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1    20. Let his bed be hard and rather quilts then feathers. Hard
2lodging strengthens the parts whereas being buried every night in
3feathers melts and dissolves the body and is often the cause of
4weakenesse and the forerunner of an early grave, and besides the
5stone which has commonly its rise from this warme wraping of the
6reins. Severall other indispositions and that which is the root of

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7them all a tender weakely constitution is very much oweing to
8downe beds. Besides he that is used to hard lodging at home will
9not misse his sleep (where he has most need of it) when he travells
10abroad for want of his soft bed and his pillars laid in order, and
11therefore I thinke it would not be amisse to make his bed after
12different fashons. Sometimes lay his head higher sometimes lower,
13that he may not feele every litle change he must be sure to meet
14with, who is not designed to lye alwayes in my young masters bed
15at home and to have his maid to lay all things in print and tuck him
16in warme. The great cordiall of nature is sleepe, he that misses it
17will suffer by it, and he is very unfortunate who can take his cordiall
18only in his mothers guilt cup and not in a wooden dish. He that can
19sleepe soundly takes the cordial and matters not whether it be on a soft
20bed or on the hard boards, tis sleepe only that is the thing necessary.
21    21. One thing more there is which has a great influence upon the
22health, and that is goeing to stoole regularly. People that are very
23loose have seldome strong thoughts or strong bodies, but the cure
24of this both by diet and medecine being much more easy then the
25contrary evill there needs not much to be said about it, for if loosnesse
26come to threaten either by its violence or duration it will
27soone enough and sometimes too soone make a phisitian be sent
28for, and if it be moderate and short it is commonly best to leave it
29to nature. On the other side costiveness has too its ill effects and is
30much harder to be dealt with by physique, purgeing medicines which
31seeme to give releife rather increasing then removeing the evill.
32    22. It haveing been an inconvenience that my owne natural constitution
33disposed me to, I would have been glad of a cure. Not findeing
34it in books I set my thoughts on worke beleiveing that greater changes
35then that might be made in our bodys if we tooke the right course
36and proceeded by rationall steps.

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37    23. 1. Then I considerd that goeing to stoole was the effect of certaine
38motions of the body espetially of the peristaltique motion of the guts.
39    24. 2. I considerd that several motions that were not perfectly
40voluntary might yet by use and constant application be brought to
41be habitual if by any unintermitted custome it were at certaine
42seasons endeavourd to be constantly produced.
43    25. 3. I had observed some men who by takeing after supper a
44pipe of tobacco never failed of a stoole and begun to doubt with
45myself whether it were not more custome then the tobacco that gave
46them that benefit of nature or at least if the tobacco did it it was
47rather by exciteing a vigorous motion in the guts then by any purging
48quality, for then it would have had other effects.
49    26. Haveing thus once got the opinion that it was possible to make
50it habituall, the next thing was to consider what way and meanes
51was the likeliest to obteine it.
52    27. 4. Then I guessd that if a man after his first eating in the
53morning would presently solicit nature and trye whether he could
54strain himself soe as to obteine a stoole, he might in time by a constant
55application bring it to be habituall. The reasons that made me
56choose this time was 1. because the stomach being then empty, if
57it received any thing gratefull to it (for I would never have any one
58eat but what he likes and when he has an appetite) it was apt to
59imbrace it close by a strong constriction of its fibres, which constriction
60
61    I was apt to thinke might probably be continued on in the
62guts and soe increase their peristaltique motion, as we see in the
63Ileus that an inverted motion being begun anywhere below continues
64itself all the whole length and makes even the stomach obey
65that irregular motion.
66    2. because when men eat they usualy relax their thoughts on the

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67Spirits then free from other imployments are more vigorously distributed
68in the lower belly, which thereby contribute to the same effect.
69    3. Because when ever men have leisure to eat they have leisure
70enough also to make soe much court to Madam Cloacina as would
71be necessary to our present purpose, but else in the variety of
72humane affairs and accidents it was impossible to affix it to any
73hower certain, whereby the custome would be interrupted, whereas
74men in health seldome failing to eat once a day, though the hower
75changed the custome might still be preservd.
76    28. Upon these grounds I proceeded to make an Experiment in
77myself and therefore constantly after my first eating which was
78seldome till dinner I went to the necessary house whether I found
79myself cald or noe and there endeavourd to put nature upon her
80duty. I cannot tell what success I had in the begining, it being
81now a long time since, but this I am sure that I got such an habit
82of goeing to stoole that I doe not now once in a month faile of it
83after my first eating, though sometimes the hower very much alters,
84unlesse it be by my own neglect, for whether I have any motion or
85noe if I goe to the place and doe my part, I am sure to have nature
86very obedient, and this I thinke any one else may doe that will at
87first but take constantly a litle pains with himself.
88    29. I would therefore advise you that this course should be taken
89with your Son. Every day presently after he has eaten his breakefast
90let him be set upon the stoole as if disburthening were in his power as
91much as filling his belly, and let not him nor his maid know anything
92to the contrary but that it is soe, and if he be forced to endeavour
93by being hinderd from his play or eating again till he has
94been effectually at stool or at least donne his utmost I doubt not but

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95in a litle while it will become habituall to him, for children that
96are usually intent on their play and very heedlesse of any thing else,
97often let passe these motions of nature when she calls on them but
98gently, which often not being repeated they doe by degrees bring
99themselves into an habituall costivenesse.
100    30. How far you will thinke this worth tryall in your owne health
101I cannot tell, this I am sure if you need it it may not be disadvantageous
102to you, and if any one goes to stoole once in 24 howers
103I thinke it enough.
104    31. This is all I have to trouble you with concerning his management
105in the ordinary course of his health. Perhaps it will be expected
106from me that I should give him some directions of physick to
107prevent diseases. For which I have only this one very sacredly to
108be observed, never to give children any physick for prevention.
109The rules I have already given will I suppose doe that better than
110all the Apothecarys shops and medicines in the County; have a great
111care of tampering that way, least instead of preventing you draw on
112diseases. Nor even upon every litle indisposition is physick to be
113given or the physitian to be cald, espetially if he be a busyman
114that will presently fill their windows with gally pots and their
115stomachs with drugs. It is safer to leave them wholy to nature then
116to put them into the hands of one forward to tamper or that thinkes
117children are to be curd in ordinary distempers by any thing but
118diet or by a method very litle distant from it, it seeming suitable
119both to my reason and experience that the tender constitutions of
120children should have as litle donne to them as is possible and as the
121absolute necessity of the case requires. A litle cold stild red popywater
122which is the true surfet water, with ease and abstinence from
123flesh, often puts an end to several distempers in the beginning which
124by too forward applications might have been made lusty diseases.

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125When such a gentle treatment will not prevent the growing mischeife
126but that it will turne into a formed disease, to which your children
127are as well liable as others, it will be time to seeke the advice of
128some sober discreet physitian. In this part I hope I shall finde easy
129beleive and noe body can have a pretence to doubt of a physitians
130advice when he counsells you not to be too forwards in makeing
131use of physick and physitians.
132    32. And thus I have donne with what concernes the body and
133health, which reduces itself to these few and easily observeable rules,
134plenty of open air and sleepe, plain diet, noe wine nor strong drinke,
135and very litle or noe physick, not too warme or strait clothing,
136espetially the head and feet kept cold and the feet often used to
137cold water and exposed to wet. Due care being had to keepe the
138body in strength and vigour, soe that it may be able to obey and
139execute the orders of the minde. The next and principall businesse
140is to set the minde right, that in all occasions it may be disposed to
141doe noething but what may be suitable to the dignity and exellency
142of a rationall creature.
143    33. If what I have said in the begining of this discourse be true
144as I doe not doubt but it is, viz. That the differences to be
145found in the manners and abilitys of men is oweing more to their
146Education then anything else, we have reason to conclude that great
147care is to be had of the formeing childrens mindes and giveing them
148that season early which shall influence their lives always after. For
149when they doe well or ill the praise or blame will be laid there. And
150when any thing is donne untowardly the common saying will passe
151upon them, That it is suitable to their breeding.
152    34. As the strength of the body lies chiefely in being able to

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153endure hardships, soe also does that of the minde. And the great
154principle and foundation of all vertue and worth is placed in this,
155That a man is able to deny himself his owne desires, crosse his owne
156inclinations, and purely follow what reason directs as best though
157the appetite leane the other way.
158    35. The great mistake I have observed in peoples breeding children
159has been that this has not been taken care enough of in its due
160season. That the minde has not been made obedient to rules and
161pliant to reason when at first it was most tender, most easy to be
162bowed. Parents being wisely ordend by nature to love their children
163are very apt, if reason watch not their natural affection very warily,
164are apt I say to let it run into fondnesse. They love their litle
165ones and tis their duty, but they often with them cherish their fault
166too. They must not be crossed forsooth, they must be permitted
167to have their wills in all things, and they being in their infancys not
168capeable of great views their parents thinke they may safely enough
169indulge their litle irregularitys and make themselves sport with that
170pretty perversnesse which they thinke well enough becomes that
171innocent age. But Solon very well replyd to a fond parent that
172would not have his child corrected for a perverse trik but excused
173it saying twas a small matter, ay said Solon but custome is a great one.
174    36. The fondling must be taught to stricke and call names, must
175have what he cryes for, and doe what he pleases. Thus parents by
176humoring and cockering them when litle corrupt the principles of
177nature in their children, and wonder afterwards to taste the bitter
178waters when they themselves have poisond the fountains. For when
179the children are grown up and these ill habits with them, when they
180are now too big to be dandled and their parents can noe longer
181make use of them as play things, then they complain that the brats
182are untoward, perverse, then they are offended to see them willfull,

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183and are troubled with these ill humors which they themselves inspired
184and cherishd in them, and then perhaps too late would be
185glad to get out those weeds which their own hands have planted and
186which now have taken too deep root to be easily extirpated. For he
187that has been used to have his will in every thing as long as he has
188been in coats, why should we thinke it strange that he should desire
189and contend for it still when he is in breetches. Indeed as he grows
190more towards a man, it shows his faults the more, soe that there be
191few parents then soe blinde as not to see them, soe insensible as not
192to feele the ill effects of their owne indulgence. He had the will
193of his maid before he could speake or goe, he had the mastery of
194his parents ever since he could prattle, and why now he is grown up,
195is stronger and wiser then he was then, why now of a suddain must
196he be restraind and curbd, why must he at 7, 14, or 20 yeares old
197loose the priviledg which the parents indulgence till then soe largely
198allowd him? Trye it in a Dog or an horse or any other creature,
199and see whether the ill and resty triks they have learnt when young
200are easily to be mended when they are knit, and yet none of these
201creatures are half soe willfull and proud, are half so desirous to be
202masters of themselves and others, as man.
203    37. We are generally wise enough to begin with them when they
204are very young and discipline betimes those other creatures we would
205make usefull to us. They are only our ofspring that we neglect in
206this point and haveing made them ill children we foolishly expect
207they should be good men. For if the child must have wine and
208sugar plumbs when he has a minde to it rather then make the poore
209baby cry or be out of humour, why when he is grown up must not
210he be satisfied too if his desires carry him to wine or women?
211They are objects as suitable to the longing of that age as what he
212cried for when litle was to the inclination of a child. The fault lies

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213not in haveing desires suitable to the apprehensions and appetites of
214these severall ages but in the not haveing them subject to the rules
215and restraints of reason. The difference lies not in the haveing or
216not haveing appetites but in the power to govern and deny our selves
217in them. And he that is not used to submit his will to the reason
218of others when he is young will scarce hearken or submit to his
219owne reason when he is of an age to make use of it. And what a
220kinde of man such a one is like to make is easy to forsee.
221    38. I looke upon it then that the principall of all vertue and
222Excellency lyies in a power of denying our selves the satisfaction of
223our own desires where reason does not authorize them. This power
224is to be got and improved by custome, made easy and familiar by
225an early practise. If therefore I might be heard I would advise that
226contrary to the ordinary way children should be used to submit
227their desires and goe without their longings even from their very
228cradles. From the time that they began to understand any thing they
229should be taught to know that they were not to have any thing
230because it pleased them, but because it was thought fit for them.
231If things suitable to their wants were supplied to them soe that they
232were never sufferd to have any thing because they cried for it, they
233would learne to be content without it, would never crye for mastery,
234nor never be half soe uneasy to themselves and others as they are
235because from the first begining they are not thus handled. If they
236were never sufferd to obteine any thing by the impatience they expresse
237for it, they would noe more crye for other things then they
238doe for the moon.
239    39. I say not this as if children were not to be indulged in any

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240thing, or that I expected they should in hanging sleeves have the
241reason and conduct of counsellors. I consider them as children that
242must be tenderly used, that must play and have play things. That
243which I meane is that when ever they desire any thing not fit for
244them to have or doe, they should not be permitted it because they
245were litle and desird it. Nay what they once craved, were importunate
246for, or once cried for, they should be sure for that very
247reason to be denyd. I have seen children at a Table who what ever
248was there never asked for any thing but contentedly tooke what was
249given them, and at another place I have seen others cry for every
250thing they saw, must be served out of every dish, and that first too.
251What made this vast difference but that one was accustomd to have
252what he cald or cried for, the other to goe without it. The younger
253they are, the lesse I say are there unruly and disorderly appetites
254to be complyd with, and the lesse reason they have of their owne,
255the more are they to be under the absolute power and restraint of
256those in whose hands they are. From which I confesse it will follow
257that none but discreet people should be about them. If the world
258commonly does otherwise I cannot help that, I am telling you what
259I thinke should be, which if it were already in fashon I thinke
260I need not trouble you with such a discourse as this. And I beleive
261when you have considerd of it you will be of opinion with me that
262the sooner this way is begun with children the easier it will be for
263them and their governours too. And that this ought to be observd
264as an inviolable maxime that what ever once is denied them they are
265certainly not to obteine by crying or importunity unlesse one has
266a minde to teach them to be impatient importunate and troublesome
267by rewarding them when they are soe.
268    40. I advise you therefore if you intend ever to governe your son
269to begin it now. Let the rules you prescribe him and what you say

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270be inviolably observed. If you will have him have the obedience of
271a son hereafter doe you be sure to keep and shew the authority of
272a father now, if you would have him stand in awe of you imprint
273it presently, and as he approaches more to a man admit him nearer
274to your familiarity, so shall you have him your obedient subject (as
275is fit) whilst he is a child, and your affectionate freind when he is
276a man. For methinkes they misplace mightily the treatment due to
277their children who are indulgent and familiar when they are litle,
278but severe to them and keep a distance when they are grown up.
279For liberty and indulgence can doe noe good to children, their want
280of judgment makes them stand in need of restraint and discipline,
281and on the contrary imperiousnesse and severity is but an ill way
282of treating of men who have reason of their owne to guide them,
283unlesse you have a minde to make your children when grown up
284weary of you and secretly to say dayly within themselves, when
285will you die, father.
286    41. I imagin every one will judg it reasonable that their children
287when litle should looke upon their parents as their Lords, their
288absolute Governors, and as such stand in awe of them. And that
289when they are grown up they should looke on them as their best
290and their only sure freinds, and as such love and reverence them.
291The way I have mentiond, if I mistake not, is the only one to
292obteine this, we must looke upon our children when grown up to be
293like to our selves, with the same passions, the same desires. We would
294be thought rational creatures and have our freedome, we love not to
295be uneasy under the constant rebukes and browbeatings, the severe
296humors and great distance of those we converse with. Who ever is
297soe when he is a man will looke out other Company, other freinds,
298other conversation, with whom he can be at ease. If therefore a
299strict hand be kept over children from the begining they will in

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300that age be tractable and quietly submit to it, as never haveing known
301any other, and if as they grow up to the use of reason the rigor of
302government be as they deserve it gently relaxed, the fathers brow be
303more smoothed to them, and the distance by degrees abated, his
304former restraints will increase their love when they finde it was only
305a kindenesse to them and a care to make them capable to deserve the
306favour of their parents and the esteeme of everybody else.
307    42. Thus much for the method of your discipline in generall. If
308you thinke a strict hand at all is to be held upon children I thinke
309it should be most soe when they are youngest, from the time they
310are capable of understanding any thing. Feare and awe ought to
311give you the first power over their mindes, and Love and Freindship
312in riper years to hold it. For the time must come when they
313will be past the rod and correction, and then if the Love of you make
314them not obedient and dutifull, if the Love of vertue and reputation
315keepe them not in laudible courses, I aske what hold will you have
316then upon them to turne them to it. Indeed feare of haveing a scanty
317portion if they displease you may make them slaves to your estate,
318but they will never the lesse be ill and wiked in private, and
319that restraint will not last always. Every man must some time or
320other be trusted to himself and his own conduct, and he that is a
321good, a vertuous, an able man must be made soe within, and therefore
322what he is to receive from Education, what is to sway and influence
323his life, must be something put into him betimes, habits woven into
324the very principles of his nature, and not a counterfeit carriage and
325dissembled outside put on by feare only to avoid the present anger
326of a father who perhaps may disinherit him.
327    43. This being laid downe in general as the method ought to be
328taken, tis fit we now come to particulars. I have spoke soe much of
329carrying a strict hand over children that perhaps I shall be suspected

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330of not considering enough what is due to their tender ages and
331constitutions, but that opinion will vanish when you have heard me
332a litle further. For I am very apt to thinke that great severity of
333punishment does but very litle good, nay great harme, in Education,
334and I beleive it will be found that caetris paribus those children who
335have been most chastised seldome make the best men. All that I have
336hitherto contended for is that whatsoever rigor is necessary it is
337more to be used the younger children are, and haveing by a due
338application wrought its due effect is to be relaxd and changed into
339a milder sort of government. The first thing parents are to doe is
340to get an awe upon the mindes of their children and then by that and
341not by blowes to bring them to submit their will perfectly to theirs.
342    44. First then I would have children very seldome beaten. Tis
343to make slaves and not vertuous men to use them to be governd by
344the feare of the scourge, and to know noe other motive of their
345actions, noe other rule of right and wrong but the cudgle. Two
346faults and only two there be that I would have them whipd for to
347give them the greater abhorrence of them, and that is Lyeing and
348obstinacy or rebellion, and in these two I would have it orderd soe
349that the shame of the whiping and not the pain should be the greatest
350part of the punishment. Shame of doeing amisse and deserving
351chastisement is the only true restraint belonging to vertue, the smart
352of a rod if shame accompanies it not soon weares out, and will
353quickly by use loose its terror, and I have known the children of
354a person of quality kept in awe by the feare of haveing their shoes
355puld off, as much as others by apprehensions of a rod hangeing over

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356them, and some such punishment I thinke better then beating, for
357tis shame of the fault and the disgrace that attends it that they should
358stand in feare of, rather then paine, if you would have them have
359a temper truely ingenuous.
360    45. A lie is so ill a quality and the mother of soe many ill ones
361that spawn from it and take shelter under it that I would have a child
362be bread up in the greatest abhorrence and detestation of it imaginable.
363It should be deeply imprinted on his minde that it is soe base
364a thing, soe great a fault, that it is against all custome and practise,
365against common sense to pardon it in a gent(leman), and therefor
366it being a fault that none but tinkers and coblers, rogues and beggerboys
367commit, he is not ever to expect impunity if he be ever guilty
368of it.
369    46. Another thing that will require punishment is stubbornesse
370and an obstinate disobedience. Whatever particular action you bid
371him at present doe or forbeare you must be sure to see yourself
372obeyd. Noe quarter in this case, noe resistance, for when it once
373come to be a triall of skill and contest for mastery (as if you command
374and he refuses it is) between you you must be sure to carry it
375whatever blows it cost, if a nod or words will not prevaile; unlesse
376for ever after you intend to live in obedience to your son. But here
377lies the difference between these two faults and the ways of reforming
378them. A lie unlesse it be very grosse you need not always seeme to
379take notice of, and soe trye to give him an abhorrence of it by
380gentler ways, but obstinancy being an open defiance you cannot overlooke,
381and since the occasions of punishment, espetially beating,
382are as much to be avoided as may be, I would not have it often
383brought to this point. If the awe I spoke of be once got, a looke
384will be sufficient in most cases, nor indeed should the same carriage
385be expected from young children as from those of riper years. They

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386must be permitted the foolish and childish actions suitable to their
387ages without takeing notice of them. I thinke the severity I spoke
388of is not to extend itself to such an unseasonable restraint. Keep
389them from vice and vicious dispositions and such a kinde of behaviour
390in generall will come with every degree of their age as is suitable
391to that age and the company they ordinarily converse with. But
392that your words may always carry weight and authority with them,
393if it shall happen upon any occasion that you bid him leave off the
394doeing of any even childish thing you must be sure to carry the
395point and not let him have the mastery. But yet I say I would have
396the father seldome interpose his authority and command in these cases.
397I thinke there are better ways of prevailing with them, and a
398gentle perswasion and reasoning (when the first point of submission
399to your will is got) will most times doe much better. You will perhaps
400wonder to finde me mention reasoning with children, and yet
401I cannot but thinke that the true way of dealing with them. They
402understand it as early as they doe language, and if I misobserve not
403they love to be treated as rational creatures sooner then is imagind.
404Tis a pride should be cherishd in them and, as much as can be,
405made the great instrument to traine them by.
406    47. It may be doubted concerning whiping, when as the last
407remedy it comes to be necessary, at what time and by whom it
408should be donne, whether presently upon the commiting of the fault
409whilst it is yet fresh and hot, and whether the parents themselves
410should beat their children. As to the first I thinke it should not be
411donne presently, least passion mingle with it, and soe though it
412exceed the just proportion yet it loose the authority, for even children
413discerne when we doe things in passion, but as I said before
414that has most weight with them that appeares sedately to come from
415their parents reason, and they are not without this destinction. Next

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416if you have any discreet servant capable of it and has the place of
417governing your childe I thinke it is best the smart should come
418more immediately from another hand though by the parents order,
419who should see it donne, whereby the parents authority will be
420preservd and the childs aversion for the pain it suffers be rather
421turned on the person that immediately inflicts it. For I would have
422a father seldome stricke his childe but upon very urgent necessity
423and as the last remedy, and then perhaps it will be fit to doe it soe
424that the childe should not quickly forget it. But as I said before
425beating is the worst and therefore the last meanes to be used in the
426correction of children, and therefore never but in cases of extremitys
427and that very very seldome.