The Complete Mother, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Wherein are ſhewed the Miſchiefs which may be propagated from Mercenary Nurſes to the Minds of Children.
§ 1. HAving in the former Chapter ſhewed what Harm a Child may receive in its Body by an hired Nurſe, I come in this to repreſent the Ill Influences ſuch an one may have on the Mind of her Nurſery. And this (Ladies) will deſerve your more Serious Conſideration, by how much the Soul of your Child is better than its Body; eſpecially ſince by the Improvements or Mis-improvements of the Mind, Perſons of Quality become extraordinary Uſeful or Pernicious. Remernber it's not a Plow-man, but a Nobleman or a Gentleman, that may be ſpoiled, and that two ways, Either by the Diminution of the Childs Parts, or the Depravation of his Diſpoſition or his Manners.
§ 2. Firſt, The Nouriſhment received from the Breaſts of a Mercenary Nurſe, may debaſe the Spirit, and diminiſh the Parts of a Child. The Faculties of the Humane Soul in their Operations, depend very much upon the Diſpoſition of the Body in its united State. If then the Temper of the Body may be altered by Diet, the Operations of the Mind may thereby be improved or impaired. Be the Hand never ſo Skillful, the Muſick will not be equally Melodious, when it ſtrikes on a bad, as on a good Inſtrument. David himſelf, ſaith one, could not have charmed Saul's Melancholly Spirit with the Strings of his Bow,Biſhop Taylour's Grand Example. p. 22. or the Wood of his Spear, as he did with his Harp. If the Soul of a Nightingal were in the Body of an Owl, its Harmonious Warbling would be changed into hideous Screaking; Or if the Humane Soul ſhould, according to the Fancy of Apuleius, be lodged in the Body of an Aſs, it would not be able to ſpeak or argue rationally, as it doth in the Body of a Philoſopher, being condemned to an Inſtrument not tuned for ſuch noble Harmony. Now whatever Temperament of Body a Child hath received from the Mother, if it be depraved by the Nurſe, that Alteration may deprave its Parts, and hugely impair the Operations of its Mind. And when a Sucking Child draws its Nouriſhment longer from the Body of a ſtupid Nurſe, than it did, whilſt an Embrio, from the Subſtance of an ingenious Mother, there is great reaſon to fear, leaſt that have a greater Influence in forming its Conſtitution than this; eſpecially happening whilſt it is Young and Tender, and very ſuſceptible of new Impreſſions.
§ 3.Cauſ. Holy Court. l. 1. § 8. p. 29. Cauſin tells us, That in the Hiſtory of Germany there is a Story of a Child taken in a Forreſt, and preſented to the Landtgrave of Heſſe, which having been bred among Wolves, learn'd to go on four feet, to Hunt, divide the Prey, and ſleep with them, and was in every thing, but his ſhape, become a perfect Wolf. And may not Ferity and Stupidity be derived from the Breaſts of Brutiſh Women, as well as from Wolves, which if any look upon the preceding Relation as a Fable rather than an Hiſtory, may paſs for the Moral of it.
§ 4. I acknowledge the great Parts and brave Souls of many young Gentlemen, who have run an Hazard in drawing their firſt Nouriſhment from ſtrange Nurſes. But it may be theſe fell into the hands of ſome, whoſe Parts and Spirits were above their Fortune: Or perhaps though their Parts be great, yet they might have been more Conſiderable, had they enjoyed the ſame Advantages at the Breaſt as in the Womb. And any Diminution of their Parts, as well as the total loſs of them, is to be deplored; and whatever hath any probable Tendency thereto avoided. Beſides there are ſome Inſtances of Children in great Families falling infinitely ſhort of their Parents Ingenuity, and every Mother may reaſonably fear, leaſt hers prove another of them, if ſhe venture on this Method for their Education, which in frequent Inſtances proves Pernicious. It is reported of Alcibiades, Plut. in Alcib.whoſe Parts were advanced ſo far above the ordinary pitch of his Countrymen, that he drew his firſt Nouriſhment from the Breaſts of a Spartan Woman.Id. in Lycur. And the brave Spirits of thoſe Dames made other Grecians ambitious to purchaſe Nurſes from Sparta for the Improvement of their Childrens Spirit. I leave it therefore, Ladies, to your Conſideration, whether it be ſafe to ſuffer your Children to Suck the Breaſts of any Woman leſs Ingenious than your ſelves, much leſs ſuch ſtupid Women, as in reſpect of Parts and Spirits you would be very loath to have them reſemble, leaſt your generous Plants ſet in a barren and cankered Soil, degenerate and become Unfruitful.
§ 5. But Secondly, It ought further to be conſidered, Whether the Suck of a Mercenary Nurſe may not corrupt the Diſpoſition of the Infants Soul, and depràve its Manners. For whoſoever impartially conſiders it, will find great reaſon to fear, leaſt the Child imbibe the Nurſes ill Conditions, together with her Milk. Though Vertue is a Supernatural Perfection, added to our Nature in this State of Depravation by the Influences of Divine Grace, yet ſome Inclinations to it may be owing to the Temper of the Body, and propagated by a Communication of Spirits in the Nouriſhment. Much more may Vicious Diſpoſitions, which are Natural, and depend more upon the Temper of the Blood and Spirits. The Peeviſhneſs, the Luſt, the Pride, the Stubbornneſs or Baſeneſs of a Nurſe, receive great Encouragement from the Conſtitution of her Body, which being in ſome meaſure propagated to her Nurſery, gives it alſo a great and Unhappy Propenſity to the ſame Vices. This ſo far prevailed with the Mother of St. Bernard, Guil. Abb. in vit. Bern. l. 1. c. 1.that ſhe would not let her Son draw any Breaſts but her own, leaſt he ſhould draw from them ſome Contagion of Vice. And the common Proverb, which expreſſes an Inveterate Habit of Vice, By drinking it in with the Mothers Milk, being grounded on univerſal Conſent, gives great Authority to this Notion.
§ 6. And Dion Caſſius gives this account of the Prodigious Cruelty of Caligula, who was the Son of the Famous Germanicus and Agrippina the Daughter of M. Agrippa, two as Vertuous and Generous Perſons as Heathen Rome could boaſt of. That to the end he might be of a Martial Diſpoſition, they committed him to a Maſculine Nurſe, one that was Hairy on the Face like a Man, drew the long Bow, run at the Ring, managed the great Horſe, and was in all things moſt Cruelly and Miſchievouſly inclined. And from ſuch a Nurſe he became ſo in love with Blood, that he not only delighted to be preſent at the Execution of Criminals, but would lick the very Blood of the Weapons wherewith they were executed. And Tiberius, who was ſuch a Monſter for Leachery, is ſaid to have been Nurſed by one no leſs famous for Unchaſtity than the other for Cruelty. And I knew a Gentleman, who had been very Sandalous in his Life for Whoredom, and confeſſed in my preſence, that his firſt Debauch was at Fourteen, with and through the Enticements of his Luſtful Nurſe. Who would not think his Parents to blame, for turning him off to ſuch a Monſter? Since from his Mother perhaps he might have Sucked a more Happy Conſtitution, ſhe being a very Chaſt and Vertuous Woman.
§ 7. Conſider then, Ladies, what Aſſurance you have, that the Mercenary Nurſe is not of a Vicious Diſpoſition, and conclude it your Duty, not to put off your Child to any other, unleſs one from whom it may imbibe better Qualities than from your ſelves. And ſince few of thoſe Nicer Dames, who decline this Office, think better of others than of themſelves, I hope they will not be ſo unkind, as to venture their Children abroad, where they may be likely to draw in a Diſpoſition to thoſe Vices which they moſt abhor. I am much inclined to ſubſcribe to the Opinion of Wiſe Cato, Plut. in Catone.That for the moſt part Noble Matrons are endued with more Vertuous Inclinations than the meaner ſort. And methinks for that reaſon they ought not to place out their Children with any Women of baſer Allay, and leſs Vertuous Diſpoſitions.
§ 8. And thus I have given you an account of the probable Miſchievous Conſequences of Nurſing Children abroad, which are ſufficient to perſuade all that truly love their Family, or their Children, to forego that unjuſtifiable Cuſtom. Unjuſtifiable I ſay, for I am ſure none can juſtifie themſelves either in point of Prudence or Duty, if they ſtill adhere to it. And this leads me to the laſt part of my undertaking, which ſhall be the ſubject of the next Chapter, The Inſufficiency of the common Excuſes alledged by thoſe that decline the Nurſing of their own Children.