Examen de ingenios, or, The tryal of wits

About this book

SEE EEBO for full text. Huarte sets forth rules for pairing abilities with the appropriate trade or profession. In Huarte's estimation, innate ability wins out over education, training and environment, though he includes advice on how to "preserve Wit in children after they are born". First published in Baeza (Spain) in 1575, and here in the first English translation made directly from the Spanish original (the first English translation was published in 1594, but was translated from an interim Italian edition). Includes chapters such as "What Women ought to Marry with what Men"; "What is to be observ'd that the Children may prove Witty and Wise"; "Nature only qualifies a Man for Learning"; "From these three Qualities alone, Heat, Moisture, and Driness, proceed all the Differences of Wit observ'd among Men"; and "Each Difference of Wit is appropraited to the Science with which it most particularly agrees, removing what is Repugnant or Contrary to it," and "What considerations to be used to get Boys, and not Girls." According to Huarte fathers hoping for a wise and intelligent son of "personable and of sweet disposition, must eat six or seven days before copulation much goats milk mingled with honey."