Positions

by Richard Mulcaster

Such of the auncient writers, both Greek and Latin, as either picture vs out the platfourmes of the best framed common weales: or do lend vs the looking on of some such a paragon as in some particular kinde, they deuise to be peerelesse, before they call it in question, when their youth shall begin to learne, they do fetch the ground of their traine exceeding farre of. As, what regard is to be had to the infante, while he is yet vnder his nurse. Where they moile themselues sore, with the maners and conditions of the nurse, with the fines or rudenes of her speeche: with the comelynes of her person and fauour of her face. And in controuersie about milkes, sometime they preferre the mother, if her health, her complexion, her kinde of life, will best fit for her owne: sometime they yeeld: but with great choice to the forreine nurse: if any iust circunstance do discharge the mother, whom nature vnletted seemes to charge most. Againe they examine what companie is to be choosen for him, when he doth begin first to crepe abroad, wherby that good may begin betimes, which must continew longe, and is greatly furthered by choice of companie, that pikked and choice play fellowes may succede after a fine and well fitted nursery. Againe, they debate in good sadnes, what an exquisite traine is to be deuised for him, when he is to go to schoole, either priuate, or publike, though they still preferre the publike as most beseeming him, which must liue among many and neuer be recluse. And such other considerations they fall into, which do well beseeme the bringing vp of such a one, as they did but wishe for: and we may not hope for: but by no meanes can be applyed to our youth, and our education, wherin we wishe for no more, then we hope for to haue. Nay they go further, as whether may not wishers? and appoint the parentes of this so perfect a child, to be so wise and so well learned, as is in verie deede most consonant with their platte, but to farre surmonting the modele of my positions. Wherfore leauing those meanes, which they do but deuise, to bring vp those people, which they do but patterne, I meane to proceede from such principles, as our parentes do build on, and as our children do rise by, to that mediocritie, which furnisheth out this world, and not to that excellencie, which is fashioned for an other. And yet the pretence of these so fine pictures, by pointing out so absolute a president, is, to let vs behold thereby, both wherin the best consisteth: what colours it is best knowen by: what a state it keepeth: and also by what ready meane, we may best approache neare it, bycause dispaire to obtaine the verie best it selfe, discourageth all hope. For that missinge any one of these so fined circunstances, as our frailtie will faile either in all, or in most, then we marre the whole moulde. Howbeit we are much bounde to the excellent wittes of those diuine writers, who by their singular knowledge, approaching neare to the truest, and best, could most truly, and best discern, what constitution they were of: and being of a good ciuill inclination, thought it their parte, to communicate that with their posteritie, which they from so nighe, had so narrowly decifred, as auailable to others, for this onely cause, if there ensewed no more of it, that in despaire of hitting the highest, yet by seeing where it lodged, with verie great praise, they might draw neare vnto it. For as it is but for paragons to mount quite aboue all, so is it worthy praise to rest in some degree, which declareth a pearcher, though abilitie restraine will, that it cannot aspire whervnto it would.

But to returne from this so exquisite, to our ordinarie traine, I perswade my selfe, that all my countreymen wishe themselues as wise, and as well learned, as those absolute parentes are surmised to be, though they be content with so much of both, or rather with so litle, as God doth allot them: and that they will haue their children nursed as well as they can, without question where, or quarrelling by whom: so as they may haue that well brought vp by nurture, which they loue so well, bequeathed them by nature. And that till the infant can gouerne himselfe, they will seeke to saue it from all such perilles, as may seeme to harme it any kinde of way, or by companie or by occasion: and that with such warinesse, as ordinarie circunspection may, or can worke, in considerate and careful parentes. And finally that for his well schooling, they that cannot, will wish it, they that can, will haue it, with small charge if they may, if they may not with some coste, and very carefully commend the silly poore boy at his first entry, to his maisters charge, not omitting euen how much his mother makes of him, if she come not her selfe and do her owne commendacions. So that for these antecedents, as they in precisenes do passe vs, so we in possibility go farre beyond them. For our hope is at ankar, and rides in assuraunce, their wishe wandereth still, not like to win the rode. These and such like circunstances they handle formally as in an absolute picture, I tuche but by the waye, as being quite of an other perswasion, nothing giuen to the vnpossible, where possibilitie must take place, though the vnpossible Idea, offer great force to fancie. Wherfore I will now take my leaue of them, and retourne to my question, when children be to be set to learning. A thing in reason very worthy to be wayed, and in perfourmaunce, very like to proue good, both for health of the bodie, and helpe of the minde, and so much the rather to be well entreated, by cause it is the very first principle, which enterteneth our traine. My countrey parentes then, being so naturall to their children, both for care before schoole, and for choice in schooling, I will commend to their charge, all that which is to be considered in their first infancie, and tendrest spring, before they be thought fit, to be set to learning, which they will diligently looke to, I am very well assured. Bycause euery thing drawes liking, while it is pretie and young, and specially our owne which hath nature to sollicite, and needeth no exhorting, to haue it well cherished, where there is no daunger, but in to much dalying, neither yet any feare, but in to fond cokkering.

Lettes.

But in very good earnest, when shall our boye be set to schoole? In all considerations, wherin vpon the resolution, something must be executed, and done, this thing is necessarily to be first enquired, whether all, or most, or any of all the circunstances, which be incident to the execution, be in, or without the parties power, which is to execute, so as he may either proceede at his owne libertie, if nothing withstand him, or may not proceede, if he be thwarted by circunstance. For otherwise the liberty to passe on, or the restraint, to staie, being not agreed vpon, he that directs by rule may be chekt by arrest. And where he biddes on thus, circunstance maye replie, Ifayth sir no. Wherfore I leaue those parentes to their owne discretion, in whom will seekes libertie, to do as she would, and circunstance commandes her, to do as she may. The parent would haue his child begin to learne at such a time: circunstance sayes, no. He would haue him learne with such a man: some cause contrarieth. In such a place, in such a sorte: his power is to poore, to compasse that he coueteth. Be not all these lettes, and what so euer is so laid, to stop will of his will, where neither counsell can giue precept, nor the parent can execute, being so strongly ouercharged? It is euen like, as if one should saye, the freeman and the bond, be not both in one case. Preceptes be for freemen, which maie do as ye bid them, but circunstance bindes, and wilbe obeyed. Wherfore I must once for all, warne those parentes, which may not do as they would, vpon these same lettes which I haue recited, or any other like, that they take their oportunitie, when so euer it is offered, bycause occasion is verie bald behinde, and seldome comes the better. And seeing circunstance is their bridle, when they feele the raine loose, course it on a maine, and take the benefit of time, the oportunitie of place, the commoditie of the teacher, the equitie of the maner, and what so euer condition else, wherin the freedom of circunstance doth seeme to befreind them. For sauing with such a note as this is, I cannot direct them, which can giue no counsell, but where necessitie is in ward and libertie keepes the keyes.

Libertie.

But if the parent want nothing necessary, for his childes bringing vp, neither a place, both conuenient for receit, and commodious for distaunce, wherin to haue him taught: nor a teacher, sufficient for cunning, and considerate, for either curtesie, or correction, who can traine him vp well: nor fit companions, as so fit a place, and so good a maister may picke out of choice, which will throng vnto him: And if the child also himselfe, haue a witte apte to conceiue, what shalbe put vnto him: and a body able to beare the trauell, which belonges vnto learning: me thinke it were then best, that he began to be doing, when he maie well perceiue, without trauelling his braine, thorough the hardnes of the thing, and neede not be toiled to the wearines of his bodie, thorough the wise handling of his aduised maister. For being in the schoole, he may do somwhat very well, though not very much, wheras roming about, he might hap to do ill, and that very much.

Variety of wittes.

At what yeares I cannot say, bycause ripenes in children, is not tyed to one time, no more then all corne is ripe for one reaping, though mostwhat about one. Some be hastinges and will on, some be hardinges, and drawe backe: some be willing when their parentes will: some but willing, when they will them selues, as either will to do well, vpon cherishing wisely, or pleasure to play still, vpon cokkering fondly, hath possessed their mindes.

But he that deserueth to be a parent, must dispose himselfe to be also a iudge, in all these cases: and who is so ill freinded, as he hath not one, with whom to conferre, to learne by aduise, the towardnes and time of his young sonnes schooling, if he be not able to looke into it himselfe? They that limitte the beginning to learne by some certaine yeares, haue an eye to that knowledge, which it were pitie were loste, say they, and may easely be gayned in those young yeares. I agree with them, that it were great pitie, to lease anything, that neede not be loste, without great negligence, and may be well gotten, with very small diligence, not endammaging the child. But more pitie it were, for so petie a gaine, to forgoe a greater, to winne an houre in the morning, and lease the whole daie after: as those people most commonly do, which starte out of their beds to early, before they be well awaked: or knowe what it is a clocke: and be drousie when they are vp, for want of their sleepe.

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.