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to furnish it to his pupil。 And who can doubt but that this way of
teaching is much more easy and natural than that of Gaza；＇Theodore
Gaza； rector of the Academy of Ferrara。＇ in which the precepts are so
intricate； and so harsh； and the words so vain； lean； and insignificant；
that there is no hold to be taken of them； nothing that quickens and
elevates the wit and fancy； whereas here the mind has what to feed upon
and to digest。 This fruit； therefore； is not only without comparison；
much more fair and beautiful； but will also be much more early ripe。
'Tis a thousand pities that matters should be at such a pass in this age
of ours； that philosophy； even with men of understanding； should be；
looked upon as a vain and fantastic name； a thing of no use； no value；
either in opinion or effect； of which I think those ergotisms and petty
sophistries； by prepossessing the avenues to it； are the cause。 And
people are much to blame to represent it to children for a thing of so
difficult access； and with such a frowning； grim； and formidable aspect。
Who is it that has disguised it thus； with this false； pale； and ghostly
countenance？ There is nothing more airy； more gay； more frolic； and I
had like to have said； more wanton。 She preaches nothing but feasting
and jollity； a melancholic anxious look shows that she does not inhabit
there。 Demetrius the grammarian finding in the temple of Delphos a knot
of philosophers set chatting together； said to them；＇Plutarch； Treatise
on Oracles which have ceased＇ 〃Either I am much deceived； or by your
cheerful and pleasant countenances； you are engaged in no； very deep
discourse。〃 To which one of them； Heracleon the Megarean； replied：
〃Tis for such as are puzzled about inquiring whether the future tense of
the verb is spelt with a double A； or that hunt after the
derivation of the comparatives … and …； and the superlatives
and ； to knit their brows whilst discoursing of their science： but
as to philosophical discourses； they always divert and cheer up those
that entertain them； and never deject them or make them sad。〃
〃Deprendas animi tormenta latentis in aegro
Corpore； deprendas et gaudia； sumit utrumque
Inde habitum facies。〃
＇〃You may discern the torments of mind lurking in a sick body； you
may discern its joys： either expression the face assumes from the
mind。〃Juvenal； ix。 18＇
The soul that lodges philosophy； ought to be of such a constitution of
health； as to render the body in like manner healthful too； she ought to
make her tranquillity and satisfaction shine so as to appear without； and
her contentment ought to fashion the outward behaviour to her own mould；
and consequently to fortify it with a graceful confidence； an active and
joyous carriage； and a serene and contented countenance。 The most
manifest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness； her state is like
that of things in the regions above the moon； always clear and serene。
'Tis Baroco and Baralipton ＇Two terms of the ancient scholastic
logic。＇ that render their disciples so dirty and ill…favoured； and not
she； they do not so much as know her but by hearsay。 What！ It is she
that calms and appeases the storms and tempests of the soul； and who
teaches famine and fevers to laugh and sing； and that； not by certain
imaginary epicycles； but by natural and manifest reasons。 She has virtue
for her end； which is not； as the schoolmen say； situate upon the summit
of a perpendicular； rugged； inaccessible precipice： such as have
approached her find her； quite on the contrary； to be seated in a fair；
fruitful； and flourishing plain； whence she easily discovers all things
below； to which place any one may； however； arrive； if he know but the
way； through shady； green； and sweetly…flourishing avenues； by a
pleasant； easy； and smooth descent； like that of the celestial vault。
'Tis for not having frequented this supreme； this beautiful； triumphant；
and amiable； this equally delicious and courageous virtue； this so
professed and implacable enemy to anxiety； sorrow； fear； and constraint；
who； having nature for her guide； has fortune and pleasure for her
companions； that they have gone； according to their own weak imagination；
and created this ridiculous； this sorrowful； querulous； despiteful；
threatening； terrible image of it to themselves and others； and placed it
upon a rock apart； amongst thorns and brambles； and made of it a
hobgoblin to affright people。
But the governor that I would have； that is such a one as knows it to be
his duty to possess his pupil with as much or more affection than
reverence to virtue； will be able to inform him； that the poets have
evermore accommodated themselves to the public humour； and make him
sensible； that the gods have planted more toil and sweat in the avenues
of the cabinets of Venus than in those of Minerva。 And when he shall
once find him begin to apprehend； and shall represent to him a Bradamante
or an Angelica ＇Heroines of Ariosto。＇ for a mistress； a natural；
active； generous； and not a viragoish； but a manly beauty； in comparison
of a soft； delicate； artificial simpering； and affected form； the one in
the habit of a heroic youth； wearing a glittering helmet； the other
tricked up in curls and ribbons like a wanton minx； he will then look
upon his own affection as brave and masculine； when he shall choose quite
contrary to that effeminate shepherd of Phrygia。
Such a tutor will make a pupil digest this new lesson； that the height
and value of true virtue consists in the facility； utility； and pleasure
of its exercise； so far from difficulty； that boys； as well as men； and
the innocent as well as the subtle； may make it their own； it is by
order； and not by force； that it is to be acquired。 Socrates； her first
minion； is so averse to all manner of violence； as totally to throw it
aside； to slip into the more natural facility of her own progress； 'tis
the nursing mother of all human pleasures； who in rendering them just；
renders them also pure and permanent； in moderating them； keeps them in
breath and appetite； in interdicting those which she herself refuses；
whets our desire to those that she allows； and； like a kind and liberal
mother； abundantly allows all that nature requires； even to satiety； if
not to lassitude： unless we mean to say that the regimen which stops the
toper before he has drunk himself drunk； the glutton before he has eaten
to a surfeit； and the lecher before he has got the pox； is an enemy to
pleasure。 If the ordinary fortune fail； she does without it； and forms
another； wholly her own； not so fickle and unsteady as the other。 She
can be rich； be potent and wise； and knows how to lie upon soft perfumed
beds： she loves life； beauty； glory； and health； but her proper and
peculiar office is to know how to regulate the use of all these good
things； and how to lose them without concern： an office much more noble
than troublesome； and without which the whole course of life is
unnatural； turbulent； and deformed； and there it is indeed； that men may
justly represent those monsters upon rocks and precipices。
If this pupil shall happen to be of so contrary a disposition； that he
had rather hear a tale of a tub than the true narrative of some noble
expedition or some wise and learned discourse； who at the beat of drum；
that excites the youthful ardour of his companions； leaves that to follow
another that calls to a morris or the bears； who would not wish； and find
it more delightful and more excellent； to return all dust and sweat
victorious from a battle； than from tennis or from a ball； with the prize
of those exercises； I see no other remedy； but that he be bound prentice
in some good town to learn to make minced pies； though he were the son of
a duke； according to Plato's precept； that children are to be placed out
and disposed of； not according to the wealth； qualities； or condition of
the father； but according to the faculties and the capacity of their own
souls。
Since philosophy is that which instructs us to live； and that infancy has
there its lessons as well as other ages； why is it not communicated to
children betimes？
〃Udum et molle lutum est； nunc； nunc properandus； et acri
Fingendus sine fine rota。〃
＇〃The clay is moist and soft： now； now make haste； and form the
pitcher on the rapid wheel。'Persius； iii。 23。＇
They begin to teach us to live when we have almost done living。
A hundred students have got the pox before they have come to read
Aristotle's lecture on temperance。 Cicero said； that though he should
live two men's ages； he should never find leisure to study the lyric
poets； and I find these sophisters yet more deplorably unprofitable。
The boy we would breed has a great deal less time to spare； he owes but
the first fifteen or sixteen years of his life to education； the
remainder is due to action。 Let us； therefore； employ that short time in
necessary instruction。 Away with the thorny subtleties of dialectics；
they are abuses； things by which our lives can never be amended： take the
plain philosophical discourses； learn how rightly to choo