Page:Petty 1647 Advice to Hartlib.djvu/10

 work-houses where Children may be taught as well to doe something towards their living, as to Read and Write.

That the businesse of Education be not (as now) committed to the worst and unworthiest of men, but that it be seriously studied and practised by the best and abler persons.

That all Children of above seven yeares old may be presented to this kind of Education, none being to be excluded by reason of the poverty and unability of their Parents, for hereby it hath come to passe, that many are now holding the Plough, which might have beene made fit to steere the State. Wherfore let such poor children be imployed on works wherby they may earne their living, equall to their strength and understanding, and such as they may performe as well as elder and abler persons, viz. attending Engines, &c. And if they cannot get their whole living, and their Parents can contribute nothing at all to make it up, let them stay somewhat the longer in the Work-house.

That since few children have need of reading before they know, or can be acquainted with the Things they read of, or of writing, before their thoughts are worth the recording, or they are able to put them into any forme, (which we call inditing) much lesse of learning languages, when there bee Books enough for their present use in their owne mother Tongue; our opinion is, that those Things being withall somewhat above their capacity, (as being to be attained by Judgement, which is weakest in children) be deferred awhile, and others more needfull for them, such as are in the order of Nature before those afore mentioned, and are attainable by the help of Memory, which is either most strong or unpreoccupied in children, be studied before them. We wish therefore that the Educands be taught to observe and remember all sensible Objects and Actions, whether they be Naturall or Artificiall, which the Educators must upon all occasions expound unto them.

That they use such Exercises whether in work, or for recreation, as tend to the health, agility and strength of their bodies.

That they be taught to Read by much more compendious meanes