Then he [Martin Luther] spoke about the brashness of the wiseacres who put too much reliance on speculative knowledge while they have no real experience, although experience is the teacher of reality and ought to regulate everything.
“The philosophers did the right thing,” he said, “when they required their students to remain silent for five years, that is, not to express opinions lest they become rash in their judgments. …..
“In short, youth is impertinent. So we see lawyers who in their first year are masters of all laws, in their second year are Justinians, in their third year are licentiates, in their fourth year give formal opinions, and in their fifth year finally become trembling students. This is the way a boy acts in a bowling alley. First he expects to strike twelve pins, then nine, then six, then three, and at last he’s satisfied with one, and probably misses the alley at that. It would be a good thing if young people were wise and old people were strong, but God has arranged things better.”
Martin Luther, No. 4091: Youth Is Characterized by Temerity – November 9, 1538 Luther’s Works, Vol. 54 : Table Talk, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald and Helmut T. Lehmann, Luther’s Works (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999, c1967). 54:III-320.
