dows with gally pots, and their ftomachs with drugs. It is fafer to leave them whol ly to nature, than to put 'em into the hands of one forward to tamper, or that thinks children are to be cured in ordinary distempers, by any thing but diet, or by a method very little diftant from it: It feeming fuitable both to my reafon and experience, that the tender conftitutions of children fhould have as little done to them as is poffible, and as the abfolute neceffity of the cafe requires. A little cold filled red poppy-water, which is the true furfeit-water, with cafe, and abftinence from flesh, often puts an end to several diftem. pers in the beginning, which, by too forward applications, might have been made lufty difeafes. When fuch a gentle treatment will not stop the growing mischief, nor hinder it from turning it into a formed disease, it will be time to feek the advice of fome fober and discreet phyfician. In this part, I hope, I shall find an eafy belief; and no body can have a pretence to doubt the advice of one who has spent fometime in the ftudy of phyfick, when he counfels you not to be too forward in making use of phyfick and phyficians.

§ 30. And thus I have done with what concerns the body and health, which reduces itself to these few and easy observable rules. plenty of open air, exercise, and fleep, plain diet, no wine or strong drink, and very lit

tle

tle or no phyfick, not too warm and ftrait clothing, especially the head and feet kept cold, and the feet often used to cold water, and expofed to wet.

S 31. Due care being had to keep the body in ftrength and vigour, fo that it may be able to obey and execute the orders of MIND. the mind; the next and principal

bufinefs is, to fet the mind right, that on all occafions it may be difpofed to con. fent to nothing but what may be fuitable to the dignity and excellency of a rational creature.

32. If what I have faid in the beginning of this difcourfe be true, as I do not doubt but it is, viz. That the difference to be found in the manners and abilities of men is owing more to their education, than to any thing elfe, we have reafon to conclude, that great care is to be had of the forming children's minds, and giving them that feafoning early, which fhall influence their lives always after: For when they do well or ill, the praise and blame will be laid there; and when any thing is done aukwardly, the common faying will pass upon them, that 'tis fuitable to their breeding.

$33. As the ftrength of the body lies chiefly in being able to endure hardships, fo alfo does that of the mind. And the great principle and foundation of all virtue and worth is placed in this, that a man is able to deny himself his own defires, crofs his own inclinati

ons

ons,

and purely follow what reafon directs as beft, though the appetite lean the other way.

34. The great mistake I have

Early.

obferved in people's breeding their children has been, that this has not been taken care enough of in its due season; that the mind has not been made obedient to discipline and pliant to reafon, when at first it was most tender, moft eafy to be bowed. Parents being wifely ordained by nature to love their children, are very apt, if reason watch not that natural affection very warily, are apt, I fay, to let it run into fondness. They love their little ones, and 'tis their duty; but they often, with them, cherish their faults too. They must not be croffed, forfooth; they must be permitted to have their wills in all things; and they being in their infancies not capable of great vices, their parents think they may fafe enough indulge their ir regularities, and make themfelves fport with that pretty perverfeness which they think well enough becomes that innocent age. But to a fond parent that would not have his child corrected for a preverse trick, but excufed it, faying it was a finall matter, Solon very well replied, Ay, but custom is a great one.

$ 35. The fondling must be taught to strike and call names, muft have what he calls for, and do what he pleafes. Thus parents, by humouring and cockering them when little, corrupt

corrupt the principles of nature in their chil dren, and wonder afterwards to tafte the bitter waters, when they themfelves have poifoned the fountain. For when their chil dren are grown up, and thefe ill habits with them; when they are now too big to be dan dled, and their parents can no longer make ufe of them as play-things, then they complain that the brats are untoward and perverfe ; then they are offended to fee them wilful, and are troubled with thofe ill humours which they themselves infused and fomented in them; and then perhaps too late, would be glad to get out thofe weeds which their own hands. have planted, and which now have taken too deep root to be easily extirpated. For he that hath been used to have his will in every thing, as long as he was in coats, why should we think it strange, that he should defire it, and contend for it ftill, when he is in breeches? Indeed, as he grows more towards a man, age fhews his faults the more; fo that there be few parents then fo blind as not to fee them, few fo infenfible as not to feel the ill. effects of their own indulgence. He had the will of his maid before he could fpeak or go; he had the mastery of his parents ever fince he could prattle; and why, now he is grown up, is ftronger and wiser than he was then, why now of a fudden muft he be restrained and curbed? Why muft he at seven, fourteen, or twenty

twenty years old, lofe the privilege, which the parent's indulgence till then fo largely allowed him? Try it in a dog or an horse, or any other creature, and fee whether the ill and ref ty tricks they have learned when young, are eafily to be mended when they are knit; and yet none of thofe creatures are half fo wilful and proud, or half fo defirous to be mafters of themselves and others as man.

$ 36. We are generally wife enough to be. gin with them when they are very young, and difcipline betimes thofe other creatures we would make useful and good for fomewhat. They are only our own offspring that we neglect in this point; and having made them ill children, we foolishly expect they should be good men. For if the child must have grapes or fugar-plumbs when he has a mind to them, rather than make the poor baby cry, or be out of humour; why, when he is grown up, must he not be satisfied too, if his defires carry him to wine or women? They are objects as fuitable to the longing of one of more years, as what he cried for, when little, was to the inclinations of a child. The having defires accommodated to the apprehenfi ons and relish of those several ages is not the fault, but the not having them fubject to the rules and reftraints of reafon: the diffe rence lies not in having or not having appetites, but in the power to govern, and deny ourselves