The errors of young men， are the ruin of business； but the errors of aged men， amount but to this， that more might have been done， or sooner. Young men， in the conduct and manage of actions， embrace more than they can hold； stir more than they can quiet； fly to the end， without consideration of the means and degrees； pursue some few principles， which they have chanced upon absurdly care not to innovate， which draws unknown inconveniences； use extreme remedies at first； and， that which doubleth all errors， will not acknowledge or retract them； like an unready horse， that will neither stop nor turn. Men of age object too much， consult too long， adventure too little， repent too soon， and seldom drive business home to the full period， but content themselves with a mediocrity of success. Certainly it is good to compound employments of both； for that will be good for the present， because the virtues of either age， may correct the defects of both； and good for succession， that young men may be learners， while men in age are actors； and， lastly， good for extern accidents， because authority followeth old men， and favor and popularity， youth. But for the moral part， perhaps youth will have the pre-eminence， as age hath for the politic.
一个人假使不曾虚度生活，年岁不大也可以表现得成熟老练，只不过这种情况少有发生罢了。深思未必出自风霜，岁月同样可见年轻，可一般的青年毕竟谋划不过长辈，智慧也不及他们少年老成的同龄人。
但青年的创造性是更为丰富的，想象力也如涌泉一样奔放灵活，这似乎更得益于神助。天性刚烈、心怀热望、情绪敏感的人不历经中年，行事总是青涩，恺撒和塞维拉斯即为例证……
青年擅长创造却缺乏判断，擅长行动却缺乏商讨，擅长革新却缺乏对经验的借鉴。日积月累的经验可以引导他们掌握旧事物，但也会遮盖他们看见新事物的视线。