The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-12
LETTER FROM SIR HENRY SIDNEY TO HIS
son SIR PHILIP

The following letter written about three hundred
years ago, and addressed by Sir Henry Sidney to
his afterwards famous son, then twelve years old,
is quoted from Ticknor Fields life of the latter
81 have reaceaved too letters from vow one writ
ten IN Latino, the other in French: which take in
goode parte, and will VOW to exercise that practice
oflearninge often for that will stand VOW in moste
steade in that profession of vf that VOW are born to
live In: And since this VS. my first letter that ever
did write to VOW, will not that vt be all emptie of
some advyses, which my natural care of VOW pro-
vokethe me to wish VOW to foove, as documents to
VOW In this your tendre age Let your first actvon
be the lytting up of your mynd to ALMIGHTY God by
harty prayer; and felingy dysgest the woords
VOW speake IN prayer, with contynual meditation
and thinkinge of him to whom VOW praye, and of
the matter for which VOW praye. And use this at
an ordinarye hover. Whereby the time vtself will
put VOW in remembrance to doe that which vow
are accustomed to doe in that tyne. Apply yowr
study to suche howres, yowr discrete; master
uothe assign VOW, earnestlye; and the time, [
knowe, he will ymitt, as shal be both sufficient
Tor yoWr. learninge, and saf for yowr health And
mark the sens, and the matter of that vow road as
well as the woordes. So shall VOW both enreiche
yowr tonge with woordes, and yowr wvtte with
matter; and Judgemant will grove as veares
growyth in VOW. Be humble and obedient to yowr
MASTER for unless VOW frame your selfe to obey
others, yea, and feae in yowr selfe what obedience
is, VOW shall never be able to teach others how to
obey VOW. Be curteese of gesture, and affable to
all men, with diversitee of reverence, according to
the digntie of the person. There VS. nothing that
wynneth much with so lytell cost Use moder-
ate dyet, so as after yowr meate, VOW NAV find
yowr wytte fresher and not duller, and yowr body
more lively, and not more heavye. Seldom drinke
wine, and yet sometimes doe, least, being enforced
to drinke upon the sodayne, VOW should find yowr
sefe infamed. Use exercise of oodye, but suche as
VS. without peyrill of yowr yointes or bones. 1t
will increase yowr force, and enlarge yowr breathe.
Delight to be cleanly, we'll in all parts of your
bodye, as in yowr garments. 1t shall make vow
grateful IN yche company, and otherwise lothsome.
Give yowr selfe to be merye, for VOW degenerate
from yowr father vt VOW find not your selfe most
VOW be most merye; But let yowr myrtle be ever
void of all scurilitee, and bitinge woordes to any
man, for wound given by woorde is oftentmes
harder to be cured, than that which is given with
the sword. Be VOW rather herer, and bearer
away of other mems talke, than beginner or pro-
curer of speeche, otherwise VOW shall be counted
to delight to hear yowr selfspeak. Yf VOW heare
wise sentence, or an apt phrase, commytte vt to
yowr memorye, with respect to the circumstance
when VOW shall speake vt. Let never othe be
hearde to come out of yowr mouthe nor woord of
ribaudrye: detest vt in others, so shall custome
make to yowr selfe lave against vt in yowr selfe
BE modest in yche assemble, and rather be re-
buked OF light telowes for meden-like shame-fast-
mes, than of yowr sad friends for pearte boldness
Thlnke upon every worde that VOW will speake, be-
tore VOW utter hit, and remembre how nature hath
rampared up, as vt were, the tonge with teeth,
ippes, yea and hair without the lippes and all be-
tokenng raynes brides for the loose use of that
membrc. Above all things tell no untruthe, no not
~ iteiS' ahe custoihe OF nit Is naughte, ana let
1T not satisfie VOW, that for time, the hearers
take vt for truthe, for after vt will be known as
vt is, to yowr shame; for ther cannot be greater
reproche to gentleman than to be accounted
lyare, Study and endevour yowr selfe to be YER
tuously occupied. So shall VOW make suchean hab-
ite of well doinge in you that VOW shal not knowe
how to do evil, thoughe you void. Well,
my littell Philippe, this is enough for me, and to
muche, fear, for VOW. But, yf l shall fnde that
this light meale of digestione nourishe any thing
the weake stomake of your young capactie, will
as lind the same grove stronger, fead vt with
toofer foode.
Your lovnge father so long as VOW live in
the feare of God
I'LL SInNPY ,,