is
purpose; it remains then that we determine which we shall first begin by
in education, reason or custom, for these ought always to preserve the
most entire harmony with each other; for it may happen that reason may
err from the end proposed, and be corrected by custom. In the first
place, it is evident that in this as in other things, its beginning
or production arises from some principle, and its end also arises from
another principle, which is itself an end. Now, with us, reason and
intelligence are the end of nature; our production, therefore, and our
manners ought to be accommodated to both these. In the next place, as
the soul and the body are two distinct things, so also we see that the
soul is divided into two parts, the reasoning and not-reasoning, with
their habits which are two in number, one belonging to each, namely
appetite and intelligence; and as the body is in production before the
soul, so is the not-reasoning part of the soul before the reasoning; and
this is evident; for anger, will and desire are to be seen in children
nearly as soon as they are born; but reason and intelligence spring up
as they grow to maturity. The body, therefore, necessarily demands our
care before the soul; next the appetites for the sake of the mind; the
body for the sake of the soul.

CHAPTER XVI

If then the legislator ought to take care that the bodies of the
children are as perfect as possible, his first attention ought to be
given to matrimony; at what time and in what situation it is proper that
the citizens should engage in the nuptial contract. Now, with respect
to this alliance, the legislator ought both to consider the parties and
their time of life, that they may grow old at the same part of time, and
that their bodily powers may not be different; that is to say, the man
being able to have children, but the woman too old to bear them; or, on
the contrary, the woman be young enough to produce children, but the man
too old to be a father; for from such a situation discords and disputes
continually arise. In the next place, with respect to the succession of
children, there ought not to be too great an interval of time between
them and their parents; for when there is, the parent can receive no
benefit from his child's affection, or the child any advantage from his
father's protection; [1335a] neither should the difference in years be
too little, as great inconveniences may arise from it; as it prevents
tha