like resentiments, or that do establish for an in∣fallible Maxime that say∣ing of Plato,* 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

That those who are well and rightly instru∣cted, do easily become good men. And the thing is verily of so great importance, That some have taken Educa∣tion for Religion it selfe; All for another Nature; which he that shal read of the Laconick Disci∣pline, will not easily dispute. This is cer∣tain, That were this one thing well secured, Prin∣ces would have good Subjects, Fathers good Children, Wives good Husbands, Masters good

Servants, God would be sincerely served, and all things would be well with us. And here I would now end, did not my Affections a lit∣tle transport me, and the hopes that you will yet indulge it, if whilst I erect to my dear Child no other Monument, I shew to the world how neer∣ly I concurr'd with the Instructions of this Gol∣den Book (before I had seene it) and what may be expected from a timely Education, if (now that we may both

read and have it) we with diligence pursue it.

I cannot with S. Au∣gustine,* 1.2 say of my son, as he of his, Annorum e∣rat ferè quindecim, & in∣genio praeveniebat multos graves, & doctos viros. But this I can truly af∣firm, He was little a∣bove five years old, and he did excel many that I have known of fifteene. Tam brevi spatio tempor a multa compleverat. He was taught to pray as soon as he could speak, and he was taught to read as

soon as he could pray. At three years old he read any Character or let∣ter whatsoever used in our printed Books, and within a little time af∣ter any tolerable Wri∣ting hand, and had got∣ten (by heart) before he was five years of age se∣ven or eight hundred Latine and Greek words, as I have since calculated out of his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to∣gether with their Gen∣ders and Declensions. I entred him then upon the Verbs, which in four months time he did

fectly conjugate, together with most of the irregu∣lars excepted in our Grammar; These he con∣quered with incredible delight, and intelligence of their use: But it is more strange to consi∣der, that when from them I thought to set him to the Nouns, he had in that interim (by him∣self) learned both the Declensions and their Ex∣amples, their exceptions, Adjectives, Comparisons, Pronouns, without any knowledg or precept of mine, insomuch as I

stood amazed at his se∣dulity and memory. This engaged me to bring him a Sententiae Pu∣eriles and a Cato, and of late Comeniu••▪ the short Sentences of which two first, and the more so∣lid ones of the last, he learned to Construe and Perse, as fast as one could well teach and attend him: for he became not onely dextrous in the ordinary rules by frequent recourse to them (for indeed I ne∣ver obliged him to get any of them by heart as

a task, by that same car∣nificina puerorum) upon occasions, but did at this age also easily com∣prehend both the mean∣ing and the use of the Relative the Ellipsis and Defects of Verbs and Nouns unexpressed* 1.3 But to repeat here all that I could justly affirm con∣cerning his prompti∣tude in this nature, were altogether prodigious, so that truly I have been sometimes even con∣strained to cry out with the Father, as of another Adeodatus, Horrori mihi est

hoc ingenium. For so in∣satiable were his desires of knowledg, that I well remember upon a time hearing one discourse of Terence and Plautus, and being told (upon his enquiring concerning those Authors) that the Books were too difficult for him, he wept for very grief, and would hardly be pacified: But thus it is reported of Thucydides, when those noble Muses were recited in his hearing, at one of the most illustrious As∣semblies of Greece, from

whence was predicted the greatness of his Ge∣nius. To tell you how exactly he read French, how much of it he spake and understood, were to let you onely know, that his Mother did instruct him with∣out any confusion to the rest. Thus he learn∣ed a Catechism and ma∣ny prayers, and read di∣vers things in that Lan∣guage. More to bee admired was the liveli∣ness of his judgement, that being much affect∣ed with the Diagramms

in Euclid, he did with so great facility interpret to me many of the com∣mon Postulata, and De∣finitions, which he would readily repeat in Latine and apply it. And he was in one hour onely taught to play, the first half of a Thorough Basse, to one of our Church Psalmes upon the Organ Let no man think that we did hereby crowd his spirit too full of no∣tions. Those things which we force upon o∣ther children, were strangely natural to him

for as he very seldome affected their toyes; to such things were his u∣sual Recreations, as the gravest man might not be ashamed to divert himself withal. These were especially the Apo∣logus of Aesop; most of which he could so rea∣dily recount, with di∣vers other Stories, as you would admire from whence he produced them: But he was ne∣ver without some Book or other in his hand. Pictures did afford him infinite pleasure, above

all a Pen and Ink with which he now began to forme his Letters▪ Thus he often delighted him∣self in reciting of Poems and Sentences, some whereof he had in Greek, Fragments of Comedies, diuers Verses out of Herbert, and a∣mongst the Psalmes, his Beloved, and often re∣peated, Ecce quam Bonum: and indeed he had an ear so curiously framed to sounds, that he would never misse infallibly to have told you what Language it was you did

read by the Accent only, were it Latine, Greek, French, Italian or Dutch. To all I might add, the incomparable sweetness of his countenance and eyes, the clean fabrick of his body and pretty Adresses: how easily he forgot injuries, when at any time I would break and crosse his pas∣sions, by sometimes in∣terrupting his enjoy∣ments, in the midst of some sweet or other delicious things which allured him; that I might there•••• render

him the more indiffer∣ent to all things▪ though these he seldom quitted without re∣wards and advantage. But above all, extreme∣ly conspicuous was his affection to his younger Brother, with whose im∣pertinencies he would continually bear, saying he was but a child, and understood no better. For he was ever so smi∣ling, cheerful and in∣perfect good humour, that it might be truly verified of him, as it was once of Heliodorus,* 1.4

Gravitatem morum, hilari∣tate, frontis temperabat. But these things were obvious, and I dwel no longer on them: There are yet better behind; and those are his early Piety, and how ripe he was for God. Never did this Child lye in bed (by his good will) lon∣ger then six or seven Winter or Summer; and the first thing he did (being up) was to say his French Prayers, and our Church-Catechism; after Breakfast that short Latine Prayer, which

having encountred at the beginning of our Lillies Grammar, he had learned by heart, with∣out any knowledge or injunction of mine, and whatsoever he so com∣mitted to memory, he would never desist till heperfectly understood; yet withall this, did he no day employ above two houres at his Book by my order; what he else learned was most by himselfe, without constraint or the least severity, unseene, and totally imported by his

own inclination. But to return, Wonderful was it to observe the Chapters which him∣selfe would choose, and the Psalmes and Verses that he would apply up∣on occasions, and as in particular he did to some that were sick in my family a little before him; bidding them to consider the Sufferings of Christ, how bitter they were, and how willingly he endured them. How frequent∣ly would he pray by himself in the day time,

and procure others to joyn with him in some private corner of the house apart? The last time he was at Church (which was, as I re∣member at Greenwich) at his return I asked him what he brought away from the Sermon; He replyed, That he had remembred two good things, Bonum Gratiae, and Bonum Gloriae, which expressions were indeed used, though I did not believe he had minded them.

I should even tire

you with repeating all that I might call to mind of his pertinent answers upon several occasions: One of the last whereof I will only instance, when about Christmas a Kinsman of his related to us by the fire side some passages of the presumptuous fa∣sting of certain Enthusi∣asts about Colchester, whilst we were expres∣sing some admiration at the passage, That, sayes the Child (being upon the Gentlemans knee, and as we thought not

minding the discourse) is no such wonder, for it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, &c. But more to be admired was his perfect comprehension of the sacred Histories in the Method of our Golden Auth••r so as it may be truly affirmed of this Child, as it was once said of Timothy,* 1.5 Quod à puero Sacras liter as noverat Nor was all this by rote onely (as they term it) for that he was capable of the greater mystery of our salvation by Christ,

I have had many infalli∣ble indications. And when the Lords day fortnight before he died he repeated to me our Church-Catechism, he told me that he now per∣ceived his God-fathers were dis engaged; for that since he himself did now understand what his Duty was, it would be required of him, and not of them for the fu∣ture. And let no man think, that when I use the term Dis-ingaged, it is to expresse the Child meaning with a fine

word; for he did not only make use of such phrases himself; but would frequently in his ordinary discourse come out with such expresions as one would have ad∣mired how he came by them; but upon en∣quiry, he would cer∣tainly have produced his authority, and ei∣ther in the Bible, or some other Booke shewed you the words so used. How divine∣ly did this pious Infant speake of his being weary of this trouble∣some

world (into which he was scarcely entred) and whilest he lay sick, of his desires to goe to Heaven; that the Angels might convey him into Abrahams bo∣some, passionately per∣swading those that tended him to dye with him; for he told them that he knew he should not live: And, really, though it were an Ague which carried him from us (a disease which I least apprehended find∣ing him so lively in his Intervals;) yet the day

before he tooke his leave of us, he call'd to me, and pronounced it very soberly; Father (sayes he) you have often told me that you would give me your house, and your Land, your Bookes and all your fine things; but I tell you, I shall have none of them, you wil leave them all to my Brother. This he spake without any provoca∣tion or passion, and it did somewhat trouble me, that I could not make him alter this

conceit which in Ano∣ther would be esteemed prophetick. But that I may conclude and shew how truely jealous this child was. Least he should offend God in the least scruple, that very morning, not many howers before he fell into that sleepe which was his last, be∣ing in the midst of his Paroxcisme, he called to me, and asked of me whether he should not offend, if in the extremity of his pain, he mentioned so often

the name of God, cal∣ing for ease; and whe∣ther God would accept his prayers if he did not hold his hands out of bed in the posture of praying? Which when I had pacified him a∣bout, he prayed, till his prayers were turned into eternal praises. Thus ended your Ne∣phew, being but five years, five monethes and three dayes old, and more I could stil say. Nam quem Corpore non valemus recordatione teneamus, et cum quo loqui non 〈◊〉〈◊〉

de eo loqui nunquam desi∣namus. But my tears mingle so fast with my Inke that I am forced to breake off here, and be silent—I end there∣fore with that blessed Saint, Munera tua tibi confiteor Domine Deus meus, Creator omnium, multum potens reformare nostra deformia: Nam ego in illo puero, praeter de∣lictum nihil habebam. Quod enim enutriebatur à nobis in disciplinâ tuâ. Tu in∣spiraveras nobis, nullus a∣lius. Munera tua tibi con∣fiteor —Cito de terra ab∣stulisti

vitam ejus, et se∣curior eum recordor. Deare Brothers, indulge me these excesses: It is not a new thing which I doe, St. Hierom wrote divers Epistles which he inscribed his Epitaphs; and never was a Paula or Estochium dearer to him, then this your Ne∣phew was to

Dear B. B.

Your Most Affectionate Bro∣ther, and most humble Servant I. E.

Grot. ad Patrem. Carere Liberi•• durum non est, nisi 〈◊〉〈◊〉 qui habuerunt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De Legib.
• * 1.2

  Conf. lib. 9. cap. ••.
• * 1.3

  Quid in illo virtu∣tum, quid ingenii, quid pietatis invenerim▪ vereor di∣cere ne fi∣dem credu∣litatis ••x∣cedam. Hi∣er. ad Mar∣cell. Epi∣taph.
• * 1.4

  Hi••rom
• * 1.5

  2 Tim. 3. 15.