Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

141

A chylde by thre thinges, is brought to excellencie.
By Aptneffe, Defire, and Feare : Aptneffe maketh hym
pliable lyke waxe to be formed and fafhioned, euen as a
man woulde haue hym. Defyre to be as good or better,
than his felowes: and Feare of them whome he is
vnder, wyl caufe hym take great labour and payne
with diligent hede, in learnynge any thinge, wherof
procedeth at the lafte excellency and perfe&neffe.

A man maye by wifdome in learnyng any thing,
and fpecially to fhoote, haue thre lyke commodities
alfo, wherby he maye, as it were become younge
agayne, and fo attayne to excellencie. For as a
childe is apte by naturall youth, fo a man by vfyng at
the firfte weake bowes, far vnderneth his ftrength,
fhal be as pliable and readye to be taught fayre
motyng as any chylde: and daylye vfe of the fame,
Ihal both kepe hym in fayer fhotyng, and alfo at ye
laft bryng hym to ftronge mootynge.

And in ftede of the feruente defyre, which pro-
uoketh a chylde to be better than hys felowe, lette a
man be as muche ftirred vp with fhamefaflnes to be
worfe than all other. And the fame place that feare
hathe in a chylde, to compell him to take peyne, the
fame hath loue of motyng in a man, to caufe hym
forfake no labour, withoute whiche no man nor chylde
can be excellent. And thus whatfoeuer a chylde
may be taught by Aptneffe, Defire, and Feare, the
fame thing in mootynge, maye a man be taughte by
weake bowes, ShamefafLneffe and Loue.

And hereby you may fe that that is true whiche
Cicero fayeth, that a man by vfe, may be broughte to
a newe nature. And this I dare be bould to faye, that
any man whiche will wifely begynne, and conflantlye
perfeuer in this trade of learnyng to fhote, mall attayne
to perfeclneffe therein.

•PJ1 This communication Toxophile, doeth pleafe
me verye well, and nowe I perceyue that mofte gene-
rally and chefly youthe mufte be taughte to fhoote, and
fecondarilye no man is debarred therfrom excepte it be