Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/356

 This certainly is no new device: For it was that which Plato intended; when he injoin'd his Scholars to begin with Geometry; whereby, without question, he design'd, that his Disciples should first handle Material Things, and grow familiar to visible Objects, before they enter'd on the retir'd Speculations of other more abstracted Sciences.

According to this Counsel of the Father of Philosophers, it would not be amiss, if before young Scholars be far engag'd in the beaten tracks of the Scholes, the Mysteries of Manual Arts, the names of their Instruments, the secrets of their Operations, the effects of Natural causes, the several kinds of Beasts, of Birds, of Fishes, of Plants, of Stones, of Minerals, of Earths, of Waters, and all their common Virtues and Qualities, were propos'd to be the subjects of their first thoughts and observations. It may be here suggested, That the vast number of such particulars will soon overwhelm their tender minds, before they are well establish'd by time, and use. But on the contrary it is evident, that the Memories of Youth are fitter to retain such sensible images, than those of a fuller age. It is Memory that has most vigour in Children, and Judgment in Men: which if rightly consider'd, will confirm what I said, that perhaps we take a preposterous Course in Education, by teaching General Rules, before Particular Things: and that therein we have not a sufficient Regard, to the different advantages of Youth and Manhood. We load the minds of Children with Doctrines, and Precepts, to apprehend which they are most unfit, by reason of the weakness of their understandings; whereas they might with more profit be exercis'd in the consideration of visible and sensible Things; of whose Impressions Rh