they will not[1] utter the other. Children sweeten labours; but they make misfortunes more bitter. They increase the cares of life; but they mitigate the remembrance of death. The perpetuity by generation is common to beasts; but memory, merit, and noble works, are proper to men. And surely a man shall see the noblest works and foundations[2] have proceeded from childless men; which have sought to express the images of their minds, where those of their bodies have failed. So the care of posterity is most in them that have no posterity. They that are the first raisers of their houses[3] are most indulgent towards their children; beholding them as the continuance not only of their kind but of their work; and so both children and creatures.[4]
The difference in affection of parents towards their several children is many times unequal; and sometimes unworthy; especially in the mother; as Salomon saith, A wise son rejoiceth the father, but an ungracious son shames the mother.[5] A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons;[6] but in the midst some that are as it were forgotten, who many times nevertheless prove the best. The illiberality of parents in allowance
- ↑ Nor will they not means simply nor will they. It is the old English double negative used to strengthen the negation. Here the two negatives happen to make an affirmative, but that is by no means always the case, nor is the common statement of modern grammars that two negatives make an affirmative an adequate explanation of the idiom.
- ↑ Foundations. Endowments, institutions, such as colleges, or hospitals.
- ↑ Houses. Families of rank.
- ↑ Creature. A created thing, animate or inanimate; a creation.
- ↑ Proverbs x. 1.
- ↑ Wantons. Spoiled children.
