A Young Prince is a Child of the Al­migh [...]y, set apart by His Divine Pro­vidence for Employments of the greatest Importance, but withal of the greatest Danger; and who may prove a great In­strument, either of God's Mercy, or wrath on Men.

2. The end proposed in his Educaion ought to be the r [...]ndring h [...]m able to com­ply with all the Duties to which his Con­dition obliges him, and to prepare him a­gainst all the dangers he is thereby ex­posed to.

[Page 2] 3. A Prince is not his own: He is the State's. God gives him to the Peo­ple in making him Prince, To them he is accountable for all his time. And, as soon as he arrives ar years of Discretion, he becomes guilty of a double Fault, if he apply not himself with all the care he can to such Studies and Exercises, as may dispose h [...]m to perform all the devoi [...]s of a Prince. For in mispending his time, he does not only wrong himself, but the State to whom he ows it.

4 They who are charg'd with the care of his Breeding, are yet more guilty than he, if they do not p [...]ocure him the best, and most worthy a Prince, that possibly they can. For, besides the injustice they commit against this Prince and the State, they moreover become Guilty of all the Faults he might have been preserved from by a good Education.

5. This Christian Education directly aiming at the Eternal Happiness of the Prince▪ and the good of his People, and apt to have effects of infinite conse­quence, ought to be lookt on as a thing of the greatest importance in the World. All considerations of Interest and Charge, all Humane Respects ought every where to give place to it. Noth [...]ng must be o­mitted, that may conduce thereunto; and whatever may prove disadvantageous ought to be thrown aside: In short, 'tis this must be look'd on as the End; all [Page 3] else can be consider'd only as Means to it.

6. It is certain that one of the princi­pal cares of those who are intrusted with this Education, ought to be to make a good choice of some one or more, to whom they may commit the bringing up this young Prince. But it is impossible not to go rashly to work, if the qualities necessary for such an Employment be not known.

7. The ill Choice sometimes made on these occasions, proceeds from the low Idea we have of what is necessary for one who undertakes the breeding of a young Prince. The most think it sufficient, if such an one be not Vicious; and that he have some Knowledge of polite Liter­ature: Others particularly Belles are desirous that he be skill'd Lettres and conversant in History. There are some who require able Mathematicians▪ others consider principly that which is call'd Knowing the World. In fine, they ordinarily have only particular and low regards, and such as in no wise answer the greatess of the end they ought to propose to themselves.

8. It is easy to discern That all these aims are mean, and that they bear no propo [...]tion to the end one ought to have in instructing a young Prince; since one may be endow'd with all these qualities, and yet be no able Man; and a Prince [Page 4] may be very well instructed in Langua­ges, in History, and Mathamaticks, and yet very ill brought up; because his Judgment may be spoil'd, and he not at all fram'd for any of those things which are of greatest necessity to make him live like a Christian Prince.

9 For Example, History is lookt on as of great concern for Princes, and that not without Reason, since it may stand them in great Stead, provided it be taught them as it ought. But, if necessary Ad­vice be not given, it may do them more harm than good For History of it self is but a confus'd heap of things done; Men therein mention'd are for the most part Vicious, Unadvised, and Led on by the [...]r Passions; their Actions are often related by Writers of small Judgment; who praise and blame by Humour, and who by their Discourses imprint a Thou­sand ill Models and false Maximes in the Minds of those who read them without a discerning Eye.

10. A Tutor whose Judgment were not Acurate, might make this kind of Study much more dangerous. Such an one would indifferently fill the Mind of our young Prince with the fooleries of Books, and his own too; he would spoil the best things w [...]th the ill dress he put them in; so that it may often happen that whilst he loads h [...]s Pupil with con­fus'd Knowledge, he shall only stifle what [Page 5] Nature may have bestow'd on him of right Sence or Reason,

11. The greatest part of things are good or bad, according as they are repre­sented. The Story of a wicked Man's Life may ye [...]ld as much Profit, as that of a Saint, if duely told; if its misery be laid open, and a horrour of it instill'd: And the Life of a Saint may be as dan­gerous as that of a wicked Man, when so describ'd as inclines us either to abuse or contemn it.

12. Sciences have their beneficialness and usefulness, especially to Princes; and they may all be taught them either in a low or mean, or in a high and ela­vated Way. There are few who know this difference; yet it is of that Impor­tance, that 'tis better to be totally ig­norant of them than to know 'em mean­ly, and to busie ones self, and to wade deep into what they have of frivolous and useless. The Praise Tacitus gives A­gricola is extraordinary, Retinu itque, quod est difficillimum, ex Sapientiâ modum. The most part of those who are the a­blest in them judge the worst; because they make them the object of their Pas­sion, and place their Glory in the nice acurateness, not in the use and profit of their Knowledges. There are some able Mathematicians, who imagine 'tis the rarest thing in the World, to know whether there be a Bridge and an Arch [Page 6] hanging round about the Planet Saturn. A Prince ought to be acquainted with such opinions, because the knowledge of them costs little: But he has wrong done him, if at the same time he is not taught that these Knowledges are but a vain cu­riosity. For it is better to be ignorant of such things, than not to know that they are frivolous, and of no use.

11. The quality most essential to a Tutor fit to Educate a Prince, is a Quali­ty without a Name, and which is not fixt to any certain Profession. It is not simply to be skill'd in History, in Ma­thematicks, Languages, Politicks, Phi­losophy, in the Ceremonies and Interests of Princes: all this may be supply'd. 'Tis not necessary that he who has the care of instructing a Prince should teach him all; 'tis sufficient he teach him the use of all. There is a necessity he should sometimes ease himself, and that whilst he prepares and studies to teach his Pu­pil some certain things, he should only stand by, and be a Witness of what is taught him by others. But this Quality, so essential to his Employment, is not to be supply'd from abroad, is not to be borrow'd from others, nor procur'd by Study. It has its beginning from Nature, and is ripen'd by long exercise and conti­nual reflection. Thus they who have not this Quality, and are already struck in Age, are uncapable of ever attaining to it.

[Page 7] 12. Ordinary Tutors think themselves only oblig'd to instruct Princes at certain hours, to wit, when they teach them what they call their Lesson. But the Man we speak of, has no set hour of teaching, or rather, he teaches him at every hour: For, he often instructs him as much in his Play, in his Visits, in Conversation, and Table talk with those present; as when he makes him read Books; because, having for principal aim to frame his Judgment right; for this he finds the various objects, that of­fer themselves often more available, than premeditated Discourses: Since nothing sinks less into the Mind, than what en­ters there, under the unpleasant shape of a Lesson or Instruction.

13. As this way of Instucting is in­sensible, so also in a manner is the Pro­fit thereby gain'd; that is, 'tis not per­ceiv'd by certain gross and exterior signs; and th [...]s it is that dece [...]ves shallow Con­siderers, who imagine a Child taught in this manner, is not fo [...]warder than ano­ther; because, perhaps he cannot tran­slate better into his own Language a p [...]ece of Latin, or recite more readily a Lesson out of Virgil. And thus judg [...]ng of a Child's advance, by such like foole­ries, they shall often value a Tutor truly able, less than another, whose Knowledge shall be mean, and his Soul without light,

[Page 8] 14. Not that common things ought to be neglected in the Instruction of a Prince. They ought to learn Languages, History, Chronology, Geography, Mathe­maticks, and even Civil Law, to a certain degree. Their Studies ought to be regulated like those of other Persons; one ought to endeavour to make them laborious, and [...]each them to go from one Employment to another, without leaving any void and unprofitable time between: All Occasions ought to be hus­banded with a dress to teach them seve­ral things: if possible, they ought to be ignorant of nothing that is remarkable in the World. All this in it self is good, usefull and necessary, provided we fix not here, as the last end of Instruction, but make use thereof, to frame their manners and judgment.

15. To fashion and frame the Judg­ment, is to make the Soul relish Truths, and teach it how to discern and know them; 'tis to make it quick-sighted in finding out false ratiocinations; 'tis to learn it, not to be dazled by the vain flashes of Words void of Sence; not to content it self with terms, or obscure principles; and never to be satisfied, till it ha [...]h d [...]v [...]d even to the bottom of things: 'tis to make it subtile, in find­ing where the difficulty lies in in [...]icate Questi [...]ns, and discern in those, who flie and wander from the point: 'tis to fill [Page 9] the Soul w [...]th Principles, useful for the finding out of Truth in all things, par­ticularly in those one has most need of.

16. In fine, a Prince must be made to take notice that falsity is to be met w [...]th every where: that there is a false Va­lour, a false Honesty, a false Liberality, a false Gallantry, a false Eloquence, a false Railery, false Agreeableness. He must look very near, not to take the one for the other; and it is very difficult not to be mistaken, when one his no rule to judge by, and only follows the impression received from others.

17, Moral [...]ty is the Science of Men, and particularly of Princes, since they a [...]e not only Men, but ought to rule and command Men; and they cannot per­form this w [...]thout they know both them­selves and others, in their defects and passions, and without they be throughly instructed in all their Devoirs. 'Tis then in this Science, that a Prince's Mind ought to be principally instructed and moulded: For as its use will be conti­nual, so also ought the Study thereof. It cannot be begun too soon, because one cannot begin too soon to know him­self: and this Study is so much the more conven [...]ent as all things may be assi­stant to it: For Men and their Faults are to be found every-where.

18. Endeavours ought to be used, not only to teach h [...]m the true Principles of [Page 10] this Science, but also to let him know its necessity, See Discourse of the Necessity of not li­ving by ha­zard. and to instil into him, a Love and Esteem thereof, by making him sensible of the horrible unhappiness of the most part of Great Ones, who pass away their Lives in a dreadful Ignorance of what concerns them most; who know not what they do, nor whither they go; who fancy to themselves that they have nothing else to do here, but to hunt and recreate themselves; or to frame ambitious de­signs of raising their Families; and who, after the short space of a wretched Life, full of continual Illusions, and fed with Dreams and Chimera's, at the Hour of Death, see all these vain Fantasmes dis­appear, whilst they themselves fall head­long into the utmost extremity of eter­nal Misery.

19. He ought to be instu­cted both in general duties See the Trea­tise of Gran­deur and the 3 Discourses of Monsieur Pascal. of Man, and the partic [...] ­lar ones of Princes; and to know how to tie and link these together; and above all, endeavour must be used that he insensibly fo [...]get not (as most G [...]ear Ones do) what is common to him with other Men, whilst he only Busies his Imagination a­bout what distinguishes him from them. [Page 11] For this purpose, it is necessary to make him well comprehend the true nature of all these things; what greatness is, whence it springs, and where it ends; what it hath of solid and real, and wh [...]t of idle and vain; what it is that inferi­riors owe to Great Ones, and what these ough [...] to re [...]ay them: Lastly, what it is that abases or sets th [...]m high in the esteem of God and Man.

20. As the Love and Affection of Men are necessary for the Employment to which Princes are cal [...]'d, so a Prince ought with great care to be instucted in what purchases or looses them, in what gains or shocks Mens Minds, and in what pleares or displeases the World He must discover the hidden sources of these effects, and the secret Springs, whence flow all these motions; to the end he may make them P [...]ay, as need shall re­quire. But at the same time, he is to be made acquainted with the vanity and foolery of this little Address when he proposes to himself no o [...]her end, than the driving on some wordly design, or the e [...]joying the satisfaction of being be­lov'd. And for this reason he is [...]o un­derstand, That all the [...]e actions may be practis'd upon the score of h [...]gher and no­bler considerations, and that they may be made infinitely more serv [...]ceable for his concerns in Heaven, than for those he can have on Earth.

For Example Great See the Treatise of Christian Ci­v [...]lity. Ones by their very Con­dition are obliged to be in a cont [...]nual exercise of Civilit [...]; and when they, as they ought, comply with this their Duty, it stands them in great stead to gain the Esteem and Love of others. Yet for the most p [...]rt this Exercise passes amongst them for a most vain and frivolous a­musement. As they practise it with great inequality, being extream complai­sant to so [...]e, and as fierce and rude to others, it often happens that the do not succeed in the Design they have of ma­king themselves belov'd: And should they succeed, it could procure them but very small Advantages B [...]t the same office [...] of Civility practis'd on other mo­tiv [...]s; v [...]z those of Ch [...]i [...]y may become a continual exercise of Vertue, and they by this means prod [...]ce even [...]ore certainly, that temporal effect or [...]in [...]r [...]ly expected by them, of ga [...]n [...]ng the Love of [...]hose to whom they a [...]e pa [...]d.

21. In the one o [...]ght to make a young P [...]ince observe, that in all parti­cular act [...]ons the Laws of God are so equ [...] ­table and holy that there is no readier way to g [...]n the Admi [...]ation of Men than by p [...]act [...]sing Christian Vertue in the most heroick and elevated way; and that these qualities and actions wh [...]ch displease God the most, as Insolence, Pride, In [...]ustice, [Page 13] Anger, are those that draw on them in greater measure the Contempt and Hatred of others, wherein consists the Piety of a Christian: And there's nothing so hate­ful as one who loves none but himself, who refers all th [...]ngs solely to himself, wherein consists the deordination of Man.

22. But though this Study ought to be the ch [...]efest and frequentest of all those to which one applies a Prin [...]e; yet ought it to be done in a way bearing such a proportion to his Age, and the quality of his Mind that he be not over­cha [...]g'd therewith; nay, that even feels it not. Endeavour must be us'd that he learn all Morality, w [...]thout kn [...]w [...]ng all­most there is such a Science, or that there is a design to teach him any such thing; so that when he shall apply himself to it in the course of his Stud [...]es he shall be aston [...]shed that he knows before Hand much more than is there taught.

23 There is nothing more difficult, than to find this proportion to the Un­derstanding of Children; and it is w [...]th Reason that a Man of the Wor [...]d said, That, It is the Part of a strong and eleva­ted Soul, to be able to proportion, and frame it self to th [...] ways and humours of Children. 'Tis an ea [...]y matter to make a Discourse of Morality for an Hour to­gether; but to reduce all things to it, so that the Child neither perceives nor takes'd staste thereat, is what requires an [Page 14] admirable address, and suchas is to be found in very few.

24. In Vice there are too things considerable, The Deordination, which makes them displease Almighty God, and the Folly and Ridiculousness, which makes them contemptible in the Eyes of Men. Children for the most part are little sen­sible of the first, but the second may be inculcated to them by a Thousand Inge­nious Ways which the Occasions suggest. Thus by making them hate Vice as Ri­diculous, one prepares them to hate it as contrary to the Laws of God; and mean while prevents its making full im­pression on their Minds.

25. One ought not to think it enough to enlighten his Understanding by many principles of Truth, which may help him to guide and regulate himself in his Actions: But he ought to be possest in general with a love of Truth in all things, and an adversion from being deceived; and be made thorowly to comprehend, that it is impossible he should not be so all his Life, if he does not let all those who approach him know, he loves no­thing so much as Truth, and hates no­thing more than Lies and cheating.

26. There are some who deceive o­thers out of Interest, without be [...]ng ¹ [Page 15] deceived themselves, but there are al­so a number of others who only com­municate their own Errors, that is, Those Idea's and Opinions their Minds are full of, And as the Life of Great Ones passes in almost continual Commerce with Men, they are also more exposed than others to this danger: so that if they have not á care on't, they unite in themselves all the falsities which are to be found disperst amongst other Men. He therefore who is to be instructed ought to be made to know how much it concerns him, not only to defend him, self against the artificial, malignant—and interested Cheat of rhose who would surprise and impose upon him; but also against that other honest, and one may say, Fair-dealing Deceit, which com­monicates it self; by the Discourses of almost all those with whom he will be ob [...]g'd to l [...]ve; who being themselves full [...]f falsities they are not aware of, propagate the [...], without knowing it, in their discourse to others.

27. The ordinary causes of the miseries of Great ones are to be particulariz'd and taken notice of, and endeavours u­sed to fortifie him on that side: And above all, he thought to be inspir'd w [...]th a great horror of Civil Wars, and all kind of dissentions, which, to Princes, a [...]e the causes of Evils almost irreparable, and Gulphs without bottom.

[Page 16] 28. It is necessary to know the faults and defects of him we Instruct; that is, we must well observe whither the bent of his Concupiscence sways him, to the end all means and arts may be used to lessen it, by taking away whatsoever may either exaspera [...]e or fortifie it; yet so as to distingu [...]sh always between those transient faults wh [...]ch Age destroys, and such as with years grow and get strength.

29. 'Tis not enough only to aim at preserving Princes from falling, but at sowing too in their minds certain seeds, which may aid them to rise again, if they be so unfortunate as to fall. And these seeds are the solid truths of Religion, principally as to the manner of reesta­blishing our selves in our lost Innocence. For, though these truths are sometimes obscur'd by the intoxication of the World, when young P [...]inces beg [...]n to taste and relish it, yet they many times break forth again af [...]erwards, when it pleases God to look on them with an eye of Mercy.

30 It is not only necessary to frame and fashion, as much as one can, their mind to Vertue; but it is req [...]isite also to give their Bodies a ply and bent the [...]e­unto; that is, endeavours must be used that the [...]r Bodies prove not an hindrance to their leading a regular L [...]fe; and that they draw them not by their sway to Debauchery and D [...]sorder.

For we must know, That Man being composed of Mind and Body, the evil ply and bent that is given to the latter, during one's Youth, proves often, in the sequel of one's Life, a very great hin­drance to Vertue. There are some who accustom themselves to be so flitting, so impatient, so hasty, that they become uncapable of any regular Employments. O [...]hers prove so nice and [...]ender, that they cannot endure the least trouble or pain. There are some who give them­selves up to endless disquiets, wherewith they are tormented all their Life time.

One may say, That these are faults of the Mind, but they have their perma­ment cause in the Body; and that is the reason they continue in them even when the Mind appears absolutely free from them. For behold how, for example sake, many become subject to these irk­ [...]ome Disquiets.

31. Instruction aims at advancing the Mind to the highest point it is capable of; it requires neither Memory, Imagina­tion▪ nor Understanding; but it culti­vates all these, in fortifying rhem by one another. Judgment is help'd by Memo­ry, and Memory is refresh'd by Imagina­tion and Judgment.

32. When either of these is wanting, the defect must be supply'd by the rest. Thus the great address of a Master is to apply those under his Care to such studies, [Page 18] as they are naturally most inclin'd to. There are some Children almost only to be exercised in what depends on Memo­ry, because their Me [...]ories are strong, and their Judgments weak; and there are others who ought immediately to be set on work about things of Judg­ment, because they have more of that than of Memory.

33. Properly Speaking, neither Ma­sters nor outward Instructions they give, make Learners comprehend things. These only expose them to the interior light of the Mind, by which alone they are comprehended. So that when one does not meet with this light, Instructi­ons prove as useless as it would be to expose and shew Pictures in the dark.

34. The greatest Wits have but limited Understandings. In them there are al­ways some cloudy and darksome Corners: but the Understandings of Children are almost totally over cast, they discover only some little glimpses of light. So that the great work consists in managing these small Rays, in increasing them, and placing therein whatsoever one would make them comprehend.

35. Hence it is, that 'tis so difficult to give general Rules for the instruction of any one, because they ought to be proportion'd to that mixture of light and darkness, which is various, according to the difference of Wits, particularly [Page 19] in Childen. We must observe, where day in them begins to break, and thither we ought to bring whatever we would make them understand: And thus seve­ral ways must be try'd to get admittance into their Minds; and in those we must persist, where we find the best success.

36. It may nevertheless in general be said, That the light or knowledge of Children depending very much on sense, one ought, as much as possible, fasten to sensible things the Instructions that are given them; and, not only to make them enter by the Ear, but also by the Eye: there being no sense that makes a more lively impression on the Soul, nor that forms therein Idea's more distinct and clear.

37. Laying hold on this hint, one may aver, That the study of Geography is very fit for Children, because it depends much on the Senses, and they may be made to see by their eyes the scituation of Towns and Provinces; besides, it is pleasant enough, (a necessary circum­stance not to discourage them at the first) and needs little of ratiocination, wherein they are most deficient at that Age.

38. But to make this study at once both more profitable and pleasant, it is not enough barely to show them in Maps the Name of Towns and Provinces, but moreover several Arts and Addresses [Page 20] are to he used to fix them in their Me­mories.

Book may be provided with the Cuts of great Towns, which they may peruse: Children are taken with this kind of di­vertisement. Some remarkable History may be told of each Place, which may rivet it in the Memory. One may make them observe the Battel fought, the Councils held there, and the Famous Men sprung thence. Something may be told them either of Natural History, if any rarity be there to be found, or of their Government, Greatness, and Traffique. If the Towns be in France, it would not be amiss, if one could, to let them know the Lord to whom they belong, or the Governours rhey are under.

39. Besides Geography, there are yet many other useful Knowledges, which may find admittance, by the sight, into the Mind of young Children.

In the Books of Lipsius are repre­sented in Pictures the Engines used in War by the Romans, with their Cloaths, Arms, Punishments, and several other things of this nature, which may be shewn to Children with much advan­tage: For example, they may there see what a Ram is, what a Buckler, what a Testudo; how the Roman Armies were drawn up, what number rheir Cohortes and Legions consisted of, the Officers [Page 21] of their Armies, and an infinity of other curious and delightful things; omitting the more intricate. The same advantage almost may be made of a Book call'd Roma subteranea, and some others, where may be seen in Cuts, what re­mains of the Antiquities of this chief City of the World. To these one may add the Pictures that are to be found in the Relations of certain Voyages into the Indies and China; wherein are described the Sacrifices and Pagods of those Wretches: And Children at the same time may be made to observe to what excess of Folly Man may pass when he follows his own fancies and the dark lights of his own mind.

40. Aldrovandus, or rather his A­bridgement by Johnston, may also be use­ful for their profitable divertisement; pro [...]ided he who shews them have a care to tell them something of the nature of the Beasts, not by way of Lesson, but Discourse. This Book also ought to be made use of, to let them see the Figures and Shapes of the Beasts they find men­tion'd either in Books or Discourse.

42. An ingenious Man by Tryal with one of his own Ch [...]ldren, hath lately made it appear that these early Years are very capable of learning Anatomy: And without doubt some general Principles may be usefully shown them▪ if it were for nothing else, but to make them re­member [Page 22] the Latin Names of the parts of Humane Bodies; but one must have a care of leading them into some curio­sities, that are dangerous in this parti­cular.

43. For the same reason it would be profitable to let them see the Portrai­ctures of the Kings of France, of the Roman Emperours, of the Sultans; of great Captains, and of the famous He­roes of several Nations. It is good they should take Pleasure in viewing these in Books of Pictures, and that they should have recourse thereunto as often as mention thereof is made. Fot all this serves to fix Notions and Idea's in their Memory.

44. One ought to endeavour to incline the Minds of Children to a commendable curiosity of seeing things that are strange and curious, and encourage them to be inquisitive of the reasons of whatsoever occurs. This Curiosity is no fault in their Age, because it opens and enlarges their Minds, and diverts them from ma­ny ill turns.