A Light to Grammar and All Other Arts and Sciences, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Neceſſary the childe ſhould bee taught to write. Objections againſt it anſwered. It helps the underſtanding very much; but as it is commonly abuſed, hurts more th…n it helps.
WEE are making way now toward Grammar learning. And what if I ſet down the accommodation of writing firſt? Nay, I will not conſult about it, I am reſolved already ſo to doe, and that for great reaſon; for thereby, I ſhall the better work upon his ſenſes. But what if the Parent will not have it ſo? (for he muſt direct the Maſter, not the Maſter him) No matter; I am not now to queſtion the Fathers will, which commonly is the worſt of his reaſon, but to ſhew how it will promote the childe in the thing hee is about, where, by one and the ſame light, at one and the ſame time, the child ſhall ſee his work, underſtand it, and remember it too, even all this, and altogether, by the uſe of his pen. And it may promote him afterwards, for ought we know, as the Harp did David. I remember one ſaith very well; To write and reade well is a pretty ſtock for a poore boy to begin the world withall, and to live comfortably too nMulc. p. 33.. And we muſt bee perſwaded to ground that quickly in young yeares, which muſt requite them with grace in after yeares: If wee conſider ſo much, we ſhall relent at the voyce of Reaſon, which commands us to begin with the pen.
But the childe is too young yet, he is Object. not capable; ſitting with his pen may make him grow crooked too. All this Anſw. may bee, as hee may be handled: hee may ſit too long as the moſt doe, and as the cuſtome is: But we are fully concluded, That the child muſt be ſet ſtraight to his work, and not ſit long at it, but while he is ſitting there, he mu… make it his play. Obſerve him with his little ſtick puddering in the aſhes, drawing lines there, or upon the dirt where he can make an impreſſion; and almoſt as buſie he is, as one was, who would not be driven from it with the ſword aArchimedes.. I will tell my obſervation; I have known ſome who were not taught to write, yet could draw faces of all ſorts, bodies in due proportion; frame ſeverall buildings, Caſtles, Ships, and the like. I mention it, that Parents and Maſters might be perſwaded to draw forth Nature bforeign. Ariſt. phyſ. 2. 2.as you would doe a piece of gold, it will ſpread and compaſſe it ſelfe, (as gold will cNihil auro ductilius, &c. Alſt. phyſ. li. 13. par. 4. cap. 7.) beyond an ordinary imagination. Let us follow nature here, for this drawing, whether with ſtick, or pen, is but Coſen-Germane to writing, a precognition, or training principle thereunto. Theſe two, (and drawing, the moſt children doe naturally) are of one Parentage and pedegree, as is noted by the Philoſopher dAriſt. Polit. 8. 3., and others. We cannot doubt then, but the childe will quickly gain ſo much, now his hand is flexible, and fit for frame▪ as will ſerve very much for his uſe.
But what uſe is of it? Obj. 2 Anſw.
This was implied before, we will adde to it; The uſe of the pen is great, almoſt univerſall; It helps the little thing to judge of artificiall things; what ſubſtance is, what formes or faſhions are; and this helps not a little in our practick part. It is the character of the ſpeech, as the ſpeech is of the thought. Beſides all this, It fixeth the minde of the childe, (who is Squirrill-headed) confirmeth the underſtanding; Is the Aſſurance office, to it and to the memory: For now all is ſafe; he may lay in, and carry out at pleaſure, and no hazard worth the thinking of. Then the uſe thereof is great.
But it will be ſaid ſure; That writing Obj. 3 is ſo farre from confirming memory, that it weakens it, hurts it altogether. And it is confeſſed of all, even of them that write for it; And the experience of all, that have uſed their pen, will ſay as much too.
Nay, but they muſt not ſay ſo, for Anſw. then they ſay not the truth; They did not uſe the pen, making it ſubſervient to memory; but abuſd it, imploying it altogether, and truſting to it, ſo putting the memory out of office, and making it quickly of no uſe cPreface to Childs Patrim. p. 13.. This is the abuſe of the pen, and as a great Scholar ſaid long ſince, The moſt certain corruption, yea death of the memory dScriptionem eſſe …rtiſſi…am memorie necem; ait Socrat. apud Plat.. If we ſcribble, ſcribble, ſcribble, and then think we have done the deed (as once I did, ſo wiſe I was) our memory will doe us no more ſervice ſhortly, then a man can doe to himſelf that is in a Lethargy. The memory muſt ſtill be kept waking; if we let it ſleep, (as it hath been in ſome diſeaſes) it will die. At this point we muſt remember the dark man, his memory is even to a wonder, but no wonder at all, for he imployeth and exerciſeth the ſame, and exerciſe is all.
Wee underſtand Platoes words now: Before Scripture was found, men were better learned then ſince, becauſe they were forced to write in their minds, that that afterwards they have written in paper. And having done ſo they thinke themſelves full of learning becauſe full of bookes: But they are fully miſtaken, for their learning conſiſting in their writings, loſing them, they loſe their Science. So wee have ſeene the abuſe of the thing, which can never be a ſufficient condemnation of the thing abuſed, for then gluttony will forbid meat; Let it be noted, It is the ill in me and in thee, which corrupts the good in the thing. But we have no need to feare this abuſe of the pen from the Child, for hee is under them, that can direct better for preſent, and give him a Caution for afterwards.
I ſuppoſe now the Child is put to Schoole there to learne the Art of writing, which makes a wonderfull riddance in the reſt of learning.
I ſhould ſay a word to the writing Maſter, and though I have little hope he will make uſe thereof, yet he muſt heare it, for it is of much uſe to the Child, and as much concernes the Parent.
The Maſter muſt looke to the government in his Schoole, which is ſo looſe, that though the Child thinks, now he is put thither, he is made, yet the great feare is, and ſo experience tels us, he is in a way to be marr'd; There hee ſees and heares Boyes of all ſizes, who know they have a patent there to prate and to bee rude, which corrupts the little Thing, we have now in hand, more then is imagined.
Should not a Maſter looke to the government above all? Yes, he cannot doubt of it, nor of this which followes. He muſt conſider well, what Copy hee ſets before the Child; his own example in point of behaviour muſt be ſtraight and exact, for the Child frames after that alſo, moſt of all, for there is life in it. And the dead example, the copy in his booke I meane, the Maſter muſt ſee to alſo; and not ſo much to its forme, I doubt not but there he is exact enough, but to the matter thereof, that it ſavour of piety, and bee a leading hand thereunto, ſo faſhioning the life, as well as the hand; For we muſt ſtill remember, becauſe this Maſter thinks not of it, That the right manner of handling the Childs wit in his reading and writing is of great moment for afterwards, and delivereth the next Maſter from manifeſt toyle, the child from marvailous trouble, ſecureth the Parent alſo againſt his feares and ſorrows; ſo prevayling theſe beginnings are, of ſuch conſequence for afterwards.