The reformed school by John Dury.

Of the Ordinary degrees of Childrens naturall Capacities.

Till a Childs tongue be untyed and con∣firmed in some measure to speak and imitate ••he ordinary Sounds of speech; he is to be ••ounted an infant. and this ordinarily is not ••ll Children be four or five yeeres old: ••et, before this time their Senses are awake, ••heir Imagination is not idle; and therefore ••ught to be exercised with some Objects fitt ••r the framing of their Memory towards ••ture preparatives of Learning.

From the time of Infancy, till the age of ••entie; there are three different degrees of ••apacities, which ordinarily shew themselves

in three periods of yeeres; from foure or five, till eight or nine, is the first, from eight or nine, till thirteen or fourteen, is the second▪ and from thirteen or fourteen, till ninetee•• or twenty, is the third period of Capacity.

In the first of these periods, the Capacity of Children is none other but Sense and Ima∣gination, with the beginnings of Memory.

In the second, it is Imagination and Me••mory with the beginnings of Reasoning, an•• now we count him past Childhood, and be∣comes a youth.

In the third, he is Capable of all the Acts 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Reasoning, and of the Principles of Judge••ment and Prudencie; wherby he ought t•• order himself in all things aright toward God and Man. And when a Schollar 〈◊〉〈◊〉 brought thus farre, he is not to be under Tu∣tors any longer: and till he be brought th•••• farre, he is not safe, without some Tutori•••• and Discipline.