Emblem 6

This is a common evil: we have all been mad once.

Wit does not come before years. What ripens early soon rots. What is soon ripe does not hold firm.

There cannot be lasting sap in that which has attained ripeness too quickly.

Not to play the fool would be best, But better early than late.

Children who are wise so early do not live long, or else fools come of them. Precocious children do not live long, but late fruit keeps long.

Nor does anyone succeed at a trade if he has not first erred in it. That is,

No one will do his trade well unless he has first made some mistake in it.

Precocious talents rarely come to anything worthwhile.

We dote (act foolishly) either young or old.

He who does not commit folly in youth commits it afterwards in old age.

Because you blossomed sooner than you should have, the winter destroyed you.

The shortest follies are always the best. When a fool does not play the fool, he loses his season.

A great natural disposition, though not without faults, is not at once to be given up as hopeless. For many, having broken down the barriers of wickedness, have shown virtue effectively.

These things, however, have their limits, for,

He who at twenty is not, at thirty does not know, at forty does not have; will never be, nor ever know, nor ever have.

No great genius without an admixture of madness.

You know that that age is wont to play such a game.

If a young man runs riot, he sins; if an old man does, he is mad.

No fruit is at once long-lasting and early.

Early ripe, early rotten. Early wise, early foolish. Early clever, early poor. Early master, early servant. Early loose, early bound. Early host, early guest. Early wild, early tame. Early nimble, early lame. Early falcon, early owl. Early stallion, early nag. Early love, early sorrow. Early cold, early hot. Early fire, early ashes. Early summer, bad crop. Early at the wine, early spoiled. Early drunkard, early dead. Early learned, early forgotten. Early put in breeches, early befouled.

A German Emperor used to say that a young man remains a fool for seven years running, and if in between he performs some notable act of wisdom, he must begin the seven years of folly over again.

I have never dared to hope much from those great beginnings of wit and of memory which meanwhile are admired in children. I well know that they can only reach their strength and vigour, and if sooner, the matter goes none the better for it.

Let the conclusion be

Ripely (in due time), not quickly.

Since the hope of the coming age rests on a good upbringing of youth, we find it useful, as a conclusion to this matter, to add here some ground-rules in which Plutarch and other good writers have summed up the whole conduct of this business:

1. That it is useful to bring youth to its due duty, rather by gentle than by harsh means. 2. That youth should, according to the occasion of things, be alternately praised and reproved. 3. That one must not keep them too strictly, but should allow them moderate recreation. 4. That the Parents or Guardians themselves must keep an eye on them, and not be content with the service of others alone. 5. That the words and manner of speaking of the young ought to be well governed and kept in order, and their memory well exercised from youth onward. 6. That one must accustom them not to be sullen, ostentatious, or quarrelsome in their daily dealings. 7. That one must wean them from all daintiness and wastefulness. 8. That one must accustom them always to speak the truth. 9. That one must take very good care that they do not go about with bad company. 10. That one must lead them to the love of virtue, and to the fear of incurring shame and disgrace. 11. That one must go before them with a good example. 12. Finally, that above all one must impress on youth the fear of the Lord, which comprehends practically everything, for it is the beginning of wisdom, as the Wise Man testifies.

1. That children must be led to their duty by gentleness. 2. That they must be praised and scolded by turns. 3. That they must not be pressed too hard, but rather given relaxation. 4. That the father himself must keep an eye upon them. 5. That their words must be well regulated and their memory exercised. 6. That they must be prevented from being peevish or quarrelsome. 7. That they must be made to shun daintiness and superfluity. 8. That they must be accustomed always to speak the truth. 9. That they must be turned away from bad company. 10. That they must be taught to love Virtue and honour and to fear infamy. 11. That one must serve them as a good example. 12. That above all things they must be taught the fear of God.