Page:Comenius' School of Infancy.pdf/58

 was instructed by his father immediately from infancy; and although he was the beloved son of his mother, yet that did not interfere with his education. Our children, therefore, may be instructed in the knowledge of natural things and other matters: but how is it to be done? Just as their tender age permits, i.e. according to their capabilities, as is apparent from the following instances:—

3. The natural knowledge of recently born infants is to eat, drink, sleep, digest, and grow; but these things do not affect their intellect. In the second or third year, they begin to apprehend what papa and mamma is, what food and drink are; and, shortly after this, they begin to understand what that is which we call water, what fire, what wind, what cold, what heat, what a cow is, what a little dog is; and the general varieties of natural things. This their nurse-maids will instill into them, when caressing them in their arms, or while carrying them about, by saying, “Look, there is a horse, there is a bird, there is a cat,” etc. In their fourth, fifth, and sixth years, they may begin to make further progress in additional knowledge of natural things,