Of Parents

AND CHILDREN






THE joys of parents are secret; and so are their
griefs and fears. They cannot utter the one;
nor they will not utter the other. Children sweeten
labors; 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 foun-
dations 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, 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.

The difference in affection, of parents towards
their several children, is many times unequal; and
sometimes unworthy; especially in the mothers;