,,practical ,,education3  ,,by  ,,maria 
,,edgeworth1  ,,author ,,of ,,letters   
,,for ,,literary ,,ladies1 ,,and ,,the  
,,parent',s ,,assistant1 c4 c4  ,,and1  
,,by  ,,richard ,,lovell ,,edgeworth1   
,f4,r4,s4 ,,and ,m4,r4,i4,a4  ,,in ,,two
 ,,volumes 444 ,,vol4 ,i4  ,,second     
,,american ,,edition4  ,,published  ,,by
 ,j4 ,,francis ,,lippitt1 ,,providence1 
7,r4 ,i47 ,,and ,t4 ,b4 ,,wait  ,,sons1 
,,boston4  ,t4 ,b4 ,wait and ,sons1     
,printers4  #ahae4     ,,preface4   ,we 
shall not imitate the invidious example 
of some authors1 who think it necessary 
to destroy the edifices of others1 in   
order to clear the way for their own4   
,we have no peculiar system to support1 
and1 consequently1 we have no temptation
 to attack the theories of others2 and  
we have chosen the title of ,practical  
,education1 to point out that we rely   
entirely upon practice and experience4  
,to make any progress in the art of     
education1 it must be patiently reduced 
to an experimental science3 we are fully

 sensible of the extent and difficulty  
of this undertaking1 and we have not the
 arrogance to imagine1 that we have made
 any considerable progress in a work1   
which the labours of many generations   
may1 perhaps1 be insufficient to        
complete2 but we lay before the publick 
the result of our experiments1 and in   
many instances the experiments          
themselves4 ,in pursuing this part of   
our plan1 we have sometimes descended   
from that elevation of style1 which the 
reader might expect in a quarto volume2 
we have frequently been obliged to      
record facts concerning children which  
may seem trifling1 and to enter into a  
minuteness of detail which may appear   
unnecessary4 ,no anecdotes1 however1    
have been admitted without due          
deliberation2 nothing has been          
introduced to gratify the idle curiosity
 of others1 or to indulge our own       
feelings of domestic partiality4  ,in   
what we have written upon the rudiments 
of science1 we have pursued an opposite 

plan2 so far from attempting to teach   
them in detail1 we refer our readers to 
the excellent treatises on the different
 branches of science1 and on the various
 faculties of the human mind1 which are 
to be found in every language4 ,the     
chapters that we have introduced upon   
these subjects1 are intended merely as  
specimens of the manner in which we     
think young children should be taught4  
,we have found from experience1 that an 
early knowledge of the first principles 
of science may be given in conversation1
 and may be insensibly acquired from the
 usual incidents of life3 if this       
knowledge be carefully associated with  
the technical terms which common use may
 preserve in the memory1 much of the    
difficulty of subsequent instruction may
 be avoided4  ,the sketches we have     
hazarded upon these subjects1 may to    
some appear too slight1 and to others   
too abstruse and tedious4 ,to those who 
have explored the vast mines of human   
knowledge1 small specimens appear       

trifling and contemptible1 whilst the   
less accustomed eye is somewhat dazzled 
and confused by the appearance even of a
 small collection3 but to the most      
enlightened minds1 new combinations may 
be suggested by a new arrangement of    
materials1 and the curiosity and        
enthusiasm of the inexperienced may be  
awakened1 and excited to accurate and   
laborious researches4  ,with respect to 
what is commonly called the education of
 the heart1 we have endeavoured to      
suggest the easiest means of inducing   
useful and agreeable habits1 well       
regulated sympathy and benevolent       
affections4 ,a witty writer says1 ,il   
est permis d'ennuyer en moralites d'ici 
jusqu' a ,constantinople4 ,unwilling to 
avail ourselves of this permission1 we  
have sedulously avoided declamation1    
and1 wherever we have been obliged to   
repeat ancient maxims1 and common       
truths1 we have at least thought it     
becoming to present them in a new dress4
  ,on religion and politics we have been

 silent1 because we have no ambition to 
gain partisans1 or to make proselytes1  
and because we do not address ourselves 
exclusively to any sect or to any party4
 ,the scrutinizing eye of criticism1 in 
looking over our table of contents1 will
 also1 probably1 observe that there are 
no chapters on courage and chastity4 ,to
 pretend to teach courage to ,britons1  
would be as ridiculous as it is         
unnecessary2 and1 except amongst those  
who are exposed to the contagion of     
foreign manners1 we may boast of the    
superior delicacy of our fair           
countrywomen2 a delicacy acquired from  
domestic example1 and confirmed by      
publick approbation4 ,our opinions      
concerning the female character and     
understanding1 have been fully detailed 
in a former publication2#a and1         
unwilling to fatigue by repetition1 we  
have touched but slightly upon these    
subjects in our chapters on ,temper1    
,female ,accomplishments1 ,prudence1 and
 ,economy4  ,we have warned our readers 

not to expect from us any new theory of 
education1 but they need not apprehend  
that we have written without method1 or 
that we have thrown before them a heap  
of desultory remarks and experiments1   
which lead to no general conclusions1   
and which tend to the establishment of  
no useful principles4 ,we assure them   
that we have worked upon a regular plan1
 and where we have failed of executing  
our design1 it has not been for want of 
labour or attention4 ,convinced that it 
is the duty and the interest of all who 
write1 to inquire what others have said 
and thought upon the subject of which   
they treat1 we have examined attentively
 the works of others1 that we might     
collect whatever knowledge they contain1
 and that we might neither arrogate     
inventions which do not belong to us1   
nor weary the public by repetition4     
,some useful and ingenious essays may   
probably have escaped our notice2 but we
 flatter ourselves1 that our readers    
will not find reason to accuse us of    

negligence1 as we have perused with     
diligent attention every work upon      
education1 that has obtained the        
sanction of time or of public           
approbation1 and1 though we have never  
bound ourselves to the letter1 we hope  
that we have been faithful to the       
spirit1 of their authors4 ,without      
incumbering ourselves with any part of  
their systems which has not been        
authorized by experience1 we have       
steadily attempted immediately to apply 
to practice such of their ideas as we   
have thought useful2 but whilst we have 
used the thoughts of others1 we have    
been anxious to avoid mean plagiarism1  
and wherever we have borrowed1 the debt 
has been carefully acknowledged4  ,the  
first hint of the chapter on ,toys was  
received from ,dr4 ,beddoes2 the sketch 
of an introduction to chemistry for     
children was given to us by ,mr4 ,lovell
 ,edgeworth2 and the rest of the work   
was resumed from a design formed and    
begun twenty years ago4 ,when a book    

appears under the name of two authors1  
it is natural to inquire what share     
belongs to each of them4 ,all that      
relates to the art of teaching to read  
in the chapter on ,tasks1 the chapters  
on ,grammar and ,classical ,literature1 
,geography1 ,chronology1 ,arithmetic1   
,geometry1 and ,mechanics1 were written 
by ,mr4 ,edgeworth1 and the rest of the 
book by ,miss ,edgeworth4 ,she was      
encouraged and enabled to write upon    
this important subject1 by having for   
many years before her eyes the conduct  
of a judicious mother in the education  
of a large family4 ,the chapter on      
,obedience1 was written from ,mrs4      
,edgeworth's notes1 and was exemplified 
by her successful practice in the       
management of her children2 the whole   
manuscript was submitted to her         
judgment1 and she revised parts of it in
 the last stage of a fatal disease4     
,,footnotes3  #a ,letters for ,literary 
,ladies4     ,,contents4   ,chapter     
,page       ,i4 ,toys                   

#i     ,,ii4 ,tasks                     
#dj    ,,iii4 ,on ,attention            
#ga     ,,iv4 ,servants                 
#aji      ,v4 ,acquaintance             
#aba     ,,vi4 ,on ,temper              
#acg    ,,vii4 ,on ,obedience           
#aec   ,,viii4 ,on ,truth               
#afh     ,,ix4 ,on ,rewards and         
,punishments                            
#aih      ,x4 ,on ,sympathy and         
,sensibility                            
#bcb     ,,xi4 ,on ,vanity1 ,pride1 and 
,ambition                         #bfa  
,,xii4 ,books                           
#bgf     ,,practical ,,education4       
,,chapter ,i4  ,,toys4   ,why don't you 
play with your playthings1 my dear8 ,i  
am sure that ,i have bought toys enough 
for you2 why can't you divert yourself  
with them1 instead of breaking them to  
pieces8 says a mother to her child1 who 
stands idle and miserable1 surrounded by
 disjointed dolls1 maimed horses1       
coaches and one-horse chairs without    
wheels1 and a nameless wreck of gilded  

lumber4  ,a child in this situation is  
surely more to be pitied than blamed2   
for is it not vain to repeat1 ,why don't
 you play with your playthings1 unless  
they be such as he can play with1 which 
is very seldom the case2 and is it not  
rather unjust to be angry with him for  
breaking them to pieces1 when he can by 
no other device render them subservient 
to his amusement8 ,he breaks them1 not  
from the love of mischief1 but from the 
hatred of idleness2 either he wishes to 
see what his playthings are made of1 and
 how they are made2 or1 whether he can  
put them together again1 if the parts be
 once separated4 ,all this is perfectly 
innocent2 and it is a pity that his love
 of knowledge and his spirit of activity
 should be repressed by the             
undistinguishing correction of a nursery
 maid1 or the unceasing reproof of a    
,french governess4  ,the more natural   
vivacity and ingenuity young people     
possess1 the less are they likely to be 
amused with the toys which are usually  

put into their hands4 ,they require to  
have things which exercise their senses 
or their imagination1 their imitative1  
and inventive powers4 ,the glaring      
colours1 or the gilding of toys1 may    
catch the eye1 and please for a few     
minutes1 but unless some use can be made
 of them1 they will1 and ought1 to be   
soon discarded4 ,a boy1 who has the use 
of his limbs1 and whose mind is         
untainted with prejudice1 would1 in all 
probability1 prefer a substantial cart1 
in which he could carry weeds1 earth and
 stones1 up and down hill1 to the finest
 frail coach and six that ever came out 
of a toy-shop3 for what could he do with
 the coach after having admired1 and    
sucked the paint1 but drag it cautiously
 along the carpet of a drawing-room1    
watching the wheels1 which will not     
turn1 and seeming to sympathize with the
 just terrors of the lady and gentleman 
within1 who are certain of being        
overturned every five minutes8 ,when he 
is tired of this1 perhaps1 he may set   

about to unharness horses which were    
never meant to be unharnessed2 or to    
currycomb their woollen manes and tails1
 which usually come off during the first
 attempt4  ,that such toys are frail and
 useless1 may1 however1 be considered as
 evils comparatively small3 as long as  
the child has sense and courage to      
destroy the toys1 there is no great harm
 done2 but1 in general1 he is taught to 
set a value upon them totally           
independent of all ideas of utility1 or 
of any regard to his own real feelings4 
,either he is conjured to take          
particular care of them1 because they   
cost a great deal of money2 or else he  
is taught to admire them as miniatures  
of some of the fine things on which fine
 people pride themselves3 if no other   
bad consequence were to ensue1 this     
single circumstance of his being guided 
in his choice by the opinion of others  
is dangerous4 ,instead of attending to  
his own sensations1 and learning from   
his own experience1 he acquires the     

habit of estimating his pleasures by the
 taste and judgment of those who happen 
to be near him4  ,i liked the cart best1
 says the boy1 but mamma and every body 
said that the coach was the prettiest2  
so ,i chose the coach4--,shall we wonder
 if the same principle afterwards       
governs him in the choice of the toys of
 age8  ,a little girl1 presiding at her 
baby tea-table1 is pleased with the     
notion that she is like her mamma2 and1 
before she can have any idea of the real
 pleasures of conversation and society1 
she is confirmed in the persuasion1 that
 tattling and visiting are some of the  
most enviable privileges of grown       
people2 a set of beings whom she        
believes to be in possession of all the 
sweets of happiness4  ,dolls1 beside the
 prescriptive right of ancient usage1   
can boast of such an able champion in   
,rousseau1 that it requires no common   
share of temerity to attack them4 ,as   
far as they are the means of inspiring  
girls with a taste for neatness in      

dress1 and with a desire to make those  
things for themselves1 for which women  
are usually dependent upon milliners1 we
 must acknowledge their utility2 but a  
watchful eye should be kept upon the    
child1 to mark the first symptoms of a  
love of finery and fashion4 ,it is a    
sensible remark of a late female writer1
 that whilst young people work1 the mind
 will follow the hands1 the thoughts are
 occupied with trifles1 and the industry
 is stimulated by vanity4  ,our         
objections to dolls are offered with    
great submission and due hesitation4    
,with more confidence we may venture to 
attack baby-houses2 an unfurnished      
baby-house might be a good toy1 as it   
would employ little carpenters and      
seamstresses to fit it up2 but a        
completely furnished baby-house proves  
as tiresome to a child1 as a finished   
seat is to a young nobleman4 ,after     
peeping1 for in general only a peep can 
be had into each apartment1 after being 
thoroughly satisfied that nothing is    

wanting1 and that consequently there is 
nothing to be done1 the young lady lays 
her doll upon the state bed1 if the doll
 be not twice as large as the bed1 and  
falls fast asleep in the midst of her   
felicity4  ,before dolls1 baby-houses1  
coaches1 and cups and saucers1 there    
comes a set of toys1 which are made to  
imitate the actions of men and women1   
and the notes or noises of birds and    
beasts4 ,many of these are ingenious in 
their construction1 and happy in their  
effect1 but that effect unfortunately is
 transitory4 ,when the wooden woman has 
churned her hour in her empty churn2    
when the stiff backed man has hammered  
or sawed till his arms are broken1 or   
till his employers are tired2 when the  
gilt lamb has ba-ad1 the obstinate pig  
squeaked1 and the provoking cuckoo cried
 cuckoo1 till no one in the house can   
endure the noise2 what remains to be    
done8--,wo betide the unlucky little    
philosopher1 who should think of        
inquiring why the woman churned1 or how 

the bird cried cuckoo2 for it is ten to 
one that in prosecuting such an inquiry1
 just when he is upon the eve of        
discovery1 he snaps the wire1 or        
perforates the bellows1 and there ensue 
a death-like silence1 and a dread       
repose4  ,the grief which is felt for   
spoiling a new plaything might be borne1
 if it were not increased1 as it        
commonly is1 by the reproaches of       
friends2 much kind eloquence1 upon these
 occasions1 is frequently displayed1 to 
bring the sufferer to a proper sense of 
his folly1 till in due time the contrite
 corners of his mouth are drawn down1   
his wide eyes fill with tears1 and1     
without knowing what he means1 he       
promises never to be so silly any more4 
,the future safety of his worthless     
playthings is thus purchased at the     
expense of his understanding1 perhaps of
 his integrity3 for children seldom     
scrupulously adhere to promises1 which  
they have made to escape from impending 
punishment4  ,we have ventured to object

 to some fashionable toys2 we are bound 
at least to propose others in their     
place2 and we shall take the matter up  
soberly from the nursery4  ,the first   
toys for infants should be merely such  
things as may be grasped without danger1
 and which might1 by the difference of  
their sizes1 invite comparison3 round   
ivory or wooden sticks should be put    
into their little hands2 by degrees they
 will learn to lift them to their       
mouths1 and they will distinguish their 
sizes3 square and circular bits of wood1
 balls1 cubes1 and triangles1 with holes
 of different sizes made in them1 to    
admit the sticks1 should be their       
playthings4 ,no greater apparatus is    
necessary for the amusement of the first
 months of an infant's life4 ,to ease   
the pain which they feel from cutting   
teeth1 infants generally carry to their 
mouths whatever they can lay their hands
 upon2 but they soon learn to           
distinguish those bodies which relieve  
their pain1 from those which gratify    

their palate2 and1 if they are left to  
themselves1 they will always choose what
 is painted in preference to every thing
 else2 nor must we attribute the look of
 delight with which they seize toys that
 are painted red1 merely to the pleasure
 which their eye takes in the bright    
colour1 but to the love of the sweet    
taste which they suck from the paint4   
,what injury may be done to the health  
by the quantity of lead which is thus   
swallowed1 we will not pretend to       
determine1 but we refer to a medical    
name of high authority1#b whose cautions
 probably will not be treated with      
neglect4 ,to gratify the eye with       
glittering objects1 if this be          
necessary1 may be done with more safety 
by toys of tin and polished iron3 a     
common steel button is a more desirable 
plaything to a young child than many    
expensive toys2 a few such buttons tied 
together1 so as to prevent any danger of
 their being swallowed1 would continue  
for some time a source of amusement4    

,when a nurse wants to please or to     
pacify a child1 she stuns its ear with a
 variety of noises1 or dazzles its eye  
with glaring colours or stimulating     
light4 ,the eye and the ear are thus    
fatigued without advantage1 and the     
temper is hushed to a transient calm by 
expedients1 which in time must lose     
their effect1 and which can have no     
power over confirmed fretfulness4 ,the  
pleasure of exercising their senses1 is 
in itself sufficient to children without
 any factitious stimulus1 which only    
exhausts their excitability1 and renders
 them incapable of being amused by a    
variety of common objects1 which would  
naturally be their entertainment4 ,we do
 not here speak of the attempts made to 
sooth a child who is ill2 to charm the  
sense of pain1 so far as it can be done 
by diverting the child's attention from 
his own sufferings to outward objects1  
is humane and reasonable1 provided our  
compassion does not induce in the       
child's mind the expectation of         

continual attendance1 and that          
impatience of temper which increases    
bodily suffering4 ,it would be in vain  
to read lectures on philosophy to a     
nurse1 or to expect stoicism from an    
infant2 but1 perhaps1 where mothers pay 
attention themselves to their children1 
they will be able to prevent many of the
 consequences of vulgar prejudice and   
folly4 ,a nurse's wish is to have as    
little trouble as possible with the     
child committed to her charge1 and at   
the same time to flatter the mother1    
from whom she expects her reward4 ,the  
appearance of extravagant fondness for  
the child1 of incessant attention to its
 humour1 and absurd submission to its   
caprices1 she imagines to be the surest 
method of recommending herself to       
favour4 ,she is not to be imposed upon  
by the faint and affected rebukes of the
 fond mother1 who exclaims1 ,oh1 nurse1 
indeed you do spoil that child          
sadly6--,oh1 nurse1 upon my word she    
governs you entirely6--,nurse1 you must 

not let her have her own way            
always4--,never mind her crying1 ,i beg1
 nurse4--,nurse smiles1 sees that she   
has gained her point1 and promises what 
she knows it is not expected she should 
perform4 ,now if1 on the contrary1 she  
perceived that the mother was neither to
 be flattered nor pleased by these      
means1 one motive for spoiling the child
 would immediately cease3 another strong
 one would1 it is true1 still remain4 ,a
 nurse wishes to save herself trouble1  
and she frequently consults her own     
convenience when she humours an infant4 
,she hushes it to sleep1 that she may   
leave it safely2 she stops it from      
crying1 that she may not hear an        
irritating noise1 that she may relieve  
herself as soon as possible from the    
painful weakness of compassion1 or that 
she may avoid the danger of being       
interrogated by the family as to the    
cause of the disturbance4 ,it is less   
trouble to her to yield to caprice and  
ill-humour than to prevent or cure it1  

or at least she thinks it is so4 ,in    
reality it is not2 for an humoured child
 in time plagues its attendant          
infinitely more than it would have done 
with reasonable management4 ,if it were 
possible to convince nurses of this1    
they would sacrifice perhaps the        
convenience of a moment to the peace of 
future hours1 and they would not be     
eager to quell one storm1 at the hazard 
of being obliged to endure twenty more  
boisterous2 the candle would then no    
more be thrust almost into the infant's 
eyes to make it take notice of the light
 through the mist of tears1 the eternal 
bunch of keys would not dance and jingle
 at every peevish summons1 nor would the
 roarings of passion be overpowered by  
insulting songs1 or soothed by artful   
caresses2 the child would then be       
caressed and amused when he looks       
smiling and good-humoured1 and all      
parties would be much happier4          
,practical education begins very early1 
even in the nursery4 ,without the       

mountebank pretence1 that miracles can  
be performed by the turning of a straw1 
or the dictatorial anathematizing tone1 
which calls down vengeance upon those   
who do not follow to an iota the        
injunctions of a theorist1 we may simply
 observe1 that parents would save       
themselves a great deal of trouble1 and 
their children some pain1 if they would 
pay some attention to their early       
education4 ,the temper acquires habits  
much earlier than is usually            
apprehended2 the first impressions which
 infants receive1 and the first habits  
which they learn from their nurses1     
influence the temper and disposition    
long after the slight causes which      
produced them are forgotten4 ,more care 
and judgment than usually fall to the   
share of a nurse are necessary1 to      
cultivate the disposition which infants 
show1 to exercise their senses1 so as   
neither to suffer them to become        
indolent and torpid from want of proper 
objects to occupy their attention1 nor  

yet to exhaust their senses by continual
 excitation4 ,by ill-timed restraints or
 injudicious incitements1 the nurse     
frequently renders the child obstinate  
or passionate4 ,an infant should never  
be interrupted in its operations2 whilst
 it wishes to use its hands1 we should  
not be impatient to make it walk2 or    
when it is pacing1 with all the         
attention to its centre of gravity that 
is exerted by a rope-dancer1 suddenly   
arrest its progress1 and insist upon its
 pronouncing the scanty vocabulary which
 we have compelled it to learn4 ,when   
children are busily trying experiments  
upon objects within their reach1 we     
should not1 by way of saving them       
trouble1 break the course of their      
ideas1 and totally prevent them from    
acquiring knowledge by their own        
experience4 ,when a foolish nurse sees a
 child attempting to reach or lift any  
thing1 she runs immediately1 ,oh1 dear  
love1 it can't do it1 it can't6--,i'll  
do it for it1 so ,i will6--,if the child

 be trying the difference between       
pushing and pulling1 rolling or sliding1
 the powers of the wedge or the lever1  
the officious nurse hastens instantly to
 display her own knowledge of the       
mechanic powers3 ,stay1 love1 stay2 that
 is not the way to do it--,i'll show it 
the right way--see here--look at me     
love4--,without interrupting a child in 
the moment of action1 proper care might 
previously be taken to remove out of its
 way those things which can really hurt 
it1 and a just degree of attention must 
be paid to its first experiments upon   
hard and heavy1 and more especially upon
 sharp1 brittle1 and burning bodies2 but
 this degree of care should not         
degenerate into cowardice2 it is better 
that a child should tumble down or burn 
its fingers1 than that it should not    
learn the use of its limbs and its      
senses4 ,we should for another reason   
take care to put all dangerous things   
effectually out of the child's reach1   
instead of saying perpetually1 ,take    

care1 don't touch that6--don't do       
that6--let that alone6 ,the child1 who  
scarcely understands the words1 and not 
at all the reason of these prohibitions1
 is frightened by the tone and          
countenance with which they are uttered 
and accompanied2 and he either becomes  
indolent or cunning2 either he desists  
from exertion1 or seizes the moment to  
divert himself with forbidden objects1  
when the watchful eye that guards them  
is withdrawn4 ,it is in vain to         
encompass the restless prisoner with a  
fortification of chairs1 and to throw   
him an old almanack to tear to pieces1  
or an old pincushion to explore2 the    
enterprising adventurer soon makes his  
escape from this barricado1 leaves his  
goods behind him1 and presently is again
 in what the nurse calls mischief4      
,mischief is with nurses frequently only
 another name for any species of        
activity which they find troublesome2   
the love which children are supposed to 
have for pulling things out of their    

places1 is in reality the desire of     
seeing things in motion1 or of putting  
things into different situations4 ,they 
will like to put the furniture in a room
 in its proper place1 and to arrange    
every thing in what we call order1 if we
 can make these equally permanent       
sources of active amusement2 but when   
things are once in their places1 the    
child has nothing more to do1 and the   
more quickly each chair arrives at its  
destined situation1 the sooner comes the
 dreaded state of idleness and quiet4   
,a nursery1 or a room in which young    
children are to live1 should never have 
any furniture in it which they can      
spoil2 as few things as possible should 
be left within their reach which they   
are not to touch1 and at the same time  
they should be provided with the means  
of amusing themselves1 not with painted 
or gilt toys1 but with pieces of wood of
 various shapes and sizes1 which they   
may build up and pull down1 and put in a
 variety of different forms and         

positions2 balls1 pulleys1 wheels1      
strings1 and strong little carts1       
proportioned to their age1 and to the   
things which they want to carry in them1
 should be their playthings4  ,prints   
will be entertaining to children at a   
very early age2 it would be endless to  
enumerate the uses that may be made of  
them2 they teach accuracy of sight1 they
 engage the attention1 and employ the   
imagination4 ,in #aggg we saw ,l----1 a 
child of two years old1 point out every 
piece of furniture in the ,french prints
 of ,gil ,blas2 in the print of the     
,canon at ,dinner1 he distinguished the 
knives1 forks1 spoons1 bottles1 and     
every thing upon the table3 the dog     
lying upon the mat1 and the bunch of    
keys hanging at ,jacintha's girdle2 he  
told1 with much readiness1 the          
occupation of every figure in the print1
 and could supply1 from his imagination1
 what is supposed to be hidden by the   
foremost parts of all the objects4 ,a   
child of four years old was asked1 what 

was meant by something that was very    
indistinctly represented as hanging     
round the arm of a figure in one of the 
prints of the ,london ,cries4 ,he said  
it was a glove2 though it had as little 
resemblance to a glove1 as to a ribbon  
or a purse4 ,when he was asked how he   
knew that it was a glove1 he answered1  
that it ought to be a glove1 because the
 woman had one upon her other arm1 and  
none upon that where the thing was      
hanging4 ,having seen the gown of a     
female figure in a print hanging        
obliquely1 the same child said1 ,the    
wind blows that woman's gown back4 ,we  
mention these little circumstances from 
real life1 to show how early prints may 
be an amusement to children1 and how    
quickly things unknown1 are learnt by   
the relations which they bear to what   
was known before4 ,we should at the same
 time observe1 that children are very   
apt to make strange mistakes1 and hasty 
conclusions1 when they begin to reason  
from analogy4 ,a child having asked what

 was meant by some marks in the forehead
 of an old man in a print2 and having   
been told1 upon some occasion1 that old 
people were wiser than young ones1      
brought a print containing several      
figures to his mother1 and told her that
 one1 which he pointed to1 was wiser    
than all the rest2 upon inquiry1 it was 
found that he had formed this notion    
from seeing that one figure was         
wrinkled1 and that the others were not4 
,prints for children should be chosen   
with great care2 they should represent  
objects which are familiar2 the         
resemblances should be accurate1 and the
 manners should be attended to1 or at   
least1 the general moral that is to be  
drawn from them4 ,the attitude of       
,sephora1 the boxing lady in ,gil ,blas1
 must appear unnatural to children who  
have not lived with termagant heroines4 
,perhaps1 the first ideas of grace1     
beauty1 and propriety1 are considerably 
influenced by the first pictures and    
prints which please children4 ,sir      

,joshua ,reynolds tells us1 that he took
 a child with him through a room full of
 pictures1 and that the child stopped1  
with signs of aversion1 whenever it came
 to any picture of a figure in a        
constrained attitude4  ,children soon   
judge tolerably well of proportion in   
drawing1 where they have been used to   
see the objects which are represented3  
but we often give them prints of        
objects1 and of animals especially1     
which they have never seen1 and in which
 no sort of proportion is observed4 ,the
 common prints of animals must give     
children false ideas4 ,the mouse and the
 elephant are nearly of the same size1  
and the crocodile and whale fill the    
same space in the page4 ,painters1 who  
put figures of men amongst their        
buildings1 give the idea of the         
proportionate height immediately to the 
eye3 this is1 perhaps1 the best scale we
 can adopt2 in every print for children 
this should be attended to4 ,some idea  
of the relative sizes of the animals    

they see represented would then be      
given1 and the imagination would not be 
filled with chimeras4  ,after having    
been accustomed to examine prints1 and  
to trace their resemblance to real      
objects1 children will probably wish to 
try their own powers of imitation4 ,at  
this moment no toy1 which we could      
invent for them1 would give them half so
 much pleasure as a pencil4 ,if we put a
 pencil into their hands even before    
they are able to do any thing with it   
but make random marks all over a sheet  
of paper1 it will long continue a real  
amusement and occupation4 ,no matter how
 rude their first attempts at imitation 
may be2 if the attention of children be 
occupied1 our point is gained4 ,girls   
have generally one advantage at this age
 over boys1 in the exclusive possession 
of the scissors3 how many camels1 and   
elephants with amazing trunks1 are cut  
out by the industrious scissors of a    
busy1 and therefore happy little girl1  
during a winter evening1 which passes so

 heavily1 and appears so immeasurably   
long1 to the idle4  ,modelling in clay  
or wax might probably be a useful       
amusement about this age1 if the        
materials were so prepared1 that the    
children could avoid being every moment 
troublesome to others whilst they are at
 work4 ,the making of baskets1 and the  
weaving of sash-line1 might perhaps be  
employment for children2 with proper    
preparations1 they might at least be    
occupied with these things2 much1       
perhaps1 might not be produced by their 
labours1 but it is a great deal to give 
early habits of industry4 ,let us do    
what we will1 every person who has ever 
had any experience upon the subject1    
must know that it is scarcely possible  
to provide sufficient and suitable      
occupations for young children3 this is 
one of the first difficulties in        
education4 ,those who have never tried  
the experiment1 are astonished to find  
it such a difficult and laborious       
business as it really is1 to find       

employments for children from three to  
six years old4 ,it is perhaps better1   
that our pupils should be entirely idle1
 than that they should be half employed4
 ,my dear1 have you nothing to do8      
should be spoken in sorrow rather than  
in anger4 ,when they see other people   
employed and happy1 children feel       
mortified and miserable to have nothing 
to do4 ,count ,rumford's was an         
excellent scheme for exciting           
sympathetic industry amongst the        
children of the poor at ,munich2 in the 
large hall1 where the elder children    
were busy in spinning1 there was a range
 of seats for the younger children1 who 
were not yet permitted to work2 these   
being compelled to sit idle1 and to see 
the busy multitude1 grew extremely      
uneasy in their own situation1 and      
became very anxious to be employed4 ,we 
need not use any compulsion or any      
artifice2 parents in every family1 we   
suppose1 who think of educating their   
own children1 are employed some hours in

 the day in reading1 writing1 business1 
or conversation2 during these hours1    
children will naturally feel the want of
 occupation1 and will1 from sympathy1   
from ambition and from impatience of    
insupportable ennui1 desire with anxious
 faces1 to have something to do4        
,instead of loading them with           
playthings1 by way of relieving their   
misery1 we should honestly tell them1 if
 that be the truth1 ,i am sorry ,i      
cannot find any thing for you to do at  
present4 ,i hope you will soon be able  
to employ yourself4 ,what a happy thing 
it will be for you to be able1 by and   
by1 to read1 and write and draw2 then   
you will never be forced to sit idle4   
,the pains of idleness stimulate        
children to industry1 if they are from  
time to time properly contrasted with   
the pleasures of occupation4 ,we should 
associate cheerfulness1 and praise1 and 
looks of approbation1 with industry2    
and1 whenever young people invent       
employments for themselves1 they should 

be assisted as much as possible1 and    
encouraged4 ,at that age when they are  
apt to grow tired in half an hour of    
their playthings1 we had better give    
them playthings only for a very short   
time1 at intervals in the day2 and1     
instead of waiting till they are tired1 
we should take the things away before   
they are weary of them4 ,nor should we  
discourage the inquisitive genius from  
examining into the structure of their   
toys1 whatever they may be4 ,the same   
ingenious and active dispositions1 which
 prompt these inquiries1 will secure    
children from all those numerous        
temptations to do mischief1 to which the
 idle are exposed4 ,ingenious children  
are pleased with contrivances which     
answer the purposes for which they are  
intended3 and they feel sincere regret  
whenever these are injured or destroyed3
 this we mention as a further comfort   
and security for parents1 who1 in the   
company of young mechanics1 are apt to  
tremble for their furniture4 ,children  

who observe1 and who begin to amuse     
themselves with thought1 are not so     
actively hostile in their attacks upon  
inanimate objects4 ,we were once present
 at the dissection of a wooden cuckoo1  
which was attended with extreme pleasure
 by a large family of children2 and it  
was not one of the children who broke   
the precious toy1 but it was the father 
who took it to pieces4 ,nor was it the  
destruction of the plaything which      
entertained the company1 but the sight  
of the manner in which it was           
constructed4 ,many guesses were made by 
all the spectators about the internal   
structure of the cuckoo1 and the        
astonishment of the company was         
universal1 when the bellows were cut    
open1 and the simple contrivance was    
revealed to view2 probably1 more was    
learnt from this cuckoo1 than was ever  
learnt from any cuckoo before4 ,so far  
from being indifferent to the           
destruction of this plaything1 ,h----   
the little girl of four years old1 to   

whom it belonged1 remembered1 several   
months afterwards1 to remind her father 
of his promise to repair the mischief he
 had done4  ,several toys1 which are    
made at present1 are calculated to give 
pleasure merely by exciting surprise1   
and of course give children's minds such
 a tone1 that they are afterwards too   
fond of similar useless baubles4#c ,this
 species of delight is soon over1 and is
 succeeded by a desire to triumph in the
 ignorance1 the credulity1 or the       
cowardice1 of their companions4 ,hence  
that propensity to play tricks1 which is
 often injudiciously encouraged by the  
smiles of parents1 who are apt to       
mistake it for a proof of wit and       
vivacity4 ,they forget1 that gentle     
dulness ever loved a joke2 and that even
 wit and vivacity1 if they become       
troublesome and mischievous1 will be    
feared1 and shunned4 ,many juggling     
tricks and puzzles are highly ingenious2
 and1 as far as they can exercise the   
invention or the patience of young      

people1 they are useful4 ,care1 however1
 should be taken1 to separate the ideas 
of deceit and of ingenuity1 and to      
prevent children from glorying in the   
mere possession of a secret4  ,toys     
which afford trials of dexterity and    
activity1 such as tops1 kites1 hoops1   
balls1 battledores and shuttlecocks1    
ninepins1 and cup-and-ball1 are         
excellent2 and we see that they are     
consequently great and lasting          
favourites with children2 their senses1 
their understanding1 and their passions1
 are all agreeably interested and       
exercised by these amusements4 ,they    
emulate each other2 but1 as some will   
probably excel at one game1 and some at 
another1 this emulation will not        
degenerate into envy4 ,there is more    
danger that this hateful passion should 
be created in the minds of young        
competitors at those games1 where it is 
supposed that some knack or mystery is  
to be learned before they can be played 
with success4 ,whenever children play at

 such games1 we should point out to them
 how and why it is that they succeed or 
fail3 we may show them1 that1 in        
reality1 there is no knack or mystery in
 any thing1 but that from certain causes
 certain effects will follow2 that1     
after trying a number of experiments1   
the circumstances essential to success  
may be discovered2 and that all the ease
 and dexterity1 which we often attribute
 to the power of natural genius1 is     
simply the consequence of practice and  
industry4 ,this sober lesson may be     
taught to children without putting it   
into grave words or formal precepts4 ,a 
gentleman once astonished a family of   
children by his dexterity in playing at 
bilboquet3 he caught the ball nine or   
ten times successively with great       
rapidity upon the spike3 this success   
appeared miraculous2 and the father1 who
 observed that it had made a great      
impression upon the little spectators1  
took that opportunity to show the use of
 spinning the ball1 to make the hole at 

the bottom ascend in a proper direction4
 ,the nature of centrifugal motion1 and 
its effect1 in preserving the           
parallelism of motion1 if we may be     
allowed the expression1 was explained1  
not at once1 but at different intervals1
 to the young audience4 ,only as much   
was explained at a time as the children 
could understand1 without fatiguing     
their attention1 and the abstruse       
subject was made familiar by the mode of
 illustration that was adopted4  ,it is 
surprising how much children may learn  
from their playthings1 when they are    
judiciously chosen1 and when the habit  
of reflection and observation is        
associated with the ideas of amusement  
and happiness4 ,a little boy of nine    
years old1 who had had a hoop to play   
with1 asked why a hoop1 or a plate1 if  
rolled upon its edge1 keeps up as long  
as it rolls1 but falls as soon as it    
stops1 and will not stand if you try to 
make it stand still upon its edge8 ,was 
not the boy's understanding as well     

employed whilst he was thinking of this 
phenomenon1 which he observed whilst he 
was beating his hoop1 as it could       
possibly have been by the most learned  
preceptor8  ,when a pedantic            
schoolmaster sees a boy eagerly watching
 a paper kite1 he observes1 ,what a pity
 it is that children cannot be made to  
mind their grammar as well as their     
kites6 ,and he adds1 perhaps1 some      
peevish ejaculation on the natural      
idleness of boys1 and that pernicious   
love of play against which he is doomed 
to wage perpetual war4 ,a man of sense  
will see the same thing with a different
 eye2 in this pernicious love of play he
 will discern the symptoms of a love of 
science1 and1 instead of deploring the  
natural idleness of children1 he will   
admire the activity which they display  
in the pursuit of knowledge4 ,he will   
feel that it is his business to direct  
this activity1 to furnish his pupil with
 materials for fresh combinations1 to   
put him or to let him put himself1 in   

situations where he can make useful     
observations1 and acquire that          
experience which cannot be bought1 and  
which no masters can communicate4  ,it  
will not be beneath the dignity of a    
philosophic tutor to consider the       
different effects1 which the most common
 plays of children have upon the habits 
of the understanding and temper4        
,whoever has watched children putting   
together a dissected map1 must have been
 amused with the trial between ,wit and 
,judgment4 ,the child1 who quickly      
perceives resemblances1 catches         
instantly at the first bit of the wooden
 map1 that has a single hook or hollow  
that seems likely to answer his purpose2
 he makes1 perhaps1 twenty different    
trials before he hits upon the right2   
whilst the wary youth1 who has been     
accustomed to observe differences1      
cautiously examines with his eye the    
whole outline before his hand begins to 
move2 and1 having exactly compared the  
two indentures1 he joins them with sober

 confidence1 more proud of never        
disgracing his judgment by a fruitless  
attempt1 than ambitious of rapid        
success4 ,he is slow1 but sure1 and wins
 the day4  ,there are some plays which  
require presence of mind1 and which     
demand immediate attention to what is   
actually going forward1 in which        
children1 capable of the greatest degree
 of abstract attention1 are most apt to 
be defective4 ,they have many ideas1 but
 none of them ready1 and their knowledge
 is useless1 because it is recollected a
 moment too late4 ,could we1 in suitably
 dignified language1 describe the game  
of birds1 beasts1 and fishes1 we should 
venture to prescribe it as no very      
painful remedy for these absent and     
abstracted personages4 ,when the        
handkerchief or the ball is thrown1 and 
when his bird's name is called for1 the 
absent little philosopher is obliged to 
collect his scattered thoughts          
instantaneously1 or else he exposes     
himself to the ridicule of naming1      

perhaps1 a fish or a beast1 or any bird 
but the right4 ,to those children1 who1 
on the contrary1 are not sufficiently   
apt to abstract their attention1 and who
 are what ,bacon calls birdwitted1 we   
should recommend a solitary-board4 ,at  
the solitary-board they must withdraw   
their thoughts from all external        
objects1 hear nothing that is said1 and 
fix their attention solely upon the     
figure and the pegs before them1 else   
they will never succeed2 and1 if they   
make one errour in their calculations1  
they lose all their labour4 ,those who  
are precipitate1 and not sufficiently   
attentive to the consequences of their  
own actions1 may receive many salutary  
lessons at the draught or               
chess-board--happy1 if they can learn   
prudence and foresight1 by frequently   
losing the battle4  ,we are not quite so
 absurd as to imagine1 that any great or
 permanent effects can be produced by   
such slight causes as a game at         
draughts1 or at a solitary-board1 but   

the combination of a number of apparent 
trifles1 is not to be neglected in      
education4  ,we have never yet mentioned
 what will probably first occur to those
 who would invent employments for       
children4 ,we have never yet mentioned a
 garden2 we have never mentioned those  
great delights to children1 a spade1 a  
hoe1 a rake1 and a wheelbarrow4 ,we hold
 all these in proper respect2 but we did
 not sooner mention them1 because1 if   
introduced too early1 they are useless4 
,we must not expect1 that a boy six or  
seven years old1 can find1 for any      
length of time1 sufficient daily        
occupation in a garden3 he has not      
strength for hard labour2 he can dig    
soft earth2 he can weed groundsel1 and  
other weeds1 which take no deep root in 
the earth2 but after he has weeded his  
little garden1 and sowed his seeds1     
there must be a suspension of his       
labours4 ,frequently children1 for want 
of something to do1 when they have sowed
 flower-seeds in their crooked beds1 dig

 up the hopes of the year to make a new 
walk1 or to sink a well in their garden4
 ,we mention these things1 that parents 
may not be disappointed1 or expect more 
from the occupation of a garden1 than it
 can1 at a very early age1 afford4 ,a   
garden is an excellent resource for     
children1 but they should have a variety
 of other occupations3 rainy days will  
come1 and frost and snow1 and then      
children must be occupied within doors4 
,we immediately think of a little set of
 carpenter's tools1 to supply them with 
active amusement4 ,boys will probably be
 more inclined to attempt making models1
 than drawings of the furniture which   
appears to be the most easy to imitate2 
they will imagine that1 if they had but 
tools1 they could make boxes1 and desks1
 and beds1 and chests of drawers1 and   
tables and chairs innumerable4 ,but1    
alas6 these fond imaginations are too   
soon dissipated4 ,suppose a boy of seven
 years old to be provided with a small  
set of carpenter's tools1 his father    

thinks perhaps that he has made him     
completely happy2 but a week afterwards 
the father finds dreadful marks of the  
file and saw upon his mahogany tables2  
the use of these tools is immediately   
interdicted until a bench shall be      
procured4 ,week after week passes away1 
till at length the frequently reiterated
 speech of ,papa1 you bid me put you in 
mind about my bench4 ,papa has its      
effect1 and the bench appears4 ,now the 
young carpenter thinks he is quite set  
up in the world1 and projects carts and 
boxes1 and reading-desks and            
writing-desks for himself and for his   
sisters1 if he have any2 but when he    
comes to the execution of his plans1    
what new difficulties1 what new wants   
arise6 the wood is too thick or too     
thin2 it splits1 or it cannot be cut    
with a knife2 wire1 nails1 glue1 and    
above all1 the means of heating the     
glue1 are wanting4 ,at last some frail  
machine1 stuck together with pegs or    
pins1 is produced1 and the workman is   

usually either too much ridiculed1 or   
too much admired4 ,the step from pegging
 to mortising is a very difficult step1 
and the want of a mortising-chisel is   
insuperable3 one tool is called upon to 
do the duty of another1 and the pricker 
comes to an untimely end in doing the   
hard duty of the punch2 the saw wants   
setting2 the plane will plane no longer2
 and the mallet must be used instead of 
the hammer1 because the hammer makes so 
much noise1 that the ladies of the      
family have voted for its being locked  
up4 ,to all these various evils the     
child submits in despair2 and finding1  
after many fruitless exertions1 that he 
cannot make any of the fine things he   
had projected1 he throws aside his      
tools1 and is deterred by these         
disappointments from future industry and
 ingenuity4 ,such are the consequences  
of putting excellent tools into the     
hands of children before they can       
possibly use them3 but the tools which  
are useless at seven years old1 will be 

a most valuable present at eleven or    
twelve1 and for this age it will be     
prudent to reserve them4 ,a rational    
toy-shop should be provided with all    
manner of carpenter's tools1 with wood  
properly prepared for the young workman1
 and with screws1 nails1 glue1          
emery-paper1 and a variety of articles  
which it would be tedious to enumerate2 
but which1 if parents could readily meet
 within a convenient assemblage1 they   
would willingly purchase for their      
children4 ,the trouble of hunting       
through a number of different shops1    
prevents them at present from purchasing
 such things2 besides1 they may not     
perhaps be sufficiently good carpenters 
to know distinctly every thing that is  
necessary for a young workman4  ,card1  
pasteboard1 substantial but not         
sharp-pointed scissors1 wire1 gum and   
wax1 may1 in some degree1 supply the    
want of carpenter's tools at that early 
age when we have observed that the saw  
and plane are useless4 ,models of common

 furniture should be made as toys1 which
 should take to pieces1 so that all     
their parts1 and the manner in which    
they are put together1 might be seen    
distinctly2 the names of the different  
parts should be written#d or stamped    
upon them3 by these means the names will
 be associated with realities2 children 
will retain them in their memory1 and   
they will neither learn by rote         
technical terms1 nor will they be       
retarded in their progress in mechanical
 invention by the want of language4     
,before young people can use tools1     
these models will amuse and exercise    
their attention4 ,from models of        
furniture we may go on to models of     
architecture2 pillars of different      
orders1 the roofs of houses1 the manner 
of slating and tiling1 c4 ,then we may  
proceed to models of simple machines1   
choosing at first such as can be        
immediately useful to children in their 
own amusements1 such as wheelbarrows1   
carts1 cranes1 scales1 steelyards1      

jacks1 and pumps1 which children ever   
view with eager eyes4  ,from simple1 it 
will be easy to proceed gradually to    
models of more complicated1 machinery3  
it would be tiresome to give a list of  
these2 models of instruments used by    
manufacturers and artists should be     
seen2 many of these are extremely       
ingenious2 spinning-wheels1 looms1      
paper-mills1 wind-mills1 water-mills1   
might with great advantage be shown in  
miniature to children4  ,the distracting
 noise and bustle1 the multitude of     
objects which all claim the attention at
 once1 prevent young people from        
understanding much of what they see1    
when they are first taken to look at    
large manufactories4 ,if they had       
previously acquired some general idea of
 the whole1 and some particular         
knowledge of the different parts1 they  
would not stare when they get into these
 places2 they would not stare round1 see
 nothing1 and come home content1        
bewildered by the sight of cogs and     

wheels2 and the explanations of the     
workmen would not be all jargon to them2
 they would understand some of the      
technical terms1 which so much alarm the
 intellects of those who hear them for  
the first time4  ,we may exercise the   
ingenuity and judgment of children by   
these models of machines1 by showing    
them first the thing to be done1 and    
exciting them to invent the best means  
of doing it2 afterwards give the models 
as the reward for their ingenuity1 and  
let them compare their own inventions   
with the contrivances actually in use   
amongst artificers2 by these means1     
young people may be led to compare a    
variety of different contrivances2 they 
will discern what parts of a machine are
 superfluous1 and what inadequate1 and  
they will class particular observations 
gradually under general principles4 ,it 
may be thought1 that this will tend to  
give children only mechanical invention1
 or we should call it1 perhaps1 the     
invention of machines2 and those who do 

not require this particular talent1 will
 despise it as unnecessary in what are  
called the liberal professions4 ,without
 attempting to compare the value of     
different intellectual talents1 we may  
observe1 that they are all in some      
measure dependent upon each other4 ,upon
 this subject we shall enlarge more     
fully when we come to consider the      
method of cultivating the memory and    
invention4  ,chemical toys will be more 
difficult to manage than mechanical1    
because the materials1 requisite to try 
many chemical experiments1 are such as  
cannot safely be put into the hands of  
children4 ,but a list of experiments1   
and of the things necessary to try them1
 might easily be drawn out by a chemist 
who would condescend to such a task2 and
 if these materials1 with proper        
directions1 were to be found at a       
rational toy-shop1 parents would not be 
afraid of burning or poisoning their    
children in the first chemical lessons4 
,in some families1 girls are taught the 

confectionary art2 might not this be    
advantageously connected with some      
knowledge of chemistry1 and might not   
they be better taught than by ,mrs4     
,raffeld or ,mrs4 ,glass8#e ,every      
culinary operation may be performed as  
an art1 probably1 as well by a cook as  
by a chemist2 but1 if the chemist did   
not assist the cook now and then with a 
little science1 epicures would have     
great reason for lamentation4 ,we do    
not1 by any means1 advise that girls    
should be instructed in confectionary   
arts1 at the hazard of their keeping    
company with servants4 ,if they learn   
any thing of this sort1 there will be   
many precautions necessary to separate  
them from servants3 we do not advise    
that these hazards should be run2 but if
 girls learn confectionary1 let them    
learn the principles of chemistry1 which
 may assist in this art4#f  ,children   
are very fond of attempting experiments 
in dying1 and are very curious about    
vegetable dyes2 but they can seldom     

proceed for want of the means of        
boiling1 evaporating1 distilling1 and   
subliming4 ,small stills1 and small     
tea-kettles and lamps1 would be         
extremely useful to them3 these might be
 used in the room with the children's   
parents1 which would prevent all danger3
 they should continue to be the property
 of the parents1 and should be produced 
only when they are wanted4 ,no great    
apparatus is necessary for showing      
children the first simple operations in 
chemistry3 such as evaporation1         
crystalization1 calcination1 detonation1
 effervescence1 and saturation4 ,water  
and fire1 salt and sugar1 lime and      
vinegar1 are not very difficult to be   
procured2 and a wine-glass is to be     
found in every house4 ,the difference   
between an acid and alkali should be    
early taught to children2 many grown    
people begin to learn chemistry1 without
 distinctly knowing what is meant by    
those terms4  ,in the selection of      
chemical experiments for young people1  

it will be best to avoid such as have   
the appearance of jugglers tricks1 as it
 is not our purpose to excite the       
amazement of children for the moment1   
but to give them a permanent taste for  
science4 ,in a well known book1 called  
,hooper's ,rational ,recreations1 there 
are many ingenious experiments2 but     
through the whole work there is such a  
want of an enlarged mind1 and such a    
love of magic and deception appears1 as 
must render it not only useless1 but    
unsafe1 for young people1 in its present
 state4 ,perhaps a selection might be   
made from it in which these defects     
might be avoided3 such titles as ,the   
real apparition3 the confederate        
counters3 the five beatitudes3 and the  
book of fate1 may be changed for others 
more rational4 ,receipts for ,changing  
winter into spring1 for making          
,self-raising pyramids1 inchanted       
mirrors1 and intelligent flies1 might be
 omitted1 or explained to advantage4    
,recreation the #eth1 ,to tell by the   

dial of a watch at what hour any person 
intends to rise2 ,recreation the #abth1 
,to produce the appearance of a phantom 
on a pedestal placed on the middle of a 
table2 and ,recreation the #cjth1 ,to   
write several letters which contain no  
meaning1 upon cards2 to make them1 after
 they have been twice shuffled1 give an 
answer to a question that shall be      
proposed2 as for example1 ,what is love8
 scarcely come under the denomination of
 ,rational ,recreations1 nor will they  
much conduce to the end proposed in the 
introduction to ,hooper's work2 that is 
to say1 in his own words1 ,to enlarge   
and fortify the mind of man1 that he may
 advance with tranquil steps through the
 flowery paths of investigation1 till   
arriving at some noble eminence1 he     
beholds1 with awful astonishment1 the   
boundless regions of science1 and       
becomes animated to attain a still more 
lofty station1 whilst his heart is      
incessantly rapt with joys of which the 
groveling herd have no conception4      

,even in those chemical experiments in  
this book1 which are really ingenious   
and entertaining1 we should avoid giving
 the old absurd titles1 which can only  
confuse the understanding1 and spoil the
 taste of children4 ,the tree of ,diana1
 and ,philosophic wool1 are of this     
species4 ,it is not necessary to make   
every thing marvellous and magical1 to  
fix the attention of young people2 if   
they are properly educated1 they will   
find more amusement in discovering1 or  
in searching for the cause of the       
effects which they see1 than in a blind 
admiration of the juggler's tricks4  ,in
 the papers of the ,manchester ,society1
 in ,franklin's letters1 in ,priestley's
 and ,percival's works1 there may be    
found a variety of simple experiments   
which require no great apparatus1 and   
which will at once amuse and instruct4  
,all the papers of the ,manchester      
,society1 upon the repulsion and        
attraction of oil and water1 are        
particularly suited to children1 because

 they state a variety of simple facts2  
the mind is led to reason upon them1 and
 induced to judge of the different      
conclusions which are drawn from them by
 different people4 ,the names of ,dr4   
,percival1 or ,dr4 ,wall1 will have no  
weight with children2 they will compare 
only the reasons and experiments4 ,oil  
and water1 a cork1 a needle1 a plate1   
and a glass tumbler1 are all the things 
necessary for these experiments4 ,mr4   
,henry's experiments upon the influence 
that fixed air has on vegetation1 and   
several of ,reaumur's experiments1      
mentioned in the memoirs of the ,french 
,academy of ,sciences1 are calculated to
 please young people much1 and can be   
repeated without expense or difficulty4 
,to those who acquire habits of         
observation1 every thing that is to be  
seen or heard1 becomes a source of      
amusement4 ,natural history interests   
children at an early age2 but their     
curiosity and activity is often         
repressed and restrained by the         

ignorance or indolence of their tutors4 
,the most inquisitive genius grows tired
 of repeating1 ,pray look at this--,what
 is it8 ,what can the use of this be8   
when the constant answer is1 ,oh6 it's  
nothing worth looking at1 throw it away1
 it will dirty the house4 ,those who    
have attended to the ways of children   
and parents1 well know that there are   
many little inconveniences attending    
their amusements1 which the sublime eye 
of the theorist in education overlooks1 
which1 nevertheless1 are essential to   
practical success4 ,it will dirty the   
house1 puts a stop to many of the       
operations of the young philosopher2 nor
 is it reasonable that his experiments  
should interfere with the necessary     
regularity of a well ordered family4    
,but most well ordered families allow   
their horses and their dogs to have     
houses to themselves2 cannot one room be
 allotted to the children of the family8
 ,if they are to learn chemistry1       
mineralogy1 botany1 or mechanics2 if    

they are to take sufficient bodily      
exercise without tormenting the whole   
family with noise1 a room should be     
provided for them4 ,we mention exercise 
and noise in particular1 because we     
think they will1 to many1 appear of the 
most importance4  ,to direct children in
 their choice of fossils1 and to give   
them some idea of the general           
arrangements of mineralogy1 toy-shops   
should be provided with specimens of    
ores1 c4 properly labelled and arranged1
 in drawers1 so that they may be kept in
 order4 ,children should have empty     
shelves in their cabinets1 to be filled 
with their own collections2 they will   
then know how to direct their           
researches1 and how to dispose of their 
treasures4 ,if they have proper places  
to keep things in1 they will acquire a  
taste for order by the best means1 by   
feeling the use of it3 to either sex1   
this taste will be highly advantageous4 
,children who are active and            
industrious1 and who have a taste for   

natural history1 often collect1 with    
much enthusiasm1 a variety of pebbles   
and common stones1 which they value as  
great curiosities1 till some surly      
mineralogist happens to see them1 and   
condemns them all with one supercilious 
pshaw6 or else a journey is to be taken1
 and there is no way in making up the   
heterogeneous1 cumbersome collection1   
which must1 of course1 be abandoned4    
,nay1 if no journey is to be taken1 a   
visitor1 perhaps1 comes unexpectedly2   
the little naturalist's apartment must  
be vacated on a few minutes notice1 and 
the labour of years falls a sacrifice1  
in an instant1 to the housemaid's       
undistinguishing broom4  ,it may seem   
trifling to insist so much upon such    
slight things1 but1 in fact1 nothing can
 be done in education without attention 
to minute circumstances4 ,many who have 
genius to sketch large plans1 have      
seldom patience to attend to the detail 
which is necessary for their            
accomplishment4 ,this is a useful1 and  

therefore1 no humiliating drudgery4     
,with the little cabinets1 which we have
 mentioned1 should be sold cheap        
microscopes1 which will unfold a world  
of new delights to children2 and it is  
very probable that children will not    
only be entertained with looking at     
objects through a microscope1 but they  
will consider the nature of the         
magnifying glass4 ,they should not be   
rebuffed with the answer1 ,oh1 it's only
 a common magnifying glass1 but they    
should be encouraged in their laudable  
curiosity2 they may easily be led to try
 slight experiments in optics1 which    
will1 at least1 give the habits of      
observation and attention4 ,in ,dr4     
,priestley's ,history of ,vision1 many  
experiments may be found1 which are not 
above the comprehension of children of  
ten or eleven years old2 we do not      
imagine that any science can be taught  
by desultory experiments1 but we think  
that a taste for science may early be   
given by making it entertaining1 and by 

exciting young people to exercise their 
reasoning and inventive faculties upon  
every object which surrounds them4 ,we  
may point out that great discoveries    
have often been made by attention to    
slight circumstances4 ,the blowing of   
soap bubbles1 as it was first performed 
as a scientific experiment by the       
celebrated ,dr4 ,hook1 before the ,royal
 ,society1 makes a conspicuous figure in
 ,dr4 ,priestley's chapter on the       
reflection of light2 this may be read to
 children1 and they will be pleased when
 they observe that what at first        
appeared only a trifling amusement1 has 
occupied the understanding1 and excited 
the admiration1 of some great           
philosophers4  ,every child observes the
 colours which are to be seen in panes  
of glass windows3 in ,priestley's       
,history of ,vision1 there are some     
experiments of ,hook's and ,lord        
,brereton's upon these colours1 which   
may be selected4 ,buffon's observations 
upon blue and green shadows1 are to be  

found in the same work1 and they are    
very entertaining4 ,in ,dr4 ,franklin's 
letters1 there are numerous experiments1
 which are particularly suited to young 
people2 especially1 as in every instance
 he speaks with that candour and        
openness to conviction1 and with that   
patient desire to discover truth1 which 
we should wish our pupils to admire and 
imitate4  ,the history of the           
experiments which have been tried in the
 progress of any science1 and of the    
manner in which observations of minute  
facts have led to great discoveries1    
will be useful to the understanding1 and
 will gradually make the mind expert in 
that mental algebra1 on which both      
reasoning and invention 7which is1      
perhaps1 only a more rapid species of   
reasoning7 depend4 ,in drawing out a    
list of experiments for children1 it    
will1 therefore1 be advantageous to     
place them in that order which will best
 exhibit their relative connection2 and1
 instead of showing young people the    

steps of a discovery1 we should         
frequently pause to try if they can     
invent4 ,in this1 our pupils will       
succeed often beyond our expectations2  
and1 whether it be in mechanics1        
chemistry1 geometry1 or in the arts1 the
 same course of education will be found 
to have the same advantages4 ,when the  
powers of reason have been cultivated1  
and the inventive faculty exercised2    
when general habits of voluntary        
exertion and patient perseverance1 have 
been acquired1 it will be easy1 either  
for the pupil himself1 or for his       
friends1 to direct his abilities to     
whatever is necessary for his happiness4
 ,we do not use the phrase1 success in  
the world1 because1 if it conveys any   
distinct ideas1 it implies some which   
are1 perhaps1 inconsistent with real    
happiness4  ,whilst our pupils occupy   
and amuse themselves with observation1  
experiment1 and invention1 we must take 
care that they have a sufficient variety
 of manual and bodily exercises4 ,a     

turning-lathe1 and a work-bench1 will   
afford them constant active employment2 
and when young people can invent1 they  
feel great pleasure in the execution of 
their own plans4 ,we do not speak from  
vague theory2 we have seen the daily    
pleasures of the work-bench1 and the    
persevering eagerness with which young  
people work in wood1 and brass1 and     
iron1 when tools are put into their     
hands at a proper age1 and when their   
understanding has been previously taught
 the simple principles of mechanics4 ,it
 is not to be expected that any         
exhortations we could use1 could prevail
 upon a father1 who happens to have no  
taste for mechanics1 or for chemistry1  
to spend any of his time in his         
children's laboratory1 or at their      
work-bench2 but in his choice of a      
tutor1 he may perhaps supply his own    
defects2 and he will consider1 that even
 by interesting himself in the daily    
occupations of his children1 he will do 
more in the advancement of their        

education1 than can be done by paying   
money to a hundred masters4  ,we do not 
mean to confine young people to the     
laboratory or the work-bench1 for       
exercise2 the more varied exercises1 the
 better4 ,upon this subject we shall    
speak more fully hereafter3 we have in  
general recommended all trials of       
address and dexterity1 except games of  
chance1 which we think should be        
avoided1 as they tend to give a taste   
for gambling2 a passion1 which has been 
the ruin of so many young men of        
promising talents1 of so many once happy
 families1 that every parent will think 
it well worth his while to attend to the
 smallest circumstances in education1   
which can prevent its seizing hold of   
the minds of his children4  ,in         
children1 as in men1 a taste for gaming 
arises from the want of better          
occupation1 or of proper emotion to     
relieve them from the pains and         
penalties of idleness2 both the vain and
 indolent are prone to this taste from  

different causes4 ,the idea of personal 
merit is insensibly connected with what 
is called good luck1 and before avarice 
absorbs every other feeling1 vanity     
forms no inconsiderable part of the     
charm which fixes such numbers to the   
gaming-table4 ,indolent persons are fond
 of games of chance1 because they feel  
themselves roused agreeably from their  
habitual state of apathy1 or because    
they perceive1 that at these contests1  
without any mental exertion1 they are   
equal1 perhaps superior1 to their       
competitors4  ,happy they1 who have     
early been inspired with a taste for    
science and literature6 ,they will have 
a constant succession of agreeable      
ideas2 they will find endless variety in
 the commonest objects which surround   
them2 and feeling that every day of     
their lives they have sufficient        
amusement1 they will require no         
extraordinary excitations1 no holyday   
pleasures4 ,they who have learnt1 from  
their own experience1 a just confidence 

in their own powers2 they who have      
tasted the delights of well-earned      
praise1 will not lightly trust to       
chance1 for the increase of             
self-approbation2 nor will those pursue1
 with too much eagerness1 the precarious
 triumphs of fortune1 who know1 that in 
their usual pursuits1 it is in their own
 power to command success proportioned  
to their exertions4 ,perhaps it may be  
thought1 that we should have deferred   
our eulogium upon literature till we    
came to speak of ,tasks2 but if there   
usually appears but little connection in
 a child's mind1 between books and toys1
 this must be attributed to his having  
had bad books and bad toys4 ,in the     
hands of a judicious instructer1 no     
means are too small to be useful2 every 
thing is made conducive to his purposes1
 and instead of useless baubles1 his    
pupils will be provided with play things
 which may instruct1 and with           
occupations which may at once amuse and 
improve the understanding4  ,it would be

 superfluous to give a greater variety  
of instances of the sorts of amusements 
which are advantageous2 we fear that we 
have already given too many1 and that we
 have hazarded some observations1 which 
will be thought too pompous for a       
chapter upon ,toys4 ,we intended to have
 added to this chapter an inventory of  
the present most fashionable articles in
 our toy-shops1 and a list of the new   
assortment1 to speak in the true style  
of an advertisement2 but we are obliged 
to defer this for the present2 upon a   
future occasion we shall submit it to   
the judgment of the public4 ,a          
revolution1 even in toy-shops1 should   
not be attempted1 unless there appear a 
moral certainty that we both may1 and   
can1 change for the better4 ,the danger 
of doing too much in education1 is      
greater even than the danger of doing   
too little4 ,as the merchants in ,france
 answered to ,colbert1 when he desired  
to know how he could best assist them1  
children might1 perhaps1 reply to those 

who are most officious to amuse them1   
,leave us to ourselves4  ,,footnotes3   
#b ,dr4 ,fothergill4  #c ,dr4 ,beddoes4 
#d ,we are indebted to ,dr4 ,beddoes for
 this idea4  #e ,we do not mean to do   
injustice to ,mrs4 ,raffeld's           
professional skill4  #f ,v4 ,diderot's  
ingenious preface to ,chymie de gout et 
de l'odorat4     ,,chapter ,,ii4        
,,tasks4   ,why don't you get your task1
 instead of playing with your playthings
 from morning till night8 ,you are grown
 too old now to do nothing but play4 ,it
 is high time you should learn to read  
and write1 for you cannot be a child all
 your life1 child2 so go and fetch your 
book1 and learn your task4  ,this angry 
apostrophe is probably addressed to a   
child1 at the moment when he is intent  
upon some agreeable occupation1 which is
 now to be stigmatized with the name of 
,play4 ,why that word should all at once
 change its meaning2 why that should now
 be a crime1 which was formerly a       
virtue2 why he1 who had so often been   

desired to go and play1 should now be   
reviled for his obedience1 the young    
casuist is unable to discover4 ,he hears
 that he is no longer a child3 this he  
is willing to believe2 but the          
consequence is alarming4 ,of the new    
duties incumbent upon his situation1 he 
has but yet a confused idea4 ,in his    
manly character1 he is not yet          
thoroughly perfect3 his pride would make
 him despise every thing that is        
childish1 but no change has yet been    
wrought in the inward man1 and his old  
tastes and new ambition1 are in direct  
opposition4 ,whether to learn to read1  
be a dreadful thing or not1 is a        
question he cannot immediately solve2   
but if his reasoning faculty be         
suspended1 there is yet a power secretly
 working within him1 by which he will   
involuntarily be governed4 ,this power  
is the power of association3 of its     
laws1 he is1 probably1 not more ignorant
 than his tutor2 nor is he aware that   
whatever word or idea comes into his    

mind1 with any species of pain1 will    
return1 whenever it is recalled to his  
memory1 with the same feelings4 ,the    
word ,task1 the first time he hears it1 
is an unmeaning word1 but it ceases to  
be indifferent to him the moment he     
hears it pronounced in a terrible voice4
 ,learn your task1 and fetch your book1 
recur to his recollection with          
indistinct feelings of pain2 and hence1 
without further consideration1 he will  
be disposed to dislike both books and   
tasks2 but his feelings are the last    
things to be considered upon this       
occasion2 the immediate business1 is to 
teach him to read4 ,a new era in his    
life now commences4 ,the age of learning
 begins1 and begins in sorrow4 ,the     
consequences of a bad beginning1 are    
proverbially ominous2 but no omens can  
avert his fate1 no omens can deter his  
tutor from the undertaking2 the         
appointed moment is come2 the boy is    
four years old1 and he must learn to    
read4 ,some people1 struck with a panic 

fear1 lest their children should never  
learn to read and write1 think that they
 cannot be in too great a hurry to teach
 them4 ,spelling-books1 grammars1       
dictionaries1 rods and masters1 are     
collected2 nothing is to be heard of in 
the house but tasks2 nothing is to be   
seen but tears4  ,no tears6 no tasks6 no
 masters6 nothing upon compulsion6 say  
the opposite party in education4        
,children must be left entirely at      
liberty2 they will learn every thing    
better than you can teach them2 their   
memory must not be overloaded with      
trash2 their reason must be left to     
grow4  ,their reason will never grow1   
unless it be exercised1 is the reply2   
their memory must be stored whilst they 
are young1 because1 in youth1 the memory
 is most tenacious4 ,if you leave them  
at liberty for ever1 they will never    
learn to spell2 they will never learn   
,latin2 they will never learn ,latin    
grammar2 yet1 they must learn ,latin    
grammar1 and a number of other          

disagreeable things2 therefore1 we must 
give them tasks and task-masters4  ,in  
all these assertions1 perhaps1 we shall 
find a mixture of truth and errour2     
therefore1 we had better be governed by 
neither party1 but listen to both1 and  
examine arguments unawed by authority4  
,and first1 as to the panic fear1 which1
 though no argument1 is a most powerful 
motive4 ,we see but few examples of     
children so extremely stupid as not to  
have been able to learn to read and     
write between the years of three and    
thirteen2 but we see many whose temper  
and whose understanding have been       
materially injured by premature or      
injudicious instruction2 we see many who
 are disgusted1 perhaps irrecoverably1  
with literature1 whilst they are        
fluently reading books which they cannot
 comprehend1 or learning words by rote1 
to which they affix no ideas4 ,it is    
scarcely worth while to speak of the    
vain ambition of those who long only to 
have it said1 that their children read  

sooner than those of their neighbours   
do2 for1 supposing their utmost wish to 
be gratified1 that their son could read 
before the age when children commonly   
articulate1 still the triumph must be of
 short duration1 the fame confined to a 
small circle of foes and friends1 and1  
probably1 in a few years1 the memory of 
the phenomenon would remain only with   
his doting grandmother4 ,surely1 it is  
the use which children make of their    
acquirements which is of consequence1   
not the possessing them a few years     
sooner or later4 ,a man1 who1 during his
 whole life1 could never write any thing
 that was worth reading1 would find it  
but poor consolation for himself1 his   
friends1 or the public1 to reflect1 that
 he had been in joining-hand before he  
was five years old4  ,as it is usually  
managed1 it is a dreadful task indeed to
 learn1 and1 if possible1 a more        
dreadful task to teach to read4 ,with   
the help of counters1 and coaxing1 and  
gingerbread1 or by dint of reiterated   

pain and terror1 the names of the       
four-and-twenty letters of the alphabet1
 are1 perhaps1 in the course of some    
weeks1 firmly fixed in the pupil's      
memory4 ,so much the worse2 all these   
names will disturb him1 if he have      
common sense1 and at every step must    
stop his progress4 ,to begin with the   
vowels3 each of these have several      
different sounds1 and1 consequently1    
ought to have several names1 or         
different signs1 to distinguish them in 
different circumstances4 ,in the first  
lesson of the spelling book1 the child  
begins with a-b1 makes ab2 b-a makes ba4
 ,the inference1 if any general         
inference can be drawn from this lesson1
 is1 that when a comes before b1 it has 
one sound1 and after b1 it has another  
sound2 but this is contradicted by and  
by1 and it appears that a after b1 has  
various sounds1 as in ball1 in bat1 in  
bare4 ,the letter i in fire1 is i1 as we
 call it in the alphabet1 but in fir1 it
 is changed2 in pin1 it is changed      

again2 so that the child1 being ordered 
to affix to the same sign a variety of  
sounds and names1 and not knowing in    
what circumstances to obey1 and in what 
to disregard the contradictory          
injunctions imposed upon him1 he        
pronounces sounds at hazard1 and adheres
 positively to the last ruled case1 or  
maintains an apparently sullen1 or truly
 philosophic and sceptical silence4     
,must e in pen1 and e in where1 and e in
 verse1 and e in fear1 all be called e  
alike8 ,the child is patted on the head 
for reading u as it ought to be         
pronounced in future2 but if1           
remembering this encouragement1 the     
pupil should venture to pronounce u in  
gun1 and bun1 in the same manner1 he    
will1 inevitably1 be disgraced4 ,pain   
and shame1 impress precepts upon the    
mind3 the child1 therefore1 is intent   
upon remembering the new sound of u in  
bun2 but when he comes to busy1 and     
burial1 and prudence1 his last precedent
 will lead him fatally astray1 and he   

will again be called a dunce4 ,o1 in the
 exclamation ,oh6 is happily called by  
its alphabetical name2 but in to1 we can
 hardly know it again1 and in morning   
and wonder1 it has a third and a fourth 
additional sound4 ,the amphibious letter
 y1 which is either a vowel or a        
consonant1 has one sound in one         
character1 and two sounds in the other2 
as a consonant1 it is pronounced as in  
yesterday2 in try1 it is sounded as i2  
in any1 and in the termination of many  
other words1 it is sounded like e4 ,must
 a child know all this by intuition1 or 
must it be whipt into him8 ,but he must 
know a great deal more1 before he can   
read the most common words4 ,what length
 of time should we allow him for        
learning1 when c is to be sounded like  
k1 and when like s8 and how much longer 
time shall we add for learning1 when s  
shall be pronounced sh1 as in sure1 or  
z1 as in has2 the sound of which last   
letter z1 he cannot1 by any conjuration1
 obtain from the name zed1 the only name

 by which he has been taught to call it8
 ,how much time shall we allow a patient
 tutor for teaching a docile pupil1 when
 g is to be sounded soft1 and when hard8
 ,there are many carefully worded rules 
in the spelling-books1 specifying before
 what letters1 and in what situations1 g
 shall vary in sound2 but1              
unfortunately1 these rules are difficult
 to be learned by heart1 and still more 
difficult to understand4 ,these laws1   
however positive1 are not found to be of
 universal application1 or at least1 a  
child has not always wit or time to     
apply them upon the spur of the         
occasion4 ,in coming to the words       
ingenious gentleman1 get a good grammar1
 he may be puzzled by the nice          
distinctions he is to make in           
pronunciation in cases apparently       
similar2 but he has not yet become      
acquainted with all the powers of this  
privileged letter3 in company with h1 it
 assumes the character of f1 as in      
tough2 another time he meets it1        

perhaps1 in the same company1 in the    
same place1 and1 as nearly as possible1 
in the same circumstances1 as in the    
word though2 but now g is to become a   
silent letter1 and is to pass incognito1
 and the child will commit an           
unpardonable errour1 if he claimed the  
incognito as his late acquaintance f4   
,still1 all these are slight            
difficulties2 a moment's reflection must
 convince us1 that by teaching the      
common names of every consonant in the  
alphabet1 we prepare a child for misery1
 when he begins to spell or read4 ,a    
consonant1 as sayeth the spelling-book1 
is a letter which cannot be pronounced  
without a vowel before or after it3 for 
this reason1 ,b1 is called be1 and ,l1  
el2 but why the vowel should come first 
in the one case1 or last in the second1 
we are not informed2 nor are we told why
 the names of some letters have no      
resemblance whatever to their sounds1   
either with a vowel before or after     
them4 ,suppose1 that after having       

learned the alphabet1 a child was to    
read the words      ,here is some       
apple-pye4     ,he would pronounce the  
letters thus3     ,acheare ies esoeme   
apepeele pewie4  ,with this             
pronunciation the child would never     
decipher these simple words4 ,it will be
 answered1 perhaps1 that no child is    
expected to read as soon as he has      
learnt his alphabet3 a long initiation  
of monosyllabic1 dissyllabic1           
trissyllabic1 and polysyllabic words is 
previously to be submitted to2 nor1     
after this inauguration1 are the novices
 capable of performing with propriety   
the ceremony of reading whole words and 
sentences4 ,by a different method of    
teaching1 all this waste of labour and  
of time1 all this confusion of rules and
 exceptions1 and all the consequent     
confusion in the understanding of the   
pupil1 may be avoided4  ,in teaching a  
child to read1 every letter should have 
a precise single sound annexed to its   
figure2 this should never vary4 ,where  

two consonants are joined together1 so  
as to have but one sound1 as ph1 sh1 c4 
the two letters should be coupled       
together by a distinct invariable mark4 
,letters that are silent should be      
marked in such a manner as to point out 
to the child that they are not to be    
sounded4 ,upon these simple rules our   
method of teaching to read has been     
founded4 ,the signs or marks1 by which  
these distinctions are to be effected1  
are arbitrary1 and may be varied as the 
teacher chooses2 the addition of a      
single point above or below the common  
letters is employed to distinguish the  
different sounds that are given to the  
same letter1 and a mark underneath such 
letters as are to be omitted1 is the    
only apparatus necessary4 ,these marks  
were employed by the author in #aggf1   
before he had seen ,sheridan's1 or any  
similar dictionary2 he has found that   
they do not confuse children as much as 
figures1 because when dots are used to  
distinguish sounds1 there is only a     

change of place1 and no change of form3 
but any person that chooses it1 may     
substitute figures instead of dots4 ,it 
should1 however1 be remembered1 that    
children must learn to distinguish the  
figures before they can be useful in    
discriminating the words4  ,all these   
sounds1 and each of the characters which
 denote them1 should be distinctly known
 by a child before we begin to teach him
 to read4 ,and here at the first step we
 must entreat the teacher to have       
patience2 to fix firmly in her mind1 we 
say her mind1 because we address        
ourselves to mothers2 that it is        
immaterial whether a child learns this  
alphabet in six weeks or in six months2 
at all events1 let it not be inculcated 
with restraint1 or made tiresome1 lest  
it should retard the whole future       
progress of the pupil4 ,we do not mean  
to recommend the custom of teaching in  
play1 but surely a cheerful countenance 
is not incompatible with application4   
,the three sounds of the letter 7a7     

should first be taught2 they may be     
learned by the dullest child in a week1 
if the letters are shown to him for a   
minute or two1 twice a day4 ,proper     
moments should be chosen when the child 
is not intent upon any thing else2 when 
other children have appeared to be      
amused with reading2 when the pupil     
himself appears anxious to be           
instructed4 ,as soon as he is acquainted
 with the sounds of 7a7 and with their  
distinguishing marks1 each of these     
sounds should be formed into syllables1 
with each of the consonants2 but we     
should never name the consonants by     
their usual names2 if it be required to 
point them out by sounds1 let them      
resemble the real sounds or powers of   
the consonants2 but in fact it will     
never be necessary to name the          
consonants separately1 till their       
powers1 in combination with the         
different vowels1 be distinctly         
acquired4 ,it will then be time enough  
to teach the common names of the        

letters4 ,to a person unacquainted with 
the principles upon which this mode of  
teaching is founded1 it must appear     
strange1 that a child should be able to 
read before he knows the names of his   
letters2 but it has been ascertained1   
that the names of the letters are an    
incumbrance in teaching a child to read4
     ,vowels4         ,dipthongs4       
,consonants4                            
,sounded as in   ,sounded as in         
double ,consonants                      
a       fate    ea     ocean   c as in  
cap   4a    fat                       c4
        city   4a4   fall    ew     few 
ch       child   e       mere           
ch4      machine   4e    met     ia     
filial  g           got   e4    her     
4g        age   4e4   where   ie        
,daniel  ng       long   i       fine   
ing         thing   4i    in      io    
minion  le       able   i4    bird      
re       acre   4i4   machine oi        
voice   ph       physic   o       throne
                    4s        has   4o  

on      ou     found   sh       she   o4
    love                      sion      
fusion   44o   move    ow     now     th
       the   u       pure               
ti          christian        busy    ua 
assuage tion     nation   u4    sun     
wh       who   44u   full    ui         
languid ough     tough   4y    by       
3y    ably    oy     joy                
,consonants    ba ca da fa ga ha ja ka  
la ma   na pa qua ra sa ta va wa ya za  
77 ,this mark under a ,letter shews that
 it is not to be   pronounced1 as       
4e4ight in which igh are not   sounded4 
,transcriber's ,note3 ,the symbols in   
this table are as follows3    4a        
indicates dot above letter   a4         
indicates dot below letter   4a4        
indicates dot above letter and below    
letter   44o indicates dot in center of 
letter   3a indicates two dots above    
letter   ea indicates a horizontal line 
through letters   ch4 indicates a       
horizontal line through letters and a   
dot below   ,in the quotation from ,mrs4

 ,barbauld1 at the bottom of the        
alphabetical tables1 there is a stroke  
between the letters b and r in          
,february1 and between t and h1 in      
there1 to show that these letters are to
 be sounded together1 so as to make one 
sound4 ,the same is to be observed as to
 7ng7 in the word long1 and also as to  
the syllable ing1 which1 in the table   
,no4 #d1 column #d1 is directed to be   
taught as one sound4 ,the mark 747 of   
obliteration1 is put under 7y7 in the   
word days1 under e final in there1 and  
also under one of the l's and the 7w7 in
 yellow1 to show that these letters are 
not to be pronounced4 ,the exceptions to
 this scheme of articulation are very   
few2 such as occur1 are marked1 with the
 number employed in ,walker's           
dictionary1 to denote the exception1 to 
which excellent work1 the teacher will1 
of course1 refer4  ,parents1 at the     
first sight of this new alphabet1 will  
perhaps tremble lest they should be     
obliged to learn the whole of it before 

they begin to teach their children3 but 
they may calm their apprehensions1 for  
they need only point out the letters in 
succession to the child1 and sound them 
as they are sounded in the words annexed
 to the letters in the table1 and the   
child will soon1 by repetition1 render  
the marks of the respective letters     
familiar to the teacher4 ,we have never 
found any body complain of difficulty1  
who has gone on from letter to letter   
along with the child who was taught4    
,as soon as our pupil knows the         
different sounds of 7a7 combined in     
succession with all the consonants1 we  
may teach him the rest of the vowels    
joined with all the consonants1 which   
will be a short and easy work4 ,our     
readers need not be alarmed at the      
apparent slowness of this method3 six   
months1 at the rate of four or five     
minutes each day1 will render all these 
combinations perfectly familiar4 ,one of
 ,mrs4 ,barbauld's lessons for young    
children1 carefully marked in the same  

manner as the alphabet1 should1 when    
they are well acquainted with the sounds
 of each of the vowels with each of the 
consonants1 be put into our pupil's     
hands4#g  ,the sound of three or four   
letters together1 will immediately      
become familiar to him2 and when any of 
the less common sounds of the vowels1   
such as are contained in the second     
table1 and the terminating sounds1 tion1
 ly1 c4 occur1 they should be read to   
the child1 and should be added to what  
he has got by rote from time to time4   
,when all these marks and their         
corresponding sounds are learnt1 the    
primer should be abandoned1 and from    
that time the child will be able to read
 slowly the most difficult words in the 
language4 ,we must observe1 that the    
mark of obliteration is of the greatest 
service2 it is a clue to the whole      
labyrinth of intricate and uncouth      
orthography4 ,the word though1 by the   
obliteration of three letters1 may be as
 easily read as the or that4  ,it should

 be observed that all people1 before    
they can read fluently1 have acquired a 
knowledge of the general appearance of  
most of the words in the language1      
independently of the syllables of which 
they are composed4 ,seven children in   
the author's family were taught to read 
in this manner1 and three in the common 
method2 the difference of time1 labour1 
and sorrow1 between the two modes of    
learning1 appeared so clearly1 that we  
can speak with confidence upon the      
subject4 ,we think that nine-tenths of  
the labour and disgust of learning to   
read1 may be saved by this method2 and  
that instead of frowns and tears1 the   
usual harbingers of learning1           
cheerfulness and smiles may initiate    
willing pupils in the most difficult of 
all human attainments4  ,a and ,h1 at   
four and five years old1 after they had 
learned the alphabet1 without having    
ever combined the letters into          
syllables1 were set to read one of ,mrs4
 ,barbauld's little books4 ,after being 

employed two or three minutes every day1
 for a fortnight1 in making out the     
words of this book1 a paper with a few  
raisins well concealed in its folds1 was
 given to each of them1 with these words
 printed on the outside of it1 marked   
according to our alphabet3  ,open this1 
and eat what you find in it4  ,in twenty
 minutes1 they read it distinctly       
without any assistance4  ,the step from 
reading with these marks1 to reading    
without them1 will be found very easy4  
,nothing more is necessary1 than to give
 children the same books1 without marks1
 which they can read fluently with them4
  ,spelling comes next to reading4 ,new 
trials for the temper2 new perils for   
the understanding2 positive rules and   
arbitrary exceptions2 endless examples  
and contradictions2 till at length1 out 
of all patience with the stupid docility
 of his pupil1 the tutor perceives the  
absolute necessity of making him get by 
heart1 with all convenient speed1 every 
word in the language4 ,the formidable   

columns in dread succession arise a host
 of foes2 two columns a day1 at least1  
may be conquered4 ,months and years are 
devoted to the undertaking2 but after   
going through a whole spelling-book1    
perhaps a whole dictionary1 till we come
 triumphantly to spell ,zeugma1 we have 
forgotten to spell ,abbot1 and we must  
begin again with ,abasement4 ,merely the
 learning to spell so many unconnected  
words1 without any assistance from      
reason or analogy1 is nothing1 compared 
with the difficulty of learning the     
explanation of them by rote1 and the    
still greater difficulty of             
understanding the meaning of the        
explanation4 ,when a child has got by   
rote1      ,midnight1 the depth of      
night2     ,metaphysics1 the science    
which treats of immaterial     beings1  
and of forms in general abstracted from 
matter2  has he acquired any distinct   
ideas1 either of midnight or of         
metaphysics8 ,if a boy had eaten rice   
pudding1 till he fancied himself        

tolerably well acquainted with rice1    
would he find his knowledge much        
improved1 by learning from his          
spelling-book1 the words      ,rice1 a  
foreign esculent grain8  ,yet we are    
surprised to discover1 that men have so 
few accurate ideas1 and that so many    
learned disputes originate in a confused
 or improper use of words4  ,all this is
 very true1 says a candid schoolmaster2 
we see the evil1 but we cannot new-model
 the language1 or write a perfect       
philosophical dictionary2 and1 in the   
mean time1 we are bound to teach        
children to spell1 which we do with the 
less reluctance1 because1 though we     
allow that it is an arduous task1 we    
have found from experience1 that it can 
be accomplished1 and that the           
understandings of many of our pupils1   
survive all the perils to which you     
think them exposed during the operation4
  ,the understandings may1 and do1      
survive the operation2 but why should   
they be put in unnecessary danger8 and  

why should we early disgust children    
with literature1 by the pain and        
difficulty their first lessons8 ,we are 
convinced1 that the business of learning
 to spell1 is made much more laborious  
to children than it need to be3 it may  
be useful to give them five or six words
 every day to learn by heart1 but more  
only loads their memory2 and we should1 
at first1 select words of which they    
know the meaning1 and which occur most  
frequently in reading or conversation4  
,the alphabetical list of words in a    
spelling-book1 contains many which are  
not in common use1 and the pupil forgets
 these as fast as he learns them4 ,we   
have found it entertaining to children1 
to ask them to spell any short sentence 
as it has been accidentally spoken4 ,put
 this book on that table4 ,ask a child  
how he would spell these words1 if he   
were obliged to write them down1 and you
 introduce into his mind the idea that  
he must learn to spell1 before he can   
make his words and thoughts understood  

in writing4 ,it is a good way to make   
children write down a few words of their
 own selection every day1 and correct   
the spelling2 and also after they have  
been reading1 whilst the words are yet  
fresh in their memory1 we may ask them  
to spell some of the words which they   
have just seen4 ,by these means1 and by 
repeating1 at different times in the    
day1 those words which are most         
frequently wanted1 his vocabulary will  
be pretty well stocked without its      
having cost him many tears4 ,we should  
observe that children learn to spell    
more by the eye than by the ear1 and    
that the more they read and write1 the  
more likely they will be to remember the
 combination of letters in words which  
they have continually before their eyes1
 or which they feel it necessary to     
represent to others4 ,when young people 
begin to write1 they first feel the use 
of spelling1 and it is then that they   
will learn it with most ease and        
precision4 ,then the greatest care      

should be taken to look over their      
writing1 and to make them correct every 
word in which they have made a mistake2 
because1 bad habits of spelling1 once   
contracted1 can scarcely be cured3 the  
understanding has nothing to do with the
 business1 and when the memory is       
puzzled between the rules of spelling   
right1 and the habits of spelling wrong1
 it becomes a misfortune to the pupil to
 write even a common letter4 ,the shame 
which is annexed to bad spelling1       
excites young people's attention1 as    
soon as they are able to understand1    
that it is considered as a mark of      
ignorance and ill breeding4 ,we have    
often observed1 that children listen    
with anxiety to the remarks that are    
made upon this subject in their         
presence1 especially when the letters or
 notes of grown up people1 are          
criticised4  ,some time ago1 a lady1 who
 was reading a newspaper1 met with the  
story of an ignorant magistrate1 who    
gave for his toast1 at a public dinner1 

the two ,k's1 for the ,king and         
,constitution4 ,how very much ashamed   
the man must have felt1 when all the    
people laughed at him for his mistake6  
they must all have seen that he did not 
know how to spell2 and what a disgrace  
for a magistrate too6 said a boy who    
heard the anecdote4 ,it made a serious  
impression upon him4 ,a few months      
afterwards1 he was employed by his      
father in an occupation which was       
extremely agreeable to him1 but in which
 he continually felt the necessity of   
spelling correctly4 ,he was employed to 
send messages by a telegraph2 these     
messages he was obliged to write down   
hastily1 in little journals kept for the
 purpose2 and as these were seen by     
several people1 when the business of the
 day came to be reviewed1 the boy had a 
considerable motive for orthographical  
exactness4 ,he became extremely desirous
 to teach himself1 and consequently his 
success was from that moment certain4   
,as to the rest1 we refer to ,lady      

,carlisle's comprehensive maxim1 ,spell 
well if you can4  ,it is undoubtedly of 
consequence1 to teach the rudiments of  
literary education early1 to get over   
the first difficulties of reading1      
writing1 and spelling2 but much of the  
anxiety and bustle1 and labour of       
teaching these things1 may be           
advantageously spared4 ,if more         
attention were turned to the general    
cultivation of the understanding1 and if
 more pains were taken to make          
literature agreeable to children1 there 
would be found less difficulty to excite
 them to mental exertion1 or to induce  
the habits of persevering application4  
,when we speak of rendering literature  
agreeable to children1 and of the danger
 of associating pain with the sight of a
 book1 or with the sound of the word    
task1 we should at the same time avoid  
the errour of those who1 in their first 
lessons1 accustom their pupils to so    
much amusement1 that they cannot help   
afterwards feeling disgusted with the   

sobriety of instruction4 ,it has been   
the fashion of late to attempt teaching 
every thing to children in play1 and    
ingenious people have contrived to      
insinuate much useful knowledge without 
betraying the design to instruct2 but   
this system cannot be pursued beyond    
certain bounds without many             
inconveniences4 ,the habit of being     
amused not only increases the desire for
 amusement1 but it lessens even the     
relish for pleasure2 so that the mind   
becomes passive and indolent1 and a     
course of perpetually increasing        
stimulus is necessary to awaken         
attention4 ,when dissipated habits are  
required1 the pupil loses power over his
 own mind1 and1 instead of vigorous     
voluntary exertion1 which he should be  
able to command1 he shows that wayward  
imbecility1 which can think successfully
 only by fits and starts3 this paralytic
 state of mind has been found to be one 
of the greatest calamities attendant on 
what is called genius2 and injudicious  

education creates or increases this     
disease4 ,let us not therefore humour   
children in this capricious temper1     
especially if they have quick abilities3
 let us give rewards proportioned to    
their exertions with uniform justice1   
but let us not grant bounties in        
education1 which1 however they may      
appear to succeed in effecting partial  
and temporary purposes1 are not         
calculated to ensure any consequences   
permanently beneficial4 ,the truth is1  
that useful knowledge cannot be obtained
 without labour2 that attention long    
continued is laborious1 but that without
 this labour nothing excellent can be   
accomplished4 ,excite a child to attend 
in earnest for a short time1 his mind   
will be less fatigued1 and his          
understanding more improved1 than if he 
had exerted but half the energy twice as
 long3 the degree of pain which he may  
have felt will be amply and properly    
compensated by his success2 this will   
not be an arbitrary1 variable reward1   

but one within his own power1 and that  
can be ascertained by his own feelings4 
,here is no deceit practised1 no        
illusion2 the same course of conduct may
 be regularly pursued through the whole 
of his education1 and his confidence in 
his tutor will progressively increase4  
,on the contrary1 if1 to entice him to  
enter the paths of knowledge1 we strew  
them with flowers1 how will he feel when
 he must force his way through thorns   
and briars6  ,there is a material       
difference between teaching children in 
play1 and making learning a task2 in the
 one case we associate factitious       
pleasure1 in the other factitious pain1 
with the object3 both produce pernicious
 effects upon the temper1 and retard the
 natural progress of the understanding4 
,the advocates in favour of scholastic  
badinage have urged1 that it excites an 
interest in the minds of children       
similar to that which makes them endure 
a considerable degree of labour in the  
pursuit of their amusements4 ,children1 

it is said1 work hard at play1 therefore
 we should let them play at work4 ,would
 not this produce effects the very      
reverse of what we desire8 ,the whole   
question must at last depend upon the   
meaning of the word play3 if by play be 
meant every thing that is not usually   
called a task1 then undoubtedly much may
 be learned at play3 if1 on the         
contrary1 we mean by the expression to  
describe that state of fidgeting        
idleness1 or of boisterous activity1 in 
which the intellectual powers are       
torpid1 or stunned with unmeaning noise1
 the assertion contradicts itself4 ,at  
play so defined1 children can learn     
nothing but bodily activity2 it is      
certainly true1 that when children are  
interested about any thing1 whether it  
be about what we call a trifle1 or a    
matter of consequence1 they will exert  
themselves in order to succeed2 but from
 the moment the attention is fixed1 no  
matter on what1 children are no longer  
at idle play1 they are at active work4  

,s----1 a little boy of nine years old1 
was standing without any book in his    
hand1 and seemingly idle2 he was amusing
 himself with looking at what he called 
a rainbow upon the floor2 he begged his 
sister ,m----to look at it2 then he said
 he wondered what could make it2 how it 
came there4 ,the sun shone bright       
through the window2 the boy moved       
several things in the room1 so as to    
place them sometimes between the light  
and the colours which he saw upon the   
floor1 and sometimes in a corner of the 
room where the sun did not shine4 ,as he
 moved the things1 he said1 ,this is not
 it2 nor this2 this has'n't any thing to
 do with it4 ,at last he found1 that    
when he moved a tumbler of water out of 
the place where it stood1 his rainbow   
vanished4 ,some violets were in the     
tumbler2 ,s---- thought they might be   
the cause of the colours which he saw   
upon the floor1 or1 as he expressed it1 
,perhaps these may be the thing4 ,he    
took the violets out of the water2 the  

colours remained upon the floor4 ,he    
then thought that it might be the water4
 ,he emptied the glass2 the colours     
remained1 but they were fainter4 ,s---- 
immediately observed1 that it was the   
water and glass together that made the  
rainbow4 ,but1 said he1 there is no     
glass in the sky1 yet there is a        
rainbow1 so that ,i think the water     
alone would do1 if we could but hold it 
together without the glass4 ,oh ,i know 
how ,i can manage4 ,he poured the water 
slowly out of the tumbler into a basin1 
which he placed where the sun shone1 and
 he saw the colours on the floor        
twinkling behind the water as it fell3  
this delighted him much2 but he asked   
why it would not do when the sun did not
 shine4 ,the sun went behind a cloud    
whilst he was trying his experiments3   
,there was light1 said he1 though there 
was no sunshine4 ,he then said he       
thought that the different thickness of 
the glass was the cause of the variety  
of colours3 afterwards he said he       

thought that the clearness or muddiness 
of the different drops of water was the 
cause of the different colours4  ,a     
rigid preceptor1 who thinks that every  
boy must be idle who has not a ,latin   
book constantly in his hand1 would      
perhaps have reprimanded ,s---- for     
wasting his time at play1 and would have
 summoned him from his rainbow to his   
task2 but it is very obvious to any     
person free from prejudices1 that this  
child was not idle whilst he was        
meditating upon the rainbow on the      
floor2 his attention was fixed2 he was  
reasoning2 he was trying experiments4   
,we may call this play if we please1 and
 we may say that ,descartes was at play1
 when he first verified ,antonio de     
,dominis bishop of ,spalatro's treatise 
of the rainbow1 by an experiment with a 
glass ,globe3#h and we may say that     
,buffon was idle1 when his pleased      
attention was first caught with a       
landscape of green shadows1 when one    
evening at sunset he first observed that

 the shadows of trees1 which fell upon a
 white wall1 were green4 ,he was first  
delighted with the exact representation 
of a green arbour1 which seemed as if it
 had been newly painted on the wall4    
,certainly the boy with his rainbow on  
the floor was as much amused as the     
philosopher with his coloured shadows2  
and1 however high sounding the name of  
,antonio de ,dominis1 bishop of         
,spalatro1 it does not alter the        
business in the least2 he could have    
exerted only his utmost attention upon  
the theory of the rainbow1 and the child
 did the same4 ,we do not mean to       
compare the powers of reasoning1 or the 
abilities of the child and the          
philosopher2 we would only show that the
 same species of attention was exerted  
by both4  ,to fix the attention of      
children1 or1 in other words1 to        
interest them about those subjects to   
which we wish them to apply1 must be our
 first object in the early cultivation  
of the understanding4 ,this we shall not

 find a difficult undertaking if we have
 no false associations1 no painful      
recollections to contend with4 ,we can  
connect any species of knowledge with   
those occupations which are immediately 
agreeable to young people3 for instance1
 if a child is building a house1 we may 
take that opportunity to teach him how  
bricks are made1 how the arches over    
doors and windows are made1 the nature  
of the keystone and butments of an arch1
 the manner in which all the different  
parts of the roof of a house are put    
together1 c42 whilst he is learning all 
this he is eagerly and seriously        
attentive1 and we educate his           
understanding in the best possible      
method4 ,but if1 mistaking the          
application of the principle1 that      
literature should be made agreeable to  
children1 we should entice a child to   
learn his letters by a promise of a gilt
 coach1 or by telling him that he would 
be the cleverest boy in the world if he 
could but learn the letter ,a1 we use   

false and foolish motives2 we may       
possibly1 by such means1 effect the     
immediate purpose1 but we shall         
assuredly have reason to repent of such 
imprudent deceit4 ,if the child reasons 
at all1 he will be content after his    
first lesson with being the cleverest   
boy in the world1 and he will not1 on a 
future occasion1 hazard his fame1 having
 much to lose1 and nothing to gain2     
besides1 he is now master of a gilt     
coach1 and some new and larger reward   
must be proffered to excite his         
industry4 ,besides the disadvantage of  
early exhausting our stock of           
incitements1 it is dangerous in teaching
 to humour pupils with a variety of     
objects by way of relieving their       
attention4 ,the pleasure of thinking1   
and much of the profit1 must frequently 
depend upon our preserving the greatest 
possible connection between our ideas4  
,those who allow themselves to start    
from one object to another1 acquire such
 dissipated habits of mind1 that they   

cannot1 without extreme difficulty and  
reluctance1 follow any connected train  
of thought4 ,you cannot teach those who 
will not follow the chain of your       
reasons2 upon the connection of our     
ideas1 useful memory and reasoning must 
depend4 ,we will give you an instance3  
arithmetic is one of the first things   
that we attempt to teach children4 ,in  
the following dialogue1 which passed    
between a boy of five years old and his 
father1 we may observe that1 till the   
child followed his father's train of    
ideas1 he could not be taught4  ,father4
 ,s----1 how many can you take from one8
  ,s----4 ,none4  ,father4 ,none6       
,think2 can you take nothing from one8  
,s----4 ,none1 except that one4         
,father4 ,except6 ,then you can take one
 from one8  ,s----4 ,yes1 that one4     
,father4 ,how many then can you take    
from one8  ,s----4 ,one4  ,father4 ,very
 true2 but now1 can you take two from   
one8  ,s----4 ,yes1 if they were figures
 ,i could1 with a rubber-out4 7,this    

child had frequently sums written for   
him with a black lead pencil1 and he    
used to rub out his figures when they   
were wrong with ,indian rubber1 which he
 had heard called rubber-out47  ,father4
 ,yes1 you could2 but now we will not   
talk of figures1 we will talk of things4
 ,there may be one horse or two horses1 
or one man or two men4  ,s----4 ,yes1 or
 one coat or two coats4  ,father4 ,yes1 
or one thing or two things1 no matter   
what they are4 ,now1 could you take two 
things from one thing8  ,s----4 ,yes1 if
 there were three things ,i could take  
away two things1 and leave one4  ,his   
,father took up a cake from the         
tea-table4  ,father4 ,could ,i take two 
cakes from this one cake8  ,s----4 ,you 
could take two pieces4  ,his ,father    
divided the cake into halves1 and held  
up each half so that the child might    
distinctly see them4  ,father4 ,what    
would you call these two pieces8        
,s----4 ,two cakes4  ,father4 ,no1 not  
two cakes4  ,s----4 ,two biscuits4      

,father4 ,holding up a whole biscuit3   
,what is this8  ,s----4 ,a thing to eat4
  ,father4 ,yes1 but what would you call
 it8  ,s----4 ,a biscuit4  ,his ,father 
broke it into halves1 and showed one    
half4  ,father4 ,what would you call    
this8  ,s----4 was silent1 and his      
sister was applied to1 who answered1    
,half a biscuit4  ,father4 ,very well2  
that's all at present4  ,the father     
prudently stopped here1 that he might   
not confuse his pupil's understanding4  
,those only who have attempted to teach 
children can conceive how extremely     
difficult it is to fix their attention1 
or to make them seize the connection of 
ideas1 which it appears to us almost    
impossible to miss4 ,children are well  
occupied in examining external objects1 
but they must also attend to words as   
well as things4 ,one of the great       
difficulties in early instruction arises
 from the want of words3 the pupil very 
often has acquired the necessary ideas1 
but they are not associated in his mind 

with the words which his tutor uses2    
these words are then to him mere sounds1
 which suggest no correspondent         
thoughts4 ,words1 as ,m4 ,condillac well
 observes1#i are essential to our       
acquisition of knowledge2 they are the  
medium through which one set of beings  
can convey the result of their          
experiments and observations to another2
 they are1 in all mental processes1 the 
algebraic signs which assist us in      
solving the most difficult problems4    
,what agony does a foreigner1 knowing   
himself to be a man of sense1 appear to 
suffer1 when1 for want of language1 he  
cannot in conversation communicate his  
knowledge1 explain his reasons1 enforce 
his arguments1 or make his wit          
intelligible8 ,in vain he has recourse  
to the language of action4 ,the language
 of action1 or1 as ,bacon calls it1 of  
transitory hieroglyphic1 is expressive1 
but inadequate4 ,as new ideas are       
collected in the mind1 new signs are    
wanted1 and the progress of the         

understanding would be early and fatally
 impeded by the want of language4 ,m4 de
 la ,condamine tells us that there is a 
nation who have no sign to express the  
number three but this word1             
poellartarrorincourac4 ,these people    
having begun1 as ,condillac observes1 in
 such an incommodious manner1 it is not 
surprising that they have not advanced  
further in their knowledge of           
arithmetic3 they have got no further    
than the number three2 their knowledge  
of arithmetic stops for ever at         
poellartarrorincourac4 ,but even this   
cumbersome sign is better than none4    
,those who have the misfortune to be    
born deaf and dumb1 continue for ever in
 intellectual imbecility4 ,there is an  
account in the ,memoires de l',academie 
,royale1 p4 xxii-xxiii1 #agjc1 of a     
young man born deaf and dumb1#aj who    
recovered his hearing at the age of     
four-and-twenty1 and who1 after         
employing himself in repeating low to   
himself the words which he heard others 

pronounce1 at length broke silence in   
company1 and declared that he could     
talk4 ,his conversation was but         
imperfect2 he was examined by several   
able theologians1 who chiefly questioned
 him on his ideas of ,god1 the soul1 and
 the morality or immorality of actions4 
,it appeared that he had not thought    
upon any of these subjects2 he did not  
distinctly know what was meant by death1
 and he never thought of it4 ,he seemed 
to pass a merely animal life1 occupied  
with sensible1 present objects1 and with
 the few ideas which he received by his 
sense of sight2 nor did he seem to have 
gained as much knowledge as he might    
have done1 by the comparison of these   
ideas2 yet it is said that he did not   
appear naturally deficient in           
understanding4  ,peter1 the wild boy1   
who is mentioned in ,lord ,monboddo's   
,origin of ,language1#aa had all his    
senses in remarkable perfection4 ,he    
lived at a farm house within half a mile
 of us in ,hertfordshire for some years1

 and we had frequent opportunities of   
trying experiments upon him4 ,he could  
articulate imperfectly a few words1 in  
particular1 ,king ,george1 which words  
he always accompanied with an imitation 
of the bells1 which rang at the         
coronation of ,george the ,second2 he   
could in a rude manner imitate two or   
three common tunes1 but without words4  
,though his head1 as ,mr4 ,wedgewood and
 many others had remarked1 resembled    
that of ,socrates1 he was an idiot3 he  
had acquired a few automatic habits of  
rationality and industry1 but he could  
never be made to work at any continued  
occupation3 he would shut the door of   
the farm-yard five hundred times a day1 
but he would not reap or make hay4      
,drawing water from a neighbouring river
 was the only domestic business which he
 regularly pursued4 ,in #aggi we visited
 him1 and tried the following           
experiment4 ,he was attended to the     
river by a person who emptied his       
buckets repeatedly after ,peter had     

repeatedly filled them4 ,a shilling was 
put before his face into one of the     
buckets when it was empty2 he took no   
notice of it1 but filled it with water  
and carried it homeward3 his buckets    
were taken from him before he reached   
the house and emptied on the ground2 the
 shilling1 which had fallen out1 was    
again shown to him1 and put into the    
bucket4 ,peter returned to the river    
again1 filled his bucket and went home2 
and when the bucket was emptied by the  
maid at the house where he lived1 he    
took the shilling and laid it in a place
 where he was accustomed to deposit the 
presents that were made to him by       
curious strangers1 and whence the       
farmer's wife collected the price of his
 daily exhibition4 ,it appeared that    
this savage could not be taught to      
reason for want of language4  ,rousseau 
declaims with eloquence1 and often with 
justice1 against what he calls a        
knowledge of words4 ,words without      
correspondent ideas1 are worse than     

useless2 they are counterfeit coin1     
which imposes upon the ignorant and     
unwary2 but words1 which really         
represent ideas1 are not only of current
 use1 but of sterling value2 they not   
only show our present store1 but they   
increase our wealth1 by keeping it in   
continual circulation2 both the         
principal and the interest increase     
together4 ,the importance of signs and  
words1 in our reasonings1 has been      
eloquently explained1 since the time of 
,condillac1 by ,stewart4 ,we must use   
the ideas of these excellent writers1   
because they are just and applicable to 
the art of education2 but whilst we use1
 it is with proper acknowledgments that 
we borrow1 what we shall never be able  
to return4  ,it is a nice and difficult 
thing in education1 to proportion a     
child's vocabulary exactly to his       
knowledge1 dispositions1 or             
conformation2 our management must vary2 
some will acquire words too quickly1    
others too slowly4 ,a child who has     

great facility in pronouncing sounds1   
will1 for that reason1 quickly acquire a
 number of words1 whilst those whose    
organs of speech are not so happily     
formed1 will from that cause alone1 be  
ready in forming a copious vocabulary4  
,children who have many companions1 or  
who live with people who converse a     
great deal1 have more motive1 both from 
sympathy and emulation1 to acquire a    
variety of words1 than those who live   
with silent people1 and who have few    
companions of their own age4 ,all these 
circumstances should be considered by   
parents1 before they form their judgment
 of a child's capacity from his         
volubility or his taciturnity4          
,volubility can easily be checked by    
simply ceasing to attend to it1 and     
taciturnity may be vanquished by the    
encouragements of praise and affection3 
we should neither be alarmed at one     
disposition nor at the other1 but       
steadily pursue the system of conduct   
which will be most advantageous to both4

 ,when a prattling1 vivacious child1    
pours forth a multiplicity of words     
without understanding their meaning1 we 
may sometimes beg to have an explanation
 of a few of them1 and the child will   
then be obliged to think1 which will    
prevent him from talking nonsense       
another time4 ,when a thoughtful boy1   
who is in the habit of observing every  
object he sees1 is at a loss for words  
to express his ideas1 his countenance   
usually shows to those who can read the 
countenance of children1 that he is not 
stupid2 therefore1 we need not urge him 
to talk1 but assist him judiciously with
 words in his utmost need3 at the same  
time we should observe carefully1       
whether he grows lazy when we assist    
him2 if his stock of words does not     
increase in proportion to the assistance
 we give1 we should then stimulate him  
to exertion1 or else he will become     
habitually indolent in expressing his   
ideas2 though he may think in a language
 of his own1 he will not be able to     

understand our language when we attempt 
to teach him3 this would be a source of 
daily misery to both parties4  ,when    
children begin to read1 they seem       
suddenly to acquire a great variety of  
words3 we should carefully examine      
whether they annex the proper meaning to
 these which are so rapidly collected4  
,instead of giving them lessons and     
tasks to get by rote1 we should         
cautiously watch over every new phrase  
and every new word which they learn from
 books4 ,there are but few books so     
written that young children can         
comprehend a single sentence in them    
without much explanation4 ,it is        
tiresome to those who hear them read to 
explain every word2 it is not only      
tiresome1 but difficult2 besides1 the   
progress of the pupil seems to be       
retarded2 the grand business of reading1
 of getting through the book1 is        
impeded2 and the tutor1 more impatient  
than his pupil1 says1 ,read on1 ,i      
cannot stop to explain that to you now4 

,you will understand the meaning of the 
sentence if you will read to the end of 
the page4 ,you have not read three lines
 this half hour2 we shall never get on  
at this rate4  ,a certain dame at a     
country school1 who had never been able 
to compass the word ,nebuchadnezzar1    
used to desire her pupils to call it    
,nazareth1 and let it pass4  ,if they be
 obliged to pass over words without     
comprehending them in books1 they will  
probably do the same in conversation2   
and the difficulty of teaching such     
pupils1 and of understanding what they  
say1 will be equally increased4 ,at the 
hazard of being tedious1 we must dwell a
 little longer upon this subject1       
because much of the future capacity of  
children seems to depend upon the manner
 in which they first acquire language4  
,if their language be confused1 so will 
be their thoughts2 and they will not be 
able to reason1 to invent1 or to write1 
with more precision and accuracy than   
they speak4 ,the first words that       

children learn are the names of things2 
these are easily associated with the    
objects themselves1 and there is little 
danger of mistake or confusion4 ,we will
 not enter into the grammatical dispute 
concerning the right of precedency1     
amongst pronoun substantives and verbs2 
we do not know which came first into the
 mind of man2 perhaps1 in different     
minds1 and in different circumstances1  
the precedency must have varied2 but    
this seems to be of little consequence2 
children see actions performed1 and they
 act themselves2 when they want to      
express their remembrance of these      
actions1 they make use of the sort of   
words which we call verbs4 ,let these   
words be strictly associated with the   
ideas which they mean to express1 and no
 matter whether children know any thing 
about the disputes of grammarians1 they 
will understand rational grammar in due 
time1 simply by reflecting upon their   
own minds4 ,this we shall explain more  
fully when we speak hereafter of        

grammar2 we just mention the subject    
here1 to warn preceptors against        
puzzling their pupils too early with    
grammatical subtleties4  ,if any person 
unused to mechanics was to read ,dr4    
,desagulier's description of the manner 
in which a man walks1 the number of     
a-b-c's1 and the travels of the centre  
of gravity1 it would so amaze and       
confound him1 that he would scarcely    
believe he could ever again perform such
 a tremendous operation as that of      
walking4 ,children1 if they were early  
to hear grammarians talk of the parts of
 speech1 and of syntax1 would conclude1 
that to speak must be one of the most   
difficult arts in the world2 but        
children1 who are not usually so        
unfortunate as to have grammarians for  
their preceptors1 when they first begin 
to speak1 acquire language1 without     
being aware of the difficulties which   
would appear so formidable in theory4 ,a
 child points to1 or touches1 the table1
 and when the word table is repeated1 at

 the same instant he learns the name of 
the thing4 ,the facility with which a   
number of names are thus learned in     
infancy is surprising2 but we must not  
imagine that the child1 in learning     
these names1 has acquired much          
knowledge2 he has prepared himself to be
 taught1 but he has not yet learnt any  
thing accurately4 ,when a child sees a  
guinea and a shilling1 and smiling says1
 ,that's a guinea1 mama6 and that's a   
shilling6 the mother is pleased and     
surprised by her son's intelligence1 and
 she gives him credit for more than he  
really possesses4 ,we have associated   
with the words guinea and shilling a    
number of ideas1 and when we hear the   
same words pronounced by a young child1 
we perhaps have some confused belief    
that he has acquired the same ideas that
 we have2 hence we are pleased with the 
mere sound of words of high import from 
infantine lips4  ,children who are      
delighted in their turn by the          
expression of pleasure in the           

countenance of others1 repeat the things
 which they perceive have pleased2 and  
thus their education is begun by those  
who first smile upon them1 and listen to
 them when they attempt to speak4 ,they 
who applaud children for knowing the    
names of things1 induce them quickly to 
learn a number of names by rote2 as long
 as they learn the names of external    
objects only1 which they can see1 and   
smell1 and touch1 all is well2 the names
 will convey distinct ideas of certain  
perceptions4 ,a child who learns the    
name of a taste1 or of a colour1 who    
learns that the taste of sugar is called
 sweet1 and that the colour of a red    
rose is called red1 has learned distinct
 words to express certain perceptions3  
and we can at any future time recall to 
his mind the memory of those perceptions
 by means of their names1 and he        
understands us as well as the most      
learned philosopher4 ,but1 suppose that 
a boy had learned only the name of gold2
 that when different metals were shown  

to him1 he could put his finger upon    
gold1 and say1 ,that is gold2 yet this  
boy does not know all the properties of 
gold2 he does not know in what it       
differs from other metals2 to what uses 
it is applied in arts1 manufactures1 and
 commerce2 the name of gold1 in his     
mind1 represents nothing more than a    
substance of a bright yellow colour1    
upon which people1 he does not precisely
 know why1 set a great value4 ,now1 it  
is very possible1 that a child might1 on
 the contrary1 learn all the properties1
 and the various uses of gold1 without  
having learned its name2 his ideas of   
this metal would be perfectly distinct2 
but whenever he wished to speak of gold1
 he would be obliged to use a vast deal 
of circumlocution to make himself       
understood2 and if he were to enumerate 
all the properties of the metal every   
time he wanted to recal the general     
idea1 his conversation would be         
intolerably tedious to others1 and to   
himself this useless repetition must be 

extremely laborious4 ,he would certainly
 be glad to learn that single word gold1
 which would save him so much trouble2  
his understanding would appear suddenly 
to have improved1 simply from his having
 acquired a proper sign to represent his
 ideas4 ,the boy who had learnt the     
name1 without knowing any of the        
properties of gold1 would also appear   
comparatively ignorant1 as soon as it is
 discovered that he has few ideas       
annexed to the word4 ,it is1 perhaps1   
for this reason1 that some children seem
 suddenly to shine out with knowledge1  
which no one suspected they possessed2  
whilst others1 who had appeared to be   
very quick and clever1 come to a dead   
stop in their education1 and appear to  
be blighted by some unknown cause4 ,the 
children who suddenly shine out1 are    
those who had acquired a number of      
ideas1 and who1 the moment they acquire 
proper words1 can communicate their     
thoughts to others4 ,those children who 
suddenly seem to lose their superiority1

 are those who had acquired a variety of
 words1 but who had not annexed ideas to
 them4 ,when their ignorance is         
detected1 we not only despair of them1  
but they are apt to despair of          
themselves2 they see their companions   
get before them1 and they do not exactly
 perceive the cause of their sudden     
incapacity4 ,where we speak of sensible1
 visible1 tangible objects1 we can      
easily detect and remedy a child's      
ignorance4 ,it is easy to discover      
whether he has or has not a complete    
notion of such a substance as gold2 we  
can enumerate its properties1 and       
readily point out in what his definition
 is defective4 ,the substance can be    
easily produced for examination2 most of
 its properties are obvious to the      
senses2 we have nothing to do but to    
show them to the child1 and to associate
 with each property its usual name2 here
 there can be no danger of puzzling his 
understanding2 but when we come to the  
explanation of words which do not       

represent external objects1 we shall    
find the affair more difficult4 ,we can 
make children understand the meaning of 
those words which are the names of      
simple feelings of the mind1 such as    
surprise1 joy1 grief1 pity2 because we  
can either put our pupils in situations 
where they actually feel these          
sensations1 and then we may associate   
the name with the feelings2 or we may1  
by the example of other people1 who     
actually suffer pain or enjoy pleasure1 
point out what we mean by the words joy 
and grief4 ,but how shall we explain to 
our young pupils1 a number of words     
which represent neither existing        
substances nor simple feelings1 when we 
can neither recur to experiment nor to  
sympathy for assistance8 ,how shall we  
explain1 for instance1 the words virtue1
 justice1 benevolence1 beauty1 taste1   
c48 ,to analyze our own ideas of these1 
is no easy task2 to explain the process 
to a young child1 is scarcely possible4 
,call upon any man1 who has read and    

reflected1 for a definition of virtue1  
the whole theory of moral sentiments    
rises1 perhaps1 to his view at once1 in 
all its elegance2 the paradoxical acumen
 of ,mandeville1 the perspicuous        
reasoning of ,hume1 the accurate        
metaphysics of ,condillac1 the          
persuasive eloquence of ,stewart2 all   
the various doctrines that have been    
supported concerning the foundation of  
morals1 such as the fitness of things1  
the moral sense1 the beauty of truth1   
utility1 sympathy1 common sense2 all    
that has been said by ancient and modern
 philosophers1 is recalled in transient 
perplexing succession to his memory4 ,if
 such be the state of mind of the man   
who is to define1 what must be the      
condition of the child who is to        
understand the definition8 ,all that a  
prudent person will attempt1 is to give 
instances of different virtues2 but even
 these1 it will be difficult properly to
 select for a child4 ,general terms1    
whether in morals or in natural         

philosophy1 should1 we apprehend1 be as 
much as possible avoided in early       
education4 ,some people may imagine that
 children have improved in virtue and   
wisdom1 when they can talk fluently of  
justice1 and charity1 and humanity2 when
 they can read with a good emphasis any 
didactic compositions in verse or prose4
 ,but let any person of sober1 common   
sense1 be allowed to cross-examine these
 proficients1 and the pretended extent  
of their knowledge will shrink into a   
narrow compass2 nor will their virtues1 
which have never seen service1 be ready 
for action4  ,general terms are1 as it  
were1 but the indorsements upon the     
bundles of our ideas2 they are useful to
 those who have collected a number of   
ideas1 but utterly useless to those who 
have no collections ready for           
classification3 nor should we be in a   
hurry to tie up the bundles1 till we are
 sure that the collection is tolerably  
complete2 the trouble1 the difficulty1  
the shame of untying them late in life1 

is felt even by superior minds4 ,sir1   
said ,dr4 ,johnson1 ,i don't like to    
have any of my opinions attacked4 ,i    
have made up my faggot1 and if you draw 
out one you weaken the whole bundle4    
,preceptors sometimes explain general   
terms and abstract notions vaguely to   
their pupils1 simply because they are   
ashamed to make that answer which every 
sensible person must frequently make to 
a child's inquiries1 ,i don't know4#ab  
,surely it is much better to say at     
once1 ,i cannot explain this to you1    
than to attempt an imperfect or         
sophistical reply4 ,fortunately for us1 
children1 if they are not forced to     
attend to studies for which they have no
 taste1 will not trouble us much with   
moral and metaphysical questions2 their 
attention will be fully employed upon   
external objects2 intent upon           
experiments1 they will not be very      
inquisitive about theories4 ,let us then
 take care that their simple ideas be   
accurate1 and when these are compounded1

 their complex notions1 their           
principles1 opinions1 and tastes1 will  
necessarily be just2 their language will
 then be as accurate as their ideas are 
distinct2 and hence they will be enabled
 to reason with precision1 and to invent
 with facility4 ,we may observe1 that   
the great difficulty in reasoning is to 
fix steadily upon our terms2 ideas can  
be readily compared1 when the words by  
which we express them are defined2 as in
 arithmetic and algebra1 we can easily  
solve any problem1 when we have precise 
signs for all the numbers and quantities
 which are to be considered4  ,it is not
 from idleness1 it is not from          
stupidity1 it is not from obstinacy1    
that children frequently show an        
indisposition to listen to those who    
attempt to explain things to them4 ,the 
exertion of attention1 which is         
frequently required from them1 is too   
great for the patience of childhood3 the
 words that are used are so inaccurate  
in their signification1 that they convey

 to the mind sometimes one idea and     
sometimes another2 we might as well     
require of them to cast up a sum right  
whilst we rubbed out and changed the    
figures every instant1 as expect that   
they should seize a combination of ideas
 presented to them in variable words4   
,whoever expects to command the         
attention of an intelligent child1 must 
be extremely careful in the use of      
words4 ,if the pupil be paid for the    
labour of listening by the pleasure of  
understanding what is said1 he will     
attend1 whether it be to his playfellow1
 or to his tutor1 to conversation1 or to
 books4 ,but if he has by fatal         
experience discovered1 that1 let him    
listen ever so intently1 he cannot      
understand1 he will spare himself the   
trouble of fruitless exertion2 and1     
though he may put on a face of          
attention1 his thoughts will wander far 
from his tutor and his tasks4  ,it is   
impossible to fix the attention of      
children1 exclaims the tutor2 when this 

boy attends he can do any thing1 but he 
will not attend for a single instant4   
,alas6 it is in vain to say he will not 
attend2 he cannot4  ,,footnotes3  #g    
,some of these lessons1 and others by   
the authors1 will shortly be printed1   
and marked according to this method4  #h
 ,see ,priestley's ,history of ,vision1 
vol4 i4 p4 #ea4  #i ,art de ,penser4    
#aj ,see ,condillac's ,art de ,penser4  
,in the chapter on the use of signs1    
this young man is mentioned4  #aa ,vol4 
,,ii4  #ab ,rousseau4     ,,chapter     
,,iii4  ,,on ,,attention4   ,pere       
,bourgeois1 one of the missionaries to  
,china1 attempted to preach a ,chinese  
sermon to the ,chinese4 ,his own account
 of the business is the best we can     
give4  ,they told me ,chou signifies a  
book1 so that ,i thought whenever the   
word ,chou was pronounced1 a book was   
the subject of discourse2 not at all4   
,chou1 the next time ,i heard it1 ,i    
found signified a tree4 ,now ,i was to  
recollect ,chou was a book1 and a tree2 

but this amounted to nothing4 ,chou ,i  
found also expressed great heats4 ,chou 
is to relate4 ,chou is the ,aurora4     
,chou means to be accustomed4 ,chou     
expresses the loss of a wager1 c4 ,i    
should never have done were ,i to       
enumerate all its meanings9999999999994 
,i recited my sermon at least fifty     
times to my servant before ,i spoke it  
in public2 and yet ,i am told1 though he
 continually corrected me1 that of the  
ten parts of the sermon 7as the ,chinese
 express themselves7 they hardly        
understood three4 ,fortunately the      
,chinese are wonderfully patient4       
,children are sometimes in the condition
 in which the ,chinese found themselves 
at this learned missionary's sermon1 and
 their patience deserves to be equally  
commended4 ,the difficulty of           
understanding the ,chinese ,chou1       
strikes us immediately1 and we          
sympathise with ,pere ,bourgeois's      
perplexity2 yet1 many words1 which are  
in common use amongst us1 may perhaps be

 as puzzling to children4 ,block 7see   
,johnson's ,dictionary7 signifies a     
heavy piece of timber1 a mass of matter4
 ,block means the wood on which hats are
 formed4 ,block means the wood on which 
criminals are beheaded4 ,block is a     
sea-term for pulley4 ,block is an       
obstruction1 a stop2 and1 finally1      
,block means a blockhead4  ,there are in
 our language1 ten meanings for sweet1  
ten for open1 twenty-two for upon1 and  
sixty-three for to fall4 ,such are the  
defects of language6 ,but1 whatever they
 may be1 we cannot hope immediately to  
see them reformed1 because common       
consent1 and universal custom1 must     
combine to establish a new vocabulary4  
,none but philosophers could invent1 and
 none but philosophers would adopt1 a   
philosophical language4 ,the new        
philosophical language of chemistry was 
received at first with some reluctance1 
even by chemists1 notwithstanding its   
obvious utility and elegance4 ,butter of
 antimony1 and liver of sulphur1 flowers

 of zinc1 oil of vitriol1 and spirit of 
sulphur by the bell1 powder of algaroth1
 and salt of alembroth1 may yet long    
retain their ancient titles amongst     
apothecaries4 ,there does not exist in  
the mineral kingdom either butter or    
oil1 or yet flowers2 these treacherous  
names#ac are given to the most violent  
poisons1 so that there is no analogy to 
guide the understanding or the memory3  
but ,custom has a prescriptive right to 
talk nonsense4 ,the barbarous           
enigmatical jargon of the ancient adepts
 continued for above a century to be the
 only chemical language of men of       
science1 notwithstanding the prodigious 
labour to the memory1 and confusion to  
the understanding1 which it occasioned3 
they have but just now left off calling 
one of their vessels for distilling1 a  
death's head1 and another a helmet4     
,capricious analogy with difficulty     
yields to rational arrangement4 ,if such
 has been the slow progress of a        
philosophical language amongst the      

learned1 how can we expect to make a    
general1 or even a partial reformation  
amongst the ignorant8 ,and it may be    
asked1 how can we in education attempt  
to teach in any but customary terms8    
,there is no occasion to make any sudden
 or violent alteration in language2 but 
a man who attempts to teach1 will find  
it necessary to select his terms with   
care1 to define them with accuracy1 and 
to abide by them with steadiness2 thus  
he will make a philosophical vocabulary 
for himself4 ,persons who want to puzzle
 and to deceive1 always pursue a        
contrary practice2 they use as great a  
variety of unmeaning1 or of ambiguous   
words1 as they possibly can4#ad ,that   
state juggler1 ,oliver ,cromwell1       
excelled in this species of eloquence2  
his speeches are models in their kind4  
,count ,cagliostro1 and the ,countess de
 la ,motte1 were not his superiors in   
the power of baffling the understanding4
 ,the ancient oracles1 and the old books
 of judicial astrologers1 and of        

alchymists1 were contrived upon the same
 principles2 in all these we are        
confounded by a multiplicity of words   
which convey a doubtful sense4          
,children1 who have not the habit of    
listening to words without understanding
 them1 yawn and writhe with manifest    
symptoms of disgust1 whenever they are  
compelled to hear sounds which convey no
 ideas to their minds4 ,all             
supernumerary words should be avoided in
 cultivating the power of attention4    
,the common observation1 that we can    
attend to but one thing at a time1      
should never be forgotten by those who  
expect to succeed in the art of         
teaching4 ,in teaching new terms1 or new
 ideas1 we must not produce a number at 
once4 ,it is prudent to consider1 that  
the actual progress made in our business
 at one sitting is not of so much       
consequence1 as the desire left in the  
pupil's mind to sit again4 ,now a child 
will be better pleased with himself1 and
 with his tutor1 if he acquire one      

distinct idea from a lesson1 than if he 
retained a confused notion of twenty    
different things4 ,some people imagine1 
that as children appear averse to       
repetition1 variety will amuse them4    
,variety1 to a certain degree1 certainly
 relieves the mind2 but then the objects
 which are varied must not all be       
entirely new4 ,novelty and variety1     
joined1 fatigue the mind4 ,either we    
remain passive at the show1 or else we  
fatigue ourselves with ineffectual      
activity4  ,a few years ago1 a          
gentleman#ae brought two ,eskimaux to   
,london--he wished to amuse1 and at the 
same time to astonish1 them with the    
great magnificence of the metropolis4   
,for this purpose1 after having equipped
 them like ,english gentlemen1 he took  
them out one morning to walk through the
 streets of ,london4 ,they walked for   
several hours in silence2 they expressed
 neither pleasure nor admiration at any 
thing which they saw4 ,when their walk  
was ended1 they appeared uncommonly     

melancholy and stupified4 ,as soon as   
they got home1 they sat down with their 
elbows upon their knees1 and hid their  
faces between their hands4 ,the only    
words they could be brought to utter1   
were1 ,too much smoke--too much         
noise--too much houses--too much        
men--too much every thing6  ,some people
 who attend public lectures upon natural
 philosophy1 with the expectation of    
being much amused and instructed1 go    
home with sensations similar to those of
 the poor ,eskimaux2 they feel that they
 have had too much of every thing4 ,the 
lecturer has not time to explain his    
terms1 or to repeat them till they are  
distinct in the memory of his           
audience4#af ,to children1 every mode of
 instruction must be hurtful which      
fatigues attention2 therefore1 a skilful
 preceptor will1 as much as possible1   
avoid the manner of teaching1 to which  
the public lecturer is in some degree   
compelled by his situation4 ,a private  
preceptor1 who undertakes the           

instruction of several pupils in the    
same family1 will examine with care the 
different habits and tempers of his     
pupils2 and he will have full leisure to
 adapt his instructions peculiarly to   
each4  ,there are some general          
observations which apply to all         
understandings2 these we shall first    
enumerate1 and we may afterwards examine
 what distinctions should be made for   
pupils of different tempers or          
dispositions4  ,besides distinctness and
 accuracy in the language which we use1 
besides care to produce but few ideas or
 terms that are new in our first        
lessons1 we must exercise attention only
 during very short periods4 ,in the     
beginning of every science pupils have  
much laborious work2 we should therefore
 allow them time2 we should repress our 
own impatience when they appear to be   
slow in comprehending reasons1 or in    
seizing analogies4 ,we often expect1    
that those whom we are teaching should  
know some things intuitively1 because   

these may have been so long known to us 
that we forget how we learned them4 ,we 
may from habit learn to pass with       
extraordinary velocity from one idea to 
another4 ,some often repeated processes 
of reasoning or invention1 says ,mr4    
,stewart1 may be carried on so quickly  
in the mind1 that we may not be         
conscious of them ourselves4 ,yet we    
easily convince ourselves that this     
rapid facility of thought is purely the 
result of practice1 by observing the    
comparatively slow progress of our      
understandings in subjects to which we  
have not been accustomed3 the progress  
of the mind is there so slow1 that we   
can count every step4  ,we are disposed 
to think that those must be naturally   
slow and stupid1 who do not perceive the
 resemblances between objects which     
strike us1 we say1 at the first glance4 
,but what we call the first glance is   
frequently the fiftieth3 we have got the
 things completely by heart2 all the    
parts are known to us1 and we are at    

leisure to compare and judge4 ,a        
reasonable preceptor will not expect    
from his pupils two efforts of attention
 at the same instant2 he will not       
require them at once to learn terms by  
heart1 and to compare the objects which 
those terms represent2 he will repeat   
his terms till they are thoroughly fixed
 in the memory2 he will repeat his      
reasoning till the chain of ideas is    
completely formed4  ,repetition makes   
all operations easy2 even the fatigue of
 thinking diminishes by habit4 ,that we 
may not increase the labour of the mind 
unseasonably1 we should watch for the   
moment when habit has made one lesson   
easy1 and when we may go forward a new  
step4 ,in teaching the children at the  
,house of ,industry at ,munich to spin1 
,count ,rumford wisely ordered that they
 should be made perfect in one motion   
before any other was shown to them3 at  
first they were allowed only to move the
 wheel by the treadle with their feet2  
when1 after sufficient practice1 the    

foot became perfect in its lesson1 the  
hands were set to work1 and the children
 were allowed to begin to spin with     
coarse materials4 ,it is said that these
 children made remarkable good spinners4
 ,madame de ,genlis applied the same    
principle in teaching ,adela to play    
upon the harp4#ag  ,in the first        
attempts to learn any new bodily        
exercise1 as fencing or dancing1 persons
 are not certain what muscles they must 
use1 and what may be left at rest2 they 
generally employ those of which they    
have the most ready command1 but these  
may not always be the muscles which are 
really wanted in the new operation4 ,the
 simplest thing appears difficult1 till1
 by practice1 we have associated the    
various slight motions which ought to be
 combined4 ,we feel1 that from want of  
use1 our motions are not obedient to our
 will1 and to supply this defect1 we    
exert more strength and activity than is
 requisite4 ,it does not require        
strength2 you need not use so much      

force2 you need not take so much pains2 
we frequently say to those who are      
making the first painful awkward        
attempts at some simple operation4 ,can 
any thing appear more easy than         
knitting1 when we look at the dexterous1
 rapid motions of an experienced        
practitioner8 ,but let a gentleman take 
up a lady's knitting needles1 and       
knitting appears to him1 and to all the 
spectators1 one of the most difficult   
and laborious operations imaginable4 ,a 
lady who is learning to work with a     
tambour needle1 puts her head down close
 to the tambour frame1 the colour comes 
into her face1 she strains her eyes1 all
 her faculties are exerted1 and perhaps 
she works at the rate of three links a  
minute4 ,a week afterwards1 probably1   
practice has made the work perfectly    
easy2 the same lady goes rapidly on with
 her work2 she can talk and laugh1 and  
perhaps even think1 whilst she works4   
,she has now discovered that a number of
 the motions1 and a great portion of    

that attention which she thought        
necessary to this mighty operation1 may 
be advantageously spared4  ,in a similar
 manner1 in the exercise of our minds   
upon subjects that are new to us1 we    
generally exert more attention than is  
necessary or serviceable1 and we        
consequently soon fatigue ourselves     
without any advantage4 ,children1 to    
whom many subjects are new1 are often   
fatigued by these overstrained and      
misplaced efforts4 ,in these            
circumstances1 a tutor should relieve   
the attention by introducing indifferent
 subjects of conversation2 he can1 by   
showing no anxiety himself1 either in   
his manner or countenance1 relieve his  
pupil from any apprehension of his      
displeasure1 or of his contempt2 he can 
represent that the object before them is
 not a matter of life and death2 that if
 the child does not succeed in the first
 trials1 he will not be disgraced in the
 opinion of any of his friends2 that by 
perseverance he will certainly conquer  

the difficulty2 that it is of little    
consequence whether he understands the  
thing in question to-day or to-morrow2  
these considerations will calm the      
over-anxious pupil's agitation1 and1    
whether he succeed or not1 he will not  
suffer such a degree of pain as to      
disgust him in his first attempts4      
,besides the command which we1 by this  
prudent management1 obtain over the     
pupil's mind1 we shall also prevent him 
from acquiring any of those awkward     
gestures and involuntary motions which  
are sometimes practised to relieve the  
pain of attention4  ,dr4 ,darwin        
observes1 that when we experience any   
disagreeable sensations1 we endeavour to
 procure ourselves temporary relief by  
motions of those muscles and limbs which
 are most habitually obedient to our    
will4 ,this observation extends to      
mental as well as to bodily pain2 thus  
persons in violent grief wring their    
hands and convulse their countenances2  
those who are subject to the petty1 but 

acute miseries of false shame1 endeavour
 to relieve themselves by awkward       
gestures and continual motions4 ,a      
plough-boy1 when he is brought into the 
presence of those whom he thinks his    
superiors1 endeavours to relieve himself
 from the uneasy sensations of false    
shame1 by twirling his hat upon his     
fingers1 and by various uncouth         
gestures4 ,men who think a great deal1  
sometimes acquire habitual awkward      
gestures1 to relieve the pain of intense
 thought4  ,when attention first becomes
 irksome to children1 they mitigate the 
mental pain by wrinkling their brows1 or
 they fidget and put themselves into    
strange attitudes4 ,these odd motions1  
which at first are voluntary1 after they
 have been frequently associated with   
certain states of mind1 constantly recur
 involuntarily with those feelings or   
ideas with which they have been         
connected4 ,for instance1 a boy1 who has
 been used to buckle and unbuckle his   
shoe1 when he repeats his lesson by     

rote1 cannot repeat his lesson without  
performing this operation2 it becomes a 
sort of artificial memory1 which is     
necessary to prompt his recollective    
faculty4 ,when children have a variety  
of tricks of this sort1 they are of     
little consequence2 but when they have  
acquired a few constant and habitual    
motions1 whilst they think1 or repeat1  
or listen1 these should be attended to1 
and the habits should be broken1        
otherwise these young people will       
appear1 when they grow up1 awkward and  
ridiculous in their manners2 and1 what  
is worse1 perhaps their thoughts and    
abilities will be too much in the power 
of external circumstances4 ,addison     
represents1 with much humour1 the case  
of a poor man who had the habit of      
twirling a bit of thread round his      
finger2 the thread was accidentally     
broken1 and the orator stood mute4  ,we 
once saw a gentleman get up to speak in 
a public assembly1 provided with a paper
 of notes written in pencil3 during the 

exordium of his speech1 he thumbed his  
notes with incessant agitation2 when he 
looked at the paper1 he found that the  
words were totally obliterated2 he was  
obliged to apologize to his audience2   
and1 after much hesitation1 sat down    
abashed4 ,a father would be sorry to see
 his son in such a predicament4  ,to    
prevent children from acquiring such    
awkward tricks whilst they are thinking1
 we should in the first place take care 
not to make them attend for too long a  
time together1 then the pain of         
attention will not be so violent as to  
compel them to use these strange modes  
of relief4 ,bodily exercise should      
immediately follow that entire state of 
rest1 in which our pupils ought to keep 
themselves whilst they attend4 ,the     
first symptoms of any awkward trick     
should be watched2 they are easily      
prevented by early care from becoming   
habitual4 ,if any such tricks have been 
acquired1 and if the pupil cannot exert 
his attention in common1 unless certain 

contortions are permitted1 we should    
attempt the cure either by sudden slight
 bodily pain1 or by a total suspension  
of all the employments with which these 
bad habits are associated4 ,if a boy    
could not read without swinging his head
 like a pendulum1 we should rather      
prohibit him from reading for some time1
 than suffer him to grow up with this   
ridiculous habit4 ,but in conversation1 
whenever opportunities occur of telling 
him any thing in which he is            
particularly interested1 we should      
refuse to gratify his curiosity1 unless 
he keeps himself perfectly still4 ,the  
excitement here would be sufficient to  
conquer the habit4  ,whatever is        
connected with pain or pleasure commands
 our attention2 but to make this general
 observation useful in education1 we    
must examine what degrees of stimulus   
are necessary for different pupils1 and 
in different circumstances4 ,we have    
formerly observed1#ah that it is not    
prudent early to use violent or         

continual stimulus1 either of a painful 
or a pleasurable nature1 to excite      
children to application1 because we     
should by an intemperate use of these1  
weaken the mind1 and because we may with
 a little patience obtain all we wish   
without these expedients4 ,besides these
 reasons1 there is another potent       
argument against using violent motives  
to excite attention2 such motives       
frequently disturb and dissipate the    
very attention which they attempt to    
fix4 ,if a child be threatened with     
severe punishment1 or flattered with the
 promise of some delicious reward1 in   
order to induce his performance of any  
particular task1 he desires instantly to
 perform the task2 but this desire will 
not ensure his success3 unless he has   
previously acquired the habit of        
voluntary exertion1 he will not be able 
to turn his mind from his ardent wishes1
 even to the means of accomplishing     
them4 ,he will be in the situation of   
,alnaschar in the ,arabian tales1 who1  

whilst he dreamt of his future grandeur1
 forgot his immediate business4 ,the    
greater his hope or fear1 the greater   
the difficulty of his employing himself4
  ,to teach any new habit or art1 we    
must not employ any alarming            
excitements3 small1 certain1 regularly  
recurring motives1 which interest1 but  
which do not distract the mind1 are     
evidently the best4 ,the ancient        
inhabitants of ,minorca were said to be 
the best slingers in the world2 when    
they were children1 every morning what  
they were to eat was slightly suspended 
from high poles1 and they were obliged  
to throw down their breakfasts with     
their slings from the places where they 
were suspended1 before they could       
satisfy their hunger4 ,the motive seems 
to have been here well proportioned to  
the effect that was required2 it could  
not be any great misfortune to a boy to 
go without his breakfast2 but as this   
motive returned every morning1 it became
 sufficiently serious to the hungry     

slingers4  ,it is impossible to explain 
this subject so as to be of use1 without
 descending to minute particulars4 ,when
 a mother says to her little daughter1  
as she places on the table before her a 
bunch of ripe cherries1 ,tell me1 my    
dear1 how many cherries are there1 and  
,i will give them to you8 ,the child's  
attention is fixed instantly2 there is a
 sufficient motive1 not a motive which  
excites any violent passions1 but which 
raises just such a degree of hope as is 
necessary to produce attention4 ,the    
little girl1 if she knows from          
experience that her mother's promise    
will be kept1 and that her own patience 
is likely to succeed1 counts the        
cherries carefully1 has her reward1 and 
upon the next similar trial she will1   
from this success1 be still more        
disposed to exert her attention4 ,the   
pleasure of eating cherries1 associated 
with the pleasure of success1 will      
balance the pain of a few moments       
prolonged application1 and by degrees   

the cherries may be withdrawn1 the      
association of pleasure will remain4    
,objects or thoughts1 that have been    
associated with pleasure1 retain the    
power of pleasing2 as the needle touched
 by the loadstone acquires polarity1 and
 retains it long after the loadstone is 
withdrawn4  ,whenever attention is      
habitually raised by the power of       
association1 we should be careful to    
withdraw all the excitements that were  
originally used1 because these are now  
unnecessary2 and1 as we have formerly   
observed1 the steady rule1 with respect 
to stimulus1 should be to give the least
 possible quantity that will produce the
 effect we want4 ,success is a great    
pleasure2 as soon as children become    
sensible to this pleasure1 that is to   
say1 when they have tasted it two or    
three times1 they will exert their      
attention merely with the hope of       
succeeding4 ,we have seen a little boy  
of three years old1 frowning with       
attention for several minutes together1 

whilst he was trying to clasp and       
unclasp a lady's bracelet2 his whole    
soul was intent upon the business2 he   
neither saw nor heard any thing else    
that passed in the room1 though several 
people were talking1 and some happened  
to be looking at him4 ,the pleasure of  
success1 when he clasped the bracelet1  
was quite sufficient2 he looked for no  
praise1 though he was perhaps pleased   
with the sympathy that was shown in his 
success4 ,sympathy is a better reward   
for young children in such circumstances
 than praise1 because it does not excite
 vanity1 and it is connected with       
benevolent feelings2 besides1 it is not 
so violent a stimulus as applause4      
,instead of increasing excitements to   
produce attention1 we may vary them1    
which will have just the same effect4   
,when sympathy fails1 try curiosity2    
when curiosity fails1 try praise2 when  
praise begins to lose its effect1 try   
blame2 and when you go back again to    
sympathy1 you will find that1 after this

 interval1 it will have recovered all   
its original power4 ,doctor ,darwin1 who
 has the happy art of illustrating1 from
 the most familiar circumstances in real
 life1 the abstract theories of         
philosophy1 gives us the following      
picturesque instance of the use of      
varying motives to prolong exertion4  ,a
 little boy1 who was tired of walking1  
begged of his papa to carry him4 ,here1 
says the reverend doctor1 ride upon my  
gold headed cane2 and the pleased child1
 putting it between his legs1 galloped  
away with delight4 ,here the aid of     
another sensorial power1 that of        
pleasurable sensation1 superadded power 
to exhausted volition1 which could      
otherwise only have been excited by     
additional pain1 as by the lash of      
slavery4#ai  ,alexander the ,great one  
day saw a poor man carrying upon his    
shoulders a heavy load of silver for the
 royal camp3 the man tottered under his 
burden1 and was ready to give up the    
point from fatigue4 ,hold on1 friend1   

the rest of the way1 and carry it to    
your own tent1 for it is yours1 said    
,alexander4  ,there are some people1 who
 have the power of exciting others to   
great mental exertions1 not by the      
promise of specific rewards1 or by the  
threats of any punishment1 but by the   
ardent ambition which they inspire1 by  
the high value which is set upon their  
love and esteem4 ,when we have formed a 
high opinion of a friend1 his           
approbation becomes necessary to our own
 self-complacency1 and we think no      
labour too great to satisfy our         
attachment4 ,our exertions are not      
fatiguing1 because they are associated  
with all the pleasurable sensations of  
affection1 self-complacency1            
benevolence1 and liberty4 ,these        
feelings1 in youth1 produce all the     
virtuous enthusiasm characteristic of   
great minds2 even childhood is capable  
of it in some degree1 as those parents  
well know1 who have never enjoyed the   
attachment of a grateful affectionate   

child4 ,those1 who neglect to cultivate 
the affections of their pupils1 will    
never be able to excite them to noble   
ends1 by noble means4 ,theirs will be   
the dominion of fear1 from which reason 
will emancipate herself1 and from which 
pride will yet more certainly revolt4   
,if ,henry the ,fourth of ,france had   
been reduced1 like ,dionysius the tyrant
 of ,syracuse1 to earn his bread as a   
schoolmaster1 what a different preceptor
 he would probably have made6 ,dionysius
 must have been hated by his scholars as
 much as by his subjects1 for it is     
said1 that he#bj practised upon children
 that tyranny which he could no longer  
exercise over men4  ,the ambassador1 who
 found ,henry the ,fourth playing upon  
the carpet with his children1 would     
probably have trusted his own children1 
if he had any1 to the care of such an   
affectionate tutor4  ,henry the ,fourth 
would have attached his pupils whilst he
 instructed them2 they would have       
exerted themselves because they could   

not have been happy without his esteem4 
,henry's courtiers1 or rather his       
friends1 for though he was a king he had
 friends1 sometimes expressed surprise  
at their own disinterestedness3 ,this   
king pays us with words1 said they1 and 
yet we are satisfied6 ,sully1 when he   
was only ,baron de ,rosny1 and before he
 had any hopes of being a duke1 was once
 in a passion with the king his master1 
and half resolved to leave him3 ,but ,i 
don't know how it was1 says the honest  
minister1 with all his faults1 there is 
something about ,henry which ,i found ,i
 could not leave2 and when ,i met him   
again1 a few words made me forget all my
 causes of discontent4  ,children are   
more easily attached than courtiers1 and
 full as easily rewarded4 ,when once    
this generous desire of affection and   
esteem is raised in the mind1 their     
exertions seem to be universal and      
spontaneous3 children are then no longer
 like machines1 which require to be     
wound up regularly to perform certain   

revolutions2 they are animated with a   
living principle1 which directs all that
 it inspires4  ,we have endeavoured to  
point out the general excitements1 and  
the general precautions1 to be used in  
cultivating the power of attention2 it  
may be expected1 that we should more    
particularly apply these to the         
characters of different pupils4 ,we     
shall not here examine whether there be 
any original difference of character or 
intellect1 because this would lead into 
a wide theoretical discussion2 a        
difference in the temper and talents of 
children early appears1 and some        
practical remarks may be of service to  
correct defects1 or to improve          
abilities1 whether we suppose them to be
 natural or acquired4 ,the first        
differences which a preceptor observes  
between his pupils1 when he begins to   
teach them1 are perhaps scarcely marked 
so strongly as to strike the careless   
spectator2 but in a few years these     
varieties are apparent to every eye4    

,this seems to prove1 that during the   
interval the power of education has     
operated strongly to increase the       
original propensities4 ,the quick and   
slow1 the timid and presumptuous1 should
 be early instructed so as to correct as
 much as possible their several defects4
  ,the manner in which children are     
first instructed must tend either to    
increase or diminish their timidity1 or 
their confidence in themselves1 to      
encourage them to undertake great       
things1 or to rest content with limited 
acquirements4 ,young people1 who have   
found from experience1 that they cannot 
remember or understand one half of what 
is forced upon their attention1 become  
extremely diffident of their own        
capacity1 and they will not undertake as
 much even as they are able to perform4 
,with timid tempers1 we should therefore
 begin1 by expecting but little from    
each effort1 but whatever is attempted1 
should be certainly within their        
attainment2 success will encourage the  

most stupid humility4 ,it should be     
carefully pointed out to diffident      
children1 that attentive patience can do
 as much as quickness of intellect4 ,if 
they perceive that time makes all the   
difference between the quick and the    
slow1 they will be induced to persevere4
 ,the transition of attention from one  
subject to another is difficult to some 
children1 to others it is easy4 ,if all 
be expected to do the same things in an 
equal period of time1 the slow will     
absolutely give up the competition2 but1
 on the contrary1 if they are allowed   
time1 they will accomplish their        
purposes4 ,we have been confirmed in our
 belief of this doctrine by experiments4
 ,the same problems have been frequently
 given to children of different degrees 
of quickness1 and though some succeeded 
much more quickly than others1 all the  
individuals in the family have          
persevered till they have solved the    
questions2 and the timid seem to have   
been more encouraged by this practical  

demonstration of the infallibility of   
persevering attention1 than by any other
 methods which have been tried4 ,when1  
after a number of small successful      
trials1 they have acquired some share of
 confidence in themselves1 when they are
 certain of the possibility of their    
performing any given operations1 we may 
then press them a little as to velocity4
 ,when they are well acquainted with any
 set of ideas1 we may urge them to quick
 transition of attention from one to    
another2 but if we insist upon this     
rapidity of transition1 before they are 
thoroughly acquainted with each idea in 
the assemblage1 we shall only increase  
their timidity and hesitation2 we shall 
confound their understandings1 and      
depress their ambition4  ,it is of      
consequence to distinguish between slow 
and sluggish attention4 ,sometimes      
children appear stupid and heavy1 when  
they are absolutely exhausted by too    
great efforts of attention3 at other    
times1 they have something like the same

 dulness of aspect1 before they have had
 any thing to fatigue them1 merely from 
their not having yet awakened themselves
 to business4 ,we must be certain of our
 pupil's state of mind before we        
proceed4 ,if he be incapacitated from   
fatigue1 let him rest2 if he be torpid1 
rouse him with a rattling peal of       
thunder2 but be sure that you have not1 
as it has been said of ,jupiter1#ba     
recourse to your thunder only when you  
are in the wrong4 ,some preceptors scold
 when they cannot explain1 and grow     
angry in proportion to the fatigue they 
see expressed in the countenance of     
their unhappy pupils4 ,if a timid child 
foresees that an explanation will       
probably end in a phillipic1 he cannot  
fix his attention2 he is anticipating   
the evil of your anger1 instead of      
listening to your demonstrations2 and he
 says1 ,yes1 yes1 ,i see1 ,i know1 ,i   
understand1 with trembling eagerness1   
whilst through the mist and confusion of
 his fears1 he can scarcely see or hear1

 much less understand1 any thing4 ,if   
you mistake the confusion and fatigue of
 terror for inattention or indolence1   
and press your pupil to further         
exertions1 you will confirm1 instead of 
curing1 his stupidity4 ,you must        
diminish his fear before you can        
increase his attention4 ,with children  
who are thus1 from timid anxiety to     
please1 disposed to exert their         
faculties too much1 it is obvious that  
no excitation should be used1 but every 
playful1 every affectionate means should
 be employed to dissipate their         
apprehensions4  ,it is more difficult to
 manage with those who have sluggish1   
than with those who have timid1         
attention4 ,indolent children have not  
usually so lively a taste for pleasure  
as others have2 they do not seem to hear
 or see so quickly2 they are content    
with a little enjoyment2 they have      
scarcely any ambition2 they seem to     
prefer ease to all sorts of glory2 they 
have little voluntary exertion2 and the 

pain of attention is to them so great1  
that they would preferably endure the   
pain of shame1 and of all the           
accumulated punishments which are       
commonly devised for them by the        
vengeance of their exasperated tutors4  
,locke notices this listless1 lazy      
humour in children2 he classes it under 
the head ,sauntering2 and he divides    
saunterers into two species2 those who  
saunter only at their books and tasks2  
and those who saunter at play and every 
thing4 ,the book-saunterers have only an
 acute1 the others have a chronic       
disease2 the one is easily cured1 the   
other disease will cost more time and   
pains4  ,if1 by some unlucky management1
 a vivacious child acquires a dislike to
 literary application1 he may appear at 
his books with all the stupid apathy of 
a dunce4 ,in this state of literary     
dereliction1 we should not force books  
and tasks of any sort upon him2 we      
should rather watch him when he is eager
 at amusements of his own selection1    

observe to what his attention turns1 and
 cultivate his attention upon that      
subject1 whatever it may be4 ,he may be 
led to think1 and to acquire knowledge  
upon a variety of subjects1 without     
sitting down to read2 and thus he may   
form habits of attention and            
application1 which will be associated   
with pleasure4 ,when he returns to      
books1 he will find that he understands 
a variety of things in them which before
 appeared incomprehensible2 they will   
give him back the image of his mind1 and
 he will like them as he likes pictures4
  ,as long as a child shows energy upon 
any occasion1 there is hope4 ,if he lend
 his little soul#bb to whipping a top1  
there is no danger of his being a dunce4
 ,when ,alcibiades was a child1 he was  
one day playing at dice with other boys 
in the street2 a loaded waggon came up  
just as it was his turn to throw4 ,at   
first he called to the driver to stop1  
but the waggoner would not stop his     
horses2 all the boys1 except            

,alcibiades1 ran away1 but ,alcibiades  
threw himself upon his face1 directly   
before the horses1 and stretching       
himself out1 bid the waggoner drive on  
if he pleased4 ,perhaps1 at the time    
when he showed this energy about a game 
at dice1 ,alcibiades might have been a  
saunterer at his book1 and a foolish    
schoolmaster might have made him a      
dunce4  ,locke advises that children1   
who are too much addicted to what is    
called play1 should be surfeited with   
it1 that they may return to business    
with a better appetite4 ,but this advice
 supposes that play has been previously 
interdicted1 or that it is something    
pernicious3 we have endeavoured to show 
that play is nothing but a change of    
employment1 and that the attention may  
be exercised advantageously upon a      
variety of subjects which are not called
 ,tasks4#bc  ,with those who show       
chronic listlessness1 ,locke advises    
that we should use every sort of        
stimulus2 praise1 amusement1 fine       

clothes1 eating2 any thing that will    
make them bestir themselves4 ,he argues1
 that as there appears a deficiency of  
vigour1 we have no reason to fear excess
 of appetite for any of these things3   
nay1 further still1 where none of these 
will act1 he advises compulsory bodily  
exercise4 ,if we cannot1 he says1 make  
sure of the invisible attention of the  
mind1 we may at least get something     
done1 prevent the habit of total        
idleness1 and perhaps make the children 
desire to exchange labour of body for   
labour of mind4 ,these expedients will1 
we fear1 be found rather palliative than
 effectual2 if1 by forcing children to  
bodily exercise1 that becomes           
disagreeable1 they may prefer labour of 
the mind2 but1 in making this exchange1 
or bargain1 they are sensible that they 
choose the least of two evils4 ,the evil
 of application is diminished only by   
comparison in their estimation2 they    
will avoid it whenever they are at      
liberty4 ,the love of eating1 of fine   

clothes1 c4 if they stimulate a slothful
 child1 must be the ultimate object of  
his exertions2 he will consider the     
performance of his task merely as a     
painful condition on his part4 ,still   
the association of pain with literature 
continues2 it is then impossible that he
 should love it4 ,there is no active    
principle within him1 no desire for     
knowledge excited2 his attention is     
forced1 it ceases the moment the        
external force is withdrawn4 ,he drudges
 to earn his cream bowl duly set1 but he
 will stretch his lubbar length the     
moment his task is done4  ,there is     
another class of children opposed to    
saunterers1 whom we may denominate      
volatile geniuses4 ,they show a vast    
deal of quickness and vivacity2 they    
understand almost before a tutor can put
 his ideas into words2 they observe a   
variety of objects1 but they do not     
connect their observations1 and the very
 rapidity with which they seize an      
explanation1 prevents them from         

thoroughly comprehending it2 they are   
easily disturbed by external objects    
when they are thinking4 ,as they have   
great sensibility1 their associations   
are strong and various2 their thoughts  
branch off into a thousand beautiful1   
but useless ramifications4 ,whilst you  
are attempting to instruct them upon one
 subject1 they are inventing1 perhaps1  
upon another2 or they are following a   
train of ideas suggested by something   
you have said1 but foreign to your      
business4 ,they are more pleased with   
the discovery of resemblances1 than with
 discrimination of difference2 the one  
costs them more time and attention than 
the other3 they are apt to say witty    
things1 and to strike out sparks of     
invention2 but they have not commonly   
the patience to form exact judgments1 or
 to bring their first inventions to     
perfection4 ,when they begin the race1  
every body expects that they should     
outstrip all competitors2 but it is     
often seen that slower rivals reach the 

goal before them4 ,the predictions      
formed of pupils of this temperament1   
vary much1 according to the characters  
of their tutors4 ,a slow man is provoked
 by their dissipated vivacity1 and1     
unable to catch or fix their attention1 
prognosticates that they will never have
 sufficient application to learn any    
thing4 ,this prophecy1 under certain    
tuition1 would probably be accomplished4
 ,the want of sympathy between a slow   
tutor and a quick child1 is a great     
disadvantage to both2 each insists upon 
going his own pace1 and his own way1 and
 these ways are perhaps diametrically   
opposite4 ,even in forming a judgment of
 the child's attention1 the tutor1 who  
is not acquainted with the manner in    
which his pupil goes to work1 is liable 
to frequent mistakes4 ,children are     
sometimes suspected of not having       
listened to what has been said to them1 
when they cannot exactly repeat the     
words that they have heard2 they often  
ask questions1 and make observations1   

which seem quite foreign to the present 
business2 but this is not always a proof
 that their minds are absent1 or that   
their attention is dissipated4 ,their   
answers often appear to be far from the 
point1 because they suppress their      
intermediate ideas1 and give only the   
result of their thoughts4 ,this may be  
inconvenient to those who teach them2   
but this habit sufficiently proves that 
these children are not deficient in     
attention4 ,to cure them of the fault   
which they have1 we should not accuse   
them falsely of another4 ,but it may be 
questioned whether this be a fault2 it  
is absolutely necessary1 in many        
processes of the mind1 to suppress a    
number of intermediate ideas4 ,life1 if 
this were not practised1 would be too   
short for those who think1 and much too 
short for those who speak4 ,when        
somebody asked ,pyrrhus which of two    
musicians he liked the best1 he         
answered1 ,polysperchon is the best     
general4 ,this would appear to be the   

absurd answer of an absent person1 or of
 a fool1 if we did not consider the     
ideas that are implied1 as well as those
 which are expressed4  ,march #eth1     
#agif4 ,to-day1 at dinner1 a lady       
observed that ,nicholson1 ,williamson1  
,jackson1 c4 were names which originally
 meant the sons of ,nicholas1 ,william1 
,jack1 c4 ,a boy who was present1       
,h----1 added1 with a very grave face1  
as soon as she had finished speaking1   
,yes1 ma'am1 ,tydides4 ,his mother asked
 him what he could mean by this absent  
speech8 ,h---- calmly repeated1 ,ma'am1 
yes2 because ,i think it is like        
,tydides4 ,his brother ,s----eagerly    
interposed1 to supply the intermediate  
ideas2 ,yes1 indeed1 mother1 cried he1  
,h---- is not absent1 because des1 in   
,greek1 means the son of 7the race of47 
,tydides is the son of ,tydeus1 as      
,jackson is the son of ,jack4 ,in this  
instance1 ,h---- was not absent1 though 
he did not make use of a sufficient     
number of words to explain his ideas4   

,august1 #agif4 ,l----1 when he returned
 home1 after some months absence1       
entertained his brothers and sisters    
with a new play1 which he had learned at
 ,edinburgh4 ,he told them1 that when he
 struck the table with his hand1 every  
person present1 was instantaneously to  
remain fixed in the attitudes in which  
they should be when the blow was given4 
,the attitudes in which some of the     
little company were fixed1 occasioned   
much diversion2 but in speaking of this 
new play afterwards1 they had no name   
for it4 ,whilst they were thinking of a 
name for it1 ,h---- exclaimed1 ,the     
,gorgon6 ,it was immediately agreed that
 this was a good name for the play1 and 
,h----1 upon this occasion1 was         
perfectly intelligible1 without         
expressing all the intermediate ideas4  
,good judges1 form an accurate estimate 
of the abilities of those who converse  
with them1 by what they omit1 as well as
 by what they say4 ,if any one can show 
that he also has been in ,arcadia1 he is

 sure of being well received1 without   
producing minutes of his journey4 ,in   
the same manner we should judge of      
children2 if they arrive at certain     
conclusions in reasoning1 we may be     
satisfied that they have taken all the  
necessary previous steps4 ,we need not  
question their attention upon subjects  
where they give proofs of invention2    
they must have remembered well1 or they 
could not invent2 they must have        
attended well1 or they could not have   
remembered4 ,nothing wearies a quick    
child more than to be forced slowly to  
retrace his own thoughts1 and to repeat 
the words of a discourse to prove that  
he has listened to it4 ,a tutor1 who is 
slow in understanding the ideas of his  
vivacious pupil1 gives him so much      
trouble and pain1 that he grows silent1 
from finding it not worth while to      
speak4 ,it is for this reason1 that     
children appear stupid and silent1 with 
some people1 and sprightly and talkative
 with others4 ,those who hope to talk to

 children with any effect1 must1 as     
,rousseau observes1 be able to hear as  
well as to speak4 ,m4 de ,segrais1 who  
was deaf1 was much in the right to      
decline being preceptor to the ,duke de 
,maine4 ,a deaf preceptor would         
certainly make a child dumb4  ,to win   
the attention of vivacious children1 we 
must sometimes follow them in their     
zigzag course1 and even press them to   
the end of their own train of thought4  
,they will be content when they have    
obtained a full hearing2 then they will 
have leisure to discover that what they 
were in such haste to utter1 was not so 
well worth saying as they imagined2 that
 their bright ideas often1 when steadily
 examined by themselves1 fade into      
absurdities4  ,where does this path lead
 to8 ,can't we get over this stile8 ,may
 ,i only go into this wood8 exclaims an 
active child1 when he is taken out to   
walk4 ,every path appears more          
delightful than the straight road2 but  
let him try the paths1 they will perhaps

 end in disappointment1 and then his    
imagination will be corrected4 ,let him 
try his own experiments1 then he will be
 ready to try yours2 and if yours       
succeed better than his own1 you will   
secure his confidence4 ,after a child   
has talked on for some time1 till he    
comes to the end of his ideas1 then he  
will perhaps listen to what you have to 
say2 and if he finds it better than what
 he has been saying himself1 he will    
voluntarily give you his attention the  
next time you begin to speak4           
,vivacious children are peculiarly      
susceptible of blame and praise2 we     
have1 therefore1 great power over their 
attachment1 if we manage these          
excitements properly4 ,these children   
should not be praised for their happy   
hits1 their first#bd glances should not 
be extolled2 but1 on the contrary1 they 
should be rewarded with universal       
approbation when they give proofs of    
patient industry1 when they bring any   
thing to perfection4 ,no one can bring  

any thing to perfection without long    
continued attention2 and industry and   
perseverance presuppose attention4      
,proofs of any of these qualities may   
therefore satisfy us as to the pupil's  
capacity and habits of attention2 we    
need not stand by to see the attention  
exercised1 the things produced are      
sufficient evidence4 ,buffon tells us   
that he wrote his ,epoques de la ,nature
 over eighteen times before he could    
perfect it to his taste4 ,the high      
finish of his composition is sufficient 
evidence to intelligent readers1 that he
 exerted long continued attention upon  
the work2 they do not require to have   
the eighteen copies produced4  ,bacon   
supposes1 that for every disease of the 
mind1 specific remedies might be found  
in appropriate studies and exercises4   
,thus1 for bird-witted children he      
prescribes the study of mathematics1    
because1 in mathematical studies1 the   
attention must be fixed2 the least      
intermission of thought breaks the whole

 chain of reasoning1 their labour is    
lost1 and they must begin their         
demonstration again4 ,this principle is 
excellent2 but to apply it              
advantageously1 we should choose moments
 when a mathematical demonstration is   
interesting to children1 else we have   
not sufficient motive to excite them to 
commence the demonstration2 they will   
perceive1 that they loose all their     
labour if their attention is            
interrupted2 but how shall we make them 
begin to attend8 ,there are a variety of
 subjects which are interesting to      
children1 to which we may apply ,bacon's
 principle2 for instance1 a child is    
eager to hear a story which you are     
going to tell him2 you may exercise his 
attention by your manner of telling this
 story2 you may employ with advantage   
the beautiful figure of speech called   
suspension3 but you must take care1 that
 the hope which is long deferred be at  
last gratified4 ,the young critics will 
look back when your story is finished1  

and will examine whether their attention
 has been wasted1 or whether all the    
particulars to which it was directed    
were essential4 ,though in amusing      
stories we recommend the figure called  
suspension1#be we do not recommend its  
use in explanations4 ,our explanations  
should be put into as few words as      
possible3 the closer the connection of  
ideas1 the better4 ,when we say1 allow  
time to understand your explanations1 we
 mean1 allow time between each idea1 do 
not fill up the interval with words4    
,never1 by way of gaining time1 pay in  
sixpences2 this is the last resource of 
a bankrupt4  ,we formerly observed that 
a preceptor1 in his first lessons on any
 new subject1 must submit to the        
drudgery of repeating his terms and his 
reasoning1 until these are sufficiently 
familiar to his pupils4 ,he must1       
however1 proportion the number of his   
repetitions to the temper and habits of 
his pupils1 else he will weary1 instead 
of strengthening1 the attention4 ,when a

 thing is clear1 let him never try to   
make it clearer2 when a thing is        
understood1 not a word more of          
exemplification should be added4 ,to    
mark precisely the moment when the pupil
 understands what is said1 the moment   
when he is master of the necessary      
ideas1 and1 consequently1 the moment    
when repetition should cease1 is1       
perhaps1 the most difficult thing in the
 art of teaching4 ,the countenance1 the 
eye1 the voice1 and manner of the pupil1
 mark this instant to an observing      
preceptor2 but a preceptor1 who is      
absorbed in his own ideas1 will never   
think of looking in his pupil's face2 he
 will go on with his routine of         
explanation1 whilst his once lively1    
attentive pupil1 exhibits opposite to   
him the picture of stupified fatigue4   
,quick1 intelligent children1 who have  
frequently found that lessons are       
reiterated by a patient but injudicious 
tutor1 will learn a careless mode of    
listening at intervals2 they will say to

 themselves1 ,oh ,i shall hear this     
again6 ,and if any stray thought comes  
across their minds1 they will not       
scruple to amuse themselves1 and will   
afterwards ask for a repetition of the  
words or ideas which they missed during 
this excursion of fancy4 ,when they hear
 the warning advertisement of certainly 
for the last time this season1 they will
 deem it time enough to attend to the   
performance4 ,to cure them of this      
presumption in favour of our patience1  
and of their own superlative quickness1 
we should press that quickness to its   
utmost speed4 ,whenever we call for     
their attention1 let it be on subjects  
highly interesting or amusing1 and let  
us give them but just sufficient time   
with their fullest exertion to catch our
 words and ideas4 ,as these quick       
gentlemen are proud of their rapidity of
 apprehension1 this method will probably
 secure their attention1 they will dread
 the disgrace of not understanding what 
is said1 and they will feel that they   

cannot understand unless they exert     
prompt1 vigorous1 unremitted attention4 
,the ,duchess of ,kingston used to      
complain that she could never acquire   
any knowledge1 because she never could  
meet with any body who could teach her  
anything in two words4 ,her ,grace felt 
the same sort of impatience which was   
expressed by the tyrant who expected to 
find a royal road to ,geometry4  ,those 
who believe themselves endowed with     
genius1 expect to find a royal road in  
every science shorter1 and less         
laborious1 than the beaten paths of     
industry4 ,their expectations are       
usually in proportion to their          
ignorance2 they see to the summit only  
of one hill1 and they do not suspect the
 ,alps that will arise as they advance3 
but as children become less             
presumptuous1 as they acquire more      
knowledge1 we may bear with their       
juvenile impatience1 whilst we take     
measures to enlarge continually their   
sphere of information4 ,we should not1  

however1 humour the attention of young  
people1 by teaching them always in the  
mode which we know suits their temper   
best4 ,vivacious pupils should1 from    
time to time1 be accustomed to an exact 
enumeration of particulars2 and we      
should take opportunities to convince   
them1 that an orderly connection of     
proofs1 and a minute observation of     
apparent trifles1 are requisite to      
produce the lively descriptions1 great  
discoveries1 and happy inventions1 which
 pupils of this disposition are ever    
prone to admire with enthusiasm4 ,they  
will learn not to pass over old things1 
when they perceive that these may lead  
to something new2 and they will even    
submit to sober attention1 when they    
feel that this is necessary even to the 
rapidity of genius4 ,in the ,curiosities
 of ,literature1 there has been         
judiciously preserved a curious instance
 of literary patience2 the rough draught
 of that beautiful passage in ,pope's   
translation of the ,iliad which         

describes the parting of ,hector and    
,andromache4 ,the lines are in ,pope's  
hand-writing1 and his numerous          
corrections appear2 the lines which seem
 to the reader to have been struck off  
at a single happy stroke1 are proved to 
have been touched and retouched with the
 indefatigable attention of a great     
writer4 ,the fragment1 with all its     
climax of corrections1 was shown to a   
young vivacious poet of nine years old1 
as a practical lesson1 to prove the     
necessity of patience to arrive at      
perfection4 ,similar examples1 from real
 life1 should be produced to young      
people at proper times2 the testimony of
 men of acknowledged abilities1 of men  
whom they have admired for genius1 will 
come with peculiar force in favour of   
application4 ,parents1 well acquainted  
with literature1 cannot be at a loss to 
find opposite illustrations4 ,the ,life 
of ,franklin is an excellent example of 
persevering industry2 the variations in 
different editions of ,voltaire's       

dramatic poetry1 and in ,pope's works1  
are worth examining4 ,all ,sir ,joshua  
,reynolds's eloquent academical         
discourses enforce the doctrine of      
patience2 when he wants to prove to     
painters the value of continual         
energetic attention1 he quotes from     
,livy the character of ,philopoemen1 one
 of the ablest generals of antiquity4   
,so certain it is1 that the same        
principle pervades all superior minds3  
whatever may be their pursuits1         
attention is the avowed primary cause of
 their success4 ,these examples from the
 dead1 should be well supported by      
examples from amongst the living4 ,in   
common life1 occurrences can frequently 
be pointed out1 in which attention and  
application are amply rewarded with     
success4  ,it will encourage those who  
are interested in education1 to observe1
 that two of the most difficult         
exercises of the mind can1 by practice1 
be rendered familiar1 even by persons   
whom we do not consider as possessed of 

superior talents4 ,abstraction and      
transition--abstraction1 the power of   
withdrawing the attention from all      
external objects1 and concentrating it  
upon some particular set of ideas1 we   
admire as one of the most difficult     
exercises of the philosopher4           
,abstraction was formerly considered as 
such a difficult and painful operation1 
that it required perfect silence and    
solitude2 many ancient philosophers     
quarrelled with their senses1 and shut  
themselves up in caves1 to secure their 
attention from the distraction caused by
 external objects4 ,but modern#bf       
philosophers have discovered1 that      
neither caves nor lamps are essential to
 the full and successful exercise of    
their mental powers4 ,persons of        
ordinary abilities1 tradesmen and       
shop-keepers1 in the midst of the tumult
 of a public city1 in the noise of      
rumbling carts and rattling carriages1  
amidst the voices of a multitude of     
people talking upon various subjects1   

amidst the provoking interruptions of   
continual questions and answers1 and in 
the broad glare of a hot sun1 can       
command and abstract their attention so 
far as to calculate yards1 ells1 and    
nails1 to cast up long sums in addition 
right to a farthing1 and to make out    
multifarious bills with quick and       
unerring precision4 ,in almost all the  
dining houses at ,vienna1 as a late     
traveller#bg informs us a bill of fare  
containing a vast collection of dishes  
is written out1 and the prices are      
affixed to each article4 ,as the people 
of ,vienna are fond of variety1 the     
calculation at the conclusion of a      
repast would appear somewhat            
embarrassing2 this1 however1 is done by 
mechanical habit with great speed2 the  
custom is for the party who has dined to
 name the dishes1 and the quantity of   
bread and wine4 ,the keller who attends 
on this occasion1 follows every article 
you name with the sum1 which this adds  
to the calculation1 and the whole is    

performed1 to whatever amount1 without  
ink or paper4 ,it is curious to hear    
this ceremony1 which is muttered with   
great gravity1 yet performed with       
accuracy and despatch4  ,we coolly      
observe1 when we read these things1     
,yes1 this is all habit2 any body who   
had used himself to it might do the same
 things4 ,yet the very same power of    
abstracting the attention1 when employed
 upon scientific and literary subjects1 
would excite our astonishment2 and we   
should1 perhaps1 immediately attribute  
it to superior original genius4 ,we may 
surely educate children to this habit of
 abstracting the attention1 which we    
allow depends entirely upon practice4   
,when we are very much interested upon  
any subject1 we attend to it            
exclusively1 and1 without any effort1 we
 surmount all petty interposing         
interruptions4 ,when we are reading an  
interesting book1 twenty people may     
converse round about us1 without our    
hearing one word that they say2 when we 

are in a crowded playhouse1 the moment  
we become interested in the play1 the   
audience vanish from our sight1 and in  
the midst of various noises1 we hear    
only the voices of the actors4  ,in the 
same manner1 children1 by their eager   
looks and their unaffected absence to   
all external circumstances1 show when   
they are thoroughly interested by any   
story that is told with eloquence suited
 to their age4 ,when we would teach them
 to attend in the midst of noise and    
interruptions1 we should begin by       
talking to them about things which we   
are sure will please them2 by degrees we
 may speak on less captivating subjects1
 when we perceive that their habit of   
beginning to listen with an expectation 
of pleasure is formed4 ,whenever a child
 happens to be intent upon any favourite
 amusement1 or when he is reading any   
very entertaining book1 we may increase 
the busy hum around him1 we may make    
what bustle we please1 he will probably 
continue attentive2 it is useful        

therefore to give him such amusements   
and such books when there is a noise or 
bustle in the room1 because then he will
 learn to disregard all interruptions2  
and when this habit is formed1 he may   
even read less amusing books in the same
 company without being interrupted by   
the usual noises4  ,the power of        
abstracting our attention is universally
 allowed to be necessary to the         
successful labour of the understanding2 
but we may further observe1 that this   
abstraction is characteristic in some   
cases of heroism as well as of genius4  
,charles the ,twelfth and ,archimedes   
were very different men2 yet both1 in   
similar circumstances1 gave similar     
proofs of their uncommon power of       
abstracting their attention4 ,what has  
the bomb to do with what you are writing
 to ,sweden1 said the hero to his pale  
secretary when a bomb burst through the 
roof of his apartment1 and he continued 
to dictate his letter4 ,archimedes went 
on with his demonstration in the midst  

of a siege1 and when a brutal soldier   
entered with a drawn sword1 the         
philosopher only begged he might solve  
his problem before he was put to death4 
,presence of mind in danger1 which is   
usually supposed to depend upon our     
quick perception of all the present     
circumstances1 frequently demands a     
total abstraction of our thoughts4 ,in  
danger1 fear is the motive which excites
 our exertions2 but from all the ideas  
that fear naturally suggests1 we must   
abstract our attention1 or we shall not 
act with courage or prudence4 ,in       
proportion to the violence of our       
terror1 our voluntary exertion must be  
great to withdraw our thoughts from the 
present danger1 and to recollect the    
means of escape4 ,in some cases1 where  
the danger has been associated with the 
use of certain methods of escape1 we use
 these without deliberation1 and        
consequently without any effort of      
attention2 as when we see any thing     
catch fire1 we instantly throw water    

upon the flames to extinguish them4 ,but
 in new situations1 where we have no    
mechanical courage1 we must exert much  
voluntary1 quick1 abstract attention1 to
 escape from danger4  ,when ,lee1 the   
poet1 was confined in ,bedlam1 a friend 
went to visit him2 and finding that he  
could converse reasonably1 or at least  
reasonably for a poet1 imagined that    
,lee was cured of his madness4 ,the poet
 offered to show him ,bedlam4 ,they went
 over this melancholy1 medical prison1  
,lee moralising philosophically enough  
all the time to keep his companion      
perfectly at ease4 ,at length they      
ascended together to the top of the     
building2 and1 as they were both looking
 down from the perilous height1 ,lee    
seized his friend by the arm1 ,let us   
immortalize ourselves6 he exclaimed2 let
 us take this leap4 ,we'll jump down    
together this instant4 ,any man could   
jump down1 said his friend1 coolly2 we  
should not immortalize ourselves by that
 leap2 but let us go down1 and try if we

 can jump up again4 ,the madman1 struck 
with the idea of a more astonishing leap
 than that which he had himself         
proposed1 yielded to this new impulse1  
and his friend rejoiced to see him run  
down stairs full of a new project for   
securing immortality4  ,lee's friend1   
upon this occasion1 showed rather       
absence than presence of mind3 before he
 could have invented the happy answer   
that saved his life1 he must have       
abstracted his mind from the passion of 
fear2 he must have rapidly turned his   
attention upon a variety of ideas       
unconnected by any former associations  
with the exciting motive--falling from a
 height--fractured skulls--certain      
death--impossibility of reasoning or    
wrestling with a madman4 ,this was the  
train of thoughts which we might        
naturally expect to arise in such a     
situation1 but from all these the man of
 presence of mind turned away his       
attention2 he must have directed his    
thoughts in a contrary line3 first1 he  

must have thought of the means of saving
 himself1 of some argument likely to    
persuade a madman1 of some argument     
peculiarly suited to ,lee's imagination1
 and applicable to his situation2 he    
must at this moment have considered that
 alarming situation without thinking of 
his fears2 for the interval in which all
 these ideas passed in his mind1 must   
have been so short that he could not    
have had leisure to combat fear2 if any 
of the ideas associated with that       
passion had interrupted his reasonings1 
he would not have invented his answer in
 time to have saved his life4  ,we      
cannot foresee on what occasions        
presence of mind may be wanted1 but we  
may1 by education1 give that general    
command of abstract attention1 which is 
essential to its exercise in all        
circumstances4  ,transition of thought1 
the power of turning attention quickly  
to different subjects or employments1 is
 another of those mental habits1 which  
in some cases we call genius1 and which 

in others we perceive depends entirely  
upon practice4 ,a number of trials in   
one newspaper1 upon a variety of        
unconnected subjects1 once struck our   
eye1 and we saw the name of a celebrated
 lawyer#bh as counsel in each cause4 ,we
 could not help feeling involuntary     
admiration at that versatility of       
genius1 which could pass from a         
fractional calculation about a ,london  
chaldron of coals1 to the ,jamaica laws 
of insurance2 from the bargains of a    
citizen1 to the divorce of a fine lady2 
from pathos to argument2 from arithmetic
 to wit2 from cross examination to      
eloquence4 ,for a moment we forgot our  
sober principles1 and ascribed all this 
versatility of mind to natural genius2  
but upon reflection we recurred to the  
belief1 that this dexterity of intellect
 was not bestowed by nature4 ,we observe
 in men who have no pretensions to      
genius1 similar versatility of mind as  
to their usual employments4 ,the daily  
occupations of ,mr4 ,elwes's huntsman   

were as various and incongruous1 and    
required as quick transitions of        
attention1 as any that can well be      
imagined4  ,at#bi four o'clock he milked
 the cows2 then got breakfast for ,mr4  
,elwes and friends2 then slipping on a  
green coat1 he hurried into the stable1 
saddled the horses1 got the hounds out  
of the kennel1 and away they went into  
the field4 ,after the fatigues of       
hunting1 he refreshed himself1 by       
rubbing down two or three horses as     
quickly as he could2 then running into  
the house to lay the cloth1 and wait at 
dinner2 then hurrying again into the    
stable to feed the horses1 diversified  
with an interlude of the cows again to  
milk1 the dogs to feed1 and eight       
hunters to litter down for the night4   
,mr4 ,elwes used to call this huntsman  
an idle dog1 who wanted to be paid for  
doing nothing6  ,we do not mean to      
require any such rapid daily transitions
 in the exercise of attention from our  
pupils2 but we think that much may be   

done to improve versatility of mind1 by 
a judicious arrangement of their        
occupations4 ,when we are tired of      
smelling a rose1 we can smell a         
carnation with pleasure2 and when the   
sense of smell is fatigued1 yet we can  
look at the beautiful colours with      
delight4 ,when we are tired of thinking 
upon one subject1 we can attend to      
another2 when our memory is fatigued1   
the exercise of the imagination         
entertains us2 and when we are weary of 
reasoning1 we can amuse ourselves with  
wit and humour4 ,men1 who have attended 
much to the cultivation of their mind1  
seem to have felt all this1 and they    
have kept some subordinate taste as a   
refreshment after their labours4        
,descartes went from the system of the  
world to his flower-garden2 ,galileo    
used to read ,ariosto2 and the          
metaphysical ,dr4 ,clarke recovered     
himself from abstraction by jumping over
 chairs and tables4 ,the learned and    
indefatigable chancellor d',aguesseau   

declared1 that change of employment was 
the only recreation he ever knew4 ,even 
,montaigne1 who found his recreation in 
playing with his cat1 educated himself  
better than those are educated who go   
from intense study to complete idleness4
 ,it has been very wisely recommended by
 ,mr4 ,locke1 that young people should  
early be taught some mechanical         
employment1 or some agreeable art1 to   
which they may recur for relief when    
they are tired by mental application4#cj
  ,doctor ,darwin supposes that animal  
motions1 or configurations of the organs
 of sense1 constitute our ideas4#ca ,the
 fatigue1 he observes1 that follows a   
continued attention of the mind to one  
object1 is relieved by changing the     
subject of our thoughts1 as the         
continued movement of one limb is       
relieved by moving another in its stead4
 ,dr4 ,darwin has further suggested a   
tempting subject of experiment in his   
theory of ocular spectra1 to which we   
refer ingenious preceptors4 ,many useful

 experiments in education might be tried
 upon the principles which are there    
suggested4 ,we dare not here trust      
ourselves to speculate upon this        
subject1 because we are not at present  
provided with a sufficient number of    
facts to apply our theory to practice4  
,if we could exactly discover how to    
arrange mental employments so as to     
induce actions in the antagonist        
faculties of the mind1 we might relieve 
it from fatigue in the same manner as   
the eye is relieved by change of colour4
 ,by pursuing this idea1 might we not   
hope to cultivate the general power of  
attention to a degree of perfection     
hitherto unknown8  ,we have endeavoured 
to show how1 by different arrangements  
and proper excitations1 a preceptor may 
acquire that command over the attention 
of his pupils1 which is absolutely      
essential to successful instruction2 but
 we must recollect1 that when the years 
commonly devoted to education are over1 
when young people are no longer under   

the care of a preceptor1 they will      
continue to feel the advantages of a    
command of attention1 whenever they mix 
in the active business of life1 or      
whenever they apply to any profession1  
to literature1 or science4 ,their       
attention must now be entirely          
voluntary2 they will have no tutor to   
excite them to exertion1 no nice        
habitual arrangements to assist them in 
their daily occupations4 ,it is of      
consequence1 therefore1 that we should  
substitute the power of voluntary1 for  
the habit of associated1 attention4     
,with young children we depend upon     
particular associations of place1 time1 
and manner1 upon different sorts of     
excitement1 to produce habits of        
employment3 but as our pupils advance in
 their education1 all these temporary   
excitements should be withdrawn4 ,some  
large1 but distant object1 some pursuit 
which is not to be rewarded with        
immediate praise1 but rather with       
permanent advantage and esteem1 should  

be held out to the ambition of youth4   
,all the arrangements should be left to 
the pupil himself1 all the difficulties 
should be surmounted by his own         
industry1 and the interest he takes in  
his own success and improvement1 will   
now probably be a sufficient stimulus2  
his preceptor will now rather be his    
partner than his master1 he should      
rather share the labour than attempt to 
direct it3 this species of sympathy in  
study1 diminishes the pain of attention1
 and gives an agreeable interest even in
 the most tiresome researches4 ,when a  
young man perceives that his preceptor  
becomes in this manner the companion of 
his exertions1 he loses all suspicion   
that he is compelled to mental labour2  
it is improper to say loses1 for in a   
good education this suspicion need not  
ever be created3 he discovers1 we should
 rather say1 that all the habits of     
attention which he has acquired1 are    
those which are useful to men as well as
 to children1 and he feels the advantage

 of his cultivated powers on every fresh
 occasion4 ,he will perceive1 that young
 men who have been ill educated1 cannot1
 by any motive1 command their vigorous  
attention1 and he will feel the cause of
 his own superiority1 when he comes to  
any trial of skill with inattentive men 
of genius4  ,one of the arguments which 
,bayle uses1 to prove that fortune has a
 greater influence than prudence in the 
affairs of men1 is founded upon the     
common observation1 that men of the best
 abilities cannot frequently recollect1 
in urgent circumstances1 what they have 
said or done2 the things occur to them  
perhaps a moment after they are past4   
,the fact seems to be1 that they could  
not1 in the proper moment1 command their
 attention2 but this we should attribute
 to the want of prudence in their early 
education4 ,thus1 ,bayle's argument does
 not1 in this point of view1 prove any  
thing in favour of fortune4 ,those who  
can best command their attention1 in the
 greatest variety of circumstances1 have

 the most useful abilities2 without this
 command of mind1 men of genius1 as they
 are called1 are helpless beings2 with  
it1 persons of inferior capacity become 
valuable4 ,addison trembled and doubted1
 and doubted and trembled1 when he was  
to write a common official paper2 and it
 is said1 that he was absolutely obliged
 to resign his place1 because he could  
not decide in time whether he should    
write a that or a which4 ,no business   
could have been transacted by such an   
imbecile minister4  ,to substitute      
voluntary for associated attention1 we  
may withdraw some of the usually        
associated circumstances1 and increase  
the excitement2 and we may afterwards   
accustom the pupil to act from the hope 
of distant pleasures4 ,unless children  
can be actuated by the view of future   
distant advantage1 they cannot be       
capable of long continued application4  
,we shall endeavour to explain how the  
value of distant pleasures can be       
increased1 and made to act with         

sufficient force upon the mind1 when we 
hereafter speak of judgment and of      
imagination4  ,it has been observed1    
that persons of wit and judgment have   
perhaps originally the same powers1 and 
that the difference in their characters 
arises from their habits of attention1  
and the different class of objects to   
which they have turned their thoughts4  
,the manner in which we are first taught
 to observe1 and to reason1 must in the 
first years of life decide these habits4
 ,there are two methods of teaching2 one
 which ascends from particular facts to 
general principles1 the other which     
descends from the general principles to 
particular facts2 one which builds up1  
another which takes to pieces2 the      
synthetic and the analytic method4 ,the 
words analysis and synthesis are        
frequently misapplied1 and it is        
difficult to write or to speak long     
about these methods without confounding 
them3 in learning or in teaching1 we    
often use them alternately4 ,we first   

observe particulars2 then form some     
general idea of classification2 then    
descend again to new particulars1 to    
observe whether they correspond with our
 principle4  ,children acquire          
knowledge1 and their attention          
alternates from particular to general   
ideas1 exactly in the same manner4 ,it  
has been remarked1 that men who have    
begun by forming suppositions1 are      
inclined to adapt and to compress their 
consequent observations to the measure  
of their theories2 they have been       
negligent in collecting facts1 and have 
not condescended to try experiments4    
,this disposition of mind1 during a long
 period of time1 retarded improvement1  
and knowledge was confined to a few     
peremptory maxims and exclusive         
principles4 ,the necessity of collecting
 facts1 and of trying experiments1 was  
at length perceived2 and in all the     
sciences this mode has lately prevailed3
 consequently1 we have now on many      
subjects a treasure of accumulated      

facts4 ,we are1 in educating children1  
to put them in possession of all this   
knowledge2 and a judicious preceptor    
will wish to know1 not only how these   
facts can be crammed speedily into his  
pupil's memory1 but what order of       
presenting them will be most            
advantageous to the understanding2 he   
will desire to cultivate his pupil's    
faculties1 that he may acquire new      
facts1 and make new observations after  
all the old facts have been arranged in 
his mind4  ,by a judicious arrangement  
of past experiments1 and by the         
rejection of what are useless1 an able  
instructer can show1 in a small compass1
 what it has cost the labour of ages to 
accumulate2 he may teach in a few hours 
what the most ingenious pupil1 left to  
his own random efforts1 could not have  
learned in many years4 ,it would take up
 as much time to go over all the steps  
which have been made in any science1 as 
it originally cost the first            
discoverers4 ,simply to repeat all the  

fruitless experiments which have been   
made in chemistry1 for instance1 would  
probably employ the longest life that   
ever was devoted to science2 nor would  
the individual have got one step        
forwarder2 he would die1 and with him   
his recapitulated knowledge2 neither he 
nor the world would be the better for   
it4 ,it is our business to save children
 all this useless labour1 and all this  
waste of the power of attention4 ,a     
pupil1 who is properly instructed1 with 
the same quantity of attention1 learns1 
perhaps1 a hundred times as much in the 
same time1 as he could acquire under the
 tuition of a learned preceptor ignorant
 in the art of teaching4  ,the analytic 
and synthetic methods of instruction    
will both be found useful when          
judiciously employed4 ,where the        
enumeration of particulars fatigues the 
attention1 we should1 in teaching any   
science1 begin by stating the general   
principles1 and afterwards produce only 
the facts essential to their            

illustration and proof4 ,but wherever we
 have not accumulated a sufficient      
number of facts to be accurately certain
 of any general principle1 we must1     
however tedious the task1 enumerate all 
the facts that are known1 and warn the  
pupil of the imperfect state of the     
science4 ,all the facts must1 in this   
case1 be stored up with scrupulous      
accuracy2 we cannot determine which are 
unimportant1 and which may prove        
essentially useful3 this can be decided 
only by future experiments4 ,by thus    
stating honestly to our pupils the      
extent of our ignorance1 as well as the 
extent of our knowledge2 by thus        
directing attention to the imperfections
 of science1 rather than to the study of
 theories1 we shall avoid the just      
reproaches which have been thrown upon  
the dogmatic vanity of learned          
preceptors4  ,for as knowledges are now1
 says ,bacon1 there is a kind of        
contract of errour between the deliverer
 and receiver2 for he that delivereth   

knowledge1 desireth to deliver it in    
such a form as may be best believed1 and
 not as may be best examined2 and he    
that receiveth knowledge1 desireth      
rather present satisfaction than        
expectant inquiry2 and so rather not to 
doubt1 than not to err2 glory making the
 author not to lay open his weakness1   
and sloth making the disciple not to    
know his strength4#cb  ,,footnotes3  #ac
 ,v4 ,preface to ,berthollet's ,chemical
 ,nomenclature4  #ad ,v4 ,condillac's   
,art de ,penser4  #ae ,major            
,cartwright4 ,see his ,journal1 c4  #af 
,v4 ,chapter on ,mechanics4  #ag ,v4    
,adela and ,theodore4  #ah ,chapter on  
,tasks4  #ai ,zoonomia1 vol4 i4 page    
#dce4  #bj ,cicero4  #ba ,lucian4  #bb  
,and lends his little soul at every     
stroke4 ,virg4  #bc ,v4 ,chapter ,,ii4  
on ,tasks4  #bd ,apercues4  #be         
,deinology4  #bf ,v4 ,condillac ,art de 
,penser4  #bg ,mr4 ,owen4  #bh ,mr4     
,erskine--,the ,star4  #bi ,v4 ,life of 
,john ,elwes1 ,esq4 by ,t4 ,topham4  #cj

 ,v4 ,chapter on ,toys4  #ca ,zoonomia1 
vol4 i4 p4 #ba1 #bd4  #cb ,bacon1 vol4  
i4 page #hd4     ,,chapter ,,iv4        
,,servants4   ,now1 master1#cc said a   
fond nurse to her favourite boy1 after  
having given him sugared bread and      
butter for supper1 now1 master1 kiss me2
 wipe your mouth1 dear1 and go up to the
 drawing room to mamma2 and when        
mistress asks you what you have had for 
supper1 you'll say1 bread and butter1   
for you have had bread and butter1 you  
know1 master4 ,and sugar1 said the boy2 
,i must say bread and butter and sugar1 
you know4  ,how few children would have 
had the courage to have added1 and      
sugar6 ,how dangerous it is to expose   
them to such temptations6 ,the boy must 
have immediately perceived the object of
 his nurse's casuistry4 ,he must guess  
that she would be blamed for the        
addition of the sugar1 else why should  
she wish to suppress the word8 ,his     
gratitude is engaged to his nurse for   
running this risk to indulge him2 his   

mother1 by the force of contrast1       
appears a severe person1 who1 for no    
reason that he can comprehend1 would    
deprive him of the innocent pleasure of 
eating sugar4 ,as to its making him     
sick1 he has eat it1 and he is not sick2
 as to its spoiling his teeth1 he does  
not care about his teeth1 and he sees no
 immediate change in them3 therefore he 
concludes that his mother's orders are  
capricious1 and that his nurse loves him
 better because she gives him the most  
pleasure4 ,his honour and affection     
towards his nurse1 are immediately set  
in opposition to his duty to his mother4
 ,what a hopeful beginning in education6
 ,what a number of dangerous ideas may  
be given by a single word6  ,the taste  
for sugared bread and butter is soon    
over2 but servants have it in their     
power to excite other tastes with       
premature and factitious enthusiasm4    
,the waiting-maid1 a taste for dress2   
the footman1 a taste for gaming2 the    
coachman and groom1 for horses and      

equipage2 and the butler1 for wine4 ,the
 simplicity of children is not a defence
 to them2 and though they are totally   
ignorant of vice1 they are exposed to   
adopt the principles of those with whom 
they live1 even before they can apply   
them to their own conduct4  ,the young  
son of a lady of quality1 a boy of six  
or seven years old1 addressed1 with     
great simplicity1 the following speech  
to a lady who visited his mother4  ,boy4
 ,miss ,n----1 ,i wish you could find   
somebody1 when you go to ,london1 who   
would keep you4 ,it's a very good thing 
to be kept4  ,lady4 ,what do you mean1  
my dear8  ,boy4 ,why it's when--you     
know1 when a person's kept1 they have   
every thing found for them2 their friend
 saves them all trouble1 you know4 ,they
 have a carriage and diamonds1 and every
 thing they want4 ,i wish somebody would
 keep you4  ,lady1 laughing4 ,but ,i'm  
afraid nobody would4 ,do you think any  
body would8  ,boy1 after a pause4 ,why  
yes1 ,i think ,sir ----1 naming a       

gentleman whose name had1 at this time1 
been much talked of in a public trial1  
would be as likely as any body4  ,the   
same boy talked familiarly of phtons and
 gigs1 and wished that he was grown up1 
that he might drive four horses in hand4
 ,it is obvious that these ideas were   
put into the boy's head by the servants 
with whom he associated4  ,without      
supposing them to be profligate1        
servants1 from their situation1 from all
 that they see of the society of their  
superiors1 and from the early prejudices
 of their own education1 learn to admire
 that wealth and rank to which they are 
bound to pay homage4 ,the luxuries and  
follies of fashionable life they mistake
 for happiness2 they measure the respect
 they pay to strangers by their external
 appearance2 they value their own       
masters and mistresses by the same      
standard2 and in their attachment there 
is a necessary mixture of that sympathy 
which is sacred to prosperity4 ,setting 
aside all interested motives1 servants  

love show and prodigality in their      
masters2 they feel that they partake the
 triumph1 and they wish it to be as     
magnificent as possible4 ,these         
dispositions break out naturally in the 
conversation of servants with one       
another2 if children are suffered to    
hear them1 they will quickly catch the  
same tastes4 ,but if these ideas break  
out in their unpremeditated gossiping   
with one another1 how much more strongly
 will they be expressed when servants   
wish to ingratiate themselves into a    
child's affections by flattery6 ,their  
method of showing their attachment to a 
family1 is usually to exaggerate in     
their expressions of admiration of its  
consequence and grandeur2 they          
depreciate all whom they imagine to be  
competitors in any respect with their   
masters1 and feed and foster the little 
jealousies which exist between          
neighbouring families4 ,the children of 
these families are thus early set at    
variance2 the children in the same      

family are often taught1 by the         
imprudence or malice of servants1 to    
dislike and envy each other4 ,in houses 
where each child has an attendant1 the  
attendants regularly quarrel1 and1 out  
of a show of zeal1 make their young     
masters and mistresses parties in their 
animosity4 ,three or four maids         
sometimes produce their little dressed  
pupils for a few minutes to the company 
in the drawing room1 for the express    
purpose of seeing which shall obtain the
 greatest share of admiration4 ,this    
competition1 which begins in their      
nurses' arms1 is continued by daily     
artifices through the whole course of   
their nursery education4 ,thus the      
emulation of children is rendered a     
torment to them1 their ambition is      
directed to absurd and vile purposes1   
the understanding is perverted1 their   
temper is spoiled1 their simplicity of  
mind1 and their capability of enjoying  
happiness1 materially injured4  ,the    
language and manners1 the awkward and   

vulgar tricks which children learn in   
the society of servants1 are immediately
 perceived1 and disgust and shock       
well-bred parents4 ,this is an evil     
which is striking and disgraceful2 it is
 more likely to be remedied than those  
which are more secret and slow in their 
operation3 the habits of cunning1       
falsehood1 envy1 which lurk in the      
temper1 are not instantly visible to    
strangers2 they do not appear the moment
 children are reviewed by parents2 they 
may remain for years without notice or  
without cure4  ,all these things have   
been said a hundred times2 and1 what is 
more1 they are universally acknowledged 
to be true4 ,it has passed into a common
 maxim with all who reflect1 and even   
with all who speak upon the subject of  
education1 that it is the worst thing in
 the world to leave children with       
servants4 ,but1 notwithstanding this1   
each person imagines that he has found  
some lucky exception to the general     
rule4 ,there is some favourite maid or  

phoenix of a footman in each family1 who
 is supposed to be unlike all other     
servants1 and1 therefore1 qualified for 
the education of children4 ,but1 if     
their qualifications were scrupulously  
examined1 it is to be feared they would 
not be found competent to the trust that
 is reposed in them4 ,they may1         
nevertheless1 be excellent servants1    
much attached to their masters and      
mistresses1 and sincerely desirous to   
obey their orders in the management of  
their pupils2 but this is not           
sufficient4 ,in education it is not     
enough to obey the laws2 it is necessary
 to understand them1 to understand the  
spirit1 as well as the letter of the    
law4 ,the blind application of general  
maxims will never succeed2 and can that 
nice discrimination which is necessary  
to the just use of good principles1 be  
expected from those who have never      
studied the human mind1 who have little 
motive for the study1 whose knowledge is
 technical1 and who have never had any  

liberal education8 ,give1 or attempt to 
give1 the best waiting-maid in ,london  
the general maxim1 ,that pain should be 
associated with whatever we wish to make
 children avoid doing2 and pleasure     
should be associated with whatever we   
wish that children should love to do2   
will the waiting-maid understand this1  
even if you exchange the word associated
 for joined8 ,how will she apply her new
 principle in practice8 ,she will       
probably translate it into1 ,whip the   
child when it is troublesome1 and give  
it sweetmeats when it does as it is bid4
 ,with this compendious system of       
tuition she is well satisfied1          
especially as it contains nothing which 
is new to her understanding1 or foreign 
to her habits4 ,but if we should expect 
her to enter into the views of a ,locke 
or a ,barbauld1 would it not be at once 
unreasonable and ridiculous8  ,what has 
been said of the understanding and      
dispositions of servants1 relates only  
to servants as they are now educated4   

,their vices and their ignorance arise  
from the same causes1 the want of       
education4 ,they are not a separate cast
 in society1 doomed to ignorance1 or    
degraded by inherent vice2 they are     
capable1 they are desirous of           
instruction4 ,let them be well          
educated1#cd and the difference in their
 conduct and understanding will repay   
society for the trouble of the          
undertaking4 ,this education must begin 
as early as possible2 let us not imagine
 that it is practicable to change the   
habits of servants who are already      
educated1 and to make them suddenly fit 
companions in a family4 ,they should    
not1 in any degree1 be permitted to     
interfere with the management of        
children1 until their own education has 
been radically reformed4 ,let servants  
be treated with the utmost kindness2 let
 their situations be made as happy as   
possible2 let the reward of their       
services and attachment be as liberal as
 possible2 but reward with justice1 do  

not sacrifice your children to pay your 
own debts4 ,familiarity between servants
 and children1 cannot permanently       
increase the happiness of either party4 
,children1 who have early lived with    
servants1 as they grow up are           
notoriously apt to become capricious and
 tyrannical masters4 ,a boy who has been
 used to treat a footman as his         
play-fellow1 cannot suddenly command    
from him that species of deference1     
which is compounded of habitual respect 
for the person1 and conventional        
submission to his station2 the young    
master must1 therefore1 effect a change 
in his footman's manner of thinking and 
speaking by violent means2 he must      
extort that tribute of respect which he 
has neglected so long1 and to which1    
consequently1 his right is disputed4#ce 
,he is sensible1 that his superiority is
 merely that of situation1 and he1      
therefore1 exerts his dormant           
prerogatives with jealous insolence4 ,no
 master is so likely to become the      

tyrant of his valet-de-chambre1 as he   
who is conscious that he never can      
appear to him a hero4 ,no servant feels 
the yoke of servitude more galling1 than
 he who has been partially emancipated1 
who has lost his habits of proud        
subordination1 and his taste for        
dignified submission4#cf  ,no mistaken  
motive of tenderness to domestics should
 operate upon the minds of parents2 nor 
should they hesitate1 for the general   
happiness of their families1 to insist  
upon a total separation between those   
parts of it which will injure each other
 essentially by their union4  ,every    
body readily disclaims the idea of      
letting children live with servants2    
but1 besides the exceptions in favour of
 particular individuals1 there is yet   
another cause of the difference between 
theory and practice upon this subject4  
,time is left out of the consideration2 
people forget that life is made up of   
days and hours2 and they by no means    
think1 that letting children pass       

several hours every day with servants1  
has any thing to do with the idea of    
living with them4 ,we must contract this
 latitude of expression4 ,if children   
pass one hour in a day with servants1 it
 will be in vain to attempt their       
education4  ,madame ,roland1 in one of  
her letters to ,de ,bosc1 says1 that her
 little daughter ,eudora had learned to 
swear2 and yet1 continues she1 ,i leave 
her but one half hour a day with        
servants4 ,admirez la disposition6      
,madame ,roland could not have been much
 accustomed to attend to education4     
,whilst children are very young1 there  
appears a necessity for their spending  
at least half an hour a day with        
servants2 until they are four or five   
years old1 they cannot dress or undress 
themselves1 or1 if they attempt it1 they
 may learn careless habits1 which in    
girls are particularly to be avoided4   
,if a mother1 or a governess1 would make
 it a rule to be present when they are  
dressing1 a maid-servant would not talk 

to them1 and could do them but little   
injury4 ,it is of consequence1 that the 
maid-servant should herself be perfectly
 neat both from habit and taste4        
,children observe exactly the manner in 
which every thing is done for them1 and 
have the wish1 even before they have the
 power1 to imitate what they see2 they  
love order1 if they are accustomed to   
it1 and if their first attempts at      
arrangement are not made irksome by     
injudicious management4 ,what they see  
done every day in a particular manner1  
they learn to think part of the business
 of the day1 and they are uneasy if any 
of the rites of cleanliness are         
forgotten2 the transition from this     
uneasiness1 to the desire of exerting   
themselves1 is soon made1 particularly  
if they are sometimes left to feel the  
inconveniences of being helpless4 ,this 
should1 and can1 be done1 without       
affectation4 ,a maid cannot be always   
ready1 the instant she is wanted1 to    
attend upon them2 they should not be    

waited upon as being masters and misses1
 they should be assisted as being       
helpless4#cg ,they will not feel their  
vanity flattered by this attendance2 the
 maid will not be suffered to amuse     
them1 they will be ambitious of         
independence1 and they will soon be     
proud of doing every thing for          
themselves4  ,another circumstance which
 keeps children long in subjection to   
servants1 is their not being able to    
wield a knife1 fork1 or spoon1 with     
decent dexterity4 ,such habits are      
taught to them by the careless maids who
 feed them1 that they cannot for many   
years be produced even at the side-table
 without much inconvenience and constant
 anxiety4 ,if this anxiety in a mother  
were to begin a little sooner1 it need  
never be intense2 patient care in       
feeding children neatly at first1 will  
save many a bitter reprimand afterwards2
 their little mouths and hands need not 
be disgusting at their meals1 and their 
nurses had better take care not to let  

them touch what is disagreeable1 instead
 of rubbing their lips rudely with a    
rough napkin1 by way of making them love
 to have their mouths clean4 ,these     
minuti must1 in spite of didactic       
dignity1 be noticed1 because they lead  
to things of greater consequence2 they  
are well worth the attention of a       
prudent mother or governess4 ,if        
children are early taught to eat with   
care1 they will not1 from false shame1  
desire to dine#ch with the vulgar       
indulgent nursery-maid1 rather than with
 the fastidious company at their        
mother's table4 ,children should first  
be taught to eat with a spoon what has  
been neatly cut for them2 afterwards    
they should cut a little meat for       
themselves towards the end of dinner1   
when the rage of hunger is appeased2    
they will then have leisure to be good4 
,the several operations of learning to  
eat with a spoon1 to cut and to eat with
 a knife and fork1 will become easy and 
habitual1 if sufficient time be allowed4

  ,several children in a family1 who    
were early attended to in all these     
little particulars1 were produced at    
table when they were four or five years 
old2 they suffered no constraint1 nor   
were they ever banished to the nursery  
lest company should detect their evil   
habits4 ,their eyes and ears were at    
liberty during the time of dinner2 and  
instead of being absorbed in the        
contemplation of their plates1 and at   
war with themselves and their           
neighbours1 they could listen to        
conversation1 and were amused even      
whilst they were eating4 ,without       
meaning to assert1 with ,rousseau1 that 
all children are naturally gluttons or  
epicures1 we must observe1 that eating  
is their first great and natural        
pleasure2 this pleasure should1         
therefore1 be entirely at the disposal  
of those who have the care of their     
education2 it should be associated with 
the idea of their tutors or governesses4
 ,a governess may1 perhaps1 disdain to  

use the same means to make herself      
beloved by a child1 as those which are  
employed by a nursery-maid2 nor is it   
meant that children should be governed  
by their love of eating4 ,eating need   
not be made a reward1 nor should we     
restrain their appetite as a punishment2
 praise and blame1 and a variety of     
other excitements1 must be preferred    
when we want to act upon their          
understanding4 ,upon this subject we    
shall speak more fully hereafter4 ,all  
that is here meant to be pointed out1   
is1 that the mere physical pleasure of  
eating should not be associated in the  
minds of children with servants2 it     
should not be at the disposal of        
servants1 because they may1 in some     
degree1 balance by this pleasure the    
other motives which a tutor may wish to 
put in action4 ,solid pudding1 as well  
as empty praise1 should be in the gift  
of the preceptor4  ,besides the         
pleasures of the table1 there are many  
others which usually are associated     

early with servants4 ,after children    
have been pent in a close formal        
drawing-room1 motionless and mute1 they 
are frequently dismissed to an apartment
 where there is no furniture too fine to
 be touched with impunity1 where there  
is ample space1 where they may jump and 
sing1 and make as much noise as can be  
borne by the much-enduring eardrum of   
the nursery-maid4 ,children think this  
insensibility of ear a most valuable    
qualification in any person2 they have  
no sympathy with more refined auditory  
nerves1 and they prefer the company of  
those who are to them the best hearers4 
,a medium between their taste and that  
of their parents should1 in this        
instance1 be struck2 parents should not 
insist upon eternal silence1 and        
children should not be suffered to make 
mere noise essential to their           
entertainment4 ,children should be      
encouraged to talk at proper times1 and 
should have occupations provided for    
them when they are required to be still2

 by these means it will not be a        
restraint to them to stay in the same   
room with the rest of the family for    
some hours in the day4 ,at other times  
they should have free leave to run about
 either in rooms where they cannot      
disturb others1 or out of doors2 in     
neither case should they be with        
servants4 ,children should never be sent
 out to walk with servants4  ,after they
 have been poring over their lessons1 or
 stiffening under the eye of their      
preceptors1 they are frequently         
consigned immediately to the ready      
footman2 they cluster round him for     
their hats1 their gloves1 their little  
boots and whips1 and all the well known 
signals of pleasure4 ,the hall door     
bursts open1 and they sally forth under 
the interregnum of this beloved         
protector1 to enjoy life and liberty2   
all the natural1 and all the factitious 
ideas of the love of liberty1 are       
connected with this distinct part of the
 day2 the fresh air--the green          

fields--the busy streets--the gay       
shops--the variety of objects which the 
children see and hear--the freedom of   
their tongues--the joys of bodily       
exercise1 and of mental relaxation1 all 
conspire to make them prefer this period
 of the day1 which they spend with the  
footman1 to any other in the            
four-and-twenty hours4 ,the footman     
sees1 and is flattered by this2 he is   
therefore assiduous to please1 and      
piques himself upon being more indulgent
 than the hated preceptor4 ,servants    
usually wish to make themselves beloved 
by children2 can it be wondered at if   
they succeed1 when we consider the power
 that is thrown into their hands8  ,in  
towns1 children have no gardens1 no     
place where they can take that degree of
 exercise which is necessary for their  
health2 this tempts their parents to    
trust them to servants1 when they cannot
 walk with them themselves3 but is there
 no individual in the family1 neither   
tutor1 nor governess1 nor friend1 nor   

brother1 nor sister1 who can undertake  
this daily charge8 ,cannot parents      
sacrifice some of their amusements in   
town1 or cannot they live in the        
country8 ,if none of these things can be
 done1 without hesitation they should   
prefer a public to a private education4 
,in these circumstances1 they cannot    
educate their children at home2 they had
 much better not attempt it1 but send   
them at once to school4  ,in the        
country1 arrangements may easily be     
made1 which will preclude all those     
little dangers which fill a prudent     
parent's mind with anxiety4 ,here       
children want the care of no servant to 
walk out with them2 they can have       
gardens1 and safe places for exercise   
allotted to them4 ,in rainy weather they
 can have rooms apart from the rest of  
the family2 they need not be cooped up  
in an ill-contrived house1 where        
servants are perpetually in their way4  
,attention to the arrangement of a      
house1 is of material consequence4      

,children's rooms should not be passage 
rooms for servants2 they should1 on the 
contrary1 be so situated1 that servants 
cannot easily have access to them1 and  
cannot1 on any pretence of business1 get
 the habit of frequenting them4 ,some   
fixed employment should be provided for 
children1 which will keep them in a     
different part of the house at those    
hours when servants must necessarily be 
in their bed-chambers4 ,there will be a 
great advantage in teaching children to 
arrange their own rooms1 because this   
will prevent the necessity of servants  
being for any length of time in their   
apartments2 their things will not be    
mislaid2 their playthings will not be   
swept away or broken2 no little         
temptations will arise to ask questions 
from servants2 all necessity1 and all   
opportunity of intercourse1 will thus be
 cut off4 ,children should never be sent
 with messages to servants1 either on   
their own business1 or on other         
people's2 if they are permitted any     

times to speak to them1 they will not   
distinguish what times are proper1 and  
what are improper4  ,servants have so   
much the habit of talking to children1  
and think it such a proof of good nature
 to be interested about them1 that it   
will be difficult to make them submit to
 this total silence and separation4 ,the
 certainty that they shall lose their   
places1 if they break through the       
regulations of the family1 will1        
however1 be a strong motive1 provided   
that their places are agreeable and     
advantageous2 and parents should be     
absolutely strict in this particular4   
,what is the loss of the service of a   
good groom1 or a good butler1 compared  
with the danger of spoiling a child8 ,it
 may be feared that some secret         
intercourse should be carried on between
 children and servants2 but this will be
 lessened by the arrangements in the    
house1 which we have mentioned2 by care 
in a mother or governess1 to know       
exactly where children are1 and what    

they are doing every hour of the day2   
this need not be a daily anxiety1 for   
when certain hours have once been fixed 
for certain occupations1 habit is our   
friend1 and we cannot have a safer4     
,there is this great advantage in       
measures of precaution and prevention1  
that they diminish all temptation1 at   
the same time that they strengthen the  
habits of obedience4  ,other            
circumstances will deter servants from  
running any hazard themselves2 they will
 not be so fond of children who do not  
live with them2 they will consider them 
as beings moving in a different sphere4 
,children who are at ease with their    
parents1 and happy in their company1    
will not seek inferior society2 this    
will be attributed to pride by servants1
 who will not like them for this        
reserve4 ,so much the better4 ,children 
who are encouraged to converse about    
every thing that interests them1 will   
naturally tell their mothers if any one 
talks to them2 a servant's speaking to  

them would be an extraordinary event to 
be recorded in the history of the day4  
,the idea that it is dishonourable to   
tell tales1 should never be put into    
their minds2 they will never be the     
spies of servants1 nor should they keep 
their secrets4 ,thus1 as there is no    
faith expected from the children1 the   
servants will not trust them2 they will 
be certain of detection1 and will not   
transgress the laws4  ,it may not be    
impertinent to conclude these minute    
precepts with assuring parents1 that in 
a numerous family1 where they have for  
above twenty years been steadily        
observed1 success has been the uniform  
result4  ,,footnotes3  #cc ,verbatim    
from what has been really said to a boy4
  #cd ,perhaps an institution for the   
education of attendants upon children1  
would be of the highest utility4  ,mr4  
---- had once an intention of educating 
forty children for this purpose2 from   
amongst whom he proposed to select eight
 or ten as masters for future schools   

upon the same plan4  #ce ,v4 ,the comedy
 of ,wild ,oats4  #cf ,burke4  #cg      
,rousseau4  #ch ,v4 ,sancho ,panza4     
,,chapter ,v4  ,,acquaintance4   ,the   
charming little dears6 exclaims a civil 
acquaintance1 the moment the children   
are introduced4 ,won't you come to me1  
love8 ,at this question1 perhaps1 the   
bashful child backs towards its nurse1  
or its mother2 but in vain4 ,rejected at
 this trying crisis by its natural      
protectors1 it is pushed forward into   
the middle of the circle1 and all       
prospect of retreat being cut off1 the  
victorious stranger seizes upon her     
little victim1 whom she seats1 without a
 struggle1 upon her lap4 ,to win the    
affections of her captive1 the lady     
begins by a direct appeal to personal   
vanity3 ,who curls this pretty hair of  
yours1 my dear8 ,won't you let me look  
at your nice new red shoes8 ,what shall 
,i give you for that fine colour in your
 cheeks8 ,let us see what we can find in
 my pocket6  ,amongst the pocket bribes1

 the lady never fails to select the most
 useless trinkets2 the child would make 
a better choice2 for1 if there should   
appear a pocket-book1 which may be drawn
 up by a ribbon from its slip case1 a   
screen that would unfold gradually into 
a green star1 a pocket-fan1 or a        
tooth-pick case with a spring lock1 the 
child would seize upon these with       
delight2 but the moment its attention is
 fixed1 it is interrupted by the        
officious exclamation of1 ,oh1 let me do
 that for you1 love6 ,let me open that  
for you1 you'll break your sweet little 
nails4 ,ha6 there is a looking-glass2   
whose pretty face is that8 but we don't 
love people for being pretty1 you know2 
7mamma says ,i must not tell you you are
 pretty7 but we love little girls for   
being good1 and ,i am sure you look as  
if you were never naughty4 ,i am sure   
you don't know what it is to be naughty2
 will you give me one kiss8 and will you
 hold out your pretty little hand for   
some sugar-plums8 ,mamma shakes her     

head1 but mamma will not be angry1      
though mamma can refuse you nothing1    
,i'll answer for it4 ,who spoils you8   
,whose favourite are you8 ,who do you   
love best in the world8 ,and will you   
love me8 ,and will you come and live    
with me8 ,shall ,i carry you away with  
me in the coach to-night8 ,oh6 but ,i'm 
afraid ,i should eat you up1 and then   
what would mamma say to us both8  ,to   
stop this torrent of nonsense1 the      
child's mother1 perhaps1 ventures to    
interfere with1 ,my dear1 ,i'm afraid   
you'll be troublesome4 ,but this        
produces only vehement assertions of the
 contrary4 ,the dear little creature can
 never be troublesome to any body4 ,wo  
be to the child who implicitly believes 
this assertion6 frequent rebuffs from   
his friends must be endured before this 
errour will be thoroughly rectified3    
this will not tend to make those friends
 more agreeable1 or more beloved4 ,that 
childish love1 which varies from hour to
 hour1 is scarcely worth consideration2 

it cannot be an object of competition to
 any reasonable person2 but in early    
education nothing must be thought       
beneath our attention4 ,a child does not
 retain much affection1 it is true1 for 
every casual visiter by whom he is      
flattered and caressed4 ,the individuals
 are here to-day and gone to-morrow2    
variety prevents the impression from    
sinking into the mind1 it may be said2  
but the general impression remains1     
though each particular stroke is not    
seen4 ,young children1 who are much     
caressed in company1 are less intent    
than others upon pleasing those they    
live with1 and they are also less       
independent in their occupations and    
pleasures4 ,those who govern such pupils
 have not sufficient power over them1   
because they have not the means of      
giving pleasure2 because their praise or
 blame is frequently counteracted by    
applause of visiters4 ,that unbroken    
course of experience1 which is necessary
 for the success of a regular plan of   

education1 cannot be preserved4 ,every  
body may have observed the effect1 which
 the extraordinary notice of strangers  
produces upon children4 ,after the day  
is over1 and the company has left the   
house1 there is a cold blank2 a         
melancholy silence4 ,the children then  
sink into themselves1 and feel the      
mortifying change in their situation4   
,they look with dislike upon everything 
around them2 yawn with ennui1 or fidget 
with fretfulness1 till on the first     
check which they meet with1 their secret
 discontent bursts forth into a storm4  
,resistance1 caprice1 and peevishness1  
are not borne with patience by a        
governess1 though they are submitted to 
with smiles by the complaisant visiter4 
,in the same day1 the same conduct      
produces totally different consequences4
 ,experience1 it is said1 makes fools   
wise2 but such experience as this1 makes
 wise children fools4  ,why is this     
farce of civility1 which disgusts all   
parties1 continually repeated between   

visiters and children8 ,visiters would  
willingly be excused from the trouble of
 flattering and spoiling them2 but such 
is the spell of custom1 that no one     
dares to break it1 even when every one  
feels that it is absurd4  ,children1 who
 are thought to be clever1 are often    
produced to entertain company2 they fill
 up the time1 and relieve the circle    
from that embarrassing silence1 which   
proceeds from the having nothing to say4
 ,boys1 who are thus brought forward at 
six or seven years old1 and encouraged  
to say what are called smart things1    
seldom1 as they grow up1 have really    
good understandings4 ,children1 who1    
like the fools in former times1 are     
permitted to say every thing1 now and   
then blurt out those simple truths which
 politeness conceals3 this entertains   
people1 but1 in fact1 it is a sort of   
naivete1 which may exist without any    
great talent for observation1 and       
without any powers of reasoning4 ,every 
thing in our manners1 in the customs of 

the world1 is new to children1 and the  
relations of apparently dissimilar      
things1 strike them immediately from    
their novelty4 ,children are often      
witty1 without knowing it1 or rather    
without intending it2 but as they grow  
older1 the same kind of wit does not    
please2 the same objects do not appear  
in the same point of view2 and boys1 who
 have been the delight of a whole house 
at seven or eight years old1 for the    
smart things they could say1 sink into  
stupidity and despondency at thirteen or
 fourteen4 ,un nom trop fameaux1 est un 
fardeau tres pesant1 said a celebrated  
wit4  ,plain1 sober sense1 does not     
entertain common visiters1 and children 
whose minds are occupied1 and who are   
not ambitious of exhibiting themselves  
for the entertainment of the company1   
will not in general please4 ,so much the
 better2 they will escape many dangers2 
not only the dangers of flattery1 but   
also the dangers of nonsense4 ,few      
people know how to converse with        

children2 they talk to them of things   
that are above1 or below1 their         
understandings2 if they argue with them1
 they do not reason fairly2 they silence
 them with sentiment1 or with authority2
 or else they baffle them by wit1 or by 
unintelligible terms4 ,they often       
attempt to try their capacities with    
quibbles and silly puzzles4 ,children1  
who are expert at answering these1 have 
rarely been well educated3 the extreme  
simplicity of sensible children1 will   
surprise those who have not been        
accustomed to it1 and many will be      
provoked by their inaptitude to         
understand the common-place wit of      
conversation4  ,how many sticks go to a 
rook's nest8 said a gentleman to a boy  
of seven years old2 he looked very      
grave1 and having pondered upon the     
question for some minutes1 answered1 ,i 
do not know what you mean by the word   
go4 ,fortunately for the boy1 the       
gentleman who asked the question1 was   
not a captious querist2 he perceived the

 good sense of this answer2 he perceived
 that the boy had exactly hit upon the  
ambiguous word which was puzzling to the
 understanding1 and he saw that this    
showed more capacity than could have    
been shown by the parrying of a thousand
 witticisms4 ,we have seen ,s----1 a    
remarkably intelligent boy of nine years
 old1 stand with the most puzzled face  
imaginable1 considering for a long half 
hour the common quibble of ,there was a 
carpenter who made a door2 he made it   
too large2 he cut it and cut it1 and he 
cut it too little2 he cut it again1 and 
it fitted4 ,s---- showed very little    
satisfaction1 when he at length         
discovered the double meaning of the    
words too little2 but simply said1 ,i   
did not know you meant that the         
carpenter cut too little off the door4  
,which has most legs1 a horse or no     
horse8 ,a horse has more legs than no   
horse1 replies the unwary child4 ,but1  
continues the witty sophist1 a horse1   
surely1 has but four legs2 did you ever 

see a horse with five legs8 ,never1 says
 the child2 no horse has five legs4 ,oh1
 ho6 exclaims the entrapper1 ,i have you
 now6 ,no horse has five legs1 you say2 
then you must acknowledge that no horse 
has more legs than a horse4 ,therefore1 
when ,i asked you which has most legs1 a
 horse or no horse1 your answer1 you    
see1 should have been1 no horse4  ,the  
famous dilemma of you have what you have
 not lost2 you have not lost horns2 then
 you have horns2 is much in the same    
style of reasoning4 ,children may       
readily be taught to chop logic1 and to 
parry their adversaries technically in  
this contest of false wit2 but this will
 not improve their understandings1      
though it may1 to superficial judges1   
give them the appearance of great       
quickness of intellect4 ,we should not1 
even in jest1 talk of nonsense to       
children1 or suffer them even to hear   
inaccurate language4 ,if confused       
answers be given to their questions1    
they will soon be content with a        

confused notion of things2 they will be 
satisfied with bad reasoning1 if they   
are not taught to distinguish it        
scrupulously from what is good1 and to  
reject it steadily4 ,half the           
expressions current in conversation1    
have merely a nominal value2 they       
represent no ideas1 and they pass merely
 by common courtesy3 but the language of
 every person of sense has sterling     
value2 it cheats and puzzles nobody2 and
 even when it is addressed to children1 
it is made intelligible4 ,no common     
acquaintance1 who talks to a child      
merely for its own amusement1 selects   
his expressions with any care2 what     
becomes of the child afterwards1 is no  
part of his concern2 he does not        
consider the advantage of clear         
explanations to the understanding1 nor  
would he be at the pains of explaining  
any thing thoroughly1 even if he were   
able to do so4 ,and how few people are  
able to explain distinctly1 even when   
they most wish to make themselves       

understood6  ,the following conversation
 passed between a learned doctor        
7formerly7 of the ,sorbonne1 and a boy  
of seven years old4  ,doctor4 ,so1 ,sir1
 ,i see you are very advanced already in
 your studies4 ,you are quite expert at 
,latin4 ,pray1 ,sir1 allow me to ask    
you2 ,i suppose you have heard of       
,tully's ,offices8  ,boy4 ,tully's      
,offices6 ,no1 ,sir4  ,doctor4 ,no      
matter4 ,you can1 ,i will venture to    
say1 solve me the following question4   
,it is not very difficult1 but it has   
puzzled some abler casuists1 ,i can tell
 you1 though1 than you or ,i2 but if you
 will lend me your attention for a few  
moments1 ,i flatter myself ,i shall make
 myself intelligible to you4  ,the boy  
began to stiffen at this exordium1 but  
he fixed himself in an attitude of      
anxious attention1 and the doctor1 after
 having taken two pinches of snuff1     
proceeded3  ,in the ,island of ,rhodes1 
there was once1 formerly1 a great       
scarcity of provisions1 a famine quite2 

and some merchants fitted out ten ships 
to relieve the ,rhodians2 and one of the
 merchants got into port sooner than the
 others2 and he took advantage of this  
circumstance to sell his goods at an    
exorbitant rate1 finding himself in     
possession of the market4 ,the ,rhodians
 did not know that the other ships laden
 with provisions were to be in the next 
day2 and they1 of course1 paid this     
merchant whatsoever price he thought    
proper to demand4 ,now the question is1 
in morality1 whether did he act the part
 of an honest man in this business by   
the ,rhodians8 ,or should he not rather 
have informed them of the nine ships    
which were expected to come with        
provisions to the market the ensuing    
day8  ,the boy was silent1 and did not  
appear to comprehend the story or the   
question in the least4 ,in telling his  
story1 the doctor of the ,sorbonne      
unluckily pronounced the words ship and 
ships in such a manner1 that the child  
all along mistook them for sheep and    

sheeps2 and this mistake threw every    
thing into confusion4 ,besides this1 a  
number of terms were made use of which  
were quite new to the boy4 ,getting into
 port--being in possession of the       
market--selling goods at an exorbitant  
rate2 together with the whole mystery of
 buying and selling1 were as new to him1
 and appeared to him as difficult to be 
understood1 as the most abstract        
metaphysics4 ,he did not even know what 
was meant by the ships being expected in
 the next day2 and acting the part of an
 honest man1 was to him an unusual mode 
of expression4 ,the young casuist made  
no hand of this case of conscience2 when
 at last he attempted an answer1 he only
 exposed himself to the contempt of the 
learned doctor4 ,when he was desired to 
repeat the story1 he made a strange     
jumble about some people who wanted to  
get some sheep1 and about one man who   
got in his sheep before the other nine  
sheep2 but he did not know how or why it
 was wrong in him not to tell of the    

other sheep4 ,nor could he imagine why  
the ,rhodians could not get sheep       
without this man4 ,he had never had any 
idea of a famine4 ,this boy's father1   
unwilling that he should retire to rest 
with his intellects in this state of    
confusion1 as soon as the doctor had    
taken leave1 told the story to the child
 in different words1 to try whether it  
was the words or the ideas that puzzled 
him4  ,in the gean sea1 which you saw   
the other day in the map1 there is an   
,island1 which is called the ,island of 
,rhodes4 ,in telling my story1 ,i take  
the opportunity to fix a point in       
geography in your memory4 ,in the gean  
sea there is an ,island which is called 
the ,island of ,rhodes4 ,there was once 
a famine in this ,island1 that is to    
say1 the people had not food enough to  
live upon1 and they were afraid that    
they should be starved to death4 ,now1  
some merchants1 who lived on the        
continent of ,greece1 filled ten ships  
with provisions1 and they sailed in     

these vessels for the ,island of        
,rhodes4 ,it happened that one of these 
ships got to the ,island sooner than any
 of the others4 ,it was evening1 and the
 captain of this ship knew that the     
others could not arrive until the       
morning4 ,now the people of ,rhodes1    
being extremely hungry1 were very eager 
to buy the provisions which this        
merchant had brought to sell2 and they  
were ready to give a great deal more    
money for provisions than they would    
have done if they had not been almost   
starved4 ,there was not half a          
sufficient quantity of food in this one 
ship1 to supply all the people who      
wanted food2 and therefore those who had
 money1 and who knew that the merchant  
wanted as much money as he could get in 
exchange for his provisions1 offered to 
give him a large price1 the price which 
he asked for them4 ,had these people    
known that nine other ships full of     
provisions would arrive in the morning1 
they would not have been ready to give  

so much money for food1 because they    
would not have been so much afraid of   
being starved2 and they would have      
known1 that1 in exchange for their      
money1 they could have a greater        
quantity of food the next day4 ,the     
merchant1 however1 did not tell them    
that any ships were expected to arrive1 
and he consequently got a great deal    
more of their money for his provisions1 
than he would have done1 if he had told 
them the fact which he knew1 and which  
they did not know4 ,do you think that he
 did right or wrong8  ,the child1 who   
now had rather more the expression of   
intelligence in his countenance1 than he
 had when the same question had been put
 to him after the former statement of   
the case1 immediately answered1 that he 
thought the merchant had done wrong1    
that he should have told the people that
 more ships were to come in the morning4
 ,several different opinions were given 
afterwards by other children1 and grown 
people who were asked the same question2

 and what had been an unintelligible    
story1 was rendered1 by a little more   
skill and patience in the art of        
explanation1 an excellent lesson1 or    
rather exercise in reasoning4  ,it is   
scarcely possible that a stranger1 who  
sees a child only for a few hours1 can  
guess what he knows1 and what he does   
not know2 or that he can perceive the   
course of his thoughts1 which depends   
upon associations over which he has no  
command2 therefore1 when a stranger1 let
 his learning and abilities be what they
 will1 attempts to teach children1 he   
usually puzzles them1 and the           
consequences of the confusion of mind he
 creates1 last sometimes for years3     
sometimes it influences their moral1    
sometimes their scientific reasoning4   
,every body but my friends1 said a      
little girl of six years old1 tells me  
,i am very pretty4 ,from this           
contradictory evidence1 what must the   
child have inferred8 ,the perplexity    
which some young people1 almost arrived 

at the years of discretion1 have shown  
in their first notions of mathematics1  
has been a matter of astonishment to    
those who have attempted to teach them3 
this perplexity has been at length      
discovered to arise from their having   
early confounded in their minds the     
ideas of a triangle1 and an angle4 ,in  
the most common modes of expression     
there are often strange inaccuracies1   
which do not strike us1 because they are
 familiar to us2 but children1 who hear 
them for the first time1 detect their   
absurdity1 and are frequently anxious to
 have such phrases explained4 ,if they  
converse much with idle visiters1 they  
will seldom be properly applauded for   
their precision1 and their philosophic  
curiosity will often be repressed by    
unmeaning replies4 ,children1 who have  
the habit of applying to their parents1 
or to sensible preceptors1 in similar   
difficulties1 will be somewhat better   
received1 and will gain rather more     
accurate information4 ,s---- 7nine years

 old7 was in a house where a chimney was
 on fire2 he saw a great bustle1 and he 
heard the servants and people1 as they  
ran backwards and forwards1 all exclaim1
 that the chimney was on fire4 ,after   
the fire was put out1 and when the      
bustle was over1 ,s---- said to his     
father1 ,what do people mean when they  
say the chimney is on fire8 ,what is it 
that burns8 ,at this question a silly   
acquaintance would probably have laughed
 in the boy's face2 would have expressed
 astonishment as soon as his visit was  
over1 at such an instance of strange    
ignorance in a boy of nine years old2   
or1 if civility had prompted any answer1
 it would perhaps have been1 ,the       
chimney's being on fire1 my love1 means 
that the chimney's on fire6 ,every body 
knows what's meant by 'the chimney's on 
fire6' ,there's a great deal of smoke1  
and sparks1 and flame1 coming out at the
 top1 you know1 when the chimney's on   
fire4 ,and it's extremely dangerous1 and
 would set a house on fire1 or perhaps  

the whole neighbourhood1 if it was not  
put out immediately4 ,many dreadful     
fires1 you know1 happen in towns1 as we 
hear for ever in the newspaper1 by the  
chimney's taking fire4 ,did you never   
hear of a chimney's being on fire       
before8 ,you are a very happy young     
gentleman to have lived to your time of 
life1 and to be still at a loss about   
such a thing4 ,what burns8 ,why1 my dear
 ,sir1 the chimney burns2 fire burns in 
the chimney4 ,to be sure fires are sad  
accidents2 many lives are lost by them  
every day4 ,i had a chimney on fire in  
my drawing room last year4  ,thus would 
the child's curiosity have been baffled 
by a number of words without meaning or 
connection2 on the contrary1 when he    
applied to a father1 who was interested 
in his improvement1 his sensible        
question was listened to with           
approbation4 ,he was told1 that the     
chimney's being on fire1 was an         
inaccurate common expression2 that it   
was the soot in the chimney1 not the    

chimney1 that burned2 that the soot was 
sometimes set on fire by sparks of fire1
 sometimes by flame1 which might have   
been accidentally drawn up the chimney4 
,some of the soot which had been set on 
fire1 was shown to him2 the nature of   
burning in general1 the manner in which 
the chimney draws1 the meaning of that  
expression1 and many other things       
connected with the subject1 were        
explained upon this occasion to the     
inquisitive boy1 who was thus encouraged
 to think and speak accurately1 and to  
apply1 in similar difficulties1 to the  
friend who had thus taken the trouble to
 understand his simple question4 ,a     
random answer to a child's question1    
does him a real injury2 but can we      
expect1 that those who have no interest 
in education1 should have the patience  
to correct their whole conversation1 and
 to adapt it precisely to the capacity  
of children8 ,this would indeed be      
unreasonable2 all we can do1 is to keep 
our pupils out of the way of those who  

can do them no good1 and who may do them
 a great deal of harm4 ,we must prefer  
the permanent advantage of our pupils1  
to the transient vanity of exhibiting   
for the amusement of company1 their     
early wit1 or lively nonsense4 ,children
 should never be introduced for the     
amusement of the circle2 nor yet should 
they be condemned to sit stock still1   
holding up their heads and letting their
 feet dangle from chairs that are too   
high for them1 merely that they may     
appear what is called well before       
visiters4 ,whenever any conversation is 
going forward which they can understand1
 they should be kindly summoned to      
partake of the pleasures of society2 its
 pains and its follies we may spare     
them4 ,the manners of young people will 
not be injured by this arrangement2 they
 will be at ease in company1 because    
whenever they are introduced into it1   
they will make a part of it2 they will  
be interested and happy2 they will feel 
a proper confidence in themselves1 and  

they will not be intent upon their      
courtesies1 their frocks1 their manner  
of holding their hands1 or turning out  
their toes1 the proper placing of ,sir1 
,madam1 or your ,ladyship1 with all the 
other innumerable trifles which         
embarrass the imagination1 and          
consequently the manners1 of those who  
are taught to think that they are to sit
 still1 and behave in company some way  
differently from what they behave every 
day in their own family4  ,we have      
hitherto only spoken of acquaintance who
 do not attempt or desire to interfere  
in education1 but who only caress and   
talk nonsense to children with the best 
intentions possible3 with these1 parents
 will find it comparatively easy to     
manage2 they can contrive to employ     
children1 or send them out to walk2 by  
cool reserve1 they can readily          
discourage such visiters from flattering
 their children2 and by insisting upon  
becoming a party in all conversations   
which are addressed to their pupils1    

they can1 in a great measure1 prevent   
the bad effects of inaccurate or        
imprudent conversation2 they can explain
 to their pupils what was left          
unintelligible1 and they can counteract 
false associations1 either at the moment
 they perceive them1 or at some         
well-chosen opportunity4 ,but there is a
 class of acquaintance with whom it will
 be more difficult to manage2 persons   
who are1 perhaps1 on an intimate footing
 with the family1 who are valued for    
their agreeable talents and estimable   
qualities2 who are1 perhaps1 persons of 
general information and good sense1 and 
who may yet never have considered the   
subject of education2 or who1 having    
partially considered it1 have formed    
some peculiar and erroneous opinions4   
,they will feel themselves entitled to  
talk upon education as well as upon any 
other topic2 they will hazard1 and they 
will support1 opinions2 they will be    
eager to prove the truth of their       
assertions1 or the superiority of their 

favourite theories4 ,out of pure regard 
for their friends1 they will endeavour  
to bring them over to their own way of  
thinking in education2 and they will by 
looks1 by hints1 by inuendoes1          
unrestrained by the presence of the     
children1 insinuate their advice and    
their judgment upon every domestic      
occurrence4 ,in the heat of debate1     
people frequently forget that children  
have eyes and ears1 or any portion of   
understanding2 they are not aware of the
 quickness of that comprehension which  
is excited by the motives of curiosity  
and self love4 ,it is dangerous to let  
children be present at any arguments1 in
 which the management of their minds is 
concerned1 until they can perfectly     
understand the whole of the subject3    
they will1 if they catch but a few      
words1 or a few ideas1 imagine1 perhaps1
 that there is something wrong1 some    
hardships1 some injustice1 practised    
against them by their friends2 yet they 
will not distinctly know1 nor will they1

 perhaps1 explicitly inquire what it is4
 ,they should be sent out of the room   
before any such arguments are begun2 or1
 if the conversation be abruptly begun  
before parents can be upon their guard1 
they may yet1 without offending against 
the common forms of politeness1 decline 
entering into any discussion until their
 children are withdrawn4 ,as to any     
direct attempt practically to interfere 
with the children's education1 by blame 
or praise1 by presents1 by books1 or by 
conversation2 these should1 and really  
must1 be resolutely and steadily        
resisted by parents3 this will require  
some strength of mind4 ,what can be done
 without it8 ,many people1 who are      
convinced of the danger of the          
interference of friends and acquaintance
 in the education of their children1    
will yet1 from the fear of offending1   
from the dread of being thought         
singular1 submit to the evil4 ,these    
persons may be very well received1 and  
very well liked in the world3 they must 

content themselves with this reward2    
they must not expect to succeed in      
education1 for strength of mind is      
absolutely necessary to those who would 
carry a plan of education into effect4  
,without being tied down to any one     
exclusive plan1 and with universal      
toleration for different modes of moral 
and intellectual instruction1 it may be 
safely asserted1 that the plan which is 
most steadily pursued1 will probably    
succeed the best4 ,people who are moved 
by the advice of all their friends1 and 
who endeavour to adapt their system to  
every fashionable change in opinion1    
will inevitably repent of their weak    
complaisance2 they will lose all power  
over their pupils1 and will be forced to
 abandon the education of their families
 to chance4  ,it will be found          
impossible to educate a child at home1  
unless all interference from visiters   
and acquaintance is precluded4 ,but it  
is of yet more consequence1 that the    
members of the family must entirely     

agree in their sentiments1 or at least  
in the conduct of the children under    
their care4 ,without this there is no   
hope4 ,young people perceive very       
quickly1 whether there is unanimity in  
their government2 they make out an      
alphabet of looks with unerring         
precision1 and decipher with amazing    
ingenuity1 all that is for their        
interest to understand4 ,when children  
are blamed or punished1 they always know
 pretty well who pities them1 who thinks
 that they are in the wrong1 and who    
thinks that they are in the right2 and  
thus the influence of public opinion is 
what ultimately governs4 ,if children   
find that1 when mamma is displeased1    
grandmamma comforts them1 they will     
console themselves readily under this   
partial disgrace1 and they will suspect 
others of caprice1 instead of ever      
blaming themselves4 ,they will feel     
little confidence in their own          
experience1 or in the assertions of     
others2 they will think that there is   

always some chance of escape amongst the
 multitude of laws and law-givers4 ,no  
tutor or preceptor can be answerable1 or
 ought to undertake to answer for       
measures which he does not guide4 ,le   
,sage1 with an inimitable mixture of    
humour and good sense1 in the short     
history of the education of the robbers 
who supped in that cave in which dame   
,leonardo officiated1 has given many    
excellent lessons in education4 ,captain
 ,rolando's tutors could never make any 
thing of him1 because1 whenever they    
reprimanded him1 he ran to his mother1  
father1 and grandfather1 for            
consolation2 and from them constantly   
received protection in rebellion1 and   
commiseration for the wounds which he   
had inflicted upon his own hands and    
face1 purposely to excite compassion1   
and to obtain revenge4  ,it is obviously
 impossible1 that all the world1 the    
ignorant and the well-informed1 the man 
of genius1 the man of fashion1 and the  
man of business1 the pedant and the     

philosopher1 should agree in their      
opinion upon any speculative subject2   
upon the wide subject of education they 
will probably differ eternally4 ,it     
will1 therefore1 be thought absurd to   
require this union of opinion amongst   
the individuals of a family2 but1 let   
there be ever so much difference in     
their private opinions1 they can surely 
discuss any disputed point at leisure1  
when children are absent1 or they can1  
in these arguments1 converse in ,french1
 or in some language which their pupils 
do not understand4 ,the same caution    
should be observed1 as we just now      
recommended1 with respect to            
acquaintance4 ,it is much better1 when  
any difficulties occur1 to send the     
children at once into any other room1   
and to tell them that we do so because  
we have something to say that we do not 
wish them to hear1 than to make false   
excuses to get rid of their company1 or 
to begin whispering and disputing in    
their presence4  ,these precautions are 

advisable whilst our pupils are young1  
before they are capable of comprehending
 arguments of this nature1 and whilst   
their passions are vehemently interested
 on one side or the other4 ,as young    
people grow up1 the greater variety of  
opinions they hear upon all subjects1   
the better2 they will then form the     
habit of judging for themselves3 whilst 
they are very young1 they have not the  
means of forming correct judgments upon 
abstract subjects1 nor are these the    
subjects upon which their judgment can  
be properly exercised3 upon the subject 
of education1 they cannot be competent  
judges1 because they cannot1 till they  
are nearly educated1 have a complete    
view of the means1 or of the end2       
besides this1 no man is allowed to be   
judge in his own case4  ,some parents   
allow their children a vast deal of     
liberty whilst they are young1 and      
restrain them by absolute authority when
 their reason is1 or ought to be1 a     
sufficient guide for their conduct4 ,the

 contrary practice will make parents    
much more beloved1 and will make        
children both wiser and happier4 ,let no
 idle visiter1 no intrusive1 injudicious
 friend1 for one moment interfere to    
lessen the authority necessary for the  
purposes of education4 ,let no weak     
jealousy1 no unseasonable love of       
command1 restrain young people after    
they are sufficiently reasonable to     
judge for themselves4 ,in the choice of 
their friends1 their acquaintance1 in   
all the great and small affairs of life1
 let them have liberty in proportion as 
they acquire reason4 ,fathers do not    
commonly interfere with their sons'     
amusements1 nor with the choice of their
 acquaintance1 so much as in the        
regulation of their pecuniary affairs3  
but mothers1 who have had any           
considerable share in the education of  
boys1 are apt to make mistakes as to the
 proper seasons for indulgence and      
control4 ,they do not watch the moments 
when dangerous prejudices and tastes    

begin to be formed2 they do not perceive
 how the slight conversations of        
acquaintance operate upon the ever-open 
ear of childhood2 but when the age of   
passion approaches1 and approaches1 as  
it usually does1 in storms and tempest1 
then all their maternal fears are       
suddenly roused1 and their anxiety      
prompts them to use a thousand          
injudicious and ineffectual expedients4 
,a modern princess1 who had taken       
considerable pains in the education of  
her son1 made both herself and him      
ridiculous by her anxiety upon his      
introduction into the world4 ,she       
travelled about with him from place to  
place1 to make him see every thing worth
 seeing2 but he was not to stir from her
 presence2 she could not bear to have   
him out of sight or hearing4 ,in all    
companies he was chaperoned by his      
mother4 ,was he invited to a ball1 she  
must be invited also1 or he could not   
accept of the invitation3 he must go in 
the same coach1 and return in the same  

coach with her4 ,i should like extremely
 to dance another dance1 said he one    
evening to his partner1 but you see ,i  
must go2 my mother is putting on her    
cloak4 ,the tall young man called for   
some negus1 and had the glass at his    
lips1 when his mamma called out in a    
shrill voice1 through a vista of heads1 
,eh6 ,my son no drink wine6 ,my son like
 milk and water6 ,the son was at this   
time at years of discretion4            
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,on ,,temper4   ,we   
have already1 in speaking of the early  
care of infants1 suggested that the     
temper should be attended to from the   
moment of their birth4 ,a negligent1 a  
careless1 a passionate servant1 must    
necessarily injure the temper of a      
child4 ,the first language of an infant 
is intelligible only to its nurse2 she  
can distinguish between the cry of pain 
and the note of ill humour1 or the roar 
of passion4 ,the cry of pain should be  
listened to with the utmost care1 and   
every possible means should be used to  

relieve the child's sufferings2 but when
 it is obvious that he cries from ill   
humour1 a nurse should not sooth him    
with looks of affection1 these she      
should reserve for the moment when the  
storm is over4 ,we do not mean that     
infants should be suffered to cry for a 
length of time without being regarded2  
this would give them habits of ill      
humour3 we only wish that the nurse     
would1 as soon as possible1 teach the   
child that what he wants can be obtained
 without his putting himself in a       
passion4 ,great care should be taken to 
prevent occasions for ill humour2 if a  
nurse neglects her charge1 or if she be 
herself passionate1 the child will      
suffer so much pain1 and so many        
disappointments1 that it must be in a   
continual state of fretfulness4 ,an     
active1 cheerful1 good humoured1        
intelligent nurse1 will make a child    
good humoured by a regular1 affectionate
 attendance2 by endeavouring to prevent 
all unnecessary sufferings1 and by      

quickly comprehending its language of   
signs4 ,the best humoured woman in the  
world1 if she is stupid1 is not fit to  
have the care of a child2 the child will
 not be able to make her understand any 
thing less than vociferation4 ,by way of
 amusing the infant1 she will fatigue it
 with her caresses2 without ever        
discovering the real cause of his wo1   
she will sing one universal lullaby upon
 all occasions to pacify her charge4    
,it requires some ingenuity to discover 
the cause and cure of those long and    
loud fits of crying1 which frequently   
arise from imaginary apprehensions4 ,a  
little boy of two years old1 used to cry
 violently when he awoke in the middle  
of the night1 and saw a candle in the   
room4 ,it was observed that the shadow  
of the person who was moving about in   
the room frightened him1 and as soon as 
the cause of his crying was found out1  
it was easy to pacify him2 his fear of  
shadows was effectually cured1 by       
playfully showing him1 at different     

times1 that shadows had no power to hurt
 him4  ,h----1 about nine months old1   
when she first began to observe the     
hardness of bodies1 let her hand fall   
upon a cat which had crept unperceived  
upon the table2 she was surprised and   
terrified by the unexpected sensation of
 softness2 she could not touch the cat1 
or any thing that felt like soft fur1   
without showing agitation1 till she was 
near four years old1 though every gentle
 means were used to conquer her         
antipathy2 the antipathy was1 however1  
cured at last1 by her having a wooden   
cat covered with fur for a plaything4   
,a boy1 between four and five years old1
 ,h----1 used to cry bitterly when he   
was left alone in a room1 in which there
 were some old family pictures4 ,it was 
found that he was much afraid of these  
pictures3 a maid1 who took care of him1 
had terrified him with the notion that  
they would come to him1 or that they    
were looking at him1 and would be angry 
with him if he was not good4 ,to cure   

the child of this fear of pictures1 a   
small sized portrait1 which was not     
amongst the number of those that had    
frightened him1 was produced in broad   
day light4 ,a piece of cake was put upon
 this picture1 which the boy was desired
 to take2 he took it1 touched the       
picture1 and was shown the canvas at the
 back of it1 which1 as it happened to be
 torn1 he could easily identify with the
 painting3 the picture was then given to
 him for a plaything2 he made use of it 
as a table1 and became very fond of it  
as soon as he was convinced that it was 
not alive1 and that it could do him no  
sort of injury4  ,by patiently          
endeavouring to discover the causes of  
terror in children1 we may probably     
prevent their tempers from acquiring    
many bad habits4 ,it is scarcely        
possible for any one1 who has not       
constantly lived with a child1 and who  
has not known the whole rise and        
progress of his little character1 to    
trace the causes of these strange       

apprehensions2 for this reason1 a parent
 has advantages in the education of his 
child1 which no tutor or schoolmaster   
can have4  ,a little boy was observed to
 show signs of fear and dislike at      
hearing the sound of a drum3 to a       
stranger1 such fear must have seemed    
unaccountable1 but those who lived with 
the child1 knew from what it arose4 ,he 
had been terrified by the sight of a    
merry-andrew in a mask1 who had played  
upon a drum2 this was the first time    
that he had ever heard the sound of a   
drum2 the sound was associated with     
fear1 and continued to raise            
apprehensions in the child's mind after 
he had forgotten the original cause of  
that apprehension4  ,we are well aware  
that we have laid ourselves open to     
ridicule1 by the apparently trifling    
anecdotes which have just been          
mentioned2 but if we can save one child 
from an hour's unnecessary misery1 or   
one parent from an hour's anxiety1 we   
shall bear the laugh1 we hope1 with good

 humour4  ,young children1 who have not 
a great number of ideas1 perhaps for    
that reason associate those which they  
acquire with tenacity2 they cannot      
reason concerning general causes2 they  
expect that any event1 which has once or
 twice followed another1 will always    
follow in the same order2 they do not   
distinguish between proximate and remote
 causes1 between coincidences and the   
regular connection of cause and effect3 
hence children are subject to feel hopes
 and fears from things which to us      
appear matters of indifference4         
,suppose1 for instance1 that a child is 
very eager to go out to walk1 that his  
mother puts on her gloves and her cloak2
 these being the usual signals that she 
is going out1 he instantly expects1 if  
he has been accustomed to accompany her1
 that he shall have the pleasure of     
walking out2 but if she goes out1 and   
forgets him1 he is not only disappointed
 at that moment1 but the disappointment1
 or1 at least1 some indistinct          

apprehension1 recurs to him when he is  
in a similar situation3 the putting on  
of his mother's cloak and gloves1 are   
then circumstances of vast importance to
 him1 and create anxiety1 perhaps tears1
 whilst to every other spectator they   
are matters of total indifference4      
,every one1 who has had any experience  
in the education of such children as are
 apt to form strong associations1 must  
be aware1 that many of those fits of    
crying1 which appear to arise solely    
from ill-humour1 are occasioned by      
association4 ,when these are suffered to
 become habitual1 they are extremely    
difficult to conquer2 it is1 therefore1 
best to conquer them as soon as         
possible4 ,if a child has1 by any       
accident1 been disposed to cry at       
particular times in the day1 without any
 obvious cause1 we should at those hours
 engage his attention1 occupy him1      
change the room he is in1 or by any new 
circumstance break his habits4 ,it will 
require some penetration to distinguish 

between involuntary tears1 and tears of 
caprice2 but even when children are     
really cross1 it is not1 whilst they are
 very young1 prudent to let them wear   
out their ill-humour1 as some people do1
 in total neglect4 ,children1 when they 
are left to weep in solitude1 often     
continue in wo for a considerable length
 of time1 until they quite forget the   
original cause of complaint1 and they   
continue their convulsive sobs1 and     
whining note of distress1 purely from   
inability to stop themselves4  ,thus    
habits of ill-humour are contracted2 it 
is better1 by a little well-timed       
excitation1 to turn the course of a     
child's thoughts1 and to make him forget
 his trivial miseries4 ,the tear forgot 
as soon as shed1 is far better than the 
peevish whine1 or sullen lowering brow1 
which proclaim the unconquered spirit of
 discontent4  ,perhaps1 from the anxiety
 which we have expressed to prevent the 
petty misfortunes1 and unnecessary tears
 of children1 it may be supposed that we

 are disposed to humour them2 far from  
it--,we know too well that a humoured   
child is one of the most unhappy beings 
in the world2 a burden to himself1 and  
to his friends2 capricious1 tyrannical1 
passionate1 peevish1 sullen1 and        
selfish4  ,an only child runs a dreadful
 chance of being spoiled4 ,he is born a 
person of consequence2 he soon discovers
 his innate merit2 every eye is turned  
upon him the moment he enters the room2 
his looks1 his dress1 his appetite1 are 
all matters of daily concern to a whole 
family2 his wishes are divined2 his     
wants are prevented2 his witty sayings  
are repeated in his presence2 his smiles
 are courted2 his caresses excite       
jealousy1 and he soon learns how to     
avail himself of his central situation4 
,his father and mother make him         
alternately their idol1 and their       
plaything2 they do not think of         
educating1 they only think of admiring  
him2 they imagine that he is unlike all 
other children in the universe1 and that

 his genius and his temper are          
independent of all cultivation4 ,but    
when this little paragon of perfection  
has two or three brothers and sisters1  
the scene changes2 the man of           
consequence dwindles into an            
insignificant little boy4 ,we shall     
hereafter explain more fully the danger 
of accustoming children to a large share
 of our sympathy2 we hope that the      
economy of kindness and caresses which  
we have recommended1#ci will be found to
 increase domestic affection1 and to be 
essentially serviceable to the temper4  
,in a future chapter1 ,on ,vanity1      
,pride1 and ,ambition1 some remarks will
 be found on the use and abuse of the   
stimuli of praise1 emulation1 and       
ambition4 ,the precautions which we have
 already mentioned with respect to      
servants1 and the methods that have been
 suggested for inducing habitual and    
rational obedience1 will also1 we hope1 
be considered as serviceable to the     
temper1 as well as to the understanding4

 ,perpetual and contradictory commands  
and prohibitions1 not only make children
 disobedient1 but fretful1 peevish1 and 
passionate4  ,idleness1 amongst         
children1 as amongst men1 is the root of
 all evil1 and leads to no evil more    
certainly than to ill temper4 ,it is    
said1#dj that the late king of ,spain   
was always so cross during ,passion     
week1 when he was obliged to abstain    
from his favourite amusement of hunting1
 that none of his courtiers liked to    
approach his majesty4 ,there is a great 
similarity between the condition of a   
prince flattered by his courtiers1 and a
 child humoured by his family2 and we   
may observe1 that both the child and    
prince are most intolerable to their    
dependants and friends1 when any of     
their daily amusements are interrupted4 
,it is not that the amusements are in   
themselves delightful1 but the pains and
 penalties of idleness are              
insupportable4 ,we have endeavoured to  
provide a variety of occupations1 as    

well as of amusements1 for our young    
pupils1#da that they may never know the 
misery of the ,spanish monarch4 ,when   
children are occupied1 they are         
independent of other people1 they are   
not obliged to watch for casual         
entertainment from those who happen to  
be unemployed1 or who chance to be in a 
humour to play with them2 they have some
 agreeable object continually in view1  
and they feel satisfied with themselves4
 ,they will not torment every body in   
the house with incessant requests4 ,may 
,i have this8 ,will you give me that8   
,may ,i go out to see such a thing8     
,when will it be dinner time8 ,when will
 it be tea time8 ,when will it be time  
for me to go to supper8 are the         
impatient questions of a child who is   
fretful from having nothing to do4 ,idle
 children are eternal petitioners1 and  
the refusals they meet with1 perpetually
 irritate their temper4 ,with respect to
 requests in general1 we should either  
grant immediately what a child desires1 

or we should give a decided refusal4    
,the state of suspense is not easily    
borne2 the propriety or impropriety of  
the request should decide us either to  
grant1 or to refuse it2 and we should   
not set the example of caprice1 or teach
 our pupils the arts of courtiers1 who  
watch the humour of tyrants4 ,if we     
happen to be busy1 and a child comes    
with an eager request about some trifle1
 it is easy so far to command our temper
 as to answer1 ,i am busy1 don't talk to
 me now1 instead of driving the         
petitioner away with harsh looks1 and a 
peremptory refusal1 which make as great 
an impression as harsh words4 ,if we are
 reasonable1 the child will soon learn  
to apply to us at proper times4 ,by the 
same steady1 gentle conduct1 we may     
teach him to manage his love of talking 
with discretion1 and may prevent those  
ineffectual exhortations to silence1    
which irritate the temper of the        
vivacious pupil4 ,expostulations1 and   
angry exclamations1 will not so         

effectually command from our pupils     
temperance of tongue1 as their own      
conviction that they are more likely to 
gain attention from their friends1 if   
they choose properly their seasons for  
conversation4  ,to prevent1 we cannot   
too often repeat it1 is better than to  
punish1 without humouring children2 that
 is to say1 without yielding to their   
caprices1 or to their will1 when they   
express their wishes with impatience1 we
 may prevent many of those little       
inconveniences which tease and provoke  
the temper2 any continual irritation    
exhausts our patience2 acute pain can be
 endured with more fortitude4  ,we have 
sometimes seen children become fretful  
from the constant teasing effect of some
 slight inconveniences in their dress2  
we have pitied poor little boys1 who    
were continually exhorted to produce    
their handkerchiefs1 and who could      
scarcely ever get these handkerchiefs   
out of the tight pockets into which they
 had been stuffed2 into such pockets the

 hand can never enter1 or withdraw      
itself1 without as much difficulty as   
,trenck had in getting rid of his       
handcuffs4 ,the torture of tight shoes1 
of back-boards1 collars1 and stocks1 we 
hope is nearly abandoned2 surely all    
these are unnecessary trials of         
fortitude2 they exhaust that patience   
which might be exercised upon things of 
consequence4 ,count ,rumford tells us1  
that he observed a striking melioration 
in the temper of all the mendicants in  
the establishment at ,munich1 when they 
were relieved from the constant torments
 of rags and vermin4  ,some people      
imagine1 that early sufferings1 that a  
number of small inconveniences1 habitual
 severity of reproof1 and frequent      
contradiction and disappointment1 inure 
children to pain1 and consequently      
improve their temper4 ,early sufferings1
 which are necessary and inevitable1 may
 improve children in fortitude2 but the 
contradictions and disappointments1     
which arise immediately from the will of

 others1 have not the same effect4      
,children1 where their own interests are
 concerned1 soon distinguish between    
these two classes of evils2 they submit 
patiently when they know that it would  
be in vain to struggle2 they murmur and 
rebel1 if they dare1 whenever they feel 
the hand of power press upon them       
capriciously4 ,we should not invent     
trials of temper for our pupils2 if they
 can bear with good humour the common   
course of events1 we should be          
satisfied4  ,i tumbled down1 and ,i     
bored it very well1 said a little boy of
 three years old1 with a look of great  
satisfaction4 ,if this little boy had   
been thrown down on purpose by his      
parents as a trial of temper1 it        
probably would not have been borne so   
well4 ,as to inconveniences1 in general 
it is rather a sign of indolence1 than a
 proof of good temper in children1 to   
submit to them quietly2 if they can be  
remedied by exertion1 why should they be
 passively endured8 ,if they cannot be  

remedied1 undoubtedly it is then better 
to abstract the attention from them as  
much as possible1 because this is the   
only method of lessening the pain4      
,children should be assisted in making  
this distinction1 by our applauding     
their exertions when they struggle      
against unnecessary evil1 by our        
commending their patience whenever they 
endure inevitable pain without          
complaints4  ,illness1 for instance1 is 
an inevitable evil4 ,to prevent children
 from becoming peevish1 when they are   
ill1 we should give our pity and        
sympathy with an increased appearance of
 affection1 whenever they bear their    
illness with patience4 ,no artifice is  
necessary2 we need not affect any       
increase of pity2 patience and good     
humour in the sufferer1 naturally excite
 the affection and esteem of the        
spectators4 ,the self-complacency1 which
 the young patient must feel from a     
sense of his own fortitude1 and the     
perception that he commands the willing 

hearts of all who attend him1 are really
 alleviations of his bodily sufferings2 
the only alleviations which1 in some    
cases1 can possibly be afforded4  ,the  
attention which is thought necessary in 
learning languages1 often becomes       
extremely painful to the pupils1 and the
 temper is often hurt by ineffectual    
attempts to improve the understanding4  
,we have endeavoured to explain the     
methods of managing#db the attention of 
children with the least possible degree 
of pain4 ,yesterday a little boy of     
three years old1 ,w----1 was learning   
his alphabet from his father2 after he  
had looked at one letter for some time  
with great attention1 he raised his     
eyes1 and with a look of much good      
humour1 said to his father1 ,it makes me
 tired to stand4 ,his father seated him 
upon his knee1 and told him that he did 
wisely in telling what tired him3 the   
child1 the moment he was seated1 fixed  
his attentive eyes again upon his       
letters with fresh eagerness1 and       

succeeded4 ,surely it was not humouring 
this boy to let him sit down when he was
 tired4 ,if we teach a child that our   
assistance is to be purchased by fretful
 entreaties2 if we show him1 that we are
 afraid of a storm1 he will make use of 
our apprehensions to accomplish his     
purposes4 ,on the contrary1 if he       
perceives that we can steadily resist   
his tears and ill humour1 and especially
 if we show indifference upon the       
occasion1 he will perceive that he had  
better dry his tears1 suspend his rage1 
and try how far good humour will        
prevail4 ,children1 who in every little 
difficulty are assisted by others1      
really believe that others are in fault 
whenever this assistance is not         
immediately offered4 ,look at a humoured
 child1 for instance1 trying to push a  
chair along the carpet2 if a wrinkle in 
the carpet stops his progress1 he either
 beats the chair1 or instantly turns    
with an angry appealing look to his     
mother for assistance2 and if she does  

not get up to help him1 he will cry4    
,another boy1 who has not been humoured1
 will neither beat the chair1 nor       
angrily look round for help2 but he will
 look immediately to see what it is that
 stops the chair1 and when he sees the  
wrinkle in the carpet1 he will either   
level or surmount the obstacle3 during  
this whole operation1 he will not feel  
in the least inclined to cry4 ,both     
these children might have had precisely 
the same original stock of patience2 but
 by different management1 the one would 
become passionate and peevish1 the other
 both good humoured and persevering4    
,the pleasure of success pays children1 
as well as men1 for long toil and       
labour4 ,success is the proper reward of
 perseverance2 but if we sometimes      
capriciously grant1 and sometimes       
refuse1 our help1 our pupils cannot     
learn this important truth1 and they    
imagine that success depends upon the   
will of others1 and not upon their own  
efforts4 ,a child1 educated by a fairy1 

who sometimes came with magic aid to    
perform1 and who was sometimes deaf to  
her call1 would necessarily become ill  
humoured4  ,several children1 who were  
reading ,evenings at ,home1 observed    
that in the story of ,juliet and the    
fairy ,order1 it was wrong to make the  
fairy come whenever ,juliet cried1 and  
could not do her task1 because that was 
the way1 said the children1 to make the 
little girl ill humoured4  ,we have     
formerly observed that children1 who    
live much with companions of their own  
age1 are under but little habitual      
restraint as to their tempers2 they     
quarrel1 fight1 and shake hands2 they   
have long and loud altercations1 in     
which the strongest voice often gets the
 better4 ,it does not improve the temper
 to be overborne by petulance and       
clamour3 even mild1 sensible children1  
will learn to be positive if they       
converse with violent dunces4 ,in       
private families1 where children mix in 
the society of persons of different     

ages1 who encourage them to converse    
without reserve1 they may meet with     
exact justice2 they may see that their  
respective talents and good qualities   
are appreciated2 they may acquire the   
habit of arguing without disputing2 and 
they may learn that species of mutual   
forbearance in trifles1 as well as in   
matters of consequence1 which tends so  
much to domestic happiness4 ,dr4        
,franklin1 in one of his letters to a   
young female friend1 after answering    
some questions which she had asked him1 
apparently referring to an argument     
which had passed some time before1      
concludes with this comprehensive       
compliment3 ,so1 you see1 ,i think you  
had the best of the argument2 and1 as   
you give it up in complaisance to the   
company1 ,i think you had also the best 
of the dispute4 ,when young people      
perceive that they gain credit by       
keeping their temper in conversation1   
they will not be furious for victory1   
because moderation1 during the time of  

battle1 can alone entitle them to the   
honours of a triumph4  ,it is           
particularly necessary for girls to     
acquire command of temper in arguing1   
because much of the effect of their     
powers of reasoning1 and of their wit1  
when they grow up1 will depend upon the 
gentleness and good humour with which   
they conduct themselves4 ,a woman1 who  
should attempt to thunder like          
,demosthenes1 would not find her        
eloquence increase her domestic         
happiness4 ,we by no means wish that    
women should yield their better judgment
 to their fathers or husbands2 but1     
without using any of that debasing      
cunning which ,rousseau recommends1 they
 may support the cause of reason with   
all the graces of female gentleness4  ,a
 man1 in a furious passion1 is terrible 
to his enemies2 but a woman in a        
passion1 is disgusting to her friends2  
she loses the respect due to her sex1   
and she has not masculine strength and  
courage to enforce any other species of 

respect4 ,these circumstances should be 
considered by writers who advise that no
 difference should be made in the       
education of the two sexes4 ,we cannot  
help thinking that their happiness is of
 more consequence than their speculative
 rights1 and we wish to educate women so
 that they may be happy in the          
situations in which they are most likely
 to be placed4 ,so much depends upon the
 temper of women1 that it ought to be   
most carefully cultivated in early life2
 girls should be more inured to         
restraint than boys1 because they are   
likely to meet with more restraint in   
society4 ,girls should learn the habit  
of bearing slight reproofs1 without     
thinking them matters of great          
consequence2 but then they should always
 be permitted to state their arguments1 
and they should perceive that justice is
 shown to them1 and that they increase  
the affection and esteem of their       
friends by command of temper4 ,many     
passionate men are extremely good       

natured1 and make amends for their      
extravagances by their candour1 and     
their eagerness to please those whom    
they have injured during their fits of  
anger4 ,it is said1 that the servants of
 ,dean ,swift used to throw themselves  
in his way whenever he was in a passion1
 because they knew that his generosity  
would recompense them for standing the  
full fire of his anger4 ,a woman1 who   
permitted herself to treat her servants 
with ill humour1 and who believed that  
she could pay them for ill usage1 would 
make a very bad mistress of a family2   
her husband and her children would      
suffer from her ill temper1 without     
being recompensed for their misery4 ,we 
should not let girls imagine that they  
can balance ill humour by some good     
quality or accomplishment2 because1 in  
fact1 there are none which can supply   
the want of temper in the female sex4   
,a just idea of the nature of dignity1  
opposed to what is commonly called      
spirit1 should be given early to our    

female pupils4 ,many women1 who are not 
disposed to violence of temper1 affect a
 certain degree of petulance1 and a     
certain stubbornness of opinion1 merely 
because they imagine that to be gentle1 
is to be mean2 and that to listen to    
reason1 is to be deficient in spirit4   
,enlarging the understanding of young   
women1 will prevent them from the       
trifling vexations which irritate those 
who have none but trifling objects4 ,we 
have observed that concerted trials of  
temper are not advantageous for very    
young children4 ,those trials which are 
sometimes prepared for pupils at a more 
advanced period of education1 are not   
always more happy in their consequences4
 ,we make trifles appear important2 and 
then we are surprised that they are     
thought so4  ,lord ,kames tells us that 
he was acquainted with a gentleman1 who1
 though otherwise a man of good         
understanding1 did not show his good    
sense in the education of his daughters 
temper4 ,he had1 says ,lord ,kames1     

three comely daughters1 between twelve  
and sixteen1 and to inure them to bear  
disappointments1 he would propose to    
make a visit which he knew would delight
 them4 ,the coach was bespoke1 and the  
young ladies1 completely armed for      
conquest1 were ready to take their      
seats4 ,but1 behold6 their father had   
changed his mind4 ,this1 indeed1 was a  
disappointment2 but as it appeared to   
proceed from whim1 or caprice1 it might 
sour their temper1 instead of improving 
it4#dc  ,but why should a visit be made 
a matter of such mighty consequence to  
girls8 ,why should it be a              
disappointment to stay at home8 ,and why
 should ,lord ,kames advise that        
disappointments should be made to appear
 the effects of chance8 ,this method of 
making things appear to be what they are
 not1 we cannot too often reprobate2 it 
will not have better success in the     
education of the temper1 than in the    
management of the understanding2 it     
would ruin the one or the other1 or     

both3 even when promises are made with  
perfect good faith to young people1 the 
state of suspense which they create1 is 
not serviceable to the temper1 and it is
 extremely difficult to promise proper  
rewards4#dd ,the celebrated ,serena     
surely established her reputation for   
good temper1 without any very severe    
trials4 ,our standard of female         
excellence1 is evidently changed since  
the days of ,griselda2 but we are       
inclined to think1 that even in these   
degenerate days1 public amusements would
 not fill the female imagination1 if    
they were not early represented as such 
charming things1 such great rewards to  
girls1 by their imprudent friends4  ,the
 temper depends much upon the           
understanding2 and whenever we give our 
pupils1 whether male or female1 false   
ideas of pleasure1 we prepare for them  
innumerable causes of discontent4 ,you  
ought to be above such things6 ,you     
ought not to let yourself be vexed by   
such trifles6 are common expressions1   

which do not immediately change the     
irritated person's feelings4 ,you must  
alter the habits of thinking2 you must  
change the view of the object1 before   
you can alter the feelings4 ,suppose a  
girl has1 from the conversation of all  
her acquaintance1 learned to imagine    
that there is some vast pleasure in     
going to a masquerade2 it is in vain to 
tell her1 in the moment that she is     
disappointed about her masquerade dress1
 that it is a trifle1 and she ought to  
be above trifles4 ,she cannot be above  
them at a moment's warning3 but if she  
had never been inspired with a violent  
desire to go to a masquerade1 the       
disappointment would really appear      
trifling4 ,we may calculate the         
probability of any person's             
mortification1 by observing the         
vehemence of their hopes2 thus we are   
led to observe1 that the imagination    
influences the temper4 ,upon this       
subject we shall speak more fully when  
we treat of ,imagination and ,judgment4 

,to measure the degree of indulgence    
which may be safe for any given pupils1 
we must attend to the effect produced by
 pleasure upon their imagination and    
temper4 ,if a small diminution of their 
usual enjoyments disturbs them1 they    
have been rendered not too happy1 but   
too susceptible4 ,happy people1 who have
 resources in their own power1 do not   
feel every slight variation in external 
circumstances4 ,we may safely allow     
children to be as happy as they possibly
 can be without sacrificing the future  
to the present4 ,such prosperity will   
not enervate their minds4  ,we make this
 assertion with some confidence1 because
 experience has in many instances       
confirmed our opinion4 ,amongst a large 
family of children1 who have never been 
tormented with artificial trials of     
temper1 and who have been made as happy 
as it was in the power of their parents 
to make them1 there is not one ill      
tempered child4 ,we have examples every 
day before us of different ages from    

three years old to fifteen4  ,before    
parents adopt either ,epicurean or      
,stoical doctrines in the education of  
the temper1 it may be prudent to        
calculate the probabilities of the good 
and evil1 which their pupils are likely 
to meet with in life4 ,the ,sybarite1   
whose night's rest was disturbed by a   
doubled rose leaf1 deserves to be pitied
 almost as much as the young man who1   
when he was benighted in the snow1 was  
reproached by his severe father for     
having collected a heap of snow to make 
himself a pillow4 ,unless we could for  
ever ensure the bed of roses to our     
pupils1 we should do very imprudently to
 make it early necessary to their       
repose3 unless the pillow of snow is    
likely to be their lot1 we need not     
inure them to it from their infancy4    
,,footnotes3  #ci ,v4 ,chapter on       
,sympathy and ,sensibility4  #dj ,by    
,mr4 ,townsend1 in his ,travels into    
,spain4  #da ,v4 ,chapter on ,toys4  #db
 ,v4 ,chapter on ,attention4  #dc ,lord 

,kames1 p4 #aji4  #dd ,v4 ,chapter on   
,rewards and ,punishments4     ,,chapter
 ,,vii4  ,,on ,,obedience4   ,obedience 
has been often called the virtue of     
childhood4 ,how far it is entitled to   
the name of virtue1 we need not at      
present stop to examine4 ,obedience is  
expected from children long before they 
can reason upon the justice of our      
commands2 consequently it must be taught
 as a habit4 ,by associating pleasure   
with those things which we first desire 
children to do1 we should make them     
necessarily like to obey2 on the        
contrary1 if we begin by ordering them  
to do what is difficult and disagreeable
 to them1 they must dislike obedience4  
,the poet seems to understand this      
subject when he says1      ,or bid her  
wear your necklace rowed with pearl1    
,you'll find your ,fanny an obedient    
girl4#de  ,the taste for a necklace     
rowed with pearl1 is not the first      
taste1 even in girls1 that we should    
wish to cultivate2 but the poet's       

principle is good1 notwithstanding4 ,bid
 your child do things that are agreeable
 to him1 and you may be sure of his     
obedience4 ,bid a hungry boy eat apple  
pye2 order a shivering urchin to warm   
himself at a good fire2 desire him to go
 to bed when you see him yawn with      
fatigue1 and by such seasonable commands
 you will soon form associations of     
pleasure in his mind1 with the voice and
 tone of authority4 ,this tone should   
never be threatening1 or alarming2 it   
should be gentle1 but decided4 ,whenever
 it becomes necessary that a child      
should do what he feels disagreeable1 it
 is better to make him submit at once to
 necessity1 than to create any doubt and
 struggle in his mind1 by leaving him a 
possibility of resistance4 ,suppose a   
little boy wishes to sit up later than  
the hour at which you think proper that 
he should go to bed2 it is most prudent 
to take him to bed at the appointed     
time1 without saying one word to him1   
either in the way of entreaty or        

command4 ,if you entreat1 you give the  
child an idea that he has it in his     
power to refuse you3 if you command1 and
 he does not instantly obey1 you hazard 
your authority1 and you teach him that  
he can successfully set his will in     
opposition to yours4 ,the boy wishes to 
sit up2 he sees no reason1 in the moral 
fitness of things1 why he should go to  
bed at one hour more than at another2   
all he perceives is1 that such is your  
will4 ,what does he gain by obeying you8
 ,nothing3 he loses the pleasure of     
sitting up half an hour longer4 ,how can
 you then expect that he should1 in     
consequence of these reasonings1 give up
 his obvious immediate interest1 and    
march off to bed heroically at the word 
of command8 ,let him not be put to the  
trial2 when he has for some time been   
regularly taken to bed at a fixed hour1 
he will acquire the habit of thinking   
that he must go at that hour3           
association will make him expect it2 and
 if his experience has been uniform1 he 

will1 without knowing why1 think it     
necessary that he should do as he has   
been used to do4 ,when the habit of     
obedience to customary necessity is thus
 formed1 we may1 without much risk1     
engraft upon it obedience to the voice  
of authority4 ,for instance1 when the   
boy hears the clock strike1 the usual   
signal for his departure1 you may1 if   
you see that he is habitually ready to  
obey this signal1 associate your        
commands with that to which he has      
already learned to pay attention4 ,go2  
it is time that you should go to bed    
now1 will only seem to the child a      
confirmation of the sentence already    
pronounced by the clock3 by degrees1    
your commands1 after they have been     
regularly repeated1 when the child feels
 no hope of evading them1 will1 even in 
new circumstances1 have from association
 the power of compelling obedience4     
,whenever we desire a child to do any   
thing1 we should be perfectly certain1  
not only that it is a thing which he is 

capable of doing1 but also1 that it is  
something we can1 in case it comes to   
that ultimate argument1 force him to do4
 ,you cannot oblige a child to stand up1
 if he has a mind to sit down2 or to    
walk1 if he does not choose to exert his
 muscles for that purpose3 but you can  
absolutely prevent him from touching    
whatever you desire him not to meddle   
with1 by your superior strength4 ,it is 
best1 then1 to begin with prohibitions2 
with such prohibitions as you can1 and  
will1 steadily persevere to enforce3 if 
you are not exact in requiring          
obedience1 you will never obtain it     
either by persuasion or authority4 ,as  
it will require a considerable portion  
of time and unremitting attention1 to   
enforce the punctual observance of a    
variety of prohibitions1 it will1 for   
your own sake1 be most prudent to issue 
as few edicts as possible1 and to be    
sparing in the use of the imperative    
mood4 ,it will1 if you calculate the    
trouble you must take day after day to  

watch your pupil1 cost you less to begin
 by arranging every circumstance in your
 power1 so as to prevent the necessity  
of trusting to laws what ought to be    
guarded against by precaution4 ,do you1 
for instance1 wish to prevent your son  
from breaking a beautiful china jar in  
your drawing room2 instead of forbidding
 him to touch it1 put it out of his     
reach4--,would you prevent your son from
 talking to servants2 let your house1 in
 the first place1 be so arranged1 that  
he shall never be obliged to pass       
through any rooms where he is likely to 
meet with servants2 let all his wants be
 gratified without their interference2  
let him be able to get at his hat       
without asking the footman to reach it  
for him1 from its inaccessible          
height4#df ,the simple expedient of     
hanging the hat in a place where the boy
 can reach it1 will save you the trouble
 of continually repeating1 ,don't ask   
,william1 child1 to reach your hat2     
can't you come and ask me8 ,yes1 the boy

 can come and ask you2 but if you are   
busy1 you will not like to go in quest  
of the hat2 your reluctance will        
possibly appear in your countenance1 and
 the child1 who understands the language
 of looks better than that of words1    
will clearly comprehend1 that you are   
displeased with him at the very instant 
that he is fulfilling the letter of the 
law4  ,a lady1 who was fond of having   
her house well arranged1 discovered1 to 
the amazement of her acquaintance1 the  
art of making all her servants keep     
every thing in its place4 ,even in the  
kitchen1 from the most minute article to
 the most unwieldy1 every thing was     
invariably to be found in its allotted  
station2 the servants were thought      
miracles of obedience2 but1 in fact1    
they obeyed because it was the easiest  
thing they could possibly do4 ,order was
 made more convenient to them than      
disorder1 and1 with their utmost        
ingenuity to save themselves trouble1   
they could not invent places for every  

thing more appropriate than those which 
had been assigned by their mistress's   
legislative economy4 ,in the same manner
 we may secure the orderly obedience of 
children1 without exhausting their      
patience or our own4 ,rousseau advises1 
that children should be governed solely 
by the necessity of circumstances2 but  
there are one and twenty excellent      
objections to this system2 the first    
being1 that it is impossible3 of this   
,rousseau must have been sensible in the
 trials which he made as a preceptor4   
,when he had the management of a        
refractory child1 he found himself      
obliged to invent and arrange a whole   
drama1 by artificial experience1 to     
convince his little pupil1 that he had  
better not walk out in the streets of   
,paris alone2 and that1 therefore1 he   
should wait until his pupil could       
conveniently accompany him4 ,rousseau   
had prepared the neighbours on each side
 of the street to make proper speeches  
as his pupil passed by their doors1     

which alarmed and piqued the boy        
effectually4 ,at length the child was   
met at a proper time1 by a friend who   
had been appointed to watch him2 and    
thus he was brought home submissive4    
,this scene1 as ,rousseau observes1 was 
admirably well performed2#dg but what   
occasion could there be for so much     
contrivance and deceit8 ,if his pupil   
had not been uncommonly deficient in    
penetration1 he would soon have         
discovered his preceptor in some of his 
artifices2 then adieu both to obedience 
and confidence4 ,a false idea of the    
pleasures of liberty misled ,rousseau4  
,children have not our abstract ideas of
 the pleasures of liberty2 they do not1 
until they have suffered from ill judged
 restraints1 feel any strong desire to  
exercise what we call free will2 liberty
 is1 with them1 the liberty of doing    
certain specific things which they have 
found to be agreeable2 liberty is not   
the general idea of pleasure1 in doing  
whatever they ,,will to do4 ,rousseau   

desires1 that we should not let our     
pupil know1 that in doing our will he is
 obedient to us4 ,but why8 ,why should  
we not let a child know the truth8 ,if  
we attempt to conceal it1 we shall only 
get into endless absurdities and        
difficulties4 ,lord ,kames tells us1    
that he was acquainted with a couple1   
who1 in the education of their family1  
pursued as much as possible ,rousseau's 
plan4 ,one evening1 as the father was   
playing at chess with a friend1 one of  
his children1 a boy of about four years 
old1 took a piece from the board1 and   
ran away to play with it4 ,the father1  
whose principles would not permit him to
 assert his right to his own chessman1  
began to bargain for his property with  
his son4 ,harry1 said he1 let us have   
back the man1 and there's an apple for  
you4 ,the apple was soon devoured1 and  
the child returned to the chess board1  
and kidnapped another chessman4 ,what   
this man's ransom might be1 we are not  
yet informed2 but ,lord ,kames tells us1

 that the father was obliged to suspend 
his game at chess until his son was led 
away to his supper4 ,does it seem just1 
that parents should become slaves to the
 liberties of their children8 ,if one   
set of beings or another should         
sacrifice a portion of happiness1 surely
 those who are the most useful1 and the 
most capable of increasing the knowledge
 and the pleasures of life1 have some   
claim to a preference2 and when the     
power is entirely in their own hands1 it
 is most probable that they will defend 
their own interests4 ,we shall not1 like
 many who have spoken of ,rousseau1     
steal from him after having abused him4 
,his remarks upon the absurd and        
tyrannical restraints which are         
continually imposed upon children by the
 folly of nurses and servants1 or by the
 imprudent anxiety of parents and       
preceptors1 are excellent4 ,whenever    
,rousseau is in the right1 his eloquence
 is irresistible4  ,to determine what   
degree of obedience it is just to       

require from children1 we must always   
consider what degree of reason they     
possess3 whenever we can use reason1 we 
should never use force2 it is only      
whilst children are too young to        
comprehend reason1#dh that we should    
expect from them implicit submission4   
,the means which have been pointed out  
for teaching the habit of obedience1    
must not be depended upon for teaching  
any thing more than the mere habit4     
,when children begin to reason1 they do 
not act merely from habit2 they will not
 be obedient at this age1 unless their  
understanding is convinced that it is   
for their advantage to be so4 ,wherever 
we can explain the reasons for any of   
our requests1 we should attempt it2 but 
whenever these cannot be fully          
explained1 it is better not to give a   
partial explanation2 it will be best to 
say steadily1 ,you cannot understand    
this now1 you will1 perhaps1 understand 
it some time hence4 ,whenever we tell   
children1 that we forbid them to do such

 and such things for any particular     
reason1 we must take care that the      
reason assigned is adequate1 and that it
 will in all cases hold good4 ,for      
instance1 if we forbid a boy to eat     
unripe fruit1 because it will make him  
ill1 and if afterwards the boy eat some 
unripe gooseberries without feeling ill 
in consequence of his disobedience1 he  
will doubt the truth of the person who  
prohibited unripe fruit2 he will rather 
trust his own partial experience than   
any assertions4 ,the idea of hurting his
 health1 is a general idea1 which he    
does not yet comprehend4 ,it is more    
prudent to keep him out of the way of   
unripe gooseberries1 than to hazard at  
once his obedience and his integrity4   
,we need not expatiate further2 the     
instance we have given1 may be readily  
applied to all cases in which children  
have it in their power to disobey with  
immediate impunity1 and1 what is still  
more dangerous1 with the certainty of   
obtaining immediate pleasure4 ,the      

gratification of their senses1 and the  
desire of bodily exercise1 ought never  
to be unnecessarily restrained4 ,our    
pupils should distinctly perceive1 that 
we wish to make them happy1 and every   
instance1 in which they discover that   
obedience has really made them happier1 
will be more in our favour1 than all the
 lectures we could preach4 ,from the    
past1 they will judge of the future4    
,children1 who have for many years      
experienced1 that their parents have    
exacted obedience only to such commands 
as proved to be ultimately wise and     
beneficial1 will surely be disposed from
 habit1 from gratitude1 and yet more    
from prudence1 to consult their parents 
in all the material actions of their    
lives4  ,we may observe1 that the spirit
 of contradiction1 which sometimes      
breaks out in young people the moment   
they are able to act for themselves1    
arises frequently from slight causes in 
their early education4 ,children1 who   
have experienced1 that submission to the

 will of others has constantly made them
 unhappy1 will necessarily1 by reasoning
 inversely1 imagine1 that felicity      
consists in following their own free    
will4  ,the ,french poet ,boileau was   
made very unhappy by neglect and        
restraint during his education3 when he 
grew up1 he would never agree with those
 who talked to him of the pleasures of  
childhood4#di ,peut on1 disoit ce pote  
amoureux de l'indpendence1 ne pas       
regarder comme un grand malheur1 le     
chagrin continuel et particulier  cet   
age1 de ne jamais faire sa volont8 ,it  
was in vain1 continues his biographer1  
to boast to him of the advantages of    
this happy constraint1 which saves youth
 from so many follies4 ,what signifies  
our knowing the value of our chains when
 we have shaken them off1 if we feel    
nothing but their weight whilst we wear 
them8 the galled poet used to reply4    
,nor did ,boileau enjoy his freedom1    
though he thought with such horror of   
his slavery4 ,he declared1 that if he   

had it in his choice1 either to be born 
again upon the hard conditions of again 
going through his childhood1 or not to  
exist1 he would rather not exist3 but he
 was not happy during any period of his 
existence2 he quarrelled with all the   
seasons of life2 all seemed to him      
equally disagreeable2 youth1 manhood1   
and old age1 are each subject1 he       
observed1 to impetuous passions1 to     
care1 and to infirmities4 ,hence we may 
conclude1 that the severity of his      
education had not succeeded in teaching 
him to submit philosophically to        
necessity1 or yet in giving him much    
enjoyment from that liberty which he so 
much coveted4 ,thus it too often        
happens1 that an imaginary value is set 
upon the exercise of the free will by   
those who1 during their childhood1 have 
suffered under injudicious restrictions4
 ,sometimes the love of free will is so 
uncontrollably excited1 even during     
childhood1 that it breaks out1          
unfortunately both for the pupils and   

the preceptors1 in the formidable shape 
of obstinacy4  ,of all the faults to    
which children are subject1 there is    
none which is more difficult to cure1 or
 more easy to prevent1 than obstinacy4  
,as it is early observed by those who   
are engaged in education1 it is         
sometimes supposed to be inherent in the
 temper2 but1 so far from being         
naturally obstinate1 infants show those 
strong propensities to sympathy and     
imitation1 which prepare them for an    
opposite character4 ,the folly of the   
nurse1 however1 makes an intemperate use
 of these happy propensities4 ,she      
perpetually torments the child to exert 
himself for her amusement2 all his      
senses and all his muscles she commands4
 ,he must see1 hear1 talk1 or be silent1
 move or be still1 when she thinks      
proper2 and often with the desire of    
amusing her charge1 or of showing him   
off to the company1 she disgusts him    
with voluntary exertion4 ,before young  
children have completely acquired the   

use of their limbs1 they cannot perform 
feats of activity or of dexterity at a  
moment's warning4 ,their muscles do not 
instantaneously obey their will2 the    
efforts they make are painful to        
themselves2 the awkwardness of their    
attempts is painful to others2 the delay
 of the body is often mistaken for the  
reluctance of the mind2 and the         
impatient tutor pronounces the child to 
be obstinate1 whilst all the time he may
 be doing his utmost to obey4 ,instead  
of growing angry with the helpless      
child1 it would be surely more wise to  
assist his feeble and inexperienced     
efforts4 ,if we press him to make       
unsuccessful attempts1 we shall         
associate pain both with voluntary      
exertion and with obedience4  ,little   
,w---- 7a boy of three years old7 was   
one day asked by his father to jump4    
,the boy stood stock still4 ,perhaps he 
did not know the meaning of the word    
jump4 ,the father1 instead of pressing  
him further1 asked several other        

children who happened to be in the room 
to jump1 and he jumped along with them3 
all this was done playfully4 ,the little
 boy looked on silently for a short     
time1 and seemed much pleased4 ,papa    
jumps6 he exclaimed4 ,his brother ,l----
 lifted him up two or three times2 and  
he then tried to jump1 and succeeded3   
from sympathy he learned the command of 
the muscles which were necessary to his 
jumping1 and to his obedience4 ,if this 
boy had been importuned1 or forced to   
exert himself1 he might have been thus  
taught obstinacy1 merely from the       
imprudent impatience of the spectators4 
,the reluctance to stop when a child is 
once in motion1 is often mistaken for   
obstinacy3 when he is running1 singing1 
laughing1 or talking1 if you suddenly   
command him to stop1 he cannot instantly
 obey you4 ,if we reflect upon our own  
minds1 we may perceive that we cannot1  
without considerable effort1 turn our   
thoughts suddenly from any subject on   
which we have been long intent4 ,if we  

have been long in a carriage1 the noise 
of the wheels sounds in our ear1 and we 
seem to be yet going on after the       
carriage has stopped4 ,we do not pretend
 to found any accurate reasoning upon   
analogy2 but we may observe1 the        
difficulty with which our minds are     
stopped or put in motion1 resembles the 
vis-inerti of the body4  ,w---- 7three  
years old7 had for some minutes         
vociferated two or three words of a     
song1 until the noise could be no longer
 patiently endured2 his father called to
 him1 and desired that he would not make
 so much noise4 ,w---- paused for a     
moment1 but then went on singing the    
same words4 ,his brother said1 ,hush6   
,w---- paused for another second or two2
 but then went on with his roundelay4   
,in his countenance there was not the   
slightest appearance of ill humour4 ,one
 of his sisters put him upon a board    
which was lying on the floor1 and which 
was a little unsteady2 as he walked     
cautiously along this board1 his        

attention was occupied1 and he forgot   
his song4  ,this inability suddenly to  
desist from any occupation1 may easily  
grow into obstinacy1 because the pain of
 checking themselves will be great in   
children1 and this pain will be         
associated with the commands of those   
who govern them2 it is better to stop   
them by presenting new objects to their 
attention1 than by the stimulus of a    
peremptory voice4 ,children should never
 be accused of obstinacy2 the accusation
 cannot cure1 but may superinduce the   
disease4 ,if1 unfortunately1 they have  
been suffered to contract a disposition 
to this fault1 it may be cured by a     
little patience and good temper4 ,we    
have mentioned how example and sympathy 
may be advantageously used2 praise and  
looks of affection1 which naturally     
express our feeling when children do    
right1 encourage the slightest efforts  
to obey2 but we must carefully avoid    
showing any triumph in our victory over 
yielding stubbornness4  ,aye1 ,i knew   

that you would do what we desired at    
last1 you might as well have done it at 
first1 is a common nursery-maid's       
speech1 which is well calculated to     
pique the pride of a half-subdued       
penitent4 ,when children are made       
ashamed of submission1 they will become 
intrepid1 probably unconquerable1       
rebels4  ,neither rewards nor           
punishments will then avail2 the pupil  
perceives1 that both the wit and the    
strength of his master are set in       
competition with his3 at the expense of 
a certain degree of pain1 he has the    
power to resist as long as he thinks    
proper2 and there is scarcely any degree
 of pain that a tutor dares to inflict1 
which an obstinate hero is not able to  
endure4 ,with the spirit of a martyr1 he
 sustains reproaches and torture4 ,if1  
at length1 the master changes his tone1 
and tries to soften and win the child to
 his purpose1 his rewards are considered
 as bribes3 if the boy really thinks    
that he is in the right to rebel1 he    

must yield his sense of honour to the   
force of temptation when he obeys4 ,if  
he has formed no such idea of honour1 he
 perhaps considers the reward as the    
price of his submission2 and1 upon a    
future occasion1 he will know how to    
raise that price by prolonging his show 
of resistance4 ,where the child has     
formed a false idea of honour1 his      
obstinacy is only mistaken resolution2  
we should address ourselves to his      
understanding1 and endeavour to convince
 him of his errour4 ,where the          
understanding is convinced1 and the     
habit of opposition still continues1 we 
should carefully avoid calling his false
 associations into action2 we should not
 ask him to do any thing for which he   
has acquired an habitual aversion2 we   
should alter our manner of speaking to  
him1 that neither the tones of our      
voice1 the words1 or the looks1 which   
have been his customary signals for     
resistance1 may recall the same feelings
 to his mind3 placed in new             

circumstances1 he may acquire new       
habits1 and his old associates will in  
time be forgotten4 ,sufficient time     
must1 however1 be allowed2 we may judge 
when it is prudent to try him on any old
 dangerous subjects1 by many symptoms3  
by observing the degree of alacrity with
 which he obeys on indifferent          
occasions2 by observing what degree of  
command he has acquired over himself in 
general2 by observing in what manner he 
judges of the conduct and temper of     
other children in similar circumstances2
 by observing whether the consciousness 
of his former self continues in full    
force4 ,children often completely forget
 what they have been4  ,where obstinacy 
arises from principle1 if we may use the
 expression1 it cannot be cured by the  
same means which are taken to cure that 
species of the disease which depends    
merely upon habit4 ,the same courage and
 fortitude which in one case we         
reprobate1 and try to conquer with all  
our might1 in the other we admire and   

extol4 ,this should be pointed out to   
children2 and if they act from a love of
 glory1 as soon as they perceive it1    
they will follow that course which will 
secure to them the prize4  ,charles     
,,xii4 whom the ,turks1 when incensed by
 his disobedience to the grand seignior1
 called ,demirbash1 or head of iron1    
showed early symptoms of this headstrong
 nature2 yet in his childhood1 if his   
preceptor#ej named but glory1 any thing 
could be obtained from ,charles4        
,charles had a great aversion to        
learning ,latin2 but when he was told   
that the kings of ,poland and ,denmark  
understood it1 he began to study it in  
good earnest4 ,we do not mean to infer1 
that emulation with the kings of ,poland
 and ,denmark1 was the best possible    
motive which ,charles the ,twelfth's    
preceptor could have used1 to make the  
young prince conquer his aversion to    
,latin2 but we would point out1 that    
where the love of glory is connected    
with obstinate temper1 the passion is   

more than a match for the temper4 ,let  
us but enlighten this love of glory1 and
 we produce magnanimity in the place of 
obstinacy4 ,examples1 in conversation   
and in books1 of great characters1 who  
have not been ashamed to change their   
opinions1 and to acknowledge that they  
have been mistaken1 will probably make a
 great impression upon young people2    
they will from these learn to admire    
candour1 and will be taught1 that it is 
mean to persist in the wrong4 ,examples 
from books must1 however1 be also       
uniformly supported by examples in real 
life2 preceptors and parents must       
practise the virtues which they preach4 
,it is said1 that the amiable ,fenelon  
acquired the most permanent influence   
over his pupil1 by the candour with     
which he always treated him4 ,fenelon   
did not think that he could lessen his  
dignity by confessing himself to be in  
the wrong4  ,young people who have quick
 abilities1 and who happen to live with 
those who are inferiour to them either  

in knowledge or incapacity1 are apt to  
become positive and self-willed2 they   
measure all the world by the individuals
 with whom they have measured           
themselves2 and1 as they have been      
convinced that they have been in the    
right in many cases1 they take it for   
granted that their judgment must be     
always infallible4 ,this disease may be 
easily cured2 it is only necessary to   
place the patient amongst his superiors 
in intellect1 his own experience will   
work his cure3 he liked to follow his   
will1 because his judgment had taught   
him that he might trust more securely to
 the tact of his own understanding1 than
 to the decision of others4 ,as soon as 
he discovers more sense in the arguments
 of his companions1 he will listen to   
them1 and if he finds their reason      
superior to his own1 he will submit4 ,a 
preceptor1 who wishes to gain ascendency
 over a clever positive boy1 must reason
 with all possible precision1 and must  
always show that he is willing to be    

decided by the strongest arguments which
 can be produced4 ,if he ever           
prophesies1 he sets his judgment at     
stake2 therefore he should not prophesy 
about matters of chance1 but rather in  
affairs where he can calculate with     
certainty4 ,if his prophecies are       
frequently accomplished1 his pupil's    
confidence in him will rapidly increase2
 and if he desires that confidence to be
 permanent1 he will not affect mystery1 
but he will honestly explain the        
circumstances by which he formed his    
opinions4 ,young people who are         
accustomed to hear and to give reasons  
for their opinions1 will not be violent 
and positive in assertions2 they will   
not think that the truth of any         
assertion can be manifested by repeating
 over the same words a thousand times2  
they will not ask how many people are of
 this or that opinion1 but rather what  
arguments are produced on each side4    
,there is very little danger that any   
people1 whether young or old1 should    

continue to be positive1 who are in the 
habit of exercising their reasoning     
faculty4  ,it has been often observed   
that extremely good humoured1           
complaisant children1 when they grow up1
 become ill tempered2 and young men who 
are generally liked in society as       
pleasant companions1 become surly1      
tyrannical masters in their own         
families1 positive about mere trifles1  
and anxious to subjugate the wills of   
all who are any wise dependent upon     
them4 ,this character has been nicely   
touched by de ,boissy1 in his comedy    
called ,dehors trompeurs4  ,we must     
observe1 that whilst young people are in
 company1 and under the immediate       
influence of the excitements of novelty1
 numbers and dissipation1 it is scarcely
 possible to form a just estimate of the
 goodness of their temper4 ,young men   
who are the most ready to yield their   
inclinations to the humour of their     
companions1 are not therefore to be     
considered as of really compliant       

dispositions2 the idle or indolent1 who 
have no resources in their own minds1   
and no independent occupations1 are     
victims to the yawning demon of ennui   
the moment they are left in solitude4   
,they consequently dread so heartily to 
be left alone1 that they readily give up
 a portion of their liberty to purchase 
the pleasures and mental support which  
society affords4 ,when they give up     
their wishes1 and follow the lead of the
 company1 they in fact give up but very 
little2 their object is amusement2 and  
this obtained1 their time is sacrificed 
without regret4 ,on the contrary1 those 
who are engaged in literary or          
professional pursuits1 set a great value
 upon their time1 and feel considerable 
reluctance to part with it without some 
adequate compensation2 they must        
consequently be less complaisant        
companions1 and by the generality of    
superficial observers1 would be thought1
 perhaps1 less complying in their       
tempers1 than the idle and dissipated4  

,but when the idle man has past the     
common season for dissipation1 and is   
settled in domestic life1 his spirits   
flag from the want of his usual         
excitements2 and1 as he has no          
amusements in his own family1 to        
purchase by the polite sacrifice of his 
opinion or his will1 he is not inclined 
to complaisance4 ,the pleasures of      
exercising his free will1 becomes       
important in his eyes2 he has few       
pleasures1 and of those few he is       
tenacious4 ,he has been accustomed to   
submit to others in society2 he is proud
 to be master at home2 he has few       
emotions1 and the emotion caused by the 
exertion of command1 becomes agreeable  
and necessary to him4 ,thus many of the 
same causes which make a young man a    
pleasant companion abroad1 tend         
naturally to make him a tyrant at home4 
,this perversity and positiveness of    
temper1 ultimately arise from the want  
of occupation1 and from deficient energy
 of mind4 ,we may guard against these   

evils by education3 when we see a       
playful1 active child1 we have little   
fear of his temper4 ,oh1 he will        
certainly be good tempered1 he is the   
most obedient1 complying creature in the
 world1 he'll do any thing you ask him4 
,but let us cultivate his understanding1
 and give him tastes which shall occupy 
and interest him agreeably through life1
 or else this sweet1 complying temper   
will not last till he is thirty4  ,an   
ill cured obstinacy of temper1 when it  
breaks out after young people have      
arrived at years of discretion1 is      
terrible4 ,those who attempt to conquer 
obstinacy in children by bodily pain1 or
 by severe punishments of any kind1     
often appear to succeed1 and to have    
entirely eradicated1 when they have     
merely suppressed1 the disease for a    
time4 ,as soon as the child that is     
intimidated by force or fear1 is        
relieved from restraint1 he will resume 
his former habits2 he may change the    
mode of showing it1 but the disposition 

will continue the same4 ,it will appear 
in various parts of the conduct1 as the 
limbs of the giant appeared unexpectedly
 at different periods1 and in different 
parts of the ,castle of ,otranto4       
,,footnotes3  #de ,elegy on an old      
,beauty4 ,parnell4  #df ,rousseau4  #dg 
,emilius1 vol4 i4 page #bc4  #dh ,vol4  
i4 page #ei4  #di ,histoire des ,membres
 de l',acadmie1 par ,m4 d',alembert4    
,tome troisieme1 p4 #bd4  #ej           
,voltaire's ,hist4 ,charles ,,xii4 page 
#ac4     ,,chapter ,,viii4  ,,on        
,,truth4   ,it is not necessary here to 
pronounce a panegyric upon truth2 its   
use and value is thoroughly understood  
by all the world2 but we shall endeavour
 to give some practical advice1 which   
may be of service in educating children1
 not only to the love1 but to the       
habits1 of integrity4 ,these are not    
always found1 as they ought to be1      
inseparable4  ,rousseau's eloquence1 and
 ,locke's reasoning1 have sufficiently  
reprobated1 and it is to be hoped have  

exploded1 the system of lecturing       
children upon morality2 of giving them  
precepts and general maxims which they  
do not understand1 and which they cannot
 apply4 ,we shall not produce long      
quotations from books which are in every
 body's hands4#ea ,there is one         
particular in which ,rousseau           
especially1 and most other authors who  
have written upon education1 have given 
very dangerous counsel2 they have       
counselled parents to teach truth by    
falsehood4 ,the privilege of using      
contrivance1 and ingenious deceptions1  
has been uniformly reserved for         
preceptors2 and the pupils1 by moral    
delusions1 and the theatric effect of   
circumstances treacherously arranged1   
are to be duped1 surprised1 and cheated1
 into virtue4 ,the dialogue between the 
gardener and ,emilius about the ,maltese
 melon-seed1 is an instance of this     
method of instruction4 ,honest ,robert1 
the gardener1 in concert with the tutor1
 tells poor ,emilius a series of lies1  

prepares a garden1 choice ,maltese      
melon-seed1 and worthless beans1 all to 
cheat the boy into just notions of the  
rights of property1 and the nature of   
exchange and barter4  ,part of the      
artificial course of experience in that 
excellent work on education1 ,adele and 
,theodore1 is defective upon the same   
principle4 ,there should be no moral    
delusions2 no artificial course of      
experience2 no plots laid by parents to 
make out the truth2 no listening        
fathers1 mothers1 or governesses2 no    
pretended confidence1 or perfidious     
friends2 in one word1 no falsehood      
should be practised3 that magic which   
cheats the senses1 at the same time     
confounds the understanding4 ,the spells
 of ,prospero1 the strangenesses of the 
isle1 perplex and confound the senses   
and understanding of all who are        
subjected to his magic1 till at length1 
worked by force of wonders into         
credulity1 his captives declare that    
they will believe any thing2 that there 

are men dewlapt like bulls2 and what    
else does want credit1 says the ,duke   
,anthonio1 come to me1 and ,i'll be     
sworn 'tis true4  ,children1 whose      
simplicity has been practised upon by   
the fabling morality of their           
preceptors1 begin by feeling something  
like the implicit credulity of          
,anthonio2 but the arts of the          
preceptors are quickly suspected by     
their subjects1 and the charm is for    
ever reversed4 ,when once a child       
detects you in falsehood1 you lose his  
confidence2 his incredulity will then be
 as extravagant as his former belief was
 gratuitous4 ,it is in vain to expect1  
by the most eloquent manifestoes1 or by 
the most secret leagues offensive and   
defensive1 to conceal your real views1  
sentiments1 and actions1 from children4 
,their interest keeps their attention   
continually awake2 not a word1 not a    
look1 in which they are concerned1      
escapes them2 they see1 hear1 and       
combine1 with sagacious rapidity2 if    

falsehood be in the wind1 detection     
hunts her to discovery4  ,honesty is the
 best policy1 must be the maxim in      
education1 as well as in all the other  
affairs of life4 ,we must not only be   
exact in speaking truth to our pupils1  
but to every body else2 to acquaintance1
 to servants1 to friends1 to enemies4   
,it is not here meant to enter any      
overstrained protest against the common 
phrases and forms of politeness2 the    
current coin may not be pure2 but when  
once its alloy has been ascertained1 and
 its value appreciated1 there is no     
fraud1 though there may be some folly1  
in continuing to trade upon equal terms 
with our neighbours1 with money of high 
nominal1 and scarcely any real1 value4  
,no fraud is committed by a gentleman's 
saying he is not at home1 because no    
deception is intended2 the words are    
silly1 but they mean1 and are understood
 to mean1 nothing more than that the    
person in question does not choose to   
see the visiters who knock at his door4 

,i am1 sir1 your obedient and humble    
servant1 at the end of a letter1 does   
not mean that the person who signs the  
letter is a servant1 or humble1 or      
obedient1 but it simply expresses that  
he knows how to conclude his letter     
according to the usual form of civility4
 ,change this absurd phrase1 and        
welcome2 but do not let us1 in the      
spirit of ,draco1 make no distinction   
between errours and crimes4 ,the foibles
 of fashion or folly1 are not to be     
treated with the detestation due to     
hypocrisy and falsehood2 if small faults
 are to incur such grievous punishments1
 there can1 indeed1 be none found       
sufficiently severe for great crimes2   
great crimes1 consequently1 for want of 
adequate punishment1 will increase1 and 
the little faults1 that have met with   
disproportionate persecution1 will      
become amiable and innocent in the eyes 
of commiserating human nature4 ,it is   
not difficult to explain to young people
 the real meaning1 or rather the        

nonsense1 of a few complimentary        
phrases2 their integrity will not be    
increased or diminished by either       
saying1 or omitting to say1 ,i am much  
obliged to you1 or ,i shall be very     
happy to see you at dinner1 c4 ,we do   
not mean to include in the harmless list
 of compliments1 any expressions which  
are meant to deceive2 the common custom 
of the country1 and of the society in   
which we live1 sufficiently regulates   
the style of complimentary language2 and
 there are few so ignorant of the world 
as seriously to misunderstand this1 or  
to mistake civility for friendship4     
,there is a story told of a ,chinese    
mandarin1 who paid a visit to a friend  
at ,paris1 at the time when ,paris was  
the seat of politeness4 ,his well-bred  
host1 on the first evening of his       
arrival1 gave him a handsome supper1    
lodged him in the best bed-chamber1 and 
when he wished him a good night1 amongst
 other civil things1 said he hoped the  
mandarin would1 during his stay at      

,paris1 consider that house as his own4 
,early the next morning1 the polite     
,parisian was awakened by the sound of  
loud hammering in the mandarin's        
bed-chamber2 on entering the room1 he   
found the mandarin and some masons hard 
at work1 throwing down the walls of the 
house4 ,you rascals1 are you mad8       
exclaimed the ,frenchman to the masons4 
,not at all1 my dear friend1 said the   
,chinese man1 soberly1 ,i set the poor  
fellows to work2 this room is too small 
for my taste2 you see ,i have lost no   
time in availing myself of your         
goodness4 ,did not you desire me to use 
this house as if it were my own1 during 
my stay at ,paris8 ,assuredly1 my dear  
friend1 and so ,i hope you will1 replied
 the ,french gentleman1 the only        
misfortune here is1 that ,i did not     
understand ,chinese1 and that ,i had no 
interpreter4 ,they found an interpreter1
 or a ,chinese dictionary1 and when the 
,parisian phrase was properly           
translated1 the mandarin1 who was an    

honest man1 begged his polite host's    
pardon for having pulled down the       
partition4 ,it was rebuilt2 the mandarin
 learned ,french1 and the two friends   
continued upon the best terms with each 
other1 during the remainder of the      
visit4  ,the ,chesterfieldian system of 
endeavouring to please by dissimulation1
 is obviously distinguishable by any    
common capacity1 from the usual forms of
 civility4 ,there is no hope of         
educating young people to a love of     
integrity in any family1 where this     
practice is adopted4 ,if children       
observe that their parents deceive      
common acquaintance1 by pretending to   
like the company1 and to esteem the     
characters1 of those whom they really   
think disagreeable and contemptible1 how
 can they learn to respect truth8 ,how  
can children believe in the praise of   
their parents1 if they detect them in   
continual flattery towards indifferent  
people8 ,it may be thought1 by          
latitudinarians in politeness1 that we  

are too rigid in expecting this strict  
adherence to truth from people who live 
in society2 it may be said1 that in     
,practical ,education1 no such ,utopian 
ideas of perfection should be suggested4
 ,if we thought them ,utopian1 we       
certainly should not waste our time upon
 them2 but we do not here speak         
theoretically of what may be done1 we   
speak of what has been done4 ,without   
the affectation of using a more         
sanctified language than other people2  
without departing from the common forms 
of society2 without any painful1 awkward
 efforts1 we believe that parents may1  
in all their conversation in private and
 in public1 set their children the      
uniform example of truth and integrity4 
,we do not mean that the example of     
parents can alone produce this effect2 a
 number of other circumstances must be  
combined4 ,servants must have no        
communication with children1 if you wish
 to teach them the habit of speaking    
truth4 ,the education1 and custom1 and  

situation of servants1 are at present   
such1 that it is morally impossible to  
depend upon their veracity in their     
intercourse with children4 ,servants    
think it good natured to try to excuse  
and conceal all the little faults of    
children2 to give them secret           
indulgences1 and even positively to deny
 facts1 in order to save them from blame
 or punishment4 ,even when they are not 
fond of the children1 their example must
 be dangerous1 because servants do not  
scruple to falsify for their own        
advantage2 if they break any thing1 what
 a multitude of equivocations6 ,if they 
neglect any thing1 what a variety of    
excuses6 ,what evasions in actions1 or  
in words1 do they continually invent6   
,it may be said1 that as the ,spartans  
taught their children to detest         
drunkenness1 by showing them intoxicated
 ,helots1 we can make falsehood odious  
and contemptible to our pupils1 by the  
daily example of its mean deformity4    
,but if children1 before they can       

perceive the general advantage of       
integrity1 and before they can          
understand the utility of truth1 see the
 partial immediate success of falsehood1
 how can they avoid believing in their  
own experience8 ,if they see that       
servants escape blame1 and screen       
themselves from punishment1 by telling  
falsehoods1 they not only learn that    
falsehood preserves from pain1 but they 
feel obliged to those who practise it   
for their sakes2 thus it is connected   
with the feelings of affection and of   
gratitude in their hearts1 as well as   
with a sense of pleasure and safety4    
,when servants have exacted promises    
from their protgs1 those promises cannot
 be broken without treachery2 thus      
deceit brings on deceit1 and the ideas  
of truth and falsehood1 become confused 
and contradictory4 ,in the chapter upon 
servants1 we have expatiated upon this  
subject1 and have endeavoured to point  
out how all communication between       
children and servants may be most       

effectually prevented4 ,to that chapter1
 without further repetition1 we refer4  
,and now that we have adjusted the      
preliminaries concerning parents and    
servants1 we may proceed with           
confidence4  ,when young children first 
begin to speak1 from not having a       
sufficient number of words to express   
their ideas1 or from not having annexed 
precise ideas to the words which they   
are taught to use1 they frequently make 
mistakes1 which are attributed to the   
desire of deceiving4 ,we should not     
precipitately suspect them of falsehood2
 it is some time before they perfectly  
understand what we mean by truth4 ,small
 deviations should not be marked with   
too much rigour2 but whenever a child   
relates exactly any thing which he has  
seen1 heard1 or felt1 we should listen  
with attention and pleasure1 and we     
should not show the least doubt of his  
veracity4 ,rousseau is perfectly right  
in advising1 that children should never 
be questioned in any circumstances upon 

which it can be their interest to       
deceive4 ,we should1 at least1 treat    
children with the same degree of wise   
lenity1 which the ,english law extends  
to all who have arrived at years of     
discretion4 ,no criminal is bound to    
accuse himself4 ,if any mischief has    
been committed1 we should never1 when we
 are uncertain by whom it has been done1
 either directly accuse1 or betray      
injurious suspicions4 ,we should neither
 say to the child1 ,i believe you have  
done this1 nor1 ,i believe you have not 
done this2 we should say nothing2 the   
mischief is done1 we cannot repair it3  
because a glass is broken1 we need not  
spoil a child2 we may put glasses out of
 his reach in future4 ,if it should1    
however1 happen1 that a child           
voluntarily comes to us with a history  
of an accident1 may no love of goods or 
chattels1 of windows1 of china1 or even 
of looking-glasses1 come in competition 
with our love of truth8 ,an angry word1 
an angry look1 may intimidate the child1

 who has summoned all his little courage
 to make this confession4 ,it is not    
requisite that parents should pretend to
 be pleased and gratified with the      
destruction of their furniture1 but they
 may1 it is to be hoped1 without        
dissimulation1 show that they set more  
value upon the integrity of their       
children1 than upon a looking-glass1 and
 they will keep their temper still1     
though china fall4  ,h----1 one day when
 his father and mother were absent from 
home1 broke a looking-glass4 ,as soon as
 he heard the sound of the returning    
carriage1 he ran and posted himself at  
the hall door4 ,his father1 the moment  
he got out of the carriage1 beheld his  
erect figure1 and pale1 but intrepid    
countenance4 ,father1 said the boy1 ,i  
have broke the best looking-glass in    
your house6 ,his father assured him1    
that he would rather all the            
looking-glasses in his house should be  
broken1 than that one of his children   
should attempt to make an excuse4 ,h----

 was most agreeably relieved from his   
anxiety by the kindness of his father's 
voice and manner1 and still more so1    
perhaps1 by perceiving that he rose in  
his esteem4 ,when the glass was         
examined1 it appeared that the boy had  
neglected to produce all the            
circumstances in his own favour4 ,before
 he had begun to play at ball1 he had   
had the precaution to turn the back of  
the looking-glass towards him2 his ball1
 however1 accidentally struck against   
the wooden back1 and broke the glass4   
,h---- did not make out this favourable 
state of the case for himself at first2 
he told it simply after the business was
 settled1 seeming much more interested  
about the fate of the glass1 than eager 
to exculpate himself4  ,there is no     
great danger of teaching children to do 
mischief by this indulgence to their    
accidental misfortunes4 ,when they      
break1 or waste any thing1 from pure    
carelesness1 let them1 even when they   
speak the truth about it1 suffer the    

natural consequences of their           
carelesness2 but at the same time praise
 their integrity1 and let them          
distinctly feel the difference between  
the slight inconvenience to which they  
expose themselves by speaking the truth1
 and the great disgrace to which        
falsehood would subject them4 ,the      
pleasure of being esteemed1 and trusted1
 is early felt1 and the consciousness of
 deserving confidence is delightful to  
children2 but their young fortitude and 
courage should never be exposed to      
severe temptations4 ,it is not          
sufficient to excite an admiration of   
truth by example1 by eloquent praise1 or
 by the just rewards of esteem and      
affection2 we must take care to form the
 habits at the same time that we inspire
 the love of this virtue4 ,many children
 admire truth1 and feel all the shame of
 telling falsehoods1 who yet1 either    
from habit or from fear1 continue to    
tell lies4 ,we must observe1 that though
 the taste for praise is strong in      

childhood1 yet it is not a match for any
 of the bodily appetites1 when they are 
strongly excited4 ,those children1 who  
are restrained as to the choice1 or the 
quantity1 of their food1 usually think  
that eating is a matter of vast         
consequence1 and they are strongly      
tempted to be dishonest to gratify their
 appetites4 ,children do not understand 
the prudential maxims concerning health1
 upon which these restraints are        
founded2 and if they can1 by any        
indirection1 obtain things which gratify
 their palate1 they will4 ,on the       
contrary1 young people who are regularly
 let to eat and drink as much as they   
please1 can have no temptation from     
hunger and thirst1 to deceive2 if they  
partake of the usual family meals1 and  
if there are no whimsical distinctions  
between wholesome and unwholesome       
dishes1 or epicurean distinctions       
between rarities and plain food1 the    
imagination and the pride of children   
will not be roused about eating4 ,their 

pride is piqued1 if they perceive that  
they are prohibited from touching what  
grown up people are privileged to eat2  
their imagination is set to work by     
seeing any extraordinary difference made
 by judges of eating between one species
 of food and another4 ,in families where
 a regularly good table is kept1        
children accustomed to the sight and    
taste of all kinds of food1 are seldom  
delicate1 capricious1 or disposed to    
exceed2 but in houses where             
entertainments are made from time to    
time with great bustle and anxiety1 fine
 clothes1 and company-manners1 and      
company-faces1 and all that politeness  
can do to give the appearance of        
festivity1 deceive children at least1   
and make them imagine that there is some
 extraordinary joy in seeing a greater  
number of dishes than usual upon the    
table4 ,upon these occasions1 indeed1   
the pleasure is to them substantial2    
they eat more1 they eat a greater       
variety1 and of things that please them 

better than usual2 the pleasure of      
eating is associated with unusual       
cheerfulness1 and thus the imagination1 
and the reality1 conspire to make them  
epicures4 ,to these children1 the       
temptations to deceive about sweetmeats 
and dainties are beyond measure great1  
especially as ill-bred strangers        
commonly show their affection for them  
by pressing them to eat what they are   
not allowed to say if you please to4    
,rousseau thinks all children are       
gluttons4 ,all children may be rendered 
gluttons2 but few1 who are properly     
treated with respect to food1 and who   
have any literary tastes1 can be in     
danger of continuing to be fond of      
eating4 ,we therefore1 without          
hesitation1 recommend it to parents     
never to hazard the truth and honour of 
their pupils by prohibitions1 which     
seldom produce any of the effects that  
are expected4  ,children are sometimes  
injudiciously restrained with regard to 
exercise2 they are required to promise  

to keep within certain boundaries when  
they are sent out to play2 these        
promises are often broken with impunity1
 and thus the children learn habits of  
successful deceit4 ,instead of          
circumscribing their play grounds1 as   
they are sometimes called1 by narrow    
inconvenient limits1 we should allow    
them as much space as we can with       
convenience1 and at all events exact no 
promises4 ,we should absolutely make it 
impossible for them to go without       
detection into any place which we       
forbid4 ,it requires some patience and  
activity in preceptors to take all the  
necessary precautions in issuing orders1
 but these precautions will be more     
useful in preserving the integrity of   
their pupils1 than the most severe      
punishments that can be devised4 ,we are
 not so unreasonable as to expect1 with 
some theoretic writers on education1    
that tutors and parents should sacrifice
 the whole of their time to the         
convenience1 amusement1 and education of

 their pupils4 ,this would be putting   
one set of beings sadly over the head of
 another3 but if parents would1 as much 
as possible1 mix their occupations and  
recreations with those of their         
children1 besides many other advantages 
which have been elsewhere pointed out   
with respect to the improvement of the  
understanding1 they would secure them   
from many temptations to falsehood4     
,they should be encouraged to talk      
freely of all their amusements to their 
parents1 and to ask them for whatever   
they want to complete their little      
inventions4 ,instead of banishing all   
the freedom of wit and humour1 by the   
austerity of his presence1 a preceptor1 
with superior talents1 and all the      
resources of property in his favour1    
might easily become the arbiter         
deliciarum of his pupils4  ,when young  
people begin to taste the pleasures of  
praise1 and to feel the strong          
excitations of emulation and ambition1  
their integrity is exposed to a new     

species of temptation4 ,they are        
tempted1 not only by the hope of        
obtaining well-earned praise1 but by the
 desire to obtain praise without the    
labour of earning it4 ,in large schools1
 where boys assist each other in their  
literary exercises1 and in all private  
families where masters are allowed to   
show off the accomplishments of young   
gentlemen and ladies1 there are so many 
temptations to fraudulent exhibitions1  
that we despair of guarding against     
their consequences4 ,the best possible  
method is to inspire children with a    
generous contempt for flattery1 and to  
teach them to judge impartially of their
 own merits4 ,if we are exact in the    
measure of approbation which we bestow1 
they will hence form a scale by which   
they can estimate the sincerity of other
 people4 ,it is said#eb that the        
preceptor of the duke of ,burgundy      
succeeded so well in inspiring him with 
disdain for unmerited praise1 that when 
the duke was only nine years old1 he one

 day called his tutor to account for    
having concealed some of his childish   
faults2 and when this promising boy1 and
 singular prince1 was asked why he      
disliked one of his courtiers1 he       
answered1 ,because he flatters me4      
,anecdotes like these will make a useful
 impression upon children4 ,the life of 
,cyrus1 in the ,cyropdia2 several       
passages in ,plutarch's ,lives2 and the 
lively1 interesting picture which ,sully
 draws of his noble-hearted master's    
love of truth1 will strongly command the
 admiration of young people1 if they    
read them at a proper time of life4 ,we 
must1 however1 wait for this proper     
time2 for if these things are read too  
early1 they lose all their effect4      
,without any lectures upon the beauty of
 truth1 we may1 now and then in         
conversation1 when occurrences in real  
life naturally lead to the subject1     
express with energy our esteem for      
integrity4 ,the approbation which we    
bestow upon those who give proofs of    

integrity1 should be quite in a         
different tone1 in a much higher style  
of praise1 than any commendations for   
trifling accomplishments2 hence children
 will become more ambitious to obtain a 
reputation for truth1 than for any other
 less honourable and less honoured      
qualification4  ,we will venture to give
 two or three slight instances of the   
unaffected truth and simplicity of mind1
 which we have seen in children educated
 upon these principles4 ,no good-natured
 reader will suspect1 that they are     
produced from ostentation3 whenever the 
children1 who are mentioned1 see this in
 print1 it is ten to one that they will 
not be surprised at their own good      
deeds4 ,they will be a little surprised1
 probably1 that it should have been     
thought worth while to record things1   
which are only what they see and feel   
every day4 ,it is this character of     
every-day goodness which we wish to     
represent2 not any fine thoughts1 fine  
sentiments1 or fine actions1 which come 

out for holyday admiration4 ,we wish    
that parents1 in reading any of these   
little anecdotes1 may never exclaim1 ,oh
 that's charming1 that's surprising for 
a child6 but we wish that they may      
sometimes smile1 and say ,that's very   
natural2 ,i am sure that is perfectly   
true2 my little boy1 or my little girl1 
say and do just such things continually4
  ,march1 #agib4 ,we were at ,clifton2  
the river ,avon ran close under the     
windows of our house in ,prince's       
,place1 and the children used to be much
 amused with looking at the vessels     
which came up the river4 ,one night a   
ship1 that was sailing by the windows1  
fired some of her guns2 the children1   
who were looking out of the windows1    
were asked why the light was seen when  
the guns were fired1 before the noise   
was heard8 ,c----1 who at this time was 
nine years old1 answered1 ,because light
 comes quicker to the eye1 than sound to
 the ear4 ,her father was extremely     
pleased with this answer2 but just as he

 was going to kiss her1 the little girl 
said1 ,father1 the reason of my knowing 
it1 was1 that ,l---- 7her elder brother7
 just before had told it to me4  ,there 
is1 it is usually found1 most temptation
 for children to deceive when they are  
put in competition with each other1 when
 their ambition is excited by the same  
object2 but if the transient glory of   
excelling in quickness1 or abilities of 
any sort1 be much inferiour to the      
permanent honour which is secured by    
integrity1 there is1 even in            
competition1 no danger of unfair play4  
,march1 #agib4 ,one evening ---- called 
the children round the tea-table1 and   
told them the following story1 which he 
had just met with in ,the ,curiosities  
of ,literature4  ,when the queen of     
,sheba went to visit king ,solomon1 she 
one day presented herself before his    
throne with a wreath of real flowers in 
one hand1 and a wreath of artificial    
flowers in the other hand2 the          
artificial flowers were made so exactly 

to resemble nature1 that at the distance
 at which they were held from ,solomon1 
it was scarcely possible that his eye   
could distinguish any difference between
 them and the natural flowers2 nor could
 he1 at the distance at which they were 
held from him1 know them asunder by     
their smell4 ,which of these two        
wreaths1 demanded the queen of ,sheba1  
is the work of nature8 ,solomon         
reflected for some minutes2 and how did 
he discover which was real8 ,s---- 7five
 years old7 replied1 ,perhaps he went   
out of the room very softly1 and if the 
woman stood near the door1 as he went   
near her1 he might see better4  ,father4
 ,but ,solomon was not to move from his 
place4  ,s----44 ,then he might wait    
till the woman was tired of holding     
them1 and then perhaps she might lay    
them down on the table1 and then perhaps
 he might see better4  ,father4 ,well1  
,c----1 what do you say8  ,c----4 ,i    
think he might have looked at the       
stalks1 and have seen which looked stiff

 like wire1 and which were bent down by 
the weight of the natural flowers4      
,father4 ,well1 ,h----8  ,h----4 7ten   
years old47 ,i think he might send for a
 great pair of bellows1 and blow1 blow1 
till the real leaves dropped off4       
,father4 ,but would it not have been    
somewhat uncivil of ,solomon to blow1   
blow1 with his great pair of bellows1   
full in the queen of ,sheba's face8     
,h----4 7doubting47 ,yes1 yes4 ,well1   
then he might have sent for a telescope1
 or a magnifying glass1 and looked      
through it2 and then he could have seen 
which were the real flowers1 and which  
were artificial4  ,father4 ,well1       
,b----1 and what do you say8  ,b----4   
7eleven years old47 ,he might have      
waited till the queen moved the flowers1
 and then1 if he listened1 he might hear
 the rustling of the artificial ones4   
,father4 ,s----1 have you any thing more
 to say8  ,s---- repeated the same thing
 that ,b---- had said2 his attention was
 dissipated by hearing the other        

children speak4 ,during this pause1     
whilst ,s---- was trying to collect his 
thoughts1 ,mrs4 ,e---- whispered to     
somebody near her1 and accidentally said
 the word animals loud enough to be     
overheard4  ,father4 ,well1 ,h----1 you 
look as if you had something to say8    
,h----4 ,father1 ,i heard my mother say 
something1 and that made me think of the
 rest4  ,mrs4 ,e---- shook hands with   
,h----1 and praised him for this        
instance of integrity4 ,h---- then said 
that he supposed ,solomon thought of    
some animal which would feed upon       
flowers1 and sent it to the two         
nosegays2 and then the animal would stay
 upon the real flowers4  ,father4 ,what 
animal8  ,h----4 ,a fly4  ,father4      
,think again4  ,h----4 ,a bee4  ,father4
 ,yes4  ,the story says that ,solomon1  
seeing some bees hover about the window1
 ordered the window to be thrown open1  
and watched upon which wreath of flowers
 the bee settled4  ,august #ast1 #agif4 
,s---- 7nine years old7 when he was     

reading in ,ovid the fable of ,perseus  
and ,andromeda1 said that he wondered   
that ,perseus fought with the monster2  
he wondered that ,perseus did not turn  
him into stone at once with his ,gorgon 
shield4 ,we believe that ,s---- saw that
 his father was pleased with this       
observation4 ,a few days afterwards     
somebody in the family recollected ,mr4 
,e----'s having said1 that when he was a
 boy he thought ,perseus a simpleton for
 not making use of the ,gorgon's head to
 turn the monster into stone4 ,we were  
not sure whether ,s---- had heard ,mr4  
,e---- say this or not2 ,mr4 ,e----     
asked him whether he recollected to have
 heard any such thing4 ,s---- answered1 
without hesitation1 that he did remember
 it4  ,when children have formed habits 
of speaking truth1 and when we see that 
these habits are grown quite easy to    
them1 we may venture to question them   
about their thoughts and feelings2 this 
must1 however1 be done with great       
caution1 but without the appearance of  

anxiety or suspicion4 ,children are     
alarmed if they see that you are very   
anxious and impatient for their answer2 
they think that they hazard much by     
their reply2 they hesitate1 and look    
eagerly in your face1 to discover by    
your countenance what they ought to     
think and feel1 and what sort of answer 
you expect4 ,all who are governed by any
 species of fear are disposed to        
equivocation4 ,amongst the lower class  
of ,irish labourers1 and under-tenants1 
a class of people who are much          
oppressed1 you can scarcely meet with   
any man who will give you a direct      
answer to the most indifferent question2
 their whole ingenuity1 and they have a 
great deal of ingenuity1 is upon the qui
 vive with you the instant you begin to 
speak2 they either pretend not to hear1 
that they may gain time to think1 whilst
 you repeat your question1 or they reply
 to you with a fresh question1 to draw  
out your remote meaning2 for they1      
judging by their own habits1 always     

think you have a remote meaning1 and    
they never can believe that your words  
have no intention to ensnare4           
,simplicity puzzles them much more than 
wit3 for instance1 if you were to ask   
the most direct and harmless question1  
as1 ,did it rain yesterday8 the first   
answer would probably be1 ,is it        
yesterday you mean8 ,yes4 ,yesterday6   
,no1 please your honour1 ,i was not at  
the bog at all yesterday4 ,wasn't ,i    
after setting my potatoes8 ,sure ,i did 
not know your honour wanted me at all   
yesterday4 ,upon my conscience1 there's 
not a man in the country1 let alone all 
,ireland1 ,i'd sooner serve than your   
honour any day in the year1 and they    
have belied me that went behind my back 
to tell your honour the contrary4 ,if   
your honour sent after me1 sure ,i never
 got the word1 ,i'll take my affidavit1 
or ,i'd been at the bog4 ,my good       
friend1 ,i don't know what you mean     
about the bog2 ,i only ask you whether  
it rained yesterday4 ,please your       

honour1 ,i couldn't get a car and horse 
any way1 to draw home my little straw1  
or ,i'd have had the house thatched long
 ago4 ,cannot you give me a plain answer
 to this plain question8 ,did it rain   
yesterday8 ,oh sure1 ,i wouldn't go to  
tell your honour a lie about the matter4
 ,sarrah much it rained yesterday after 
twelve o'clock1 barring a few showers2  
but in the night there was a great fall 
of rain any how2 and that was the reason
 prevented my going to ,dublin          
yesterday1 for fear the mistress's      
band-box should get wet upon my cars4   
,but1 please your honour1 if your       
honour's displeased about it1 ,i'll not 
be waiting for a loading2 ,i'll take my 
car and go to ,dublin to-morrow for the 
slates1 if that be what your honour     
means4 ,oh1 sure ,i would not tell a lie
 for the entire price of the slates2 ,i 
know very well it didn't rain to call   
rain yesterday4 ,but after twelve       
o'clock1 ,i don't say ,i noticed one way
 or other4  ,in this perverse and       

ludicrous method of beating about the   
bush1 the man would persist till he had 
fairly exhausted your patience2 and all 
this he would do1 partly from cunning1  
and partly from that apprehension of    
injustice which he has been taught to   
feel by hard experience4 ,the effects of
 the example of their parents is early  
and most strikingly visible in the      
children of this class of people in     
,ireland4 ,the children1 who are        
remarkably quick and intelligent1 are   
universally addicted to lying4 ,we do   
not here scruple or hesitate in the     
choice of our terms1 because we are     
convinced that this unqualified         
assertion would not shock the feelings  
of the parties concerned4 ,these poor   
children are not brought up to think    
falsehood a disgrace2 they are praised  
for the ingenuity with which they escape
 from the cross examination of their    
superiors2 and their capacities are     
admired in proportion to the acuteness1 
or1 as their parents pronounce it1      

'cuteness1 of their equivocating        
replies4 ,sometimes 7the garon#ec7 the  
little boy of the family is despatched  
by his mother to the landlord's         
neighbouring bog or turf rick1 to bring 
home1 in their phraseology1 in ours to  
steal1 a few turf2 if1 upon this        
expedition1 the little ,spartan be      
detected1 he is tolerably certain of    
being whipped by his mother1 or some of 
his friends1 upon his return home4 ,ah1 
ye little brat6 and what made ye tell   
the gentleman when he met ye1 ye rogue1 
that ye were going to the rick8 ,and    
what business had ye to go and belie me 
to his honour1 ye unnatural piece of    
goods6 ,i'll teach ye to make mischief  
through the country6 ,so ,i will4 ,have 
ye got no better sense and manners at   
this time o'day1 than to behave1 when   
one trusts ye abroad1 so like an        
innocent8 ,an innocent in ,ireland1 as  
formerly in ,england1 7witness the ,rape
 of the ,lock7 is synonymous with a     
fool4 ,and fools and innocents shall    

still believe4  ,the associations of    
pleasure1 of pride and gayety1 are so   
strong in the minds of these well       
educated children1 that they sometimes  
expect the very people who suffer by    
their dishonesty1 should sympathise in  
the self-complacency they feel from     
roguery4 ,a gentleman riding near his   
own house in ,ireland1 saw a cow's head 
and fore feet appear at the top of a    
ditch1 through a gap in the hedge by the
 road's side1 at the same time he heard 
a voice alternately threatening and     
encouraging the cow2 the gentleman rode 
up closer to the scene of action1 and he
 saw a boy's head appear behind the cow4
 ,my good boy1 said he1 that's a fine   
cow4 ,oh1 faith1 that she is1 replied   
the boy1 and ,i'm teaching her to get   
her own living1 please your honour4 ,the
 gentleman did not precisely understand 
the meaning of the expression1 and had  
he directly asked for an explanation1   
would probably have died in ignorance2  
but the boy1 proud of his cow1          

encouraged an exhibition of her talents3
 she was made to jump across the ditch  
several times1 and this adroitness in   
breaking through fences1 was termed     
getting her own living4 ,as soon as the 
cow's education is finished1 she may be 
sent loose into the world to provide for
 herself2 turned to graze in the poorest
 pasture1 she will be able and willing  
to live upon the fat of the land4  ,it  
is curious to observe how regularly the 
same moral causes produce the same      
temper and character4 ,we talk of       
climate1 and frequently attribute to    
climate the different dispositions of   
different nations3 the climate of       
,ireland1 and that of the ,west ,indies1
 are not precisely similar1 yet the     
following description1 which ,mr4       
,edwards1 in his history of the ,west   
,indies1 gives of the propensity to     
falsehood amongst the negro slaves1     
might stand word for word for a         
character of that class of the ,irish   
people who1 until very lately1 actually1

 not metaphorically1 called themselves  
slaves4  ,if a negro is asked even an   
indifferent question by his master1 he  
seldom gives an immediate reply2 but    
affecting not to understand what is     
said1 compels a repetition of the       
question1 that he may have time to      
consider1 not what is the true answer1  
but what is the most politic one for him
 to give4  ,mr4 ,edwards assures us1    
that many of these unfortunate negroes  
learn cowardice and falsehood after they
 become slaves4 ,when they first come   
from ,africa1 many of them show a frank 
and fearless temper2#ed but all         
distinction of character amongst the    
native ,africans1 is soon lost under the
 levelling influence of slavery4        
,oppression and terror necessarily      
produce meanness and deceit in all      
climates1 and in all ages2 and wherever 
fear is the governing motive in         
education1 we must expect to find in    
children a propensity to dissimulation1 
if not confirmed habits of falsehood4   

,look at the true born ,briton under the
 government of a tyrannical pedagogue1  
and listen to the language of in-born   
truth2 in the whining tone1 in the      
pitiful evasions1 in the stubborn       
falsehoods which you hear from the      
school-boy1 can you discover any of that
 innate dignity of soul which is the    
boasted national characteristic8 ,look  
again2 look at the same boy in the      
company of those who inspire no terror2 
in the company of his school-fellows1 of
 his friends1 of his parents2 would you 
know him to be the same being8 his      
countenance is open2 his attitude erect2
 his voice firm2 his language free and  
fluent2 his thoughts are upon his lips2 
he speaks truth without effort1 without 
fear4 ,where individuals are oppressed1 
or where they believe that they are     
oppressed1 they combine against their   
oppressors1 and oppose cunning and      
falsehood to power and force2 they think
 themselves released from the compact of
 truth with their masters1 and bind     

themselves in a strict league with each 
other2 thus school-boys hold no faith   
with their schoolmaster1 though they    
would think it shameful to be           
dishonourable amongst one another4 ,we  
do not think that these maxims are the  
peculiar growth of schools2 in private  
families the same feelings are to be    
found under the same species of culture3
 if preceptors or parents are unjust or 
tyrannical1 their pupils will contrive  
to conceal from them their actions and  
their thoughts4 ,on the contrary1 in    
families where sincerity has been       
encouraged by the voice of praise and   
affection1 a generous freedom of        
conversation and countenance appears1   
and the young people talk to each other1
 and to their parents1 without          
distinction or reserve2 without any     
distinction but such as superior esteem 
and respect dictate4 ,these are feelings
 totally distinct from servile fear3    
these feelings inspire the love of      
truth1 the ambition to acquire and to   

preserve character4  ,the value of a    
character for truth1 should be          
distinctly felt by children in their own
 family3 whilst they were very young1 we
 advised that their integrity should not
 be tempted2 as they grow up1 trust     
should by degrees be put in them1 and we
 should distinctly explain to them1 that
 our confidence is to be deserved before
 it can be given4 ,our belief in any    
person's truth1 is not a matter of      
affection1 but of experience and        
necessity2 we cannot doubt the          
assertions of any person whom we have   
found to speak uniformly the truth2 we  
cannot believe any person1 let us wish  
to do it ever so much1 if we have       
detected him in falsehoods4 ,before we  
have had experience of a person's       
integrity1 we may hope1 or take it for  
granted1 that he is perfectly sincere   
and honest2 but we cannot feel more than
 belief upon trust1 until we have       
actually seen his integrity tried4 ,we  
should not pretend that we have faith in

 our pupils before we have tried them2  
we may hope from their habits1 from the 
examples they have seen1 and from the   
advantageous manner in which truth has  
always been represented to them1 that   
they will act honourably2 this hope is  
natural and just1 but confidence is     
another feeling of the mind4 ,the first 
time we trust a child1 we should not    
say1 ,i am sure you will not deceive me2
 ,i can trust you with any thing in the 
world4 ,this is flattery or folly2 it is
 paying beforehand1 which is not the way
 to get business done2 why cannot we1   
especially as we are teaching truth1 say
 the thing that is--,i hope you will not
 deceive me4 ,if ,i find that you may be
 trusted1 you know ,i shall be able to  
trust you another time3 this must depend
 upon you1 not entirely upon me4 ,we    
must make ourselves certain upon these  
occasions1 how the child conducts       
himself2 nor is it necessary to use any 
artifice1 or to affect1 from false      
delicacy1 any security that we do not   

feel2 it is better openly to say1 ,you  
see1 ,i do you the justice to examine   
carefully1 how you have conducted       
yourself2 ,i wish to be able to trust   
you another time4  ,it may be said1 that
 this method of strict inquiry reduces a
 trust to no trust at all1 and that it  
betrays suspicion4 ,if you examine      
evidently with the belief that a child  
has deceived you1 certainly you betray  
injurious suspicion1 and you educate the
 child very ill2 but if you feel and    
express a strong desire to find that    
your pupil has conducted himself        
honourably1 he will be glad and proud of
 the strictest scrutiny2 he will feel   
that he has earned your future          
confidence1 and this confidence1 which  
he clearly knows how he has obtained1   
will be more valuable to him than all   
the belief upon trust which you could   
affect to feel4 ,by degrees1 after your 
pupil has taught you to depend upon him1
 your confidence will prevent the       
necessity of any examination into his   

conduct4 ,this is the just and          
delightful reward of integrity3 children
 know how to feel and understand it     
thoroughly3 besides the many restraints 
from which our confidence will naturally
 relieve them1 they feel the pride for  
being trusted2 the honour of having a   
character for integrity3 nor can it be  
too strongly impressed upon their minds1
 that this character must be preserved1 
as it was obtained1 by their own        
conduct4 ,if one link in the chain of   
confidence be broken1 the whole is      
destroyed4 ,indeed1 where habits of     
truth are early formed1 we may safely   
depend upon them4 ,a young person1 who  
has never deceived1 would see1 that the 
first step in falsehood costs too much  
to be hazarded4 ,let this appear in the 
form of calculation1 rather than of     
sentiment4 ,to habit1 to enthusiasm1 we 
owe much of all our virtues--to reason  
more2 and the more of them we owe to    
reason1 the better4 ,habit and          
enthusiasm are subject to sudden or     

gradual changes--but reason continues   
for ever the same4 ,as the understanding
 unfolds1 we should fortify all our     
pupil's habits2 and virtuous enthusiasm1
 by the conviction of their utility1 of 
their being essential to the happiness  
of society in general1 and conducive    
immediately to the happiness of every   
individual4 ,possessed of this          
conviction1 and provided with           
substantial arguments in its support1   
young people will not be exposed to     
danger1 either from sophistry or        
ridicule4  ,ridicule certainly is not   
the test of truth2 but it is a test     
which truth sometimes finds it difficult
 to stand4 ,vice never bolts her        
arguments with more success1 than when  
she assumes the air of raillery1 and the
 tone of gayety4 ,all vivacious young   
people are fond of wit2 we do not mean  
children1 for they do not understand it4
 ,those who have the best capacities1   
and the strictest habits of veracity1   
often appear to common observers        

absolutely stupid1 from their aversion  
to any play upon words1 and from the    
literal simplicity with which they      
believe every thing that is asserted4 ,a
 remarkably intelligent little girl of  
four years old1 but who had never in her
 own family been used to the common     
phrases which sometimes pass for humour1
 happened to hear a gentleman say1 as he
 looked out of the window one rainy     
morning1 ,it rains cats and dogs to-day4
 ,the child1 with a surprised1 but      
believing look1 immediately went to look
 out of the window to see the           
phenomenon4 ,this extreme simplicity in 
childhood1 is sometimes succeeded in    
youth by a strong taste for wit and     
humour4 ,young people are1 in the first 
place1 proud to show that they          
understand them2 and they are gratified 
by the perception of a new intellectual 
pleasure4 ,at this period of their      
education1 great attention must be paid 
to them1 lest their admiration for wit  
and frolic should diminish their        

reverence and their love for sober      
truth4 ,in many engaging characters in  
society1 and in many entertaining books1
 deceit and dishonesty are associated   
with superior abilities1 with ease and  
gayety of manners1 and with a certain   
air of frank carelessness1 which can    
scarcely fail to please4 ,gil ,blas1#ee 
,tom ,jones1 ,lovelace1 ,count ,fathom1 
are all of this class of characters4    
,they should not be introduced to our   
pupils till their habits of integrity   
are thoroughly formed2 and till they are
 sufficiently skilful in analysing their
 own feelings1 to distinguish whence    
their approbation and pleasure in       
reading of these characters arise4 ,in  
books1 we do not actually suffer by the 
tricks of rogues1 or by the lies they   
tell4 ,hence their truth is to us a     
quality of no value2 but their wit1     
humour1 and the ingenuity of their      
contrivances1 are of great value to us1 
because they afford us entertainment4   
,the most honest man in the universe may

 not have had half so many adventures as
 the greatest rogue2 in a romance1 the  
history upon oath of all the honest     
man's bargains and sales1 law-suits and 
losses2 nay1 even a complete view of his
 ledger and day-book1 together with the 
regular balancings of his accounts1     
would probably not afford quite so much 
entertainment1 even to a reader of the  
most unblemished integrity and          
phlegmatic temper1 as the adventures of 
,gil ,blas1 and ,jonathan ,wild1 adorned
 with all the wit of ,le ,sage1 and     
humour of ,fielding4 ,when ,gil ,blas   
lays open his whole heart to us1 and    
tells us all his sins1 unwhipt of       
justice1 we give him credit for making  
us his confidant1 and we forget that    
this sincerity1 and these liberal       
confessions1 are not characteristic of  
the hero's disposition1 but essential   
only to the novel4 ,the novel writer    
could not tell us all he had to say     
without this dying confession1 and      
inconsistent openness1 from his         

accomplished villain4 ,the reader is    
ready enough to forgive1 having never   
been duped4 ,when young people can make 
all these reflections for themselves1   
they may read ,gil ,blas with as much   
safety as the ,life of ,franklin1 or any
 other the most moral performance4 ,tout
 est sain aux sains1#ef as ,madame de   
,sevigne very judiciously observes1 in  
one of her letters upon the choice of   
books for her grand-daughter4 ,we refer 
for more detailed observations upon this
 subject to the chapter upon ,books4    
,but we cannot help here reiterating our
 advice to preceptors1 not to force the 
detestable characters1 which are        
sometimes held up to admiration in      
ancient and modern history1 upon the    
common sense1 or1 if they please1 the   
moral feelings1 of their pupils4 ,the   
bad actions of great characters1 should 
not be palliated by eloquence1 and fraud
 and villainy should never be explained 
away by the hero's or warrior's code2 a 
code which confounds all just ideas of  

right and wrong4 ,boys1 in reading the  
classics1 must read of a variety of     
crimes2 but that is no reason that they 
should approve of them1 or that their   
tutors should undertake to vindicate the
 cause of falsehood and treachery4 ,a   
gentleman1 who has taught his sons      
,latin1 has uniformly pursued the       
practice of abandoning to the just and  
prompt indignation of his young pupils  
all the ancient heroes who are deficient
 in moral honesty3 his sons1 in reading 
,cornelius ,nepos1 could not absolutely 
comprehend1 that the treachery of       
,themistocles or of ,alcibiades could be
 applauded by a wise and polished       
nation4 ,xenophon has made an eloquent  
attempt to explain the nature of        
military good faith4 ,cambyses tells his
 son1 that1 in taking advantage of an   
enemy1 a man must be crafty1 deceitful1 
a dissembler1 a thief1 and a robber4 ,oh
 ,jupiter6 exclaims the young ,cyrus1   
what a man1 my father1 you say ,i must  
be6 ,and he very sensibly asks his      

father1 why1 if it be necessary in some 
cases to ensnare and deceive men1 he had
 not in his childhood been taught by his
 preceptors the art of doing harm to his
 fellow-creatures1 as well as of doing  
them good4 ,and why1 says ,cyrus1 have  
,i always been punished whenever ,i have
 been discovered in practising deceit8  
,the answers of ,cambyses are by no     
means satisfactory upon this subject2   
nor do we think that the conversation   
between the old general and ,mr4        
,williams1#eg could have made the matter
 perfectly intelligible to the young    
gentleman1 whose scrupulous integrity   
made him object to the military         
profession4  ,it is certain1 that many  
persons of strict honour and honesty in 
some points1 on others are utterly      
inconsistent in their principles4 ,thus 
it is said1 that private integrity and  
public corruption frequently meet in the
 same character3 thus some gentlemen are
 jockies1 and they have a convenient    
latitude of conscience as jockies1      

whilst they would not for the universe  
cheat a man of a guinea in any way but  
in the sale of a horse3 others in       
gambling1 others in love1 others in war1
 think all stratagems fair4 ,we         
endeavour to think that these are all   
honourable men2 but we hope1 that we are
 not obliged to lay down rules for the  
formation of such moral prodigies in a  
system of practical education4  ,we are 
aware1 that with children#eh who are    
educated at public schools1 truth and   
integrity cannot be taught precisely in 
the same manner as in private families2 
because ushers and schoolmasters cannot 
pay the same hourly attention to each of
 their pupils1 nor have they the command
 of all the necessary                   
circumstances4--,there are1 however1    
some advantages attending the early     
commerce which numbers of children at   
public seminaries have with each other2 
they find that no society can subsist   
without truth2 they feel the utility of 
this virtue1 and1 however they may deal 

with their masters1 they learn to speak 
truth towards each other4--,this partial
 species of honesty1 or rather of       
honour1 is not the very best of its     
kind1 but it may easily be improved into
 a more rational principle of action4   
,it is illiberal to assert1 that any    
virtue is to be taught only by one      
process of education3 many different    
methods of education may produce the    
same effects4 ,men of integrity and     
honour have been formed both by private 
and public education2 neither system    
should be exclusively supported by those
 who really wish well to the improvement
 of mankind4 ,all the errours of each   
system should be impartially pointed    
out1 and such remedies as may most      
easily be adopted with any hope of      
success1 should be proposed4 ,we think1 
that if parents paid sufficient         
attention to the habits of their        
children1 from the age of three to seven
 years old1 they would be properly      
prepared for public education2 they     

would not then bring with them to public
 schools all that they have learned of  
vice and falsehood in the company of    
servants4#ei ,we have purposely repeated
 all this1 in hopes of impressing it    
strongly4 ,may we suggest to the masters
 of these important seminaries1 that    
,greek and ,latin1 and all the elegance 
of classical literature1 are matters but
 of secondary consequence1 compared with
 those habits of truth1 which are       
essential to the character and happiness
 of their pupils8 ,by rewarding the     
moral virtues more highly than the mere 
display of talents1 a generous emulation
 to excel in these virtues may with     
certainty be excited4  ,many preceptors 
and parents will readily agree1 that    
,bacon1 in his general distribution of  
human knowledge1 was perfectly right not
 to omit that branch of philosophy1     
which his lordship terms ,the doctrine  
of rising in the world4 ,to this art1   
integrity at length becomes necessary2  
for talents1 whether for business or for

 oratory1 are now become so cheap1 that 
they cannot alone ensure pre-eminence to
 their possessors4--,the public opinion1
 which in ,england bestows celebrity1   
and necessarily leads to honour1 is     
intimately connected with the public    
confidence4 ,public confidence is not   
the same thing as popularity2 the one   
may be won1 the other must be earned4   
,there is amongst all parties1 who at   
present aim at political power1 an      
unsatisfied demand for honest men4      
,those who speculate in this line for   
their children1 will do wisely to keep  
this fact in their remembrance during   
their whole education4  ,we have        
delayed1 from a full consciousness of   
the difficulty of the undertaking1 to   
speak of the method of curing either the
 habits or the propensity to falsehood4 
,physicians1 for mental as well as      
bodily diseases1 can give long histories
 of maladies2 but are surprisingly      
concise when they come to treat of the  
method of cure4 ,with patients of       

different ages1 and different           
temperaments1 to speak with due medical 
solemnity1 we should advise different   
remedies4 ,with young children1 we      
should be most anxious to break the     
habits2 with children at a more advanced
 period of their education1 we should be
 most careful to rectify the principles4
 ,children1 before they reason1 act     
merely from habit1 and without having   
acquired command over themselves1 they  
have no power to break their own habits2
 but when young people reflect and      
deliberate1 their principles are of much
 more importance than their habits1     
because their principles1 in fact1 in   
most cases1 govern their habits4 ,it is 
in consequence of their deliberations   
and reflections that they act2 and1     
before we can change their way of       
acting1 we must change their way of     
thinking4  ,to break habits of falsehood
 in young children1 let us begin by     
removing the temptation1 whatever it may
 be4 ,for instance1 if the child has the

 habit of denying that he has seen1     
heard1 or done things which he has seen1
 heard1 and done1 we must not1 upon any 
account1 ever question him about any of 
these particulars1 but we should forbear
 to give him any pleasure which he might
 hope to obtain by our faith in his     
assertions4 ,without entering into any  
explanations1 we should absolutely#fj   
disregard what he says1 and with looks  
of cool contempt1 turn away without     
listening to his falsities4 ,a total    
change of occupations1 new objects1     
especially such as excite and employ the
 senses1 will be found highly           
advantageous4 ,sudden pleasure1 from    
strong expressions of affection1 or     
eloquent praise1 whenever the child     
speaks truth1 will operate powerfully in
 breaking his habits of equivocation4   
,we do not advise parents to try sudden 
pain with children at this early age1   
neither do we advise bodily correction1 
or lasting penitences1 meant to excite  
shame1 because these depress and        

enfeeble the mind1 and a propensity to  
falsehood ultimately arises from        
weakness and timidity4 ,strengthen the  
body and mind by all means2 try to give 
the pupils command over themselves upon 
occasions where they have no            
opportunities of deceiving3 the same    
command of mind and courage1 proceeding 
from the consciousness of strength and  
fortitude1 may1 when once acquired1 be  
exerted in any manner we direct4 ,a boy 
who tells a falsehood to avoid some     
trifling pain1 or to procure some       
trifling gratification1 would perhaps   
dare to speak the truth1 if he were     
certain that he could bear the pain1 or 
do without the gratification4 ,without  
talking to him about truth or falsehood1
 we should begin by exercising him in   
the art of bearing and forbearing4 ,the 
slightest trials are best for beginners1
 such as their fortitude can bear1 for  
success is necessary to increase their  
courage4  ,madame de ,genlis1 in her    
,adele and ,theodore1 gives ,theodore1  

when he is about seven years old1 a box 
of sugar-plums to take care of1 to teach
 him to command his passions4 ,theodore 
produces the untouched treasure to her  
mother1 from time to time1 with great   
self-complacency4 ,we think this a good 
practical lesson4 ,some years ago the   
experiment was tried1 with complete     
success1 upon a little boy between five 
and six years old4 ,this boy kept       
raisins and almonds in a little box in  
his pocket1 day after day1 without ever 
thinking of touching them4 ,his only    
difficulty was to remember at the       
appointed time1 at the week's end1 to   
produce them4 ,the raisins were         
regularly counted from time to time1 and
 were1 when found to be right1 sometimes
 given to the child1 but not always4    
,when1 for several weeks1 the boy had   
faithfully executed his trust1 the time 
was extended for which he was to keep   
the raisins1 and every body in the      
family expressed that they were now     
certain1 before they counted the        

raisins1 that they should find the      
number exact4 ,this confidence1 which   
was not pretended confidence1 pleased   
the child1 but the rest he considered as
 a matter of course4 ,we think such     
little trials as these might be made    
with children of five or six years old1 
to give them early habits of exactness4 
,the boy we have just mentioned1 has    
grown up with a more unblemished        
reputation for truth1 than any child    
with whom we were ever acquainted4 ,this
 is the same boy who broke the          
looking-glass4  ,when a patient1 far    
advanced in his childhood1 is yet to be 
cured of a propensity to deceive1 the   
business becomes formidable4 ,it is     
dangerous to set our vigilance in direct
 opposition to his cunning1 and it is   
yet more dangerous to trust and give him
 opportunities of fresh deceit4 ,if the 
pupil's temper is timid1 fear has       
probably been his chief inducement to   
dissimulation4 ,if his temper is        
sanguine1 hope and success1 and perhaps 

the pleasure of inventing schemes1 or of
 outwitting his superiors1 have been his
 motives4 ,in one case we should prove  
to the patient1 that he has nothing to  
fear from speaking the truth to us2 in  
the other case we should demonstrate to 
him1 that he has nothing to hope from   
telling us falsehoods4 ,those who are   
pleased with the ingenuity of cunning1  
should have opportunities of showing    
their ingenuity in honourable           
employments1 and the highest praise     
should be given to their successful     
abilities whenever they are thus        
exerted4 ,they will compare their       
feelings when they are the objects of   
esteem1 and of contempt1 and they will  
be led permanently to pursue what most  
tends to their happiness4 ,we should    
never deprive them of the hope of       
establishing a character for integrity2 
on the contrary1 we should explain      
distinctly to them1 that this is        
absolutely in their own power4 ,examples
 from real life will strike the mind of 

a young person just entering into the   
world1 much more than any fictitious    
characters1 or moral stories2 and strong
 indignation1 expressed incidentally1   
will have more effect than any lectures 
prepared for the purpose4 ,we do not    
mean1 that any artifice should be used  
to make our lessons impressive2 but     
there is no artifice in seizing         
opportunities1 which must occur in real 
life1 to exemplify the advantages of a  
good character4 ,the opinions which     
young people hear expressed of actions  
in which they have no share1 and of     
characters with whom they are not       
connected1 make a great impression upon 
them4 ,the horror which is shown to     
falsehood1 the shame which overwhelms   
the culprit1 they have then leisure to  
contemplate2 they see the effects of the
 storm at a distance2 they dread to be  
exposed to its violence1 and they will  
prepare for their own security4 ,when   
any such strong impression has been made
 upon the mind1 we should seize that    

moment to connect new principles with   
new habits of action3 we should try the 
pupil in some situation in which he has 
never been tried before1 and where he   
consequently may feel hope of obtaining 
reputation1 if he deserves it1 by       
integrity4 ,all reproaches upon his     
former conduct should now be forborne1  
and he should be allowed to feel1 in    
full security1 the pleasures and the    
honours of his new character4  ,we      
cannot better conclude a chapter upon   
,truth1 than by honestly referring the  
reader to a charming piece of eloquence1
 with which ,mr4 ,godwin concludes his  
essay upon ,deception and ,frankness4#fa
 ,we are sensible how much we shall lose
 by the comparison3 we had written this 
chapter before we saw his essay4        
,,footnotes3  #ea ,we refer to ,locke's 
,thoughts concerning ,education1 and    
,rousseau's ,emilius1 vol4 i4  #eb ,v4  
,the ,life of the ,duke of ,burgundy in 
,madame de la ,fite's agreeable and     
instructive work for children1 ,contes1 

,drames et ,entretiens1 c4  #ec         
,pronounced gossoon4  #ed ,edwards's    
,history ,west ,indies1 vol4 ii4  #ee   
,see ,mrs4 ,macaulay's ,letters on      
,education4  #ef ,every thing is        
healthful to the healthy4  #eg ,see ,mr4
 ,williams's ,lectures on ,education1   
where ,xenophon is quoted1 page #af1 c4 
vol4 ii4--also1 page #ca4  #eh ,vide    
,williams4  #ei ,v4 ,servants and       
,public and ,private ,education4  #fj   
,rousseau and ,williams4     ,,chapter  
,,ix4  ,,on ,,rewards ,,and             
,,punishments4   ,to avoid1 in          
education1 all unnecessary severity1 and
 all dangerous indulgence1 we must form 
just ideas of the nature and use of     
rewards and punishments4 ,let us begin  
with considering the nature of          
punishment1 since it is best to get the 
most disagreeable part of our business  
done the first4  ,several benevolent and
 enlightened authors#fb have endeavoured
 to explain the use of penal laws1 and  
to correct the ideas which formerly     

prevailed concerning public justice4    
,punishment is no longer considered1    
except by the ignorant and sanguinary1  
as vengeance from the injured1 or       
expiation from the guilty4 ,we now      
distinctly understand1 that the greatest
 possible happiness of the whole society
 must be the ultimate object of all just
 legislation2 that the partial evil of  
punishment is consequently to be        
tolerated by the wise and humane        
legislator1 only so far as it is proved 
to be necessary for the general good4   
,when a crime has been committed1 it    
cannot be undone by all the art1 or all 
the power of man2 by vengeance the most 
sanguinary1 or remorse the most painful4
 ,the past is irrevocable2 all that     
remains1 is to provide for the future4  
,it would be absurd1 after an offence   
has already been committed1 to increase 
the sum of misery in the world1 by      
inflicting pain upon the offender1      
unless that pain were afterwards to be  
productive of happiness to society1     

either by preventing the criminal from  
repeating his offence1 or by deterring  
others from similar enormities4 ,with   
this double view of restraining         
individuals1 by the recollection of past
 sufferings1 from future crimes1 and of 
teaching others1 by public examples1 to 
expect1 and to fear1 certain evils as   
the necessary consequences of certain   
actions hurtful to society1 all wise    
laws are framed1 and all just           
punishments are inflicted4 ,it is only  
by the conviction that certain          
punishments are essential to the general
 security and happiness1 that a person  
of humanity can1 or ought1 to fortify   
his mind against the natural feelings of
 compassion4 ,these feelings are the    
most painful1 and the most difficult to 
resist1 when1 as it sometimes           
unavoidably happens1 public justice     
requires the total sacrifice of the     
happiness1 liberty1 or perhaps the life1
 of a fellow-creature1 whose ignorance  
precluded him from virtue1 and whose    

neglected or depraved education prepared
 him1 by inevitable degrees1 for vice   
and all its miseries4 ,how exquisitely  
painful must be the feelings of a humane
 judge1 in pronouncing sentence upon    
such a devoted being6 ,but the law      
permits of no refined metaphysical      
disquisitions4 ,it would be vain to     
plead the necessitarian's doctrine of an
 unavoidable connection between the past
 and the future1 in all human actions2  
the same necessity compels the          
punishment that compels the crime2 nor  
could1 nor ought1 the most eloquent     
advocate1 in a court of justice1 to     
obtain a criminal's acquittal by        
entering into a minute history of the   
errours of his education4  ,it is the   
business of education to prevent crimes1
 and to prevent all those habitual      
propensities which necessarily lead to  
their commission4 ,the legislator can   
consider only the large interests of    
society2 the preceptor's view is fixed  
upon the individual interests of his    

pupil4 ,fortunately both must ultimately
 agree4 ,to secure for his pupil the    
greatest possible quantity of happiness1
 taking in the whole of life1 must be   
the wish of the preceptor3 this includes
 every thing4 ,we immediately perceive  
the connection between that happiness1  
and obedience to all the laws on which  
the prosperity of society depends4--,we 
yet further perceive1 that the          
probability of our pupil's yielding not 
only an implicit1 but an habitual1      
rational1 voluntary1 happy obedience1 to
 such laws1 must arise from the         
connection which he believes1 and feels1
 that there exists between his social   
duties and his social happiness4 ,how to
 induce this important belief1 is the   
question4  ,it is obvious1 that we      
cannot explain to the comprehension of a
 child of three or four years old1 all  
the truths of morality2 nor can we      
demonstrate to him the justice of       
punishments1 by showing him that we give
 present pain to ensure future          

advantage4 ,but1 though we cannot       
demonstrate to the child that we are    
just1 we may satisfy ourselves upon this
 subject1 and we may conduct ourselves1 
during his non-age of understanding1    
with the scrupulous integrity of a      
guardian4 ,before we can govern by      
reason1 we can1 by associating pain or  
pleasure with certain actions1 give     
habits1 and these habits will be either 
beneficial or hurtful to the pupil3 we  
must1 if they be hurtful habits1 conquer
 them by fresh punishments1 and thus we 
make the helpless child suffer for our  
negligence and mistakes4 ,formerly in   
,scotland there existed a law1 which    
obliged every farrier who1 through      
ignorance or drunkenness1 pricked a     
horse's foot in shoeing him1 to deposit 
the price of the horse until he was     
sound1 to furnish the owner with        
another1 and in case the horse could not
 be cured1 the farrier was doomed to    
indemnify the injured owner4 ,at the    
same rate of punishment1 what           

indemnification should be demanded from 
a careless or ignorant preceptor8  ,when
 a young child puts his finger too near 
the fire1 he burns himself2 the pain    
immediately follows the action2 they are
 associated together in the child's     
memory2 if he repeat the experiment     
often1 and constantly with the same     
result1 the association will be so      
strongly formed1 that the child will    
ever afterwards expect these two things 
to happen together3 whenever he puts his
 finger into fire1 he will expect to    
feel pain2 he will learn yet further1 as
 these things regularly follow one      
another1 to think one the cause1 and the
 other the effect4 ,he may not have     
words to express these ideas2 nor can we
 explain how the belief that events1    
which have happened together1 will again
 happen together1 is by experience      
induced in the mind4 ,this is a fact1   
which no metaphysicians pretend to      
dispute2 but it has not yet1 that we    
know of1 been accounted for by any4 ,it 

would be rash to assert1 that it will   
not in future be explained1 but at      
present we are totally in the dark upon 
the subject4 ,it is sufficient for our  
purpose to observe1 that this           
association of facts1 or of ideas1      
affects the actions of all rational     
beings1 and of many animals who are     
called irrational4 ,would you teach a   
dog or a horse to obey you2 do you not  
associate pleasure1 or pain1 with the   
things you wish that they should        
practise1 or avoid8 ,the impatient and  
ignorant give infinitely more pain than 
is necessary to the animals they        
educate4 ,if the pain1 which we would   
associate with any action1 do not       
immediately follow it1 the child does   
not understand us2 if several events    
happen nearly at the same time1 it is   
impossible that a child can at first    
distinguish which are causes1 and which 
are effects4 ,suppose1 that a mother    
would teach her little son1 that he must
 not put his dirty shoes upon her clean 

sofa3 if she frowns upon him1 or speaks 
to him in an angry tone1 at the instant 
that he sets his foot and shoe upon the 
sofa1 he desists2 but he has only       
learned1 that putting a foot upon the   
sofa1 and his mother's frown1 follow    
each other2 his mother's frown1 from    
former associations1 gives him perhaps1 
some pain1 or the expectation of some   
pain1 and consequently he avoids        
repeating the action which immediately  
preceded the frown4 ,if1 a short time   
afterwards1 the little boy1 forgetting  
the frown1 accidentally gets upon the   
sofa without his shoes1 no evil follows2
 but it is not probable1 that he can1 by
 this single experiment1 discover that  
his shoes have made all the difference  
in the two cases4 ,children are         
frequently so much puzzled by their     
confused experience of impunity and     
punishment1 that they are quite at a    
loss how to conduct themselves4         
,whenever our punishments are not made  
intelligible1 they are cruel2 they give 

pain1 without producing any future      
advantage4 ,to make punishment          
intelligible to children1 it must be not
 only immediately1 but repeatedly and   
uniformly1 associated with the actions  
which we wish them to avoid4  ,when     
children begin to reason1 punishment    
affects them in a different manner from 
what it did whilst they were governed1  
like irrational animals1 merely by the  
direct associations of pleasure and     
pain4 ,they distinguish1 in many        
instances1 between coincidence and      
causation2 they discover1 that the will 
of others is the immediate cause1       
frequently1 of the pain they suffer2    
they learn by experience1 that the will 
is not an unchangeable cause1 that it is
 influenced by circumstances1 by        
passions1 by persuasion1 by caprice4 ,it
 must be1 however1 by slow degrees1 that
 they acquire any ideas of justice4     
,they cannot know our views relative to 
their future happiness2 their first     
ideas of the justice of the punishments 

we inflict1 cannot1 therefore1 be       
accurate4 ,they regulate these first    
judgments by the simple idea1 that our  
punishments ought to be exactly the same
 always in the same circumstances2 when 
they understand words1 they learn to    
expect that our words and actions should
 precisely agree1 that we should keep   
our promises1 and fulfil our threats4   
,they next learn1 that as they are      
punished for voluntary faults1 they     
cannot justly be punished until it has  
been distinctly explained to them what  
is wrong or forbidden1 and what is right
 or permitted4 ,the words right or      
wrong1 and permitted or forbidden1 are  
synonymous at first in the apprehensions
 of children2 and obedience and         
disobedience are their only ideas of    
virtue and vice4 ,whatever we command to
 be done1 or rather whatever we         
associate with pleasure1 they imagine to
 be right2 whatever we prohibit1        
provided we have uniformly associated it
 with pain1 they believe to be wrong4   

,this implicit submission to our        
authority1 and these confined ideas of  
right and wrong1 are convenient1 or     
apparently convenient1 to indolent or   
tyrannical governours2 and they         
sometimes endeavour to prolong the reign
 of ignorance1 with the hope of         
establishing in the mind an opinion of  
their own infallibility4 ,but this is a 
dangerous1 as well as an unjust1 system4
 ,by comparison with the conduct and    
opinions of others1 children learn to   
judge of their parents and preceptors2  
by reading and by conversation1 they    
acquire more enlarged notions of right  
and wrong2 and their obedience1 unless  
it then arise from the conviction of    
their understandings1 depends but on a  
very precarious foundation4 ,the mere   
association of pleasure and pain1 in the
 form of reward and punishment1 with any
 given action1 will not govern them2    
they will now examine whether there is  
any moral or physical necessary         
connection between the action and       

punishment2 nor will they believe the   
punishment they suffer to be a          
consequence of the action they have     
committed1 but rather a consequence of  
their being obliged to submit to the    
will of those who are stronger or more  
powerful than they are themselves4      
,unjust punishments do not effect their 
intended purpose1 because the pain is   
not associated with the action which we 
would prohibit2 but1 on the contrary1 it
 is associated with the idea of our     
tyranny2 it consequently excites the    
sentiment of hatred towards us1 instead 
of aversion to the forbidden action4    
,when once1 by reasoning1 children      
acquire even a vague idea that those who
 educate them are unjust1 it is in vain 
either to punish or reward them2 if they
 submit1 or if they rebel1 their        
education is equally spoiled2 in the one
 case they become cowardly1 in the      
other1 headstrong4 ,to avoid these      
evils1 there is but one method2 we must 
early secure reason for our friend1 else

 she will become our unconquerable      
enemy4 ,as soon as children are able1 in
 any instance1 to understand the meaning
 and nature of punishment1 it should1 in
 that instance1 be explained to them4   
,just punishment is pain1 inflicted with
 the reasonable hope of preventing      
greater pain in future4 ,in a family1   
where there are several children        
educated together1 or in public schools1
 punishments may be inflicted with      
justice for the sake of example1 but    
still the reformation and future good of
 the sufferer is always a principal     
object2 and of this he should be made   
sensible4 ,if our practice upon all     
occasions correspond with our theory1   
and if children really perceive1 that we
 do not punish them to gratify our own  
spleen or passion1 we shall not become1 
even when we give them pain1 objects of 
their hatred4 ,the pain will not be     
associated with us1 but1 as it ought to 
be1 with the fault which was the real   
cause of it4 ,as much as possible we    

should let children feel the natural    
consequences of their own conduct4 ,the 
natural consequence of speaking truth1  
is the being believed2 the natural      
consequence of falsehood1 is the loss of
 trust and confidence2 the natural      
consequence of all the useful virtues1  
is esteem2 of all the amiable virtues1  
love2 of each of the prudential virtues1
 some peculiar advantage to their       
possessor4 ,but plum-pudding is not the 
appropriate reward of truth1 nor is the 
loss of it the natural or necessary     
consequence of falsehood4 ,prudence is  
not to be rewarded with the affection   
due to humanity1 nor is humanity to be  
recompensed with the esteem claimed by  
prudence4 ,let each good and bad quality
 have its proper share of praise and    
blame1 and let the consequences of each 
follow as constantly as possible4 ,that 
young people may form a steady judgment 
of the danger of any vice1 they must    
uniformly perceive1 that certain painful
 consequences result from its practice4 

,it is in vain that we inflict          
punishments1 unless all the precepts and
 all the examples which they see1       
confirm them in the same belief4  ,in   
the unfortunate son of ,peter the       
,great1 we have a striking instance of  
the effects of a disagreement between   
precept and example1#fc which1 in a less
 elevated situation1 might have escaped 
our notice4 ,it seems as if the         
different parts and stages of his       
education had been purposely contrived  
to counteract each other4 ,till he was  
eleven years old1 he was committed to   
the care of women1 and of ignorant      
bigotted priests1 who were continually  
inveighing against his father for the   
abolition of certain barbarous customs4 
,then came baron ,huysen for his        
governour1 a sensible man1 who had just 
begun to make something of his pupil1   
when prince ,menzikof insisted upon     
having the sole management of the       
unfortunate ,alexey4 ,prince ,menzikof  
abandoned him to the company of the     

lowest wretches1 who encouraged him in  
continual ebriety1 and in a taste for   
every thing mean and profligate4 ,at    
length came ,euphrosyne1 his ,finlandish
 mistress1 who1 upon his trial for      
rebellion1 deposed to every angry       
expression which1 in his most unguarded 
moments1 the wretched son had uttered   
against the tyrannical father4 ,amidst  
such scenes of contradictory experience1
 can we be surprised1 that ,alexey      
,petrovitch became feeble1 ignorant1 and
 profligate2 that he rebelled against   
the father whom he had early been taught
 to fear and hate2 that he listened to  
the pernicious counsels of the          
companions who had1 by pretended        
sympathy and flattery1 obtained that    
place in his confidence which no        
parental kindness had ever secured8     
,those historians who are zealous for   
the glory of ,peter the ,great1 have    
eagerly refuted1 as a most atrocious    
calumny1 the report of his having had   
any part in the mysterious death of his 

son4 ,but how will they apologize for   
the ,czar's neglect of that son's       
education1 from which all the           
misfortunes of his life arose8  ,but all
 this is past for ever2 the only        
advantage we can gain from recalling    
these circumstances1 is a confirmation  
of this important principle in          
education2 that1 when precept and       
example counteract one another1 there is
 no hope of success4 ,nor can the utmost
 severity effect any useful purpose1    
whilst the daily experience of the pupil
 contradicts his preceptor's lessons4   
,in fact1 severity is seldom necessary  
in a well conducted education4 ,the     
smallest possible degree of pain1 which 
can1 in any case1 produce the required  
effect1 is indisputably the just measure
 of the punishment which ought to be    
inflicted in any given case4 ,this      
simple axiom will lead us to a number of
 truths1 which immediately depend upon1 
or result from it4 ,we must attend to   
every circumstance which can diminish   

the quantity of pain1 without lessening 
the efficacy of punishment4 ,now it has 
been found from experience1 that there  
are several circumstances which operate 
uniformly to this purpose4 ,we formerly 
observed1 that the effect of punishment 
upon the minds of children1 before they 
reason1 depends much upon its           
immediately succeeding the fault1 and   
also upon its being certainly repeated  
whenever the same fault is committed4   
,after children acquire the power of    
reasoning1 from a variety of new        
motives1 these laws1 with respect to    
punishment1 derive additional force4 ,a 
trifling degree of pain will answer the 
purpose1 if it be made inevitable2      
whilst the fear of an enormous          
proportion of uncertain punishment1 will
 not be found sufficient to govern the  
imagination4 ,the contemplation of a    
distant punishment1 however severe1 does
 not affect the imagination with much   
terror1 because there is still a secret 
hope of escape in the mind4 ,hence it is

 found from experience1 that the most   
sanguinary penal laws have always been  
ineffectual to restrain from crimes4#fd 
,even if detection be inevitable1 and   
consequent punishment equally           
inevitable1 if punishment be not        
inflicted as soon as the criminal is    
convicted1 it has been found that it has
 not1 either as a preventative1 or a    
public example1 the same power upon the 
human mind4 ,not only should the        
punishment be immediate after           
conviction1 but detection should follow 
the offence as speedily as possible4    
,without entering at large into the     
intricate arguments concerning identity 
and consciousness1 we may observe1 that 
the consciousness of having committed   
the offence for which he suffers1 ought1
 at the time of suffering1 to be strong 
in the offender's mind4 ,though proofs  
of his identity may have been legally   
established in a court of justice2 and  
though1 as far as it relates to public  
justice1 it matters not whether the     

offence for which he is punished has    
been committed yesterday or a year ago2 
yet1 as to the effect which the         
punishment produces on the culprit's own
 mind1 there must be a material         
difference4  ,i desire you to judge of  
me1 not by what ,i was1 but by what ,i  
am1 said a philosopher1 when he was     
reproached for some of his past         
transgressions4 ,if the interval between
 an offence and its punishment be long1 
it is possible that1 during this        
interval1 a complete change may be made 
in the views and habits of the offender2
 such a change as shall absolutely      
preclude all probability of his         
repeating his offence4 ,his punishment  
must then be purely for the sake of     
example to others4 ,he suffers pain at  
the time1 perhaps1 when he is in the    
best social dispositions possible2 and  
thus we punish the present good man for 
the faults of the former offender4 ,we  
readily excuse the violence which a man 
in a passion may have committed1 when1  

upon his return to his sober senses1 he 
expresses contrition and surprise at his
 own excesses2 he assures us1 and we    
believe him1 that he is now a perfectly 
different person4 ,if we do not feel any
 material ill consequences from his late
 anger1 we are willing1 and even        
desirous1 that the passionate man should
 not1 in his sober state1 be punished   
for his madness2 all that we can desire1
 is to have some security against his   
falling into any fresh fit of anger4    
,could his habits of temper be instantly
 changed1 and could we have a moral     
certainty that his frenzy would never   
more do us any injury1 would it not be  
malevolent and unjust to punish him for 
his old insanity8 ,if we think and act  
upon these principles with respect to   
men1 how much more indulgent should we  
be to children8 ,indulgence is perhaps  
an improper word--but in other words1   
how careful should we be never to chain 
children to their dead faults6#fe       
,children1 during their education1 must 

be in a continual state of progression2 
they are not the same to-day that they  
were yesterday2 they have little        
reflection2 their consciousness of the  
present occupies them2 and it would be  
extremely difficult from day to day1 or 
from hour to hour1 to identify their    
minds4 ,far from wishing that they      
should distinctly remember all their    
past thoughts1 and that they should     
value themselves upon their continuing  
the same1 we must frequently desire that
 they should forget their former        
errours1 and absolutely change their    
manner of thinking4 ,they should feel no
 interest in adhering to former bad     
habits or false opinions2 therefore1    
their pride should not be roused to     
defend these by our making them a part  
of their standing character4 ,the       
character of children is to be          
formed--we should never speak of it as  
positively fixed4 ,man has been defined 
to be a bundle of habits2 till the      
bundle is made up1 we may continually   

increase or diminish it4 ,children who  
are zealous in defence of their own     
perfections1 are of all others most     
likely to become stationary in their    
intellectual progress1 and disingenuous 
in their temper4 ,it would be in vain to
 repeat to them this sensible and       
elegant observation--,to confess that   
you have been in the wrong1 is only     
saying1 in other words1 that you are    
wiser to-day than you were yesterday4   
,this remark will rather pique1 than    
comfort1 the pride of those who are     
anxious to prove that they have been    
equally wise and immaculate in every day
 of their existence4  ,it may be said1  
that children cannot too early be made  
sensible of the value of reputation1 and
 they must be taught to connect the     
ideas of their past and present selves1 
otherwise they cannot perceive1 for     
instance1 why confidence should be      
placed in them in proportion to their   
past integrity2 or why falsehood should 
lead to distrust4 ,the force of this    

argument must be admitted2 yet still we 
must consider the age and strength of   
mind in children in applying it to      
practice4 ,truth is not instinctive in  
the mind1 and the ideas of integrity1   
and of the advantages of reputation1    
must be very cautiously introduced1     
lest1 by giving children too perfect a  
theory of morality1 before they have    
sufficient strength of mind to adhere to
 it in practice1 we may make them       
hypocrites1 or else give them a fatal   
distrust of themselves1 founded upon too
 early an experience of their own       
weakness1 and too great sensibility to  
shame4  ,shame1 when it once becomes    
familiar to the mind1 loses its effect2 
it should not1 therefore1 be used as a  
common punishment for slight faults4    
,nor should we trust very early in      
education to the delicate secret        
influence of conscience2 but we should  
take every precaution to prevent the    
necessity of having recourse to the     
punishment of disgrace2 and we must1 if 

we mean to preserve the power of        
conscience1 take care that it be never  
disregarded with impunity4 ,we must     
avoid opposing it to strong temptation2 
nor should we ever try the integrity of 
children1 except in situations where we 
can be perfectly certain of the result  
of the experiment4 ,we must neither run 
the risk of injuring them by unjust     
suspicions1 nor unmerited confidence4   
,by prudent arrangements1 and by        
unremitted daily attention1 we should   
absolutely prevent the possibility of   
deceit4 ,by giving few commands1 or     
prohibitions1 we may avoid the danger of
 either secret or open disobedience4 ,by
 diminishing temptations to do wrong1 we
 act more humanely than by multiplying  
restraints and punishments4  ,it has    
been found1 that no restraints or       
punishments have proved adequate to     
ensure obedience to laws1 whenever      
strong temptations1 and many            
probabilities of evasion1 combine in    
opposition to conscience or fear4 ,the  

terrors of the law have been for years  
ineffectually directed against a race of
 beings called smugglers3 yet smuggling 
is still an extensive1 lucrative1 and   
not universally discreditable1          
profession4 ,let any person look into   
the history of the excise laws1#ff and  
he will be astonished at the            
accumulation of penal statutes1 which   
the active1 but ineffectual1 ingenuity  
of prohibitory legislators has devised  
in the course of about thirty years4    
,open war was declared against all      
illegal distillers2 yet the temptation  
to illegal distilling continually       
increased1 in proportion to the heavy   
duties laid upon the fair trader4 ,it   
came at length to a trial of skill      
between revenue officers and distillers1
 which could cheat1 or which could      
detect1 the fastest4 ,the distiller had 
the strongest interest in the business1 
and he usually came off victorious4     
,coursing officers1 and watching        
officers 7once ten watching officers    

were set upon one distiller7 and        
surveyors and supervisors1 multiplied   
without end3 the land in their fiscal   
maps was portioned out into divisions   
and districts1 and each gauger had the  
charge of all the distillers in his     
division3 the watching officer went     
first1 and the coursing officer went    
after him1 and after him the supervisor2
 and they had table-books1 and          
gauging-rods1 and dockets1 and permits2 
permits for sellers1 and permits for    
buyers1 and permits for foreign spirits1
 printed in red ink1 and permits for    
,british spirits1 in black ink2 and they
 went about night and day with their    
hydrometers1 to ascertain the strength  
of spirits2 and with their gauging-rods1
 to measure wash4 ,but the pertinacious 
distiller was still flourishing2 permits
 were forged2 concealed pipes were      
fabricated2 and the proportion between  
the wash and spirits was seldom legal4  
,the commisioners complained1 and the   
legislators went to work again4 ,under a

 penalty of one hundred pounds1         
distillers were ordered to paint the    
words distiller1 dealer in spirits1 over
 their doors2 and it was further        
enacted1 that all the distillers should 
furnish1 at their own expense1 any kind 
of locks1 and fastenings1 which the     
revenue officers should require for     
locking up the doors of their own       
furnaces1 the heads of their own stills1
 pumps1 pipes1 c4 ,first1 suspicions    
fell upon the public distiller for      
exportation2 then his utensils were     
locked up2 afterwards the private       
distiller was suspected1 and he was     
locked up3 then they set him and his    
furnaces at liberty1 and went back in a 
passion to the public distiller4 ,the   
legislature condescended to interfere1  
and with a new lock and key1 precisely  
described in an act of parliament1 it   
was hoped all would be made secure4 ,any
 person being a distiller1 who should   
lock up his furnace or pipes with a key 
constructed differently from that which 

the act described1 or any person making 
such illegal key for said distiller1 was
 subject to the forfeiture of one       
hundred pounds4 ,the padlock was never  
fixed upon the mind1 and even the lock  
and key1 prescribed by act of           
parliament1 were found inefficacious4   
,any common blacksmith1 with a picklock 
in his possession1 laughed at the       
combined skill of the two houses of     
parliament4  ,this digression from the  
rewards and punishments of children1 to 
the distillery laws1 may1 it is hoped1  
be pardoned1 if the useful moral can be 
drawn from it1 that1 where there are    
great temptations to fraud1 and         
continual opportunities of evasion1 no  
laws1 however ingenious1 no punishments1
 however exorbitant1 can avail4 ,the    
history of coiners1 venders1 and        
utterers1 of his majesty's coin1 as     
lately detailed to us by respectable    
authority1#fg may afford further        
illustration of this principle4  ,there 
is no imminent danger of children's     

becoming either coiners or fraudulent   
distillers2 but an ingenious preceptor  
will not be much puzzled in applying the
 remarks that have been made1 to the    
subject of education4 ,for the          
anticlimax1 in descending from the      
legislation of men to the government of 
children1 no apology is attempted4  ,the
 fewer the laws we make for children1   
the better4 ,whatever they may be1 they 
should be distinctly expressed2 the     
letter and spirit should both agree1 and
 the words should bear but one          
signification1 clear to all the parties 
concerned4 ,they should never be subject
 to the ex post facto interpretation of 
an angry preceptor1 or a cunning pupil2 
no loose general terms should permit    
tyranny1 or encourage quibbling4 ,there 
is said#fh to be a ,chinese law1 which  
decrees1 that whoever does not show     
proper respect to the sovereign1 is to  
be punished with death4 ,what is meant  
by the words proper respect1 is not     
defined4 ,two persons made a mistake in 

some account of an insignificant affair1
 in one of their court gazettes4 ,it was
 declared1 that to lie in a court       
gazette1 is to be wanting in proper     
respect to the court4 ,both the careless
 scribes were put to death4 ,one of the 
princes of the blood inadvertently put  
some mark upon a memorial1 which had    
been signed by the emperor ,bogdo ,chan4
 ,this was construed to be a want of    
proper respect to ,bogdo ,chan the      
emperor1 and a horrible persecution     
hence arose against the scrawling prince
 and his whole family4 ,may no          
schoolmasters1 ushers1 or others1 ever  
7even as far as they are able7 imitate  
,bogdo ,chan1 and may they always define
 to their subjects1 what they mean by   
proper respect6  ,there is a sort of    
mistaken mercy sometimes shown to       
children1 which is1 in reality1 the     
greatest cruelty4 ,people1 who are too  
angry to refrain from threats1 are often
 too indolent1 or too compassionate1 to 
put their threats in execution4 ,between

 their words and actions there is hence 
a manifest contradiction2 their pupils  
learn from experience1 either totally to
 disregard these threats1 or else to    
calculate1 from the various degrees of  
anger which appear in the threatener's  
countenance1 what real probability there
 is of his being as good or as bad as   
his word4 ,far from perceiving that     
punishment1 in this case1 is pain given 
with the reasonable hope of making him  
wiser or happier1 the pupil is          
convinced1 that his master punishes him 
only to gratify the passion of anger1 to
 which he is unfortunately subject4     
,even supposing that threateners are    
exact in fulfilling their threats1 and  
that they are not passionate1 but simply
 wish to avoid giving pain2 they        
endeavour to excite the fears of their  
pupils as the means of governing them   
with the least possible pain4 ,but with 
fear they excite all the passions and   
habits which are connected with that    
mean principle of action1 and they      

extinguish that vigorous spirit1 that   
independent energy of soul1 which is    
essential to all the active and manly   
virtues4 ,young people1 who find that   
their daily pleasures depend not so much
 upon their own exertions as upon the   
humour and caprice of others1 become    
absolute courtiers2 they practise all   
the arts of persuasion1 and all the     
crouching hypocrisy which can deprecate 
wrath1 or propitiate favour4 ,their     
notions of right and wrong cannot be    
enlarged2 their recollection of the     
rewards and punishments of their        
childhood1 is always connected with the 
ideas of tyranny and slavery2 and when  
they break their own chains1 they are   
impatient to impose similar bonds upon  
their inferiors4  ,an argument has been 
used to prove1 that in some cases anger 
is part of the justice of punishment1   
because mere reproof1 without sufficient
 marks of displeasure and emotion1      
affects a child very little1 and is soon
 forgotten4#fi ,it cannot be doubted1   

that the expression of indignation is a 
just consequence of certain faults1 and 
the general indignation with which these
 are spoken of before young people1 must
 make a strong and useful impression    
upon their minds4 ,they reflect upon the
 actions of others2 they see the effects
 which these produce upon the human     
mind2 they put themselves in the        
situation alternately of the person who 
expresses indignation1 and of him who   
suffers shame2 they measure the fault   
and its consequences1 and they resolve  
to conduct themselves so as to avoid    
that just indignation of which they     
dread to be the object4 ,these are the  
general conclusions which children draw 
when they are impartial spectators2 but 
where they are themselves concerned1    
their feelings and their reasonings are 
very different4 ,if they have done any  
thing which they know to be wrong1 they 
expect1 and are sensible that they      
deserve1 displeasure and indignation2   
but if any precise penalty is annexed to

 the fault1 the person who is to inflict
 it1 appears to them in the character of
 a judge1 who is bound to repress his   
own feelings1 and coolly to execute     
justice4 ,if the judge both reproaches  
and punishes1 he doubles the punishment4
 ,whenever indignation is expressed1 no 
vulgar trivial penalties should         
accompany it2 the pupil should feel that
 it is indignation against his fault1   
and not against himself2 and that it is 
not excited in his preceptor's mind by  
any petty personal considerations4 ,a   
child distinguishes between anger and   
indignation very exactly2 the one       
commands his respect1 the other raises  
his contempt as soon as his fears       
subside4 ,dr4 ,priestley seems to think 
that1 it is not possible to express     
displeasure with sufficient force1      
especially to a child1 when a man is    
perfectly cool4 ,may we not reply to    
this1 that it is scarcely possible to   
express displeasure with sufficient     
propriety1 especially to a child1 when a

 man is in a passion8 ,the propriety is1
 in this case1 of at least as much      
consequence as the force of the         
reprimand4--,the effect which the       
preceptor's displeasure will produce1   
must be1 in some proportion1 to the     
esteem which his pupil feels for him4   
,if he cannot command his irascible     
passions1 his pupil cannot continue to  
esteem him2 and there is an end of all  
that fear of his disapprobation1 which  
was founded upon esteem1 and which can  
never be founded upon a stronger or a   
better basis4 ,we should further        
consider1 that the opinions of all the  
bystanders1 especially if they be any of
 them of the pupil's own age1 have great
 influence upon his mind4 ,it is not to 
be expected that they should all        
sympathize equally with the angry       
preceptor2 and we know1 that whenever   
the indignation expressed against any   
fault1 appears1 in the least1 to pass   
the bound of exact justice1 the sympathy
 of the spectators immediately revolts  

in favour of the culprit2 the fault is  
forgotten or excused1 and all join in   
spontaneous compassion4 ,in public      
schools1 this happens so frequently1    
that the master's displeasure seldom    
affects the little community with any   
sorrow2 combined together1 they make    
each other amends for public            
punishments1 by private pity or         
encouragement4 ,in families1 which are  
not well regulated1 that is to say1 in  
which the interests of all the          
individuals do not coalesce1 the same   
evils are to be dreaded4 ,neither       
indignation nor shame can affect        
children in such schools1 or such       
families2 the laws and manners1 public  
precept and private opinion1 contradict 
one another4  ,in a variety of instances
 in society1 we may observe1 that the   
best laws and the best principles are   
not sufficient to resist the combination
 of numbers4 ,never attempt to affix    
infamy to a number of people at once1   
says a philosophic legislator4#gj ,this 

advice showed that he perfectly         
understood the nature of the passion of 
shame4 ,numbers keep one another in     
countenance2 they form a society for    
themselves2 and sometimes by peculiar   
phrases1 and an appropriate language1   
confound the established opinions of    
virtue and vice1 and enjoy a species of 
self-complacency independent of public  
opinion1 and often in direct opposition 
to their former conscience4 ,whenever   
any set of men want to get rid of the   
shame annexed to particular actions1    
they begin by changing the names and    
epithets which have been generally used 
to express them1 and which they know are
 associated with the feelings of shame3 
these feelings are not awakened by the  
new language1 and by degrees they are   
forgotten1 or they are supposed to have 
been merely prejudices and habits1 which
 former methods of speaking taught      
people to reverence4 ,thus the most     
disgraceful combinations of men1 who    
live by violating and evading the laws  

of society1 have all a peculiar         
phraseology amongst themselves1 by which
 jocular ideas are associated with the  
most disreputable actions4  ,those who  
live by depredation on the river        
,thames1 do not call themselves thieves1
 but lumpers and mudlarks4 ,coiners give
 regular mercantile names to the        
different branches of their trade1 and  
to the various kinds of false money     
which they circulate3 such as flats1 or 
figs1 or fig-things4 ,unlicensed lottery
 wheels1 are called little goes2 and the
 men who are sent about to public houses
 to entice poor people into illegal     
lottery insurances1 are called          
,morocco-men3 a set of villains1 hired  
by these fraudulent lottery keepers1 to 
resist the civil power during the       
drawing of the lottery1 call themselves 
bludgeon-men2 and in the language of    
robbers1 a receiver of stolen goods is  
said to be staunch1 when it is believed 
that he will go all lengths rather than 
betray the secrets of a gang of         

highwaymen4#ga  ,since words have such  
power in their turn over ideas1 we must1
 in education1 attend to the language of
 children as a means of judging of the  
state of their minds2 and whenever we   
find1 that in their conversation with   
one another1 they have any slang1 which 
turns moral ideas into ridicule1 we may 
be certain that this must have arisen   
from some defect in their education4    
,the power of shame must then be tried  
in some new shape1 to break this false  
association of ideas4 ,shame1 in a new  
shape1 affects the mind with surprising 
force1 in the same manner as danger in a
 new form alarms the courage of         
veterans4 ,an extraordinary instance of 
this1 may be observed in the management 
of ,gloucester jail3 a blue and yellow  
jacket has been found to have a most    
powerful effect upon men supposed to be 
dead to shame4 ,the keeper of the prison
 told us1 that the most unruly offenders
 could be kept in awe by the dread of a 
dress which exposed them to the ridicule

 of their companions1 no new term having
 been yet invented to counteract the    
terrors of the yellow jacket4 ,to       
prevent the mind from becoming          
insensible to shame1 it must be very    
sparingly used2 and the hope and        
possibility of recovering esteem1 must  
always be kept alive4 ,those who are    
excluded from hope1 are necessarily     
excluded from virtue2 the loss of       
reputation1 we see1 is almost always    
followed by total depravity4 ,the cruel 
prejudices which are harboured against  
particular classes of people1 usually   
tend to make the individuals who are the
 best disposed amongst these sects1     
despair of obtaining esteem2 and1       
consequently1 careless about deserving  
it4 ,there can be nothing inherent in   
the knavish propensity of ,jews2 but the
 prevailing opinion1 that avarice1      
dishonesty and extortion1 are the       
characteristics of a ,jew1 has probably 
induced many of the tribe to justify the
 antipathy which they could not conquer4

 ,children are frequently confirmed in  
faults1 by the imprudent and cruel      
custom which some parents have of       
settling early in life1 that such a     
thing is natural2 that such and such    
dispositions are not to be cured2 that  
cunning1 perhaps1 is the characteristic 
of one child1 and caprice of another4   
,this general odium oppresses and       
dispirits3 such children think it is in 
vain to struggle against nature1        
especially as they do not clearly       
understand what is meant by nature4     
,they submit to our imputations1 without
 knowing how to refute them4 ,on the    
contrary1 if we treat them with more    
good sense and benevolence1 if we       
explain to them the nature of the human 
mind1 and if we lay open to them the    
history of their own1 they will assist  
us in endeavouring to cure their faults1
 and they will not be debilitated by    
indistinct1 superstitious fears4 ,at ten
 or eleven years old1 children are      
capable of understanding some of the    

general principles of rational morality1
 and these they can apply to their own  
conduct in many instances1 which1       
however trivial they may appear1 are not
 beneath our notice4  ,june #af1 #agif4 
,s---- 7nine years old7 had lost his    
pencil2 his father said to him1 ,i wish 
to give you another pencil1 but ,i am   
afraid ,i should do you harm if ,i did2 
you would not take care of your things  
if you did not feel some inconvenience  
when you lose them4 ,the boy's lips     
moved as if he were saying to himself1  
,i understand this2 it is just4 ,his    
father guessed that these were the      
thoughts that were passing in his mind1 
and asked whether he interpreted rightly
 the motion of the lips4 ,yes1 said     
,s----1 that was exactly what ,i was    
thinking4 ,then1 said his father1 ,i    
will give you a bit of my own pencil    
this instant3 all ,i want is to make the
 necessary impression upon your mind2   
that is all the use of punishment2 you  
know we do not want to torment you4  ,as

 young people grow up1 and perceive the 
consequences of their own actions1 and  
the advantages of credit and character1 
they become extremely solicitous to     
preserve the good opinion of those whom 
they love and esteem4 ,they are now     
capable of taking the future into their 
view as well as the present2 and at this
 period of their education1 the hand of 
authority should never be hastily used2 
the voice of reason will never fail to  
make herself heard1 especially if reason
 speak with the tone of affection4      
,during the first years of childhood1 it
 did not seem prudent to make any       
punishment lasting1 because young       
children quickly forget their faults2   
and having little experience1 cannot    
feel how their past conduct is likely to
 affect their future happiness3 but as  
soon as they have more enlarged         
experience1 the nature of their         
punishments should alter2 if we have any
 reason to esteem or love them less1 our
 contempt and displeasure should not    

lightly be dissipated4 ,those who       
reflect1 are more influenced by the idea
 of the duration1 than of the intensity 
of any mental pain4 ,in those           
calculations which are constantly made  
before we determine upon action or      
forbearance1 some tempers estimate any  
evil which is likely to be but of short 
duration1 infinitely below its real     
importance4 ,young men1 of sanguine and 
courageous dispositions1 hence          
frequently act imprudently2 the         
consequences of their temerity will1    
they think1 soon be over1 and they feel 
that they are able to support evil for a
 short time1 however great it may be4   
,anger1 they know1 is a short-lived     
passion1 and they do not scruple running
 the hazard of exciting anger in the    
hearts of those they love the best in   
the world4 ,the experience of lasting1  
sober disapprobation1 is intolerably    
irksome to them2 any inconvenience which
 continues for a length of time1 wearies
 them excessively4 ,after they have     

endured1 as the consequence of any      
actions1 this species of punishment1    
they will long remember their           
sufferings1 and will carefully avoid    
incurring1 in future1 similar penalties4
 ,sudden and transient pain appears to  
be most effectual with persons of an    
opposite temperament4  ,young people1 of
 a torpid1 indolent temperament1 are    
much under the dominion of habit2 if    
they happen to have contracted any      
disagreeable or bad habits1 they have   
seldom sufficient energy to break them4 
,the stimulus of sudden pain is         
necessary in this case4 ,the pupil may  
be perfectly convinced1 that such a     
habit ought to be broken1 and may wish  
to break it most sincerely2 but may yet 
be incapable of the voluntary exertion  
requisite to obtain success4 ,it would  
be dangerous to let the habit1 however  
insignificant1 continue victorious1     
because the child would hence be        
discouraged from all future attempts to 
battle with himself4 ,either we should  

not attempt the conquest of the habit1  
or we should persist till we have       
vanquished4 ,the confidence1 which this 
sense of success will give the pupil1   
will probably1 in his own opinion1 be   
thought well worthy the price4 ,neither 
his reason nor his will was in fault2   
all he wanted1 was strength to break the
 diminutive chains of habit2 chains     
which1 it seems1 have power to enfeeble 
their captives exactly in proportion to 
the length of time they are worn4       
,every body has probably found1 from    
their own experience1 how difficult it  
is to alter little habits in manners1   
pronunciation1 c4 ,children are often   
teased with frequent admonitions about  
their habits of sitting1 standing1      
walking1 talking1 eating1 speaking1 c4  
,parents are early aware of the         
importance of agreeable1 graceful       
manners2 every body who sees children1  
can judge1 or think that they can judge1
 of their manners2 and from anxiety that
 children should appear to advantage in 

company1 parents solicitously watch all 
their gestures1 and correct all their   
attitudes according to that image of the
 beau ideal1 which happens to be most   
fashionable4 ,the most convenient and   
natural attitudes are not always the    
most approved4 ,the constraint which    
children suffer from their obedience1   
obliges them at length to rest their    
tortured muscles1 and to throw          
themselves1 for relief1 into attitudes  
the very reverse of those which they    
have practised with so much pain4 ,hence
 they acquire opposite habits in their  
manners1 and there is a continual       
struggle between these4 ,they find it   
impossible to correct1 instantaneously1 
the awkward tricks which they have      
acquired1 and they learn ineffectually  
to attempt a conquest over themselves2  
or else1 which is most commonly the     
catastrophe1 they learn to hear the     
exhortations and rebukes of all around  
them1 without being stimulated to any   
degree of exertion4#gb ,the same voices 

which lose their power on these trifling
 occasions1 lose1 at the same time1 much
 of their general influence4 ,more power
 is wasted upon trifling defects in the 
manners of children1 than can be        
imagined by any who have not            
particularly attended to this subject4  
,if it be thought indispensably         
necessary to speak to children eternally
 about their manners1 this irritating   
and disagreeable office should devolve  
upon somebody whose influence over the  
children we are not anxious to preserve 
undiminished4 ,a little ingenuity in    
contriving the dress1 writing desks1    
reading desks1 c4 of children1 who are  
any way defective in their shape1 might 
spare much of the anxiety which is felt 
by their parents1 and much of the bodily
 and mental pain which they alternately 
endure themselves4 ,for these patients1 
would it not be rather more safe to     
consult the philosophic physician1#gc   
than the dancing master who is not bound
 to understand either anatomy or        

metaphysics8  ,every preventative which 
is discovered for any defect1 either in 
manners1 temper1 or understanding1      
diminishes the necessity for punishment4
 ,punishments are the abrupt1 brutal    
resource of ignorance1 frequently1#gd to
 cure the effects of former negligence4 
,with children who have been reasonably 
and affectionately educated1 scarcely   
any punishments are requisite4 ,this is 
not an assertion hazarded without       
experience2 the happy experience of     
several years1 and of several children  
of different ages and tempers1 justifies
 this assertion4 ,as for corporeal      
punishments1 they may be necessary where
 boys are to be drilled in a given time 
into scholars2 but the language of blows
 need seldom be used to reasonable      
creatures4 ,the idea that it is         
disgraceful to be governed by force1    
should be kept alive in the minds of    
children2 the dread of shame is a more  
powerful motive than the fear of bodily 
pain4 ,to prove the truth of this1 we   

may recollect that few people have ever 
been known to destroy themselves in     
order to escape from bodily pain2 but   
numbers1 to avoid shame1 have put an end
 to their existence4 ,it has been a     
question1 whether mankind are most      
governed by hope or by fear1 by rewards 
or by punishments8 ,this question1 like 
many others which have occasioned       
tedious debates1 turns chiefly upon     
words4 ,hope and fear are sometimes used
 to denote mixed1 and sometimes unmixed1
 passions4 ,those who speak of them as  
unmixed passions1 cannot have accurately
 examined their own feelings4#ge ,the   
probability of good1 produces hope2 the 
probability of evil1 excites fear2 and  
as this probability appears less or     
greater1 more remote or nearer to us1   
the mind fluctuates between the opposite
 passions4 ,when the probability        
increases on either side1 so does the   
corresponding passion4 ,since these     
passions seldom exist in absolute       
separation from one another1 it appears 

that we cannot philosophically speak of 
either as an independent motive3 to the 
question1 therefore1 which governs      
mankind the most1 hope or fear8 we      
cannot give an explicit answer4  ,when  
we would determine upon the probability 
of any good or evil1 we are insensibly  
influenced1 not only by the view of the 
circumstances before us1 but also by our
 previous habits2 we judge not only by  
the general laws of human events1 but   
also by our own individual experience4  
,if we have been usually successful1 we 
are inclined to hope2 have we been      
accustomed to misfortunes1 we are hence 
disposed to fear4 ,csar and his fortune 
are on board1 exclaimed the confident   
hero to the mariners4 ,hope excites the 
mind to exertion2 fear represses all    
activity4 ,as a preventative from vice1 
you may employ fear2 to restrain the    
excesses of all the furious passions1 it
 is useful and necessary3 but would you 
rouse the energies of virtue1 you must  
inspire and invigorate the soul with    

hope4 ,courage1 generosity1 industry1   
perseverance1 all the magic of talents1 
all the powers of genius1 all the       
virtues that appear spontaneous in great
 minds1 spring from hope4 ,but how      
different is the hope of a great and of 
a little mind2 not only are the objects 
of this hope different1 but the passion 
itself is raised and supported in a     
different manner4 ,a feeble person1 if  
he presumes to hope1 hopes as           
superstitiously as he fears2 he keeps   
his attention sedulously fixed upon all 
the probabilities in his favour2 he will
 not listen to any arguments in         
opposition to his wishes2 he knows he is
 unreasonable1 he persists in continuing
 so2 he does not connect any idea of    
exertion with hope2 his hope usually    
rests upon the exertions of others1 or  
upon some fortuitous circumstances4 ,a  
man of a strong mind1 reasons before he 
hopes2 he takes in1 at one quick1       
comprehensive glance1 all that is to be 
seen both for and against him2 he is1   

from experience1 disposed to depend much
 upon his own exertions1 if they can    
turn the balance in his favour2 he      
hopes1 he acts1 he succeeds4 ,poets1 in 
all ages1 have celebrated the charms of 
hope2 without her propitious influence1 
life1 they tell us1 would be worse than 
death2 without her smiles1 nature would 
smile in vain2 without her promises1    
treacherous though they often prove1    
reality would have nothing to give      
worthy of our acceptance4 ,we are not   
bound1 however1 to understand literally1
 the rhetoric of poets4 ,hope is to them
 a beautiful and useful allegorical     
personage3 sometimes leaning upon an    
anchor2 sometimes waving her golden     
hair2 always young1 smiling1 enchanting1
 furnished with a rich assortment of    
epithets suited to the ode1 the sonnet1 
the madrigal1 with a traditionary number
 of images and allusions2 what more can 
a poet desire8 ,men1 except when they   
are poets1 do not value hope as the     
first of terrestrial blessings4 ,the    

action and energies which hope produces1
 are to many more agreeable than the    
passion itself2 that feverish state of  
suspense1 which prevents settled thought
 or vigorous exertion1 far from being   
agreeable1 is highly painful to a well  
regulated mind2 the continued repetition
 of the same ideas and the same         
calculations1 fatigues the mind1 which1 
in reasoning1 has been accustomed to    
arrive at some certain conclusion1 or to
 advance1 at least1 a step at every     
effort4 ,the exercise of the mind1 in   
changing the views of its object1 which 
is supposed to be a great part of the   
pleasure of hope1 is soon over to an    
active imagination1 which quickly runs  
through all the possible changes2 or is 
this exercise1 even while it lasts1 so  
delightful to a man who has a variety of
 intellectual occupations1 as it        
frequently appears to him who knows     
scarcely any other species of mental    
activity8 ,the vacillating state of     
mind1 peculiar to hope and fear1 is by  

no means favourable to industry2 half   
our time is generally consumed in       
speculating upon the reward1 instead of 
earning it1 whenever the value of that  
reward is not precisely ascertainable4  
,in all occupations1 where judgment or  
accurate observation is essential1 if   
the reward of our labour is brought     
suddenly to excite our hope1 there is an
 immediate interruption of all effectual
 labour2 the thoughts take a new        
direction2 the mind becomes tremulous1  
and nothing decisive can be done1 till  
the emotions of hope and fear either    
subside or are vanquished4  ,m4 l',abb  
,chappe1 who was sent by the king of    
,france1 at the desire of the ,french   
,academy1 to ,siberia1 to observe the   
transit of ,venus1 gives us a striking  
picture of the state of his own mind    
when the moment of this famous          
observation approached4 ,in the         
description of his own feelings1 this   
traveller may be admitted as good       
authority4 ,a few hours before the      

observation1 a black cloud appeared in  
the sky2 the idea of returning to       
,paris1 after such a long and perilous  
journey1 without having seen the transit
 of ,venus2 the idea of the             
disappointment to his king1 to his      
country1 to all the philosophers in     
,europe2 threw him into a state of      
agitation1 which must have been felt to 
be conceived4 ,at length the black cloud
 vanished2 his hopes affected him almost
 as much as his fears had done2 he fixed
 his telescope1 saw the planet2 his eye 
wandered over the immense space a       
thousand times in a minute2 his         
secretary stood on one side with his pen
 in his hand2 his assistant1 with his   
eye fixed upon the watch1 was stationed 
on the other side4 ,the moment of the   
total immersion arrived2 the agitated   
philosopher was seized with an universal
 shivering1 and could scarcely command  
his thoughts sufficiently to secure the 
observation4  ,the uncertainty of       
reward1 and the consequent agitations of

 hope and fear1 operate as unfavourably 
upon the moral as upon the intellectual 
character4 ,the favour of princes is an 
uncertain reward4 ,courtiers are usually
 despicable and wretched beings2 they   
live upon hope2 but their hope is not   
connected with exertion4 ,those who     
court popularity1 are not less          
despicable or less wretched2 their      
reward is uncertain3 what is more       
uncertain than the affection of the     
multitude8 ,the ,proteus character of   
,wharton1 so admirably drawn by ,pope1  
is a striking picture of a man who has  
laboured through life with the vague    
hope of obtaining universal applause4   
,let us suppose a child to be educated  
by a variety of persons1 all differing  
in their tastes and tempers1 and in     
their notions of right and wrong2 all   
having the power to reward and punish   
their common pupil4 ,what must this     
pupil become8 ,a mixture of incongruous 
characters2 superstitious1 enthusiastic1
 indolent1 and perhaps profligate3      

superstitious1 because his own          
contradictory experience would expose   
him to fear without reason2             
enthusiastic1 because he would1 from the
 same cause1 form absurd expectations2  
indolent1 because the will of others has
 been the measure of his happiness1 and 
his own exertions have never procured   
him any certain reward2 profligate1     
because1 probably from the confused     
variety of his moral lessons1 he has at 
last concluded that right and wrong are 
but unmeaning words4 ,let us change the 
destiny of this child1 by changing his  
education4 ,place him under the sole    
care of a person of an enlarged         
capacity1 and a steady mind2 who has    
formed just notions of right and wrong2 
and who1 in the distribution of reward  
and punishment1 of praise and blame1    
will be prompt1 exact1 invariable4 ,his 
pupil will neither be credulous1 rash1  
nor profligate2 and he certainly will   
not be indolent2 his habitual and his   
rational belief will1 in all            

circumstances1 agree with each other2   
his hope will be the prelude to         
exertion1 and his fear will restrain him
 only in situations where action is     
dangerous4  ,even amongst children1 we  
must frequently have observed a         
prodigious difference in the quantity of
 hope and fear which is felt by those   
who have been well or ill educated4 ,an 
ill educated child1 is in daily1 hourly1
 alternate agonies of hope and fear2 the
 present never occupies or interests    
him1 but his soul is intent upon some   
future gratification1 which never pays  
him by its full possession4 ,as soon as 
he awakens in the morning1 he recollects
 some promised blessing1 and1 till the  
happy moment arrives1 he is wretched in 
impatience3 at breakfast he is to be    
blessed with some toy1 that he is to    
have the moment breakfast is finished2  
and when he finds the toy does not      
delight him1 he is to be blessed with a 
sweet pudding at dinner1 or with sitting
 up half an hour later at night than his

 usual bed-time4 ,endeavour to find some
 occupation that shall amuse him1 you   
will not easily succeed1 for he will    
still anticipate what you are going to  
say or to do4 ,what will come next8     
,what shall we do after this8 are1 as   
,mr4 ,williams1 in his able lectures    
upon education1 observes1 the questions 
incessantly asked by spoiled children4  
,this species of idle1 restless         
curiosity1 does not lead to the         
acquisition of knowledge1 it prevents   
the possibility of instruction2 it is   
not the animation of a healthy mind1 it 
is the debility of an over-stimulated   
temper4 ,there is a very sensible letter
 in ,mrs4 ,macaulay's book upon         
education1 on the impropriety of filling
 the imagination of young people with   
prospects of future enjoyment3 the      
foolish system of promising great       
rewards1 and fine presents1 she clearly 
shows creates habitual disorders in the 
minds of children4  ,the happiness of   
life depends more upon a succession of  

small enjoyments1 than upon great       
pleasures2 and those who become         
incapable of tasting the moderately     
agreeable sensations1 cannot fill up the
 intervals of their existence between   
their great delights4 ,the happiness of 
childhood peculiarly depends upon their 
enjoyment of little pleasures3 of these 
they have a continual variety2 they have
 perpetual occupation for their senses1 
in observing all the objects around     
them1 and all their faculties may be    
exercised upon suitable subjects4 ,the  
pleasure of this exercise is in itself  
sufficient3 we need not say to a child1 
,look at the wings of this beautiful    
butterfly1 and ,i will give you a piece 
of plum-cake2 observe how the butterfly 
curls his proboscis1 how he dives into  
the honeyed flowers1 and ,i will take   
you in a coach to pay a visit with me1  
my dear4 ,remember the pretty story you 
read this morning1 and you shall have a 
new coat4 ,without the new coat1 or the 
visit1 or the plum-cake1 the child would

 have had sufficient amusement in the   
story and the sight of the butterfly's  
proboscis3 the rewards1 besides1 have no
 natural connection with the things     
themselves2 and they create1 where they 
are most liked1 a taste for factitious  
pleasures4 ,would you encourage         
benevolence1 generosity1 or prudence1   
let each have its appropriate reward of 
affection1 esteem1 and confidence2#gf   
but do not by ill-judged bounties       
attempt to force these virtues into     
premature display4 ,the rewards which   
are given to benevolence and generosity 
in children1 frequently encourage       
selfishness1 and sometimes teach them   
cunning4 ,lord ,kames tells us a story1 
which is precisely a case in point4 ,two
 boys1 the sons of the earl of ,elgin1  
were permitted by their father to       
associate with the poor boys in the     
neighbourhood of their father's house4  
,one day1 the earl's sons being called  
to dinner1 a lad who was playing with   
them1 said that he would wait until they

 returned--,there is no dinner for me at
 home1 said the poor boy4 ,come with us1
 then1 said the earl's sons4 ,the boy   
refused1 and when they asked him if he  
had any money to buy a dinner1 he       
answered1 ,no4 ,papa1 said the eldest of
 the young gentlemen when he got home1  
what was the price of the silver buckles
 you gave me8 ,five shillings4 ,let me  
have the money1 and ,i'll give you the  
buckles4 ,it was done accordingly1 says 
,lord ,kames4 ,the earl1 inquiring      
privately1 found that the money was     
given to the lad who had no dinner4 ,the
 buckles were returned1 and the boy was 
highly commended for being kind to his  
companion4 ,the commendations were just1
 but the buckles should not have been   
returned3 the boy should have been      
suffered steadily to abide by his own   
bargain2 he should have been let to feel
 the pleasure1 and pay the exact price  
of his own generosity4  ,if we attempt  
to teach children that they can be      
generous1 without giving up some of     

their own pleasures for the sake of     
other people1 we attempt to teach them  
what is false4 ,if we once make them    
amends for any sacrifice they have made1
 we lead them to expect the same        
remuneration upon a future occasion2 and
 then1 in fact1 they act with a direct  
view to their own interest1 and govern  
themselves by the calculations of       
prudence1 instead of following the      
dictates of benevolence4 ,it is true1   
that if we speak with accuracy1 we must 
admit1 that the most benevolent and     
generous persons act from the hope of   
receiving pleasure1 and their enjoyment 
is more exquisite than that of the most 
refined selfishness2 in the language of 
,m4 de ,rochefoucault1 we should        
therefore be forced to acknowledge1 that
 the most benevolent is always the most 
selfish person4 ,this seeming paradox is
 answered1 by observing1 that the       
epithet selfish is given to those who   
prefer pleasures in which other people  
have no share2 we change the meaning of 

words when we talk of its being selfish 
to like the pleasures of sympathy or    
benevolence1 because these pleasures    
cannot be confined solely to the idea of
 self4 ,when we say that a person       
pursues his own interest more by being  
generous than by being covetous1 we take
 into the account the general sum of his
 agreeable feelings2 we do not balance  
prudentially his loss or gain upon      
particular occasions4 ,the generous man 
may himself be convinced1 that the sum  
of his happiness is more increased by   
the feelings of benevolence1 than it    
could be by the gratification of        
avarice2 but1 though his understanding  
may perceive the demonstration of this  
moral theorem1 though it is the remote  
principle of his whole conduct1 it does 
not occur to his memory in the form of a
 prudential aphorism1 whenever he is    
going to do a generous action4 ,it is   
essential to our ideas of generosity1   
that no such reasoning should1 at that  
moment1 pass in his mind2 we know that  

the feelings of generosity are          
associated with a number of enthusiastic
 ideas2 we can sympathize with the      
virtuous insanity of the man who forgets
 himself whilst he thinks of others2 we 
do not so readily sympathize with the   
cold strength of mind of the person1    
who1 deliberately preferring the        
greatest possible share of happiness1 is
 benevolent by rule and measure4        
,whether we are just or not1 in refusing
 our sympathy to the man of reason1 and 
in giving our spontaneous approbation to
 the man of enthusiasm1 we shall not    
here examine4 ,but the reasonable man1  
who has been convinced of this          
propensity in human nature1 will take it
 into his calculations2 he will         
perceive1 that he loses1 in losing the  
pleasure of sympathy1 part of the sum   
total of his possible happiness2 he will
 consequently wish1 that he could add   
this item of pleasure to the credit side
 of his account4 ,this1 however1 he     
cannot accomplish1 because1 though he   

can by reason correct his calculations1 
it is not in the power1 even of the most
 potent reason1 suddenly to break       
habitual associations2 much less is it  
in the power of cool reason to conjure  
up warm enthusiasm4 ,yet in this case1  
enthusiasm is the thing required4  ,what
 the man of reason cannot do for himself
 after his associations are strongly    
formed1 might have been easily          
accomplished in his early education4 ,he
 might have been taught the same general
 principles1 but with different habits4 
,by early associating the pleasures of  
sympathy1 and praise1 and affection with
 all generous and benevolent actions1   
his parents might have joined these     
ideas so forcibly in his mind1 that the 
one set of ideas should never recur     
without the other4 ,whenever the words  
benevolence or generosity were          
pronounced1 the feelings of habitual    
pleasure would recur2 and he would1     
independently of reason1 desire from    
association to be generous4 ,when       

enthusiasm is fairly justified by       
reason1 we have nothing to fear from her
 vehemence4  ,in rewarding children for 
the prudential virtues1 such as order1  
cleanliness1 economy1 temperance1 c4 we 
should endeavour to make the rewards the
 immediate consequence of the virtues   
themselves2 and at the same time1       
approbation should be shown in speaking 
of these useful qualities4 ,a gradation 
must1 however1 always be observed in our
 praises of different virtues2 those    
that are the most useful to society1 as 
truth1 justice and humanity1 must stand 
the highest in the scale2 those that are
 most agreeable1 claim the next place4  
,those good qualities1 which must wait a
 considerable time for their reward1    
such as perseverance1 prudence1 c4 we   
must not expect early from young people4
 ,till they have had experience1 how can
 they form any idea about the future8   
,till they have been punctually rewarded
 for their industry1 or for their       
prudence1 they do not feel the value of 

prudence and perseverance4 ,time is     
necessary to all these lessons1 and     
those who leave time out in their       
calculations1 will always be            
disappointed in whatever plan of        
education they may pursue4  ,many1 to   
whom the subject is familiar1 will be   
fatigued1 probably1 by the detailed     
manner in which it has been thought     
necessary to explain the principles by  
which we should guide ourselves in the  
distribution of rewards and punishments 
to children4 ,those who quickly seize1  
and apply1 general ideas1 cannot endure1
 with patience1 the tedious minuteness  
of didactic illustration4 ,those who are
 actually engaged in practical          
education1 will not1 on the contrary1 be
 satisfied with general precepts2 and1  
however plausible any theory may appear1
 they are well aware that its utility   
must depend upon a variety of small     
circumstances1 to which writers of      
theories often neglect to advert4 ,at   
the hazard of being thought tedious1    

those must be minute in explanation who 
desire to be generally useful4 ,an old  
,french writer1#gg more remarkable for  
originality of thought1 than for the    
graces of style1 was once reproached by 
a friend with the frequent repetitions  
which were to be found in his works4    
,name them to me1 said the author4 ,the 
critic1 with obliging precision1        
mentioned all the ideas which had most  
frequently recurred in the book4 ,i am  
satisfied1 replied the honest author2   
you remember my ideas2 ,i repeated them 
so often to prevent you from forgetting 
them4 ,without my repetitions1 we should
 never have succeeded4  ,,footnotes3    
#fa ,v4 ,the ,inquirer1 p4 #aja4  #fb   
,beccaria1 ,voltaire1 ,blackstone1 c4   
#fc ,see ,cox's ,travels1 vol4 ii4 #ahi4
  #fd ,see ,beccaria1 ,blackstone1      
,colquhoun4  #fe ,mezentius4 ,virgil4   
#ff ,v4 ,an ,enquiry into the           
,principles of ,taxation1 p4 #cg1       
published in #agij4  #fg ,colquhoun4 ,on
 the ,police of the ,metropolis4  #fh   

,v4 ,the grand instructions to the      
commissioners appointed to frame a new  
code of laws for the ,russian empire1 p4
 #ahc1 said to be drawn up by the late  
,lord ,mansfield4  #fi ,v4 ,dr4         
,priestley's ,miscellaneous             
,observations relating to ,education1   
sect4 vii4 of correction1 p4 #fg4  #gj  
,v4 ,code of ,russian ,laws  #ga        
,colquhoun4  #gb ,see the judicious     
,locke's observations upon the subject  
of manners1 section #fg of his valuable 
,treatise on ,education4  #gc ,see vol4 
ii4 of ,zoonomia4  #gd ,we believe this 
is ,williams's idea4  #ge ,hume's       
,dissertation on the ,passions4  #gf    
,see ,locke1 and an excellent little    
essay of ,madame de ,lambert's4  #gg    
,the ,abbe ,st4 ,pierre4 ,see his ,eloge
 by ,d',alembert4     ,,chapter ,x4     
,,on ,,sympathy ,,and ,,sensibility4    
,the artless expressions of sympathy and
 sensibility in children1 are peculiarly
 pleasing2 people who1 in their commerce
 with the world1 have been disgusted and

 deceived by falsehood and affectation1 
listen with delight to the genuine      
language of nature4 ,those who have any 
interest in the education of children1  
have yet a higher sense of pleasure in  
observing symptoms of their sensibility2
 they anticipate the future virtues     
which early sensibility seems certainly 
to promise2 the future happiness which  
these virtues will diffuse4 ,nor are    
they unsupported by philosophy in these 
sanguine hopes4 ,no theory was ever     
developed with more ingenious elegance1 
than that which deduces all our moral   
sentiments from sympathy4 ,the direct   
influence of sympathy upon all social   
beings1 is sufficiently obvious1 and we 
immediately perceive its necessary      
connection with compassion1 friendship1 
and benevolence2 but the subject becomes
 more intricate when we are to analyse  
our sense of propriety and justice2 of  
merit and demerit2 of gratitude and     
resentment2 self-complacency or remorse2
 ambition and shame4#gh  ,we allow1     

without hesitation1 that a being        
destitute of sympathy1 could never have 
any of these feelings1 and must1        
consequently1 be incapable of all       
intercourse with society2 yet we must at
 the same time perceive1 that a being   
endowed with the most exquisite         
sympathy1 must1 without the assistance  
and education of reason1 be1 if not     
equally incapable of social intercourse1
 far more dangerous to the happiness of 
society4 ,a person governed by sympathy 
alone1 must be influenced by the bad as 
well as by the good passions of others2 
he must feel resentment with the angry  
man2 hatred with the malevolent2        
jealousy with the jealous2 and avarice  
with the miser3 the more lively his     
sympathy with these painful feelings1   
the greater must be his misery2 the more
 forcibly he is impelled to action by   
this sympathetic influence1 the greater1
 probably1 must be his imprudence and   
his guilt4 ,let us even suppose a being 
capable of sympathy only with the best  

feelings of his fellow-creatures1 still1
 without the direction of reason1 he    
would be a nuisance in the world2 his   
pity would stop the hand1 and overturn  
the balance of justice2 his love would  
be as dangerous as his pity2 his        
gratitude would exalt his benefactor at 
the expense of the whole human race2 his
 sympathy with the rich1 the prosperous1
 the great1 and the fortunate1 would be 
so sudden1 and so violent1 as to leave  
him no time for reflection upon the     
consequences of tyranny1 or the miseries
 occasioned by monopoly4 ,no time for   
reflection1 did we say8 ,we forgot that 
we were speaking of a being destitute of
 the reasoning faculty6 ,such a being1  
no matter what his virtuous sympathies  
might be1 must act either like a madman 
or a fool4 ,on sympathy we cannot       
depend1 either for the correctness of a 
man's moral sentiments1 or for the      
steadiness of his moral conduct4 ,it is 
very common to talk of the excellence of
 a person's heart1 of the natural       

goodness of his disposition2 when these 
expressions distinctly mean any thing1  
they must refer to natural sympathy1 or 
a superior degree of sensibility4       
,experience1 however1 does not teach us1
 that sensibility and virtue have any   
certain connection with each other4 ,no 
one can read the works of ,sterne1 or of
 ,rousseau1 without believing these men 
to have been endowed with extraordinary 
sensibility2 yet1 who would propose     
their conduct in life as a model for    
imitation8 ,that quickness of sympathy  
with present objects of distress1 which 
constitutes compassion1 is usually      
thought a virtue1 but it is a virtue    
frequently found in persons of an       
abandoned character4 ,mandeville1 in his
 essay upon ,charity ,schools1 puts this
 in a strong light4  ,should any one of 
us1 says he1 be locked up in a ground   
room1 where1 in a yard joining to it1   
there was a thriving good humoured child
 at play1 of two or three years old1 so 
near us1 that through the grates of the 

window we could almost touch it with our
 hands2 and if1 whilst we took delight  
in the harmless diversion1 and imperfect
 prattle1 of the innocent babe1 a nasty 
overgrown sow should come in upon the   
child1 set it a screaming1 and frighten 
it out of its wits2 it is natural to    
think that this would make us uneasy1   
and that with crying out1 and making all
 the menacing noise we could1 we should 
endeavour to drive the sow away--,but if
 this should happen to be an            
half-starved creature1 that1 mad with   
hunger1 went roaming about in quest of  
food1 and we should behold the ravenous 
brute1 in spite of our cries1 and all   
the threatening gestures we could think 
of1 actually lay hold of the helpless   
infant1 destroy1 and devour it2--to see 
her widely open her destructive jaws1   
and the poor lamb beat down with greedy 
haste2 to look on the defenceless       
posture of tender limbs first trampled  
upon1 then torn asunder2 to see the     
filthy snout digging in the yet living  

entrails1 suck up the smoking blood1 and
 now and then to hear the crackling of  
the bones1 and the cruel animal grunt   
with savage pleasure over the horrid    
banquet2 to hear and see all this1 what 
torture would it give the soul beyond   
expression6999999999999 ,not only a man 
of humanity1 of good morals1 and        
commiseration1 but likewise an          
highwayman1 an house-breaker1 or a      
murderer1 could feel anxieties on such  
an occasion4  ,amongst those monsters1  
who are pointed out by the historian to 
the just detestation of all mankind1 we 
meet with instances of casual sympathy  
and sensibility2 even their vices       
frequently prove to us1 that they never 
became utterly indifferent to the       
opinion and feelings of their           
fellow-creatures4 ,the dissimulation1   
jealousy1 suspicion1 and cruelty of     
,tiberius1 originated1 perhaps1 more in 
his anxiety about the opinions which    
were formed of his character1 than in   
his fears of any conspiracies against   

his life4 ,the judge within1 the habit  
of viewing his own conduct in the light 
in which it was beheld by the impartial 
spectator1 prompted him to new crimes2  
and thus his unextinguished sympathy1   
and his exasperated sensibility1 drove  
him to excesses1 from which a more      
torpid temperament might have preserved 
him4#gi ,when1 upon his presenting the  
sons of ,germanicus to the senate1      
,tiberius beheld the tenderness with    
which these young men were received1 he 
was moved to such an agony of jealousy1 
as instantly to beseech the senate that 
he might resign the empire4 ,we cannot  
attribute either to policy or fear1 this
 strong emotion1 because we know that   
the senate was at this time absolutely  
at the disposal of ,tiberius1 and the   
lives of the sons of ,germanicus        
depended upon his pleasure4  ,the desire
 to excel1 according to ,smith's ,theory
 of ,moral ,sentiments1 is to be        
resolved principally into our love of   
the sympathy of our fellow-creatures4   

,we wish for their sympathy1 either in  
our success1 or in the pleasure we feel 
in superiority4 ,the desire for this    
refined modification of sympathy1 may be
 the motive of good and great actions2  
but it cannot be trusted as a moral     
principle4 ,nero's love of sympathy1    
made him anxious to be applauded on the 
stage as a fiddler and a buffoon4       
,tiberius banished one of his           
philosophic courtiers1 and persecuted   
him till the unfortunate man laid       
violent hands upon himself1 merely      
because he had discovered that the      
emperour read books in the morning to   
prepare himself with questions for his  
literary society at night4 ,dionysius1  
the tyrant of ,syracuse1 sued in the    
most abject manner for an ,olympic      
crown1 and sent a critic to the galleys 
for finding fault with his verses4 ,had 
not these men a sufficient degree of    
sensibility to praise1 and more than a  
sufficient desire for the sympathy of   
their fellow-creatures8  ,it is not from

 any perverse love of sophistry1 that   
the word sensibility has been used in   
these instances instead of irritability1
 which seems better to characterize the 
temper of a ,dionysius1 or a ,tiberius2 
but1 in fact1 irritability1 in common   
language1 merely denotes an excessive or
 ill governed degree of sensibility4    
,the point of excess must be marked3    
sympathy must be regulated by education1
 and consequently the methods of        
directing sensibility to useful and     
amiable purposes1 must be anxiously     
studied by all who wish either for the  
happiness or virtue of their pupils4    
,long before children can understand    
reasoning1 they can feel sympathy2      
during this early period of their       
education1 example and habit1 slight    
external circumstances1 and the         
propensity to imitation1 govern their   
thoughts and actions4 ,imitation is the 
involuntary effect of sympathy in       
children2 hence those who have the most 
sympathy1 are most liable to be improved

 or injured by early examples4 ,examples
 of the malevolent passions1 should     
therefore be most carefully excluded    
from the sight of those who have yet no 
choice in their sympathy2 expressions of
 kindness and affection in the          
countenance1 the voice1 the actions1 of 
all who approach1 and of all who have   
the care of infants1 are not only       
immediately and evidently agreeable to  
the children1 but ought also to be used 
as the best possible means of exciting  
benevolent sympathies in their mind4    
,children1 who habitually meet with     
kindness1 habitually feel complacency2  
that species of instinctive1 or rather  
of associated affection1 which always   
rises in the mind from the recollection 
of past pleasures1 is immediately       
excited in such children by the sight of
 their parents4 ,by an easy transition  
of ideas1 they expect the same          
benevolence1 even from strangers1 which 
they have experienced from their        
friends1 and their sympathy naturally   

prepares them to wish for society2 this 
wish is often improperly indulged4  ,at 
the age when children begin to unfold   
their ideas1 and to express their       
thoughts in words1 they are such        
interesting and entertaining companions1
 that they attract a large portion of   
our daily attention3 we listen eagerly  
to their simple observations2 we enter  
into their young astonishment at every  
new object2 we are delighted to watch   
all their emotions2 we help them with   
words to express their ideas2 we        
anxiously endeavour to understand their 
imperfect reasonings1 and are pleased to
 find1 or put them in the right4 ,this  
season of universal smiles and courtesy1
 is delightful to children whilst it    
lasts1 but it soon passes away2 they    
soon speak without exciting any         
astonishment1 and instead of meeting    
with admiration for every attempt to    
express an idea1 they are soon repulsed 
for troublesome volubility2 even when   
they talk sense1 they are suffered to   

talk unheard1 or else they are checked  
for unbecoming presumption4 ,children   
feel this change in public opinion and  
manners most severely2 they are not     
sensible of any change in themselves1   
except1 perhaps1 they are conscious of  
having improved both in sense and       
language4 ,this unmerited loss of their 
late gratuitous allowance of sympathy1  
usually operates unfavourably upon the  
temper of the sufferers2 they become shy
 and silent1 and reserved1 if not       
sullen2 they withdraw from our          
capricious society1 and they endeavour  
to console themselves with other        
pleasures4 ,it is difficult to them to  
feel contented with their own little    
occupations and amusements1 for want of 
the spectators and the audience which   
used to be at their command4 ,children  
of a timid temper1 or of an indolent    
disposition1 are quite dispirited and   
bereft of all energy in these           
circumstances2 others1 with greater     
vivacity1 and more voluntary exertion1  

endeavour to supply the loss of         
universal sympathy1 by the invention of 
independent occupations2 but they feel  
anger and indignation1 when they are not
 rewarded with any smiles or any praise 
for their virtuous toil4 ,they naturally
 seek for new companions1 either amongst
 children of their own age1 or amongst  
complaisant servants4 ,immediately all  
the business of education is at a stand2
 for neither these servants1 nor these  
playfellows1 are capable of becoming    
their instructers2 nor can tutors hope  
to succeed1 who have transferred their  
power over the pleasures1 and           
consequently over the affections of     
their pupils4 ,sympathy now becomes the 
declared enemy of all the constituted   
authorities4 ,what chance is there of   
obedience or of happiness1 under such a 
government8  ,would it not be more      
prudent to prevent1 than to complain of 
these evils8 ,sympathy is our first1    
best friend1 in education1 and by       
judicious management1 might long        

continue our faithful ally4  ,instead of
 lavishing our smiles and our attention 
upon young children for a short period1 
just at that age when they are amusing  
playthings1 should we not do more wisely
 if we reserved some portion of our     
kindness a few years longer8 ,by a      
proper economy1 our sympathy may last   
for many years1 and may continually     
contribute to the most useful purposes4 
,instead of accustoming our pupils early
 to such a degree of our attention as   
cannot be supported long on our parts1  
we should rather suffer them to feel a  
little ennui1 at that age when they can 
have but few independent or useful      
occupations4 ,we should employ ourselves
 in our usual manner1 and converse1     
without allowing children to interrupt  
us with frivolous prattle2 but whenever 
they ask sensible questions1 make just  
observations1 or show a disposition to  
acquire knowledge1 we should assist and 
encourage them with praise and          
affection2 gradually as they become     

capable of taking any part in           
conversation1 they should be admitted   
into society1 and they will learn of    
themselves1 or we may teach them1 that  
useful and agreeable qualities are those
 by which they must secure the pleasures
 of sympathy4 ,esteem1 being associated 
with sympathy1 will increase its value1 
and this connection should be made as   
soon1 and kept as sacred1 in the mind as
 possible4  ,with respect to the        
sympathy which children feel for each   
other1 it must be carefully managed1 or 
it will counteract1 instead of assisting
 us1 in education4 ,it is natural1 that 
those who are placed nearly in the same 
circumstances1 should feel alike1 and   
sympathize with one another2 but        
children feel only for the present2 they
 have few ideas of the future2 and      
consequently all that they can desire1  
either for themselves1 or for their     
companions1 is what will immediately    
please4 ,education looks to the future1 
and frequently we must ensure future    

advantage1 even at the expense of       
present pain or restraint4 ,the         
companion and the tutor then1 supposing 
each to be equally good and equally     
kind1 must command1 in a very different 
degree1 the sympathy of the child4 ,it  
may1 notwithstanding1 be questioned1    
whether those who are constant          
companions in their idle hours1 when    
they are very young1 are likely to be   
either as fond of one another when they 
grow up1 or even as happy whilst they   
are children1 as those are who spend    
less time together4 ,whenever the       
humours1 interests1 and passions of     
others cross our own1 there is an end of
 sympathy1 and this happens almost every
 hour in the day with children2 it is   
generally supposed1 that they learn to  
live in friendship with each other1 and 
to bear with one another's little faults
 habitually2 that they even reciprocally
 cure these faults1 and learn1 by       
experience1 those principles of honour  
and justice on which society depends4   

,we may be deceived in this reasoning by
 a false analogy4  ,we call the society 
of children1 society in miniature2 the  
proportions of the miniature are so much
 altered1 that it is by no means an     
accurate resemblance of that which      
exists in the civilized world4 ,amongst 
children of different ages1 strength1   
and talents1 there must always be       
tyranny1 injustice1 and that worst      
species of inequality1 which arises from
 superior force on the one side1 and    
abject timidity on the other4 ,of this1 
the spectators of juvenile disputes and 
quarrels are sometimes sensible1 and    
they hastily interfere and endeavour to 
part the combatants1 by pronouncing     
certain moral sentences1 such as1 ,good 
boys never quarrel2 brothers must love  
and help one another4 ,but these        
sentences seldom operate as a charm upon
 the angry passions2 the parties        
concerned1 hearing it asserted that they
 must love one another1 at the very     
instant when they happen to feel that   

they cannot1 are still further          
exasperated1 and they stand at bay1     
sullen in hatred1 or approach           
hypocritical in reconciliation4 ,it is  
more easy to prevent occasions of       
dispute1 than to remedy the bad         
consequences which petty altercations   
produce4 ,young children should be kept 
asunder at all times1 and in all        
situations1 in which it is necessary1 or
 probable1 that their appetites and     
passions should be in direct            
competition4 ,two hungry children1 with 
their eager eyes fixed upon one and the 
same bason of bread and milk1 do not    
sympathize with each other1 though they 
have the same sensations2 each          
perceives1 that if the other eats the   
bread and milk1 he cannot eat it4       
,hunger is more powerful than sympathy2 
but satisfy the hunger of one of the    
parties1 and immediately he will begin  
to feel for his companion1 and will wish
 that his hunger should also be         
satisfied4 ,even ,mr4 ,barnet1 the      

epicure1 who is so well described in    
,moore's excellent novel1#hj after he   
has crammed himself to the throat1 asks 
his wife to try to eat a bit4           
,intelligent preceptors will apply the  
instance of the bason of bread and milk1
 in a variety of apparently dissimilar  
circumstances4  ,we may observe1 that   
the more quickly children reason1 the   
sooner they discover how far their      
interests are any ways incompatible with
 the interests of their companions4 ,the
 more readily a boy calculates1 the     
sooner he will perceive1 that if he were
 to share his bason of bread and milk   
equally with a dozen of his companions1 
his own portion must be small4 ,the     
accuracy of his mental division would   
prevent him from offering to part with  
that share which1 perhaps1 a more       
ignorant accountant would be ready to   
surrender at once1 without being on that
 account more generous4 ,children1 who  
are accurate observers of the           
countenance1 and who have a superior    

degree of penetration1 discover very    
early the symptoms of displeasure1 or of
 affection1 in their friends2 they also 
perceive quickly the dangers of         
rivalship from their companions4 ,if    
experience convinces them1 that they    
must lose in proportion as their        
companions gain1 either in fame or in   
favour1 they will necessarily dislike   
them as rivals2 their hatred will be as 
vehement1 as their love of praise and   
affection is ardent4 ,thus children1 who
 have the most lively sympathy1 are1    
unless they be judiciously educated1 the
 most in danger of feeling early the    
malevolent passions of jealousy and     
envy4 ,it is inhuman1 and in every point
 of view unjustifiable in us1 to excite 
these painful feelings in children1 as  
we too often do1 by the careless or     
partial distribution of affection and   
applause4 ,exact justice will best      
prevent jealousy2 each individual       
submits to justice1 because each1 in    
turn1 feels the benefit of its          

protection4 ,some preceptors1 with      
benevolent intentions1 labour to        
preserve a perfect equality amongst     
their pupils1 and1 from the fear of     
exciting envy in those who are inferior1
 avoid uttering any encomiums upon      
superior talents and merit4 ,this       
management seldom succeeds2 the truth   
cannot be concealed2 those who feel     
their own superiority1 make painful     
reflections upon the injustice done to  
them by the policy of their tutors2     
those who are sensible of their own     
inferiority1 are not comforted by the   
courtesy and humiliating forbearance    
with which they are treated4 ,it is1    
therefore1 best to speak the plain      
truth2 to give to all their due share of
 affection and applause3 at the same    
time1 we should avoid blaming one child 
at the moment when we praise another3 we
 should never put our pupils in contrast
 with one another2 nor yet should we    
deceive them as to their respective     
excellences and defects4 ,our comparison

 should rather be made between what the 
pupil has been1 and what he is1 than    
between what he is1 and what any body   
else is not4#ha ,by this style of praise
 we may induce children to become       
emulous of their former selves1 instead 
of being envious of their competitors4  
,without deceit or affectation1 we may  
also take care to associate general     
pleasure in a family with particular    
commendations3 thus1 if one boy is      
remarkable for prudence1 and another for
 generosity1 we should not praise the   
generosity of the one at the expense of 
the prudence of the other1 but we should
 give to each virtue its just measure of
 applause4 ,if one girl sings1 and      
another draws1 remarkably well1 we may  
show that we are pleased with both      
agreeable accomplishments1 without      
bringing them into comparison4 ,nor is  
it necessary that we should be in a     
desperate hurry to balance the separate 
degrees of praise which we distribute   
exactly at the same moment1 because if  

children are sure that the reward of    
their industry and ingenuity is secured 
by our justice1 they will trust to us1  
though that reward may be for a few     
hours delayed4 ,it is only where workmen
 have no confidence in the integrity or 
punctuality of their masters1 that they 
are impatient of any accidental delay in
 the payment of their wages4  ,with the 
precautions which have been mentioned1  
we may hope to see children grow up in  
real friendship together4 ,the whole sum
 of their pleasure is much increased by 
mutual sympathy4 ,this happy moral      
truth1 upon which so many of our virtues
 depend1 should be impressed upon the   
mind2 it should be clearly demonstrated 
to the reason2 it should not be repeated
 as an a priori1 sentimental assertion4 
,those who have observed the sudden1    
violent1 and surprising effects of      
emulation in public schools1 will regret
 the want of this power in the          
intellectual education of their pupils  
at home4 ,even the acquisition of       

talents and knowledge ought1 however1 to
 be but a secondary consideration1      
subordinate to the general happiness of 
our pupils4 ,if we could have superior  
knowledge1 upon condition that we should
 have a malevolent disposition1 and an  
irritable temper1 should we1 setting    
every other moral consideration aside1  
be willing to make the purchase at such 
a price8 ,let any person1 desirous to   
see a striking picture of the effects of
 scholastic competition upon the moral  
character1 look at the life of that     
wonder of his age1 the celebrated       
,abeillard4 ,as the taste and manners of
 the present times are so different from
 those of the age in which he lived1 we 
see1 without any species of deception1  
the real value of the learning in which 
he excelled1 and we can judge both of   
his acquirements1 and of his character1 
without prejudice4 ,we see him goaded on
 by rivalship1 and literary ambition1 to
 astonishing exertions at one time2 at  
another1 torpid in monkish indolence3 at

 one time1 we see him intoxicated with  
adulation2 at another1 listless1        
desponding1 abject1 incapable of        
maintaining his own self-approbation    
without the suffrages of those whom he  
despised4 ,if his biographer#hb does him
 justice1 a more selfish1 irritable1    
contemptible1 miserable being1 than the 
learned ,abeillard1 could scarcely      
exist4  ,a philosopher1#hc who1 if we   
might judge of him by the benignity of  
his writings1 was surely of a most      
amiable and happy temper1 has yet left  
us a melancholy and discouraging history
 of the unsociable condition of men of  
superior knowledge and abilities4 ,he   
supposes that those who have devoted    
much time to the cultivation of their   
understandings1 have habitually less    
sympathy1 or less exercise for their    
sympathy1 than those who live less      
abstracted from the world2 that1        
consequently1 all their social1 and all 
their public affections1 lose their     
natural warmth and vigour1 whilst their 

selfish passions are cherished and      
strengthened1 being kept in constant    
play by literary rivalship4 ,it is to be
 hoped1 that there are men of the most  
extensive learning and genius1 now      
living1 who could1 from their own       
experience1 assure us that those are    
obsolete observations1 no longer        
applicable to modern human nature4 ,at  
all events1 we1 who refer so much to    
education1 are hopefully of opinion1    
that education can prevent these evils1 
in common with almost all the other     
evils of life4 ,it would be an errour1  
fatal to all improvement1 to believe    
that the cultivation of the             
understanding1 impedes the exercise of  
the social affections4 ,obviously1 a    
man1 who secludes himself from the      
world1 and whose whole life is occupied 
with abstract studies1 cannot enjoy any 
pleasure from his social affections2 his
 admiration of the dead1 is so constant1
 that he has no time to feel any        
sympathy with the living4 ,an           

individual1 of this ruminating species1 
is humorously delineated in ,mrs4       
,d',arblay's ,camilla4 ,men1 who are    
compelled to unrelenting labour1 whether
 by avarice1 or by literary ambition1   
are equally to be pitied4 ,they are not 
models for imitation2 they sacrifice    
their happiness to some strong passion  
or interest4 ,without this ascetic      
abstinence from the domestic and social 
pleasures of life1 surely persons may   
cultivate their understandings1 and     
acquire1 even by mixing with their      
fellow-creatures1 a variety of useful   
knowledge4  ,an ingenious theory#hd     
supposes the exercise of any of our     
faculties1 is always attended with      
pleasure1 which lasts as long as that   
exercise can be continued without       
fatigue4 ,this pleasure1 arising from   
the due exercise of our mental powers1  
the author of this theory maintains to  
be the foundation of our most agreeable 
sentiments4 ,if there be any truth in   
these ideas1 of how many agreeable      

sentiments must a man of sense be       
capable6 ,the pleasures of society must 
to him increase in an almost            
incalculable proportion2 because1 in    
conversation1 his faculties can never   
want subjects on which they may be amply
 exercised4 ,the dearth of conversation1
 which every body may have felt in      
certain company1 is always attended with
 mournful countenances1 and every       
symptom of ennui4 ,indeed1 without the  
pleasures of conversation1 society is   
reduced to meetings of people1 who      
assemble to eat and drink1 to show their
 fine clothes1 to weary and to hate one 
another4 ,the sympathy of bon vivants   
is1 it must be acknowleged1 very lively 
and sincere towards each other2 but this
 can last only during the hour of       
dinner1 unless they revive1 and prolong1
 by the powers of imagination1 the      
memory of the feast4 ,some foreign      
traveller#he tells us1 that every year1 
at ,naples1 an officer of the police    
goes through the city1 attended by a    

trumpeter1 who proclaims in all the     
squares and cross-ways1 how many        
thousand oxen1 calves1 lambs1 hogs1 c4  
the ,neapolitans have had the honour of 
eating in the course of the year4 ,the  
people all listen with extreme attention
 to this proclamation1 and are          
immoderately delighted at the huge      
amount4  ,a degree1 and scarcely one    
degree1 above the brute sympathy of good
 eaters1 is that gregarious propensity  
which is sometimes honoured with the    
name of sociability4 ,the current       
sympathy1 or appearance of sympathy1    
which is to be found amongst the idle   
and frivolous in fashionable life1 is   
wholly unconnected with even the idea of
 esteem4 ,it is therefore pernicious to 
all who partake of it2 it excites to no 
great exertions2 it rewards neither     
useful nor amiable qualities3 on the    
contrary1 it is to be obtained by vice1 
rather than by virtue2 by folly much    
more readily than by wisdom4 ,it is the 
mere follower of fashion1 and of        

dissipation1 and it keeps those in      
humour and countenance1 who ought to    
hear the voice of public reproach1 and  
who might be roused by the fear of      
disgrace1 or the feelings of shame1 to  
exertions which should justly entitle   
them to the approbation and affection of
 honourable friends4  ,young people1 who
 are early in life content with this    
convivial sympathy1 may1 in the common  
phrase1 become very good1 pleasant      
companions2 but there is little chance  
that they should ever become any thing  
more1 and there is great danger that    
they may be led into any degree of      
folly1 extravagance1 or vice1 to which  
fashion and the voice of numbers invite4
 ,it sometimes happens1 that men of     
superior abilities1 have such an        
indiscriminate love of applause and     
sympathy1 that they reduce themselves to
 the standard of all their casual       
companions1 and vary their objects of   
ambition with the opinion of the silly  
people with whom they chance to         

associate4 ,in public life1 party spirit
 becomes the ruling principle of men of 
this character2 in private life1 they   
are addicted to clubs1 and associations 
of all sorts1 in which the contagion of 
sympathy has a power which the sober    
influence of reason seldom ventures to  
correct4 ,the waste of talents1 and the 
total loss of principle1 to which this  
indiscriminate love of sympathy leads1  
should warn us to guard against its     
influence by early education4 ,the      
gregarious propensity in childhood1     
should not be indulged without          
precautions3 unless their companions are
 well educated1 we can never be         
reasonably secure of the conduct or     
happiness of our pupils3 from sympathy1 
they catch all the wishes1 tastes1 and  
ideas of those with whom they associate2
 and what is still worse1 they acquire  
the dangerous habits of resting upon the
 support1 and of wanting the stimulus of
 numbers4 ,it is1 surely1 far more      
prudent to let children feel a little   

ennui1 from the want of occupation and  
of company1 than to purchase for them   
the juvenile pleasures of society at the
 expense of their future happiness4     
,childhood1 as a part of our existence1 
ought to have as great a share of       
happiness as it can enjoy compatibly    
with the advantage of the other seasons 
of life4 ,by this principle1 we should  
be guided in all which we allow1 and in 
all which we refuse1 to children2 by    
this rule1 we may avoid unnecessary     
severity1 and pernicious indulgence4    
,as young people gradually acquire      
knowledge1 they will learn to converse1 
and when they have the habits of        
conversing rationally1 they will not    
desire companions who can only chatter4 
,they will prefer the company of        
friends1 who can sympathize in their    
occupations1 to the presence of ignorant
 idlers1 who can fill up the void of    
ideas with nonsense and noise4 ,some    
people have a notion that the           
understanding and the heart are not to  

be educated at the same time2 but the   
very reverse of this is1 perhaps1 true2 
neither can be brought to any           
perfection1 unless both are cultivated  
together4  ,we should not1 therefore1   
expect premature virtues4 ,during       
childhood1 there occur but few          
opportunities of exerting the virtues   
which are recommended in books1 such as 
humanity and generosity4  ,the humanity 
of children cannot1 perhaps1 properly be
 said to be exercised upon animals2 they
 are frequently extremely fond of       
animals1 but they are not always equable
 in their fondness2 they sometimes treat
 their favourites with that caprice     
which favourites are doomed to          
experience2 this caprice degenerates    
into cruelty1 if it is resented by the  
sufferer4 ,we must not depend merely    
upon the natural feelings of compassion1
 as preservatives against cruelty2 the  
instinctive feelings of compassion1 are 
strong amongst uneducated people2 yet   
these do not restrain them from acts of 

cruelty4 ,they take delight1 it has been
 often observed1 in all tragical1       
sanguinary spectacles1 because these    
excite emotion1 and relieve them from   
the listless state in which their days  
usually pass4 ,it is the same with all  
persons1 in all ranks of life1 whose    
minds are uncultivated4#hf ,until young 
people have fixed habits of benevolence1
 and a taste for occupation1 perhaps it 
is not prudent to trust them with the   
care or protection of animals4 ,even    
when they are enthusiastically fond of  
them1 they cannot1 by their utmost      
ingenuity1 make the animal so happy in a
 state of captivity1 as they would be in
 a state of liberty4 ,they are apt to   
insist upon doing animals good against  
their will1 and they are often unjust in
 the defence of their favourites4 ,a boy
 of seven years old1 once knocked down  
his sister1 to prevent her crushing his 
caterpillar4#hg  ,children should not be
 taught to confine their benevolence to 
those animals which are thought         

beautiful2 the fear and disgust which we
 express at the sight of certain        
unfortunate animals1 whom we are pleased
 to call ugly and shocking1 are observed
 by children1 and these associations    
lead to cruelty4 ,if we do not prejudice
 our pupils by foolish exclamations2 if 
they do not1 from sympathy1 catch our   
absurd antipathies1 their benevolence   
towards the animal world1 will not be   
illiberally confined to favourite       
lap-dogs and singing-birds4 ,from       
association1 most people think that     
frogs are ugly animals4 ,l----1 a boy   
between five and six years old1 once    
begged his mother to come out to look at
 a beautiful animal which he had just   
found2 she was rather surprised to find 
that this beautiful creature was a frog4
  ,if children never see others torment 
animals1 they will not think that       
cruelty can be an amusement2 but they   
may be provoked to revenge the pain     
which is inflicted upon them2 and       
therefore we should take care not to put

 children in situations where they are  
liable to be hurt or terrified by       
animals4 ,could we possibly expect1 that
 ,gulliver should love the              
,brobdignagian wasp that buzzed round   
his cake1 and prevented him from eating 
his breakfast8 ,could we expect that    
,gulliver should be ever reconciled to  
the rat against whom he was obliged to  
draw his sword8 ,many animals are1 to   
children1 what the wasp and the rat were
 to ,gulliver4 ,put bodily fear out of  
the case1 it required all uncle ,toby's 
benevolence to bear the buzzing of a    
gnat while he was eating his dinner4    
,children1 even when they have no cause 
to be afraid of animals1 are sometimes  
in situations to be provoked by them2   
and the nice casuist will find it       
difficult to do strict justice upon the 
offended and the offenders4  ,october   
#b1 #agif4 ,s----1 nine years old1 took 
care of his brother ,h----'s hot-bed for
 some time1 when ,h---- was absent from 
home4 ,he was extremely anxious about   

his charge2 he took one of his sisters  
to look at the hot-bed1 showed her a    
hole where the mice came in1 and        
expressed great hatred against the whole
 race4 ,he the same day asked his mother
 for a bait for the mouse-trap2 his     
mother refused to give him one1 telling 
him that she did not wish he should     
learn to kill animals4 ,how good nature 
sometimes leads to the opposite feeling6
 ,s----'s love for his brother's        
cucumbers made him imagine and compass  
the death of the mice4 ,children should 
be protected against animals1 which we  
do not wish that they should hate2 if   
cats scratch them1 and dogs bite them1  
and mice devour the fruits of their     
industry1 children must consider these  
animals as enemies2 they cannot love    
them1 and they may learn the habit of   
revenge1 from being exposed to their    
insults and depredations4 ,pythagoras   
himself would have insisted upon his    
exclusive right to the vegetables on    
which he was to subsist1 especially if  

he had raised them by his own care and  
industry4 ,buffon1#hh notwithstanding   
all his benevolent philosophy1 can      
scarcely speak with patience of his     
enemies the field mice2 who1 when he was
 trying experiments upon the culture of 
forest trees1 tormented him perpetually 
by their insatiable love of acorns4 ,i  
was terrified1 says he1 at the discovery
 of half a bushel1 and often a whole    
bushel1 of acorns in each of the holes  
inhabited by these little animals2 they 
had collected these acorns for their    
winter provision4 ,the philosopher gave 
orders immediately for the erection of a
 great number of traps1 and snares      
baited with broiled nuts2 in less than  
three weeks nearly three hundred field  
mice were killed or taken prisoners4    
,mankind are obliged to carry on a      
defensive war with the animal world4    
,eat or be eaten1 says ,dr4 ,darwin1 is 
the great law of nature4 ,it is         
fortunate for us that there are butchers
 by profession in the world1 and        

rat-catchers1 and cats1 otherwise our   
habits of benevolence and sympathy would
 be utterly destroyed4 ,children1 though
 they must perceive the necessity for   
destroying certain animals need not be  
themselves executioners2 they should not
 conquer the natural repugnance to the  
sight of the struggles of pain1 and the 
convulsions of death2 their aversion of 
being the cause of pain should be       
preserved1 both by principle and habit4 
,those who have not been habituated to  
the bloody form of cruelty1 can never   
fix their eye upon her without          
shuddering2 even those to whom she may  
have1 in some instances1 been early     
familiarized1 recoil from her appearance
 in any shape to which they have not    
been accustomed4 ,at one of the         
magnificent shows with which ,pompey#hi 
entertained the ,roman people for five  
days successively1 the populace enjoyed 
the death of wild beasts2 five hundred  
lions were killed2 but1 on the last day1
 when twenty elephants were put to      

death1 the people1 unused to the sight1 
and moved by the lamentable howlings of 
these animals1 were seized with sudden  
compassion2 they execrated ,pompey      
himself for being the author of so much 
cruelty4  ,charity for the poor1 is     
often inculcated in books for children2 
but how is this virtue to be actually   
brought into practice in childhood8     
,without proper objects of charity are  
selected by the parents1 children have  
no opportunities of discovering them2   
they have not sufficient knowledge of   
the world to distinguish truth from     
falsehood in the complaints of the      
distressed3 nor have they sufficiently  
enlarged views to discern the best means
 of doing good to their                 
fellow-creatures4 ,they may give away   
money to the poor1 but they do not      
always feel the value of what they give3
 they give counters3 supplied with all  
the necessaries and luxuries of life1   
they have no use for money2 they feel no
 privation2 they make no sacrifice in   

giving money away1 or at least1 none    
worthy to be extolled as heroic4 ,when  
children grow up1 they learn the value  
of money2 their generosity will then    
cost them rather more effort1 and yet   
can be rewarded only with the same      
expressions of gratitude1 with the same 
blessings from the beggar1 or the same  
applause from the spectator4  ,let us   
put charity out of the question1 and    
suppose that the generosity of children 
is displayed in making presents to their
 companions1 still there are            
difficulties4 ,these presents are       
usually baubles1 which at the best can  
encourage only a frivolous taste4 ,but  
we must further consider1 that even     
generous children are apt to expect     
generosity equal to their own from their
 companions2 then come tacit or explicit
 comparisons of the value or elegance of
 their respective gifts2 the difficult  
rules of exchange and barter are to be  
learned2 and nice calculations of ,tare 
and ,tret are entered into by the       

repentant borrowers and lenders4 ,a     
sentimental1 two often ends in a        
commercial intercourse2 and those who   
begin with the most munificent          
dispositions1 sometimes end with selfish
 discontent1 low cunning1 or disgusting 
ostentation4 ,whoever has carefully     
attended to young makers of presents1   
and makers of bargains1 will not think  
this account of them much exaggerated4  
,then what is to be done8 ,how are the  
social affections to be developed8 ,how 
is the sensibility of children to be    
tried8 ,how is the young heart to       
display its most amiable feelings8 a    
sentimental preceptress will impatiently
 inquire4  ,the amiable feelings of the 
heart need not be displayed2 they may be
 sufficiently exercised without the     
stimulus either of our eloquence or our 
applause4 ,in madame de ,silleri's      
account of the education of the children
 of the duke of ,orleans1 there appears 
rather too much sentimental artifice and
 management4 ,when the ,duchess of      

,orleans was ill1 the children were     
instructed to write charming notes from 
day to day1 and from hour to hour1 to   
inquire how she did4 ,once when a       
servant was going from ,saint ,leu to   
,paris1 madame de ,silleri asked her    
pupils if they had any commissions2 the 
little duke de ,chartres says yes1 and  
gave a message about a bird-cage1 but he
 did not recollect to write to his      
mother1 till somebody whispered to him  
that he had forgotten it4 ,madame de    
,silleri calls this childish            
forgetfulness a heinous offence2 but was
 not it very natural1 that the boy      
should think of his bird cage8 and what 
mother would wish that her children     
should have it put into their head1 to  
inquire after her health in the         
complimentary style8 ,another time1     
madame de ,silleri is displeased with   
her pupils1 because they did not show   
sufficient sympathy and concern for her 
when she had a headache or sore throat4 
,the exact number of messages which1    

consistently with the strict duties of  
friendship1 they ought to have sent1 are
 upon another occasion prescribed4  ,i  
had yesterday afternoon a violent attack
 of the colic1 and you discovered the   
greatest sensibility4 ,by the journal of
 ,m4 le ,brun1 ,i find it was the duke  
de ,montpensier who thought this morning
 of writing to inquire how ,i did4 ,you 
left me yesterday in a very calm state1 
and there was no reason for anxiety2    
but1 consistently with the strict duties
 of friendship1 you ought to have given 
orders before you went to bed1 for      
inquiries to be made at eight o'clock in
 the morning1 to know whether ,i had had
 any return of my complaint during the  
night2 and you should again have sent at
 ten1 to learn from myself1 the instant 
,i awoke1 the exact state of my health4 
,such are the benevolent and tender     
cares which a lively and sincere        
friendship dictates4 ,you must accustom 
yourselves to the observance of them1 if
 you wish to be beloved4  ,another day  

madame de ,silleri told the duke de     
,chartres1 that he had a very idiotic   
appearance1 because1 when he went to see
 his mother1 his attention was taken up 
by two paroquets which happened to be in
 the room4 ,all these reproaches and    
documents could not1 we should          
apprehend1 tend to increase the real    
sensibility and affection of children4  
,gratitude is one of the most certain1  
but one of the latest1 rewards1 which   
preceptors and parents should expect    
from their pupils4 ,those who are too   
impatient to wait for the gradual       
development of the affections1 will     
obtain from their children1 instead of  
warm1 genuine1 enlightened gratitude1   
nothing but the expression of cold1     
constrained1 stupid hypocrisy4 ,during  
the process of education1 a child cannot
 perceive its ultimate end2 how can he  
judge whether the means employed by his 
parents1 are well adapted to effect     
their purposes8 ,moments of restraint   
and of privation1 or1 perhaps1 of       

positive pain1 must be endured by       
children under the mildest system of    
education3 they must1 therefore1        
perceive1 that their parents are the    
immediate cause of some evils to them2  
the remote good is beyond their view4   
,and can we expect from an infant the   
systematic resignation of an optimist8  
,belief upon trust1 is very different   
from that which arises from experience2 
and no one1 who understands the human   
heart1 will expect incompatible         
feelings3 in the mind of a child1 the   
feeling of present pain is incompatible 
with gratitude4 ,mrs4 ,macaulay mentions
 a striking instance of extorted        
gratitude4 ,a poor child1 who had been  
taught to return thanks for every thing1
 had a bitter medicine given to her2    
when she had drank it1 she curtesied1   
and said1 ,thank you for my good stuff4 
,there was a mistake in the medicine1   
and the child died the next morning4    
,children who are not sentimentally     
educated1 often offend by their         

simplicity1 and frequently disgust      
people of impatient feelings1 by their  
apparent indifference to things which   
are expected to touch their sensibility4
 ,let us be content with nature1 or     
rather let us never exchange simplicity 
for affectation4 ,nothing hurts young   
people more than to be watched          
continually about their feelings1 to    
have their countenances scrutinized1 and
 the degrees of their sensibility       
measured by the surveying eye of the    
unmerciful spectator4 ,under the        
constraint of such examinations1 they   
can think of nothing1 but that they are 
looked at1 and feel nothing but shame or
 apprehension3 they are afraid to lay   
their minds open1 lest they should be   
convicted of some deficiency of feeling4
 ,on the contrary1 children who are not 
in dread of this sentimental            
inquisition1 speak their minds1 the     
truth1 and the whole truth1 without     
effort or disguise3 they lay open their 
hearts1 and tell their thoughts as they 

arise1 with simplicity that would not   
fear to enter even ,the palace of       
,truth4#ij  ,a little girl1 ,ho----1 who
 was not quite four years old1 asked her
 mother to give her a plaything3 one of 
her sisters had just before asked for   
the same thing4 ,i cannot give it to you
 both1 said the mother4  ,ho----4 ,no1  
but ,i wish you to give it to me1 and   
not to ,e----4  ,mother4 ,don't you wish
 your sister to have what she wants8    
,ho----4 ,mother1 if ,i say that ,i     
don't wish so1 will you give it to me8  
,perhaps this naivete might have        
displeased some scrupulous admirers of  
politeness1 who could not discover in it
 symptoms of that independent simplicity
 of character1 for which the child who  
made this speech was distinguished4  ,do
 you always love me8 said a mother to   
her son1 who was about four years old4  
,always1 said the child1 except when ,i 
am asleep4  ,mother4 ,and why do you not
 love me when you are asleep8  ,son4    
,because ,i do not think of you then4   

,this sensible answer showed1 that the  
boy reflected accurately upon his own   
feelings1 and a judicious parent must   
consequently have a sober certainty of  
his affection4 ,the thoughtless caresses
 of children who are never accustomed to
 reason1 are lavished alike upon        
strangers and friends1 and their        
fondness of to-day may1 without any     
reasonable cause1 become aversion by    
to-morrow4  ,children are often asked to
 tell which of their friends they love  
the best1 but they are seldom required  
to assign any reason for their choice4  
,it is not prudent to question them     
frequently about their own feelings2 but
 whenever they express any decided      
preference1 we should endeavour to lead1
 not to drive them to reflect upon the  
reasons for their affection4 ,they will 
probably at first mention some          
particular instance of kindness1 which  
they have lately received from the      
person whom they prefer4 ,i like such a 
person because he mended my top4 ,i like

 such another because he took me out to 
walk with him and let me gather flowers4
 ,by degrees we may teach children to   
generalize their ideas1 and to perceive 
that they like people for being either  
useful or agreeable4  ,the desire to    
return kindness by kindness1 arises very
 early in the mind2 and the hope of     
conciliating the good will of the       
powerful beings by whom they are        
surrounded1 is one of the first wishes  
that appears in the minds of intelligent
 and affectionate children4 ,from this  
sense of mutual dependence1 the first   
principles of social intercourse are    
deduced1 and we may render our pupils   
either mean sycophants1 or useful and   
honourable members of society1 by the   
methods which we use to direct their    
first efforts to please4 ,it should be  
our object to convince them1 that the   
exchange of mutual good offices         
contributes to happiness2 and whilst we 
connect the desire to assist others with
 the perception of the beneficial       

consequences that eventually arise to   
themselves1 we may be certain that      
children will never become blindly      
selfish1 or idly sentimental4 ,we cannot
 help admiring the simplicity1 strength 
of mind1 and good sense1 of a little    
girl of four years old1 who1 when she   
was put into a stage coach with a number
 of strangers1 looked round upon them   
all1 and1 after a few minutes silence1  
addressed them1 with the imperfect      
articulation of infancy1 in the         
following words3  ,if you'll be good to 
me1 ,i'll be good to you4  ,whilst we   
were writing upon sympathy and          
sensibility1 we met with the following  
apposite passage3  ,in #agfe1 ,i was1   
says ,m4 de ,st4 ,pierre1 at ,dresden1  
at a play acted at court2 it was the    
,pere de ,famille4 ,the electoress came 
in with one of her daughters1 who might 
be about five or six years old4 ,an     
officer of the ,saxon guards1 who came  
with me to the play1 whispered1 ',that  
child will interest you as much as the  

play4' ,as soon as she was seated1 she  
placed both her hands on the front of   
the box1 fixed her eyes upon the stage1 
and continued with her mouth open1 all  
attention to the motions of the actors4 
,it was truly touching to see their     
different passions painted on her face  
as in a glass4 ,there appeared in her   
countenance successively1 anxiety1      
surprise1 melancholy1 and grief2 at     
length the interest increasing in every 
scene1 tears began to flow1 which soon  
ran in abundance down her little cheeks2
 then came agitation1 sighs1 and loud   
sobs2 at last they were obliged to carry
 her out of the box1 lest she should    
choke herself with crying4 ,my next     
neighbour told me1 that every time that 
this young princess came to a pathetic  
play1 she was obliged to leave the house
 before the catastrophe4  ,i have seen1 
continues ,m4 de ,st4 ,pierre1 instances
 of sensibility still more touching     
amongst the children of the common      
people1 because the emotion was not here

 produced by any theatrical effect4 ,as 
,i was walking some years ago in the    
,pre ,st4 ,gervais1 at the beginning of 
winter1 ,i saw a poor woman lying on the
 ground1 busied in weeding a bed of     
sorrel2 near her was a little girl of   
six years old at the utmost1 standing   
motionless1 and all purple with cold4 ,i
 addressed myself to this woman1 who    
appeared to be ill1 and ,i asked her    
what was the matter with her4 ,sir1 said
 she1 for these three months ,i have    
suffered terribly from the rheumatism1  
but my illness troubles me less than    
this child1 she never will leave me2 if 
,i say to her1 ,thou art quite frozen1  
go and warm thyself in the house1 she   
answers me1 ,alas6 mamma1 if ,i leave   
you1 you'll certainly fall ill again6   
,another time1 being at ,marly1 ,i went 
to see1 in the groves of that           
magnificent park1 that charming group of
 children who are feeding with vine     
leaves and grapes a goat who seems to be
 playing with them4 ,near this spot is  

an open summer house1 where ,louis ,,xv4
 on fine days1 used sometimes to take   
refreshment4 ,as it was showery weather1
 ,i went to take shelter for a few      
minutes4 ,i found there three children1 
who were much more interesting than     
children of marble4 ,they were two      
little girls1 very pretty1 and very     
busily employed in picking up all round 
the summer house dry sticks1 which they 
put into a sort of wallet which was     
lying upon the king's table1 whilst a   
little ill clothed thin boy was         
devouring a bit of bread in one corner  
of the room4 ,i asked the tallest of the
 children1 who appeared to be between   
eight and nine years old1 what she meant
 to do with the wood which she was      
gathering together with so much         
eagerness4 ,she answered1 ',sir1 you see
 that little boy1 he is very unhappy4   
,he has a mother-in-law' 7,why always a 
mother-in-law87 ',he has a              
mother-in-law1 who sends him all day    
long to look for wood2 when he does not 

bring any home1 he is beaten2 when he   
has got any1 the ,swiss who stands at   
the entrance of the park takes it all   
away from him1 and keeps it for himself4
 ,the boy is almost starved with hunger1
 and we have given him our breakfast4'  
,after having said these words1 she and 
her companion finished filling the      
little wallet1 they packed it upon the  
boy's shoulders1 and they ran before    
their unfortunate friend to see that he 
might pass in safety4  ,we have read    
these three anecdotes to several        
children1 and have found that the active
 friends of the little wood-cutter were 
the most admired4 ,it is probable1 that 
amongst children who have been much     
praised for expressions of sensibility1 
the young lady who wept so bitterly at  
the play-house1 would be preferred2     
affectionate children will like the     
little girl who stood purple with cold  
beside her sick mother2 but if they have
 been well educated1 they will probably 
express some surprise at her motionless 

attitude2 they will ask why she did not 
try to help her mother to weed the bed  
of sorrel4  ,it requires much skill and 
delicacy in our conduct towards         
children1 to preserve a proper medium   
between the indulging and the repressing
 of their sensibility4 ,we are cruel    
towards them when we suspect their      
genuine expressions of affection2       
nothing hurts the temper of a generous  
child more than this species of         
injustice4 ,receive his expressions of  
kindness and gratitude with cold        
reserve1 or a look that implies a doubt 
of his truth1 and you give him so much  
pain1 that you not only repress1 but    
destroy his affectionate feelings4 ,on  
the contrary1 if you appear touched and 
delighted by his caresses1 from the hope
 of pleasing1 he will be naturally      
inclined to repeat such demonstrations  
of sensibility3 this repetition should  
be gently discouraged1 lest it should   
lead to affectation4 ,at the same time1 
though we take this precaution1 we      

should consider1 that children are not  
early sensible that affectation is      
either ridiculous or disgusting2 they   
are not conscious of doing any thing    
wrong by repeating what they have once  
perceived to be agreeable in their own1 
or in the manners of others4 ,they      
frequently imitate1 without any idea    
that imitation is displeasing2 their    
object1 as ,locke observes1 is to please
 by affectation2 they only mistake the  
means3 we should rectify this mistake   
without treating it as a crime4  ,a     
little girl of five years old stood     
beside her mother1 observing the        
distribution of a dish of strawberries1 
the first strawberries of the year2 and 
seeing a number of people busily        
helping1 and being helped to cream and  
sugar1 said in a low voice1 not meant to
 attract attention1 ,i like to see      
people helping one another4 ,had the    
child1 at this instant1 been praised for
 this natural expression of sympathy1   
the pleasure of praise would have been  

immediately substituted in her mind1    
instead of the feeling of benevolence1  
which was in itself sufficiently        
agreeable2 and1 perhaps1 from a desire  
to please1 she would1 upon the next     
favourable occasion1 have repeated the  
same sentiment2 this we should          
immediately call affectation2 but how   
could the child foresee1 that the       
repetition of what we formerly liked1   
would be offensive8 ,we should not first
 extol sympathy1 and then disdain       
affectation2 our encomiums frequently   
produce the faults by which we are      
disgusted4 ,sensibility and sympathy1   
when they have proper objects1 and full 
employment1 do not look for applause2   
they are sufficiently happy in their own
 enjoyments4 ,those who have attempted  
to teach children1 must have observed1  
that sympathy is immediately connected  
with all the imitative arts2 the nature 
of this connection1 more especially in  
poetry and painting1 has been pointed   
out with ingenuity and eloquence by     

those#ia whose excellence in these arts 
entitle their theories to our prudent   
attention4 ,we shall not attempt to     
repeat2 we refer to their observations4 
,sufficient occupation for sympathy1 may
 be found by cultivating the talents of 
young people4  ,without repeating here  
what has been said in many other places1
 it may be necessary to remind all who  
are concerned in female education1 that 
peculiar caution is necessary to manage 
female sensibility3 to make1 what is    
called the heart1 a source of permanent 
pleasure1 we must cultivate the         
reasoning powers at the same time that  
we repress the enthusiasm of fine       
feeling4 ,women1 from their situation   
and duties in society1 are called upon  
rather for the daily exercise of quiet  
domestic virtues1 than for those        
splendid acts of generosity1 or those   
exaggerated expressions of tenderness1  
which are the characteristics of        
heroines in romance4 ,sentimental       
authors1 who paint with enchanting      

colours all the graces and all the      
virtues in happy union1 teach us to     
expect that this union should be        
indissoluble4 ,afterwards1 from the     
natural influence of association1 we    
expect in real life to meet with virtue 
when we see grace1 and we are           
disappointed1 almost disgusted1 when we 
find virtue unadorned4 ,this false      
association has a double effect upon the
 conduct of women2 it prepares them to  
be pleased1 and it excites them to      
endeavour to please by adventitious     
charms1 rather than by those qualities  
which merit esteem4 ,women1 who have    
been much addicted to common            
novel-reading1 are always acting in     
imitation of some ,jemima1 or ,almeria1 
who never existed1 and they perpetually 
mistake plain ,william and ,thomas for  
,my ,beverly6 ,they have another        
peculiar misfortune2 they require       
continual great emotions to keep them in
 tolerable humour with themselves2 they 
must have tears in their eyes1 or they  

are apprehensive that their hearts are  
growing hard4 ,they have accustomed     
themselves to such violent stimulus1    
that they cannot endure the languor to  
which they are subject in the intervals 
of delirium4 ,pink appears pale to the  
eye that is used to scarlet2 and common 
food is insipid to the taste which has  
been vitiated by the high seasonings of 
art4  ,a celebrated ,french actress1 in 
the wane of her charms1 and who1 for    
that reason1 began to feel weary of the 
world1 exclaimed1 whilst she was        
recounting what she had suffered from a 
faithless lover1 ,ah6 c'toit le bon     
temps1 j'tois bien malheureuse6#ib  ,the
 happy age in which women can1 with any 
grace or effect1 be romantically        
wretched1 is1 even with the beautiful1  
but a short season of felicity4 ,the    
sentimental sorrows of any female       
mourner1 of more than thirty years      
standing1 command but little sympathy1  
and less admiration2 and what other     
consolations are suited to sentimental  

sorrows8  ,women1 who cultivate their   
reasoning powers1 and who acquire tastes
 for science and literature1 find       
sufficient variety in life1 and do not  
require the stimulus of dissipation1 or 
of romance4 ,their sympathy and         
sensibility are engrossed by proper     
objects1 and connected with habits of   
useful exertion3 they usually feel the  
affection which others profess1 and     
actually enjoy the happiness which      
others describe4  ,,footnotes3  #gh     
,adam ,smith4  #gi ,see ,smith4  #hj    
,edward4  #ha ,v4 ,rousseau and         
,williams4  #hb ,berington4 ,see his    
,life of ,abeillard4  #hc ,dr4 ,john    
,gregory4 ,comparative ,view of the     
,state and ,faculties of ,man with those
 of the ,animal ,world4 ,see vol4 ii4 of
 ,works1 from page #ajj to #aad4  #hd   
,vernet's ,thorie des ,sentiments       
,agrables4  #he ,v4 ,varieties of       
,literature1 vol4 i4  #hf ,can it be    
true1 that an ,english nobleman1 in the 
#ahth century1 won a bet by procuring a 

man to eat a cat alive8  #hg ,see       
,moore's ,edward for the boy and larks1 
an excellent story for children4  #hh   
,mem4 de l',acad4 ,r4 for the year      
#agdb1 p4 #ccb4  #hi ,v4 ,middleton's   
,life of ,cicero1 vol4 i4 page #dgd4    
#ij ,v4 ,le ,palais de la               
,verite4--,madame de ,genlis ,veilles du
 ,chteau4  #ia ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds's 
,discourses4 ,dr4 ,darwin's ,critical   
,interludes in the ,botanic ,garden1 and
 his chapter on ,sympathy and ,imitation
 in ,zoonomia4  #ib ,d',alembert4       
,,chapter ,,xi4  ,,on ,,vanity1 ,,pride1
 ,,and ,,ambition4   ,we shall not weary
 the reader by any common-place         
declamations upon these moral topics4   
,no great subtilty of distinction is    
requisite to mark the differences       
between ,vanity and ,pride1 since those 
differences have been pointed out by    
every moralist1 who has hoped to please 
mankind by an accurate delineation of   
the failings of human nature4 ,whatever 
distinctions exist1 or may be supposed  

to exist1 between the characters in     
which pride or vanity predominates1 it  
will readily be allowed1 that there is  
one thing in which they both agree--they
 both receive pleasure from the         
approbation of others1 and from their   
own4 ,we are disgusted with the vain    
man1 when he intemperately indulges in  
praise of himself1 however justly he may
 be entitled to that praise1 because he 
offends against those manners which we  
have been accustomed to think polite1   
and he claims from us a greater portion 
of sympathy than we can possibly afford 
to give him4 ,we are not1 however1      
pleased by the negligence with which the
 proud man treats us2 we do not like to 
see that he can exist in independent    
happiness1 satisfied with a cool        
internal sense of his own merits2 he    
loses our sympathy1 because he does not 
appear to value it4  ,if we could give  
our pupils exactly the character we     
wish1 what degrees of vanity and pride  
should we desire them to have1 and how  

should we regulate these passions8      
,should we not desire1 that their       
ambition to excel might be sufficient to
 produce the greatest possible          
exertions1 directed to the best possible
 objects2 that their opinion of         
themselves should be strictly just1 and 
should never be expressed in such a     
manner as to offend against propriety1  
or so as to forfeit the sympathy of     
mankind8 ,as to the degree of pleasure  
which they should feel from their secret
 reflections upon their own meritorious 
conduct1 we should certainly desire this
 to be as lasting1 and as exquisite1 as 
possible4 ,a considerable portion of the
 happiness of life arises from the sense
 of self-approbation2 we should1        
therefore1 secure this gratification in 
its utmost perfection4 ,we must observe1
 that1 however independent the proud man
 imagines himself to be of the opinions 
of all around him1 he must form his     
judgment of his own merits from some    
standard of comparison1 by some laws    

drawn from observation of what mankind  
in general1 or those whom he            
particularly esteems1 think wise or     
amiable4 ,he must begin then in the same
 manner with the vain man1 whom he      
despises1 by collecting the suffrages of
 others2 if he selects1 with perfect    
wisdom1 the opinions which are most     
just1 he forms his character upon       
excellent principles2 and the more      
steadily he abides by his first views1  
the more he commands and obtains        
respect4 ,but if1 unfortunately1 he     
makes a mistake at first1 his obstinacy 
in errour is not to be easily corrected1
 for he is not affected by the general  
voice of disapprobation1 nor by the     
partial loss of the common pleasures of 
sympathy4 ,the vain man1 on the         
contrary1 is in danger1 let him form his
 first notions of right and wrong ever  
so justly1 of changing them when he     
happens to be in society with any       
persons who do not agree with him in    
their moral opinions1 or who refuse him 

that applause which supports his own    
feeble self-approbation4 ,we must1 in   
education1 endeavour to guard against   
these opposite dangers2 we must         
enlighten the understanding1 to give our
 pupils the power of forming their rules
 of conduct rightly1 and we must give   
them sufficient strength of mind to     
abide by the principles which they have 
formed4 ,when we first praise children1 
we must be careful to associate pleasure
 with those things which are really     
deserving of approbation4 ,if we praise 
them for beauty1 or for any happy       
expressions which entertain us1 but     
which entertain us merely as the        
sprightly nonsense of childhood1 we     
create vanity in the minds of our       
pupils2 we give them false ideas of     
merit1 and1 if we excite them to        
exertions1 they are not exertions       
directed to any valuable objects4       
,praise is a strong stimulus to         
industry1 if it be properly managed2 but
 if we give it in too large and lavish  

quantities early in life1 we shall soon 
find that it loses its effect1 and yet  
that the patient languishes for want of 
the excitation which custom has rendered
 almost essential to his existence4 ,we 
say the patient1 for this mental languor
 may be considered entirely as a        
disease4 ,for its cure1 see the second  
volume of ,zoonomia1 under the article  
,vanity4  ,children1 who are habituated 
to the daily and hourly food of praise1 
continually require this sustenance     
unless they are attended to2 but we may 
gradually break bad habits4 ,it is said1
 that some animals can supply themselves
 at a single draught with what will     
quench their thirst for many days4 ,the 
human animal may1 perhaps1 by education1
 be taught similar foresight and        
abstinence in the management of his     
thirst for flattery4 ,young people1 who 
live with persons that seldom bestow    
praise1 do not expect that stimulus1 and
 they are content if they discover by   
certain signs1 either in the            

countenance1 manner1 or tone of voice1  
of those whom they wish to please1 that 
they are tolerably well satisfied4 ,it  
is of little consequence by what        
language approbation is conveyed1       
whether by words1 or looks1 or by that  
silence which speaks with so much       
eloquence2 but it is of great importance
 that our pupils should set a high value
 upon the expressions of our            
approbation4 ,they will value it in     
proportion to their esteem and their    
affection for us2 we include in the word
 esteem1 a belief in our justice1 and in
 our discernment4 ,expressions of       
affection1 associated with praise1 not  
only increase the pleasure1 but they    
alter the nature the of that pleasure2  
and if they gratify vanity1 they at the 
same time excite some of the best       
feelings of the heart4 ,the selfishness 
of vanity is corrected by this          
association2 and the two pleasures of   
sympathy and self-complacency should    
never1 when we can avoid it1 be         

separated4  ,children1 who are well     
educated1 and who have acquired an      
habitual desire for the approbation of  
their friends1 may continue absolutely  
indifferent to the praise of strangers1 
or of common acquaintance2 nor is it    
probable that this indifference should  
suddenly be conquered1 because the      
greatest part of the pleasure of praise 
in their mind1 depends upon the esteem  
and affection which they feel for the   
persons by whom it is bestowed4 ,instead
 of desiring that our pupils should     
entirely repress1 in the company of     
their own family1 the pleasure which    
they feel from the praise that is given 
to them by their friends1 we should     
rather indulge them in this natural     
expansion of mind2 we should rather     
permit their youthful vanity to display 
itself openly to those whom they most   
love and esteem1 than drive them1 by    
unreasonable severity1 and a cold       
refusal of sympathy1 into the society of
 less rigid observers4 ,those who have  

an aversion to vanity1 will not easily  
bear with its uncultivated intemperance 
of tongue2 but they should consider1    
that much of what disgusts them1 is     
owing to the simplicity of childhood1   
which must be allowed time to learn that
 respect for the feelings of others1    
which teaches us to restrain our own3   
but we must not be in haste to restrain1
 lest we teach hypocrisy1 instead of    
strength of mind1 or real humility4 ,if 
we expect that children should excel1   
and should not know that they excel1 we 
expect impossibilities2 we expect at the
 same time1 intelligence and stupidity4 
,if we desire that they should be       
excited by praise1 and that1 at the same
 time1 they should feel no pleasure in  
the applause which they have earned1 we 
desire things that are incompatible4 ,if
 we encourage children to be frank and  
sincere1 and yet1 at the same time1     
reprove them whenever they naturally    
express their opinions of themselves1 or
 the pleasurable feelings of            

self-approbation1 we shall counteract   
our own wishes4 ,instead of hastily     
blaming children for the sincere and    
simple expression of their              
self-complacency1 or of their desire for
 the approbation of others1 we should   
gradually point out to them the         
truth--that those who refrain from that 
display of their own perfections which  
we call vanity1 in fact are well repaid 
for the constraint which they put upon  
themselves1 by the superior degree of   
respect and sympathy which they obtain2 
that vain people effectually counteract 
their own wishes1 and meet with         
contempt1 instead of admiration4 ,by    
appealing constantly1 when we praise1 to
 the judgment of the pupils themselves1 
we shall at once teach them the habit of
 re-judging flattery1 and substitute1 by
 insensible degrees1 patient1 steady    
confidence in themselves1 for the       
wavering1 weak1 impatience of vanity4   
,in proportion as any one's confidence  
in himself increases1 his anxiety for   

the applause of others diminishes3      
people are very seldom vain of any      
accomplishments in which they obviously 
excel1 but they frequently continue to  
be vain of those which are doubtful4    
,where mankind have not confirmed their 
own judgment1 they are restless1 and    
continually aim either at convincing    
others1 or themselves1 that they are in 
the right4 ,hogarth1 who invented a new 
and original manner of satirizing the   
follies of mankind1 was not vain of this
 talent1 but was extremely vain of his  
historical paintings1 which were        
indifferent performances4 ,men of       
acknowledged literary talents1 are      
seldom fond of amateurs2 but1 if they   
are but half satisfied of their own     
superiority1 they collect the tribute of
 applause with avidity1 and without     
discrimination or delicacy4 ,voltaire   
has been reproached with treating       
strangers rudely who went to ,ferney1 to
 see and admire a philosopher as a      
prodigy4 ,voltaire valued his time more 

than he did this vulgar admiration2 his 
visiters1 whose understanding had not   
gone through exactly the same process1  
who had not1 probably1 been satisfied   
with public applause1 and who set1      
perhaps1 a considerable value upon their
 own praise1 could not comprehend this  
appearance of indifference to admiration
 in ,voltaire1 especially when it was   
well known that he was not insensible of
 fame4 ,he was1 at an advanced age1     
exquisitely anxious about the fate of   
one of his tragedies2 and a public      
coronation at the theatre at ,paris1 had
 power to inebriate him at eighty-four4 
,those who have exhausted the stimulus  
of wine1 may yet be intoxicated by      
opium4 ,the voice of numbers appears to 
be sometimes necessary to give delight  
to those who have been fatigued with the
 praise of individuals2 but this taste  
for acclamation is extremely dangerous4 
,a multitude of good judges seldom meet 
together4  ,by a slight difference in   
their manner of reasoning1 two men of   

abilities1 who set out with the same    
desire for fame1 may acquire different  
habits of pride1 or of vanity2 the one  
may value the number1 the other may     
appreciate the judgment of his admirers4
 ,there is something not only more wise1
 but more elevated1 in this latter      
species of select triumph2 the noise is 
not so great2 the music is better4 ,if  
,i listened to the music of praise1 says
 an historian1 who obviously was not    
insensible to its charms1 ,i was more   
seriously satisfied with the approbation
 of my judges4 ,the candour of ,dr4     
,robertson embraced his disciple4 ,a    
letter from ,mr4 ,hume overpaid the     
labour of ten years4#ic ,surely no one  
can be displeased with this last        
generous expression of enthusiasm2 we   
are not so well satisfied with ,buffon1 
when he ostentatiously displays the     
epistles of a prince and an empress4#id 
,perhaps1 by pointing out at proper     
opportunities the difference in our     
feelings with respect to vulgar and     

refined vanity1 we might make a useful  
impression upon those who have yet their
 habits to form4 ,the conversion of     
vanity into pride1 is not so difficult a
 process as those1 who have not analyzed
 both1 might1 from the striking         
difference of their appearance1 imagine4
 ,by the opposite tendencies of         
education1 opposite characters from the 
same original dispositions are produced4
 ,cicero1 had he been early taught to   
despise the applause of the multitude1  
would have turned away like the proud   
philosopher1 who asked his friends what 
absurdity he had uttered1 when he heard 
the populace loud in acclamations of his
 speech2 and the cynic1 whose vanity was
 seen through the holes in his cloak1   
might1 perhaps1 by a slight difference  
in his education1 have been rendered    
ambitious of the ,macedonian purple4    
,in attempting to convert vanity into   
pride1 we must begin by exercising the  
vain patient in forbearance of present  
pleasure2 it is not enough to convince  

his understanding1 that the advantages  
of proud humility are great2 he may be  
perfectly sensible of this1 and may yet 
have so little command over himself1    
that his loquacious vanity may get the  
better1 from hour to hour1 of his better
 judgment4 ,habits are not to be        
instantaneously conquered by reason2 if 
we do not keep this fact in our         
remembrance1 we shall be frequently     
disappointed in education2 and we shall1
 perhaps1 end by thinking that reason   
can do nothing1 if we begin by thinking 
that she can do every thing4 ,we must   
not expect that a vain child should     
suddenly break and forget all his past  
associations2 but we may1 by a little   
early attention1 prevent much of the    
trouble of curing1 or converting1 the   
disease of vanity4  ,when children first
 begin to learn accomplishments1 or to  
apply themselves to literature1 those   
who instruct1 are apt to encourage them 
with too large a portion of praise2 the 
smallest quantity of stimulus that can  

produce the exertion we desire1 should  
be used2 if we use more1 we waste our   
power1 and injure our pupil4 ,as soon as
 habit has made any exertion familiar1  
and consequently easy1 we may withdraw  
the original excitation1 and the        
exertion will still continue4 ,in       
learning1 for instance1 a new language1 
at first1 whilst the pupil is in the    
midst of the difficulties of regular and
 irregular verbs1 and when1 in          
translation1 a dictionary is wanted at  
every moment1 the occupation itself     
cannot be very agreeable2 but we are    
excited by the hope that our labour will
 every day diminish1 and that we shall  
at last enjoy the entertainment of      
reading useful and agreeable books4     
,children1 who have not learnt by       
experience the pleasures of literature1 
cannot feel this hope as strongly as we 
do1 we1 therefore1 excite them by       
praise2 but by degrees they begin to    
feel the pleasure of success and        
occupation2 when these are felt1 we may 

and ought to withdraw the unnecessary   
excitements of praise4 ,if we continue1 
we mislead the child's mind1 and1 whilst
 we deprive him of his natural reward1  
we give him a factitious taste4 ,when   
any moral habit is to be acquired1 or   
when we wish that our pupil should cure 
himself of any fault1 we must employ at 
first strong excitement1 and reward with
 warmth and eloquence of approbation2   
when the fault is conquered1 when the   
virtue is acquired1 the extraordinary   
excitement should be withdrawn1 and all 
this should not be done with an air of  
mystery and artifice2 the child should  
know all that we do1 and why we do it2  
the sooner he learns how his own mind is
 managed1 the better--the sooner he will
 assist in his own education4  ,every   
body must have observed1 that languor of
 mind succeeds to the intoxication of   
vanity2 if we can avoid the             
intoxication1 we shall avoid the        
languor4 ,common sayings often imply    
those sensible observations which       

philosophers1 when they theorize only1  
express in other words4 ,we frequently  
hear it said to a child1 ,praise spoils 
you2 my praise did you harm2 you can't  
bear praise well2 you grow conceited2   
you become idle2 you are good for       
nothing1 because you have been too much 
flattered4 ,all these expressions show1 
that the consequences of                
over-stimulating the mind by praise1    
have been vaguely taken notice of in    
education2 but no general rules have    
been deduced from these observations4   
,with children of different habits and  
temperaments1 the same degree of        
excitement acts differently1 so that it 
is scarcely possible to fix upon any    
positive quantity fit for all           
dispositions--the quantity must be      
relative2 but we may1 perhaps1 fix upon 
a criterion by which1 in most cases1 the
 proportion may be ascertained4 ,the    
golden rule1#ie which an eminent        
physician has given to the medical world
 for ascertaining the necessary and     

useful quantity of stimulus for weak and
 feverish patients1 may1 with advantage1
 be applied in education4 ,whenever     
praise produces the intoxication of     
vanity1 it is hurtful2 whenever the     
appearances of vanity diminish in       
consequence of praise1 we may be        
satisfied that it does good1 that it    
increases the pupil's confidence in     
himself1 and his strength of mind4 ,we  
repeat1 that persons who have confidence
 in themselves1 may be proud1 but are   
never vain2 that vanity cannot support  
herself without the concurring flattery 
of others2 pride is satisfied with his  
own approbation4 ,in the education of   
children who are more inclined to pride 
than to vanity1 we must present large   
objects to the understanding1 and large 
motives must be used to excite voluntary
 exertion4 ,if the understanding of     
proud people be not early cultivated1   
they frequently fix upon some false     
ideas of honour or dignity1 to which    
they are resolute martyrs through life4 

,thus the high-born ,spaniards1 if we   
may be allowed to reason from the       
imperfect history of national character4
 ,the ,spaniards1 who associate the     
ideas of dignity and indolence1 would   
rather submit to the evils of poverty1  
than to the imaginary disgrace of       
working for their bread4 ,volney1 and   
the baron de ,tott1 give us some curious
 instances of the pride of the ,turks1  
which prevents them from being taught   
any useful arts by foreigners4 ,to show 
how early false associations are formed 
and supported by pride1 we need but     
recollect the anecdote of the child     
mentioned by de ,tott4#if ,the baron de 
,tott bought a pretty toy for a present 
for a little ,turkish friend1 but the   
child was too proud to seem pleased with
 the toy2 the child's grandfather came  
into the room1 saw1 and was delighted   
with the toy1 sat down on the carpet1   
and played with it until he broke it4   
,we like the second childhood of the    
grandfather better than the premature   

old age of the grandson4  ,the          
self-command which the fear of disgrace 
insures1 can produce either great       
virtues1 or great vices4 ,revenge and   
generosity are1 it is said1 to be found 
in their highest state amongst nations  
and individuals characterized by pride4 
,the early objects which are associated 
with the idea of honour in the mind1 are
 of great consequence2 but it is of yet 
more consequence to teach proud minds   
early to bend to the power of reason1 or
 rather to glory in being governed by   
reason4 ,they should be instructed1 that
 the only possible means of maintaining 
their opinions amongst persons of sense1
 is to support them by unanswerable     
arguments4 ,they should be taught1 that1
 to secure respect1 they must deserve   
it2 and their self-denial1 or           
self-command1 should never obtain that  
tacit admiration which they most value1 
except where it is exerted for useful   
and rational purposes4 ,the constant    
custom of appealing1 in the last resort1

 to their own judgment1 which           
distinguishes the proud from the vain1  
makes it peculiarly necessary that the  
judgment1 to which so much is trusted1  
should be highly cultivated4 ,a vain man
 may be tolerably well conducted in life
 by a sensible friend2 a proud man ought
 to be able to conduct himself perfectly
 well1 because he will not accept of any
 assistance4 ,it seems that some proud  
people confine their benevolent virtues 
within a smaller sphere than others2    
they value only their own relations1    
their friends1 their country1 or        
whatever is connected with themselves4  
,this species of pride may be corrected 
by the same means which are used to     
increase sympathy4#ig ,those who1 either
 from temperament1 example1 or          
accidental circumstances1 have acquired 
the habit of repressing and commanding  
their emotions1 must be carefully       
distinguished from the selfish and      
insensible4 ,in the present times1 when 
the affectation of sensibility is to be 

dreaded1 we should rather encourage that
 species of pride which disdains to     
display the affections of the heart4    
,you ,romans triumph over your tears1   
and call it virtue6 ,i triumph in my    
tears1 says ,caractacus2 his tears were 
respectable1 but in general the ,roman  
triumph would command the most sympathy4
  ,some people attribute to pride all   
expressions of confidence in one's self3
 these may be offensive to common       
society1 but they are sometimes powerful
 over the human mind1 and where they are
 genuine1 mark somewhat superior in     
character4 ,much of the effect of lord  
,chatham's eloquence1 much of his       
transcendent influence in public1 must  
be attributed to the confidence which he
 showed in his own superiority4 ,i      
trample upon impossibilities6 was an    
exclamation which no inferiour mind     
would dare to make4 ,would the house of 
commons have permitted any one but lord 
,chatham to have answered an oration by 
,tell me1 gentle shepherd1 where8 ,the  

danger of failing1 the hazard that he   
runs of becoming ridiculous who verges  
upon the moral sublime1 is taken into   
our account when we judge of the action1
 and we pay involuntary tribute to      
courage and success3 but how miserable  
is the fate of the man who mistakes his 
own powers1 and upon trial is unable to 
support his assumed superiority2 mankind
 revenge themselves without mercy upon  
his ridiculous pride1 eager to teach him
 the difference between insolence and   
magnanimity4 ,young people inclined to  
over-rate their own talents1 or to      
under-value the abilities of others1    
should frequently have instances given  
to them from real life1 of the          
mortifications and disgrace to which    
imprudent boasters expose themselves4   
,where they are able to demonstrate     
their own abilities1 they run no risk in
 speaking with decent confidence2 but   
where their success depends1 in any     
degree1 either upon fortune or opinion1 
they should never run the hazard of     

presumption4 ,modesty prepossesses      
mankind in favour of its possessor1 and 
has the advantage of being both graceful
 and safe3 this was perfectly understood
 by the crafty ,ulysses1 who neither    
raised his eyes1 nor stretched his      
sceptered hand1 when he first rose to   
speak4 ,we do not1 however1 recommend   
this artificial modesty2 its trick is   
soon discovered1 and its sameness of    
dissimulation presently disgusts4       
,prudence should prevent young people   
from hazardous boasting2 and good nature
 and good sense1 which constitute real  
politeness1 will restrain them from     
obtruding their merits to the           
mortification of their companions3 but  
we do not expect from them total        
ignorance of their own comparative      
merit4 ,the affectation of humility1    
when carried to the extreme1 to which   
all affectation is liable to be carried1
 appears full as ridiculous as          
troublesome1 and offensive as any of the
 graces of vanity1 or the airs of pride4

 ,young people are cured of presumption 
by mixing with society1 but they are not
 so easily cured of any species of      
affectation4  ,in the chapter on female 
accomplishments1 we have endeavoured to 
point out1 that the enlargement of      
understanding in the fair sex1 which    
must result from their increasing       
knowledge1 will necessarily correct the 
feminine foibles of vanity and          
affectation4  ,strong1 prophetic1       
eloquent praise1 like that which the    
great lord ,chatham bestowed on his son1
 would rather inspire in a generous soul
 noble emulation1 than paltry vanity4   
,on this boy1 said he1 laying his hand  
upon his son's head1 descends my mantle1
 with a double portion of my spirit6    
,phillip's praise of his son ,alexander1
 when the boy rode the unmanageable     
horse1#ih is another instance of the    
kind of praise capable of exciting      
ambition4  ,as to ambition1 we must     
decide what species of ambition we mean1
 before we can determine whether it     

ought to be encouraged or repressed2    
whether it should be classed amongst    
virtues or vices2 that is to say1       
whether it adds to the happiness or the 
misery of human creatures4 ,the         
inordinate desire of fame1 which often  
destroys the lives of millions when it  
is connected with ideas of military     
enthusiasm1 is justly classed amongst   
the diseases of volition3 for its       
description and cure we refer to        
,zoonomia1 vol4 ii4 ,achilles will there
 appear to his admirers1 perhaps1 in a  
new light4  ,the ambition to rise in the
 world1 usually implies a mean1 sordid  
desire of riches1 or what are called    
honours1 to be obtained by the common   
arts of political intrigue1 by cabal to 
win popular favour1 or by address to    
conciliate the patronage of the great4  
,the experience of those who have been  
governed during their lives by this     
passion1 if passion it may be called1   
does not show that it can confer much   
happiness either in the pursuit or      

attainment of its objects4 ,see ,bubb   
,doddington's ,diary1 a most useful     
book2 a journal of the petty anxieties1 
and constant dependence1 to which an    
ambitious courtier is necessarily       
subjected4 ,see also ,mirabeau's ,secret
 ,history of the ,court of ,berlin1 for 
a picture of a man of great abilities   
degraded by the same species of low     
unprincipled competition4 ,we may find  
in these books1 it is to be hoped1      
examples which will strike young and    
generous minds1 and which may inspire   
them with contempt for the objects and  
the means of vulgar ambition4 ,there is 
a more noble ambition1 by which the     
enthusiastic youth1 perfect in the      
theory of all the virtues1 and warm with
 yet unextinguished benevolence1 is apt 
to be seized2 his heart beats with the  
hope of immortalizing himself by noble  
actions2 he forms extensive plans for   
the improvement and the happiness of his
 fellow creatures2 he feels the want of 
power to carry these into effect2 power 

becomes the object of his wishes4 ,in   
the pursuit1 in the attainment of this  
object1 how are his feelings changed6   
,m4 ,necker1 in the preface to his work 
on ,french finance1#ii paints1 with much
 eloquence1 and with an appearance of   
perfect truth1 the feelings of a man of 
virtue and genius1 before and after the 
attainment of political power4 ,the     
moment when a minister takes possession 
of his place1 surrounded by crowds and  
congratulations1 is well described2 and 
the succeeding moment1 when clerks with 
immense portfolios enter1 is a striking 
contrast4 ,examples from romance can    
never have such a powerful effect upon  
the mind1 as those which are taken from 
real life2 but in proportion to the just
 and lively representation of           
situations1 and passions resembling     
reality1 fictions may convey useful     
moral lessons4 ,in the ,cyropdia there  
is an admirable description of the day  
spent by the victorious ,cyrus1 giving  
audience to the unmanageable multitude1 

after the taking of ,babylon had        
accomplished the fullness of his        
ambition4#ajj  ,it has been observed1   
that these examples of the insufficiency
 of the objects of ambition to          
happiness1 seldom make any lasting      
impression upon the minds of the        
ambitious4 ,this may arise from two     
causes2 from the reasoning faculty's not
 having been sufficiently cultivated1 or
 from the habits of ambition being      
formed before proper examples are       
presented to the judgment for           
comparison4 ,some ambitious people1 when
 they reason coolly1 acknowledge and    
feel the folly of their pursuits2 but   
still1 from the force of habit1 they act
 immediately in obedience to the motives
 which they condemn3 others1 who have   
never been accustomed to reason firmly1 
believe themselves to be in the right in
 the choice of their objects2 and they  
cannot comprehend the arguments which   
are used by those who have not the same 
way of thinking as themselves4 ,if we   

fairly place facts before young people1 
who have been habituated to reason1 and 
who have not yet been inspired with the 
passion1 or enslaved by the habits of   
vulgar ambition1 it is probable1 that   
they will not be easily effaced from the
 memory1 and that they will influence   
the conduct through life4  ,it sometimes
 happens to men of a sound              
understanding1 and a philosophic turn of
 mind1 that their ambition decreases    
with their experience4 ,they begin with 
some ardor1 perhaps1 an ambitious       
pursuit2 but by degrees they find the   
pleasure of the occupation sufficient   
without the fame1 which was their       
original object4 ,this is the same      
process which we have observed in the   
minds of children with respect to the   
pleasures of literature1 and the taste  
for sugar-plums4  ,happy the child who  
can be taught to improve himself without
 the stimulus of sweetmeats6 ,happy the 
man who can preserve activity without   
the excitements of ambition6            

,,footnotes3  #ic ,gibbon4 ,memoirs of  
his ,life and ,writings1 page           
#adh4--,perhaps ,gibbon had this        
excellent line of ,mrs4 ,barbauld's in  
his memory3      ,and pay a life of     
hardships with a line4  #id ,see        
,peltier's state of ,paris in the years 
#agie and #agif4  #ie ,see ,zoonomia1   
vol4 i4 p4 #ii4  #if ,v4 ,de ,tott's    
,memoirs1 p4 #ach1 a note4  #ig ,v4     
,sympathy4  #ih ,v4 ,plutarch4  #ii     
,necker de l',administration des        
,finances de la ,france1 vol4 i4 p4 #ih4
  #ajj ,cyropdia1 vol4 ii4 page #cjc4   
,,chapter ,,xii4  ,,books4   ,the first 
books which are now usually put into the
 hands of a child1 are ,mrs4 ,barbauld's
 ,lessons2 they are by far the best     
books of the kind that have ever        
appeared2 those only who know the       
difficulty and the importance of such   
compositions in education1 can sincerely
 rejoice1 that the admirable talents of 
such a writer have been employed in such
 a work4 ,we shall not apologize for    

offering a few remarks on some passages 
in these little books1 because we are   
convinced that we shall not offend4     
,lessons for children from three to four
 years old1 should1 we think1 have been 
lessons for children from four to five  
years old2 few read1 or ought to read1  
before that age4  ,charles shall have a 
pretty new lesson4  ,in this sentence   
the words pretty and new are associated2
 but they represent ideas which ought to
 be kept separate in the mind of a      
child4 ,the love of novelty is cherished
 in the minds of children by the common 
expressions that we use to engage them  
to do what we desire4 ,you shall have a 
new whip1 a new hat1 are improper modes 
of expression to a child4 ,we have seen 
a boy who had literally twenty new whips
 in one year1 and we were present when  
his father1 to comfort him when he was  
in pain1 went out to buy him a new whip1
 though he had two or three scattered   
about the room4  ,the description1 in   
the first part of ,mrs4 ,barbauld's     

,lessons1 of the naughty boy who        
tormented the robin1 and who was        
afterwards supposed to be eaten by      
bears1 is more objectionable than any in
 the book3 the idea of killing is in    
itself very complex1 and1 if explained1 
serves only to excite terror2 and how   
can a child be made to comprehend why a 
cat should catch mice1 and not kill     
birds8 or why should this species of    
honesty be expected from an animal of   
prey8  ,i want my dinner4  ,does        
,charles take it for granted1 that what 
he eats is his own1 and that he must    
have his dinner8 ,these and similar     
expressions are words of course2 but    
young children should not be allowed to 
use them3 if they are permitted to      
assume the tone of command1 the feelings
 of impatience and ill temper quickly   
follow1 and children become the little  
tyrants of a family4 ,property is a word
 of which young people have general     
ideas1 and they may1 with very little   
trouble1 be prevented from claiming     

things to which they have no right4     
,mrs4 ,barbauld has judiciously chosen  
to introduce a little boy's daily       
history in these books2 all children are
 extremely interested for ,charles1 and 
they are very apt to expect that every  
thing which happens to him1 is to happen
 to them2 and they believe1 that every  
thing he does1 is right2 therefore1 his 
biographer should1 in another edition1  
revise any of his expressions which may 
mislead the future tribe of his little  
imitators4  ,maid1 come and dress       
,charles4  ,after what we have already  
said with respect to servants1 we need  
only observe1 that this sentence for    
,charles should not be read by a child2 
and that in which the maid is said to   
bring home a gun1 c4 it is easy to      
strike a pencil line across it4 ,all the
 passages which might have been         
advantageously omitted in these         
excellent little books1 have been       
carefully obliterated before they were  
put into the hands of children1 by a    

mother who knew the danger of early     
false associations4  ,little boys don't 
eat butter4  ,no body wears a hat in the
 house4  ,this is a very common method  
of speaking1 but it certainly is not    
proper towards children4 ,affirmative   
sentences should always express real    
facts4 ,charles must know that some     
little boys do eat butter2 and that some
 people wear their hats in their houses4
 ,this mode of expression1 ,no body does
 that6 ,every body does this6 lays the  
foundation for prejudice in the mind4   
,this is the language of fashion1 which1
 more than conscience1 makes cowards of 
us all4  ,i want some wine4  ,would it  
not be better to tell ,charles1 in reply
 to this speech1 that wine is not good  
for him1 than to say1 ,wine for little  
boys6 ,i never heard of such a thing6   
,if ,charles were to be ill1 and it     
should be necessary to give him wine2 or
 were he to see another child drink it1 
he would lose confidence in what was    
said to him4 ,we should be very careful 

of our words1 if we expect our pupils to
 have confidence in us2 and if they have
 not1 we need not attempt to educate    
them4  ,the moon shines at night1 when  
the sun is gone to bed4  ,when the sun  
is out of sight1 would be more correct1 
though not so pleasing1 perhaps1 to the 
young reader4 ,it is very proper to     
teach a child1 that when the sun        
disappears1 when the sun is below the   
horizon1 it is the time when most       
animals go to rest2 but we should not do
 this by giving so false an idea1 as    
that the sun is gone to bed4 ,every     
thing relative to the system of the     
universe1 is above the comprehension of 
a child2 we should1 therefore1 be       
careful to prevent his forming erroneous
 opinions4 ,we should wait for a riper  
period of his understanding1 before we  
attempt positive instruction upon       
abstract subjects4  ,the enumeration of 
the months in the year1 the days in the 
week1 of metals1 c4 are excellent       
lessons for a child who is just         

beginning to learn to read4 ,the        
classification of animals into          
quadrupeds1 bipeds1 c4 is another useful
 specimen of the manner in which        
children should be taught to generalize 
their ideas4 ,the pathetic description  
of the poor timid hare running from the 
hunters1 will leave an impression upon  
the young and humane heart1 which may1  
perhaps1 save the life of many a hare4  
,the poetic beauty and eloquent         
simplicity of many of ,mrs4 ,barbauld's 
,lessons1 cultivate the imagination of  
children1 and their taste1 in the best  
possible manner4  ,the description of   
the white swan with her long arched     
neck1 winning her easy way through the  
waters1 is beautiful2 so is that of the 
nightingale singing upon her lone bush  
by moon-light4 ,poetic descriptions of  
real objects1 are well suited to        
children2 apostrophe and personification
 they understand2 but all allegoric     
poetry is difficult to manage for them1 
because they mistake the poetic         

attributes for reality1 and they acquire
 false and confused ideas4 ,with regret 
children close ,mrs4 ,barbauld's little 
books1 and parents become yet more      
sensible of their value1 when they      
perceive that none can be found         
immediately to supply their place1 or to
 continue the course of agreeable ideas 
which they have raised in the young     
pupil's imagination4  ,evenings at      
,home1 do not immediately join to       
,lessons for ,children from three to    
four years old2 and we know not where to
 find any books to fill the interval    
properly4 ,the popular character of any 
book is easily learned1 and its general 
merit easily ascertained2 this may      
satisfy careless1 indolent tutors1 but a
 more minute investigation is necessary 
to parents who are anxious for the      
happiness of their family1 or desirous  
to improve the art of education4 ,such  
parents will feel it to be their duty to
 look over every page of a book before  
it is trusted to their children2 it is  

an arduous task1 but none can be too    
arduous for the enlightened energy of   
parental affection4 ,we are acquainted  
with the mother of a family1 who has    
never trusted any book to her children1 
without having first examined it herself
 with the most scrupulous attention2 her
 care has been repaid with that success 
in education1 which such care can alone 
ensure4 ,we have several books before us
 marked by her pencil1 and volumes      
which1 having undergone some necessary  
operations by her scissors1 would1 in   
their mutilated state1 shock the        
sensibility of a nice librarian4 ,but   
shall the education of a family be      
sacrificed to the beauty of a page1 or  
even to the binding of a book8 ,few     
books can safely be given to children   
without the previous use of the pen1 the
 pencil1 and the scissors4 ,in the books
 which we have before us1 in their      
corrected state1 we see sometimes a few 
words blotted out1 sometimes half a     
page1 sometimes many pages are cut out4 

,in turning over the leaves of ,the     
,children's ,friend1 we perceive1 that  
the different ages at which different   
stories should be read1 have been       
marked2 and we were surprised to meet   
with some stories marked for six years  
old1 and some for sixteen1 in the same  
volume4 ,we see that different stories  
have been marked with the initials of   
different names by this cautious mother1
 who considered the temper and habits of
 her children1 as well as their ages4   
,as far as these notes refer peculiarly 
to her own family1 they cannot be of use
 to the public2 but the principles which
 governed a judicious parent in her     
selection1 must be capable of universal 
application4  ,it may be laid down as a 
first principle1 that we should preserve
 children from the knowledge of any     
vice1 or any folly1 of which the idea   
has never yet entered their minds1 and  
which they are not necessarily disposed 
to learn by early example4 ,children who
 have never lived with servants1 who    

have never associated with ill educated 
companions of their own age1 and who1 in
 their own family1 have heard nothing   
but good conversation1 and seen none but
 good examples1 will1 in their language1
 their manners1 and their whole         
disposition1 be not only free from many 
of the faults common amongst children1  
but they will absolutely have no idea   
that there are such faults4 ,the        
language of children who have heard no  
language but what is good1 must be      
correct4 ,on the contrary1 children who 
hear a mixture of low and high vulgarity
 before their own habits are fixed1     
must1 whenever they speak1 continually  
blunder2 they have no rule to guide     
their judgment in their selection from  
the variety of dialects which they hear2
 probably they may often be reproved for
 their mistakes1 but these reproofs will
 be of no avail1 whilst the pupils      
continue to be puzzled between the      
example of the nursery and of the       
drawing-room4 ,it will cost much time   

and pains to correct these defects1     
which might have been with little       
difficulty prevented4 ,it is the same   
with other bad habits4 ,falsehood1      
caprice1 dishonesty1 obstinacy1 revenge1
 and all the train of vices which are   
the consequences of mistaken or         
neglected education1 which are learned  
by bad example1 and which are not       
inspired by nature1 need scarcely be    
known to children whose minds have from 
their infancy been happily regulated4   
,such children should sedulously be kept
 from contagion4 ,no books should be put
 into the hands of this happy class of  
children1 but such as present the best  
models of virtue3 there is no occasion  
to shock them with caricatures of vice4 
,such caricatures they will even        
understand to be well drawn1 because    
they are unacquainted with any thing    
like the originals4 ,examples to deter  
them from faults to which they have no  
propensity1 must be useless1 and may be 
dangerous4 ,for the same reason that a  

book written in bad language1 should    
never be put into the hands of a child  
who speaks correctly1 a book exhibiting 
instances of vice1 should never be given
 to a child who thinks and acts         
correctly4 ,the love of novelty and of  
imitation1 is so strong in children1    
that even for the pleasure of imitating 
characters described in a book1 or      
actions which strike them as singular1  
they often commit real faults4  ,to this
 danger of catching faults by sympathy1 
children of the greatest simplicity are1
 perhaps1 the most liable1 because they 
least understand the nature and         
consequences of the actions which they  
imitate4  ,during the age of imitation1 
children should not be exposed to the   
influence of any bad examples until     
their habits are formed1 and until they 
have not only the sense to choose1 but  
the fortitude to abide by1 their own    
choice4 ,it may be said1 that children  
must know that vice exists2 that1 even  
amongst their own companions1 there are 

some who have bad dispositions2 they    
cannot mix even in the society of       
children1 without seeing examples which 
they ought to be prepared to avoid4     
,these remarks are just with regard to  
pupils who are intended for a public    
school1 and no great nicety in the      
selection of their books is necessary2  
but we are now speaking of children who 
are to be brought up in a private       
family4 ,why should they be prepared to 
mix in the society of children who have 
bad habits or bad dispositions8         
,children should not be educated for the
 society of children2 nor should they   
live in that society during their       
education4 ,we must not expect from them
 premature prudence1 and all the social 
virtues1 before we have taken any       
measures to produce these virtues1 or   
this tardy prudence4 ,in private        
education1 there is little chance that  
one errour should balance another2 the  
experience of the pupil is much         
confined2 the examples which he sees1   

are not so numerous and various as to   
counteract each other4 ,nothing1        
therefore1 must be expected from the    
counteracting influence of opposing     
causes2 nothing should be trusted to    
chance4 ,experience must preserve one   
uniform tenour2 and examples must be    
selected with circumspection4 ,the less 
children associate with companions of   
their own age1 the less they know of the
 world2 the stronger their taste for    
literature2 the more forcible will be   
the impression that will be made upon   
them by the pictures of life1 and the   
characters and sentiments which they    
meet with in books4 ,books for such     
children1 ought to be sifted by an      
academy#aja of enlightened parents4     
,without particular examples1 the most  
obvious truths are not brought home to  
our business4 ,we shall select a few    
examples from a work of high and        
deserved reputation1 from a work which  
we much admire1 ,berquin's ,children's  
,friend4 ,we do not mean to criticise   

this work as a literary production2 but 
simply to point out to parents1 that1   
even in the best books for children1    
much must still be left to the judgment 
of the preceptor2 much in the choice of 
stories1 and particular passages suited 
to different pupils4  ,in ,the          
,children's ,friend1 there are several  
stories well adapted to one class of    
children1 but entirely unfit for        
another4 ,in the story called the       
,hobgoblin1 ,antonia1 a little girl who 
has been told a hundred foolish stories 
by her maid1 particularly one about a   
black-faced goblin1 is represented as   
making a lamentable outcry at the sight 
of a chimney-sweeper2 first she runs for
 refuge to the kitchen1 the last place  
to which she should run2 then to the    
pantry2 thence she jumps out of the     
window1 half dead with terror1 and1 in  
the elegant language of the translator1 
almost splits her throat with crying out
 ,help6 ,help6--,in a few minutes she   
discovers her errour1 is heartily       

ashamed1 and ever afterwards ,antonia   
was the first to laugh at silly stories1
 told by silly people1 of hobgoblins and
 the like1 to frighten her4  ,for       
children who have had the misfortune to 
have heard the hundred foolish stories  
of a foolish maid1 this apparition of   
the chimney-sweeper is well managed2    
though1 perhaps1 ridicule might not     
effect so sudden st cure in all cases as
 it did in that of ,antonia4 ,by        
children who have not acquired terrors  
of the black-faced goblin1 and who have 
not the habit of frequenting the kitchen
 and the pantry1 this story should never
 be read4  ,the little miss deceived by 
her maid1 who takes her mamma's keys out
 of her drawers1 and who steals sugar   
and tea for her maid1 that she may have 
the pleasure of playing with a cousin   
whom her mother had forbidden her to    
see1 is not an example that need be     
introduced into any well regulated      
family4 ,the picture of ,amelia's       
misery1 is drawn by the hand of a       

master4 ,terror and pity1 we are told by
 the tragic poets1 purify the mind2 but 
there are minds that do not require this
 species of purification4 ,powerful     
antidotes are necessary to combat       
powerful poisons2 but where no poison   
has been imbibed1 are not antidotes more
 dangerous than useful8  ,the stories   
called ,the ,little ,gamblers2 ,blind   
,man's ,buff2 and ,honesty the best     
,policy1 are stories which may do a     
great deal of good to bad children1 but 
they should never be given to those of  
another description4 ,the young         
gentlemen who cheat at cards1 and who   
pocket silver fish1 should have no      
admittance any where4 ,it is not        
necessary to put children upon their    
guard against associates whom they are  
not likely to meet2 nor need we         
introduce ,the ,vulgar and ,mischievous 
,school-,boy1 to any but school-boys4   
,martin1 who throws squibs at people in 
the street1 who fastens rabbits' tails  
behind their backs1 who fishes for their

 wigs1 who sticks up pins in his        
friends' chairs1 who carries a hideous  
mask in his pocket to frighten little   
children1 and who is himself frightened 
into repentance by a spectre with a     
speaking trumpet1 is a very             
objectionable1 though an excellent      
dramatic character4 ,the part of the    
spectre is played by the groom2 this is 
ill contrived in a drama for children2  
grooms should have nothing to do with   
their entertainments2 and ,csar1 who is 
represented as a pleasing character1    
should not be supposed to make the      
postillion a party in his inventions4   
,a good heart compensates for many      
indiscretions1 is a dangerous title for 
a play for young people2 because many is
 an indefinite term2 and in settling how
 many1 the calculations of parents and  
children may vary materially4 ,this     
little play is so charmingly written1   
the character of the imprudent and      
generous ,frederick is so likely to     
excite imitation1 that we must doubly   

regret his intimacy with the coachman1  
his running away from school1 and       
drinking beer at an ale-house in a fair4
 ,the coachman is an excellent old man2 
he is turned away for having let master 
,frederick mount his box1 assume the    
whip1 and overturn a handsome carriage4 
,frederick1 touched with gratitude and  
compassion1 gives the old man all his   
pocket money1 and sells a watch and some
 books to buy clothes for him4 ,the     
motives of ,frederick's conduct are     
excellent1 and1 as they are             
misrepresented by a treacherous and     
hypocritical cousin1 we sympathize more 
strongly with the hero of the piece2 and
 all his indiscretions appear1 at least1
 amiable defects4 ,a nice observer#ajb  
of the human heart says1 that we are    
never inclined to to cure ourselves of  
any defect which makes us agreeable4    
,frederick's real virtues will not1     
probably1 excite imitation so much as   
his imaginary excellences4 ,we should   
take the utmost care not to associate in

 the mind the ideas of imprudence and of
 generosity2 of hypocrisy and of        
prudence3 on the contrary1 it should be 
shown that prudence is necessary to real
 benevolence2 that no virtue is more    
useful1 and consequently more           
respectable1 than justice4 ,these homely
 truths will never be attended to as the
 counter-check moral of an interesting  
story2 stories which require such       
morals1 should1 therefore1 be avoided4  
,it is to be hoped1 that select parts of
 ,the ,children's ,friend1#ajc          
translated by some able hand1 will be   
published hereafter for the use of      
private families4 ,many of the stories1 
to which we have ventured to object1 are
 by no means unfit for school-boys1 to  
whom the characters which are most      
exceptionable cannot be new4 ,the       
vulgarity of language which we have     
noticed1 is not to be attributed to ,m4 
,berquin1 but to his wretched           
translator4 ,l',ami des ,enfans1 is1 in 
,french1 remarkably elegantly written4  

,the ,little ,canary ,bird1 ,little     
,george1 ,the ,talkative ,little ,girl1 
,the ,four ,seasons1 and many others1   
are excellent both in point of style and
 dramatic effect2 they are exactly      
suited to the understandings of         
children2 and they interest without any 
improbable events1 or unnatural         
characters4  ,in fiction it is difficult
 to avoid giving children false ideas of
 virtue1 and still more difficult to    
keep the different virtues in their due 
proportions4 ,this should be attended to
 with care in all books for young       
people2 nor should we sacrifice the     
understanding to the enthusiasm of      
eloquence1 or the affectation of        
sensibility4 ,without the habit of      
reasoning1 the best dispositions can    
give us no solid security for happiness2
 therefore1 we should early cultivate   
the reasoning faculty1 instead of always
 appealing to the imagination4 ,by      
sentimental persuasives1 a child may be 
successfully governed for a time1 but   

that time will be of short duration1 and
 no power can continue the delusion     
long4  ,in the dialogue upon this maxim1
 that a competence is best1 the         
reasoning of the father is not a match  
for that of the son2 by using less      
eloquence1 the father might have made   
out his case much better4 ,the boy sees 
that many people are richer than his    
father1 and perceiving that their riches
 procure a great number of conveniences 
and comforts for them1 he asks why his  
father1 who is as good as these opulent 
people1 should not also be as rich4 ,his
 father tells him1 that he is rich1 that
 he has a large garden1 and a fine      
estate2 the boy asks to see it1 and his 
father takes him to the top of a high   
hill1 and1 showing him an extensive     
prospect1 says to him1 ,all this is my  
estate4 ,the boy cross questions his    
father1 and finds out that it is not his
 estate1 but that he may enjoy the      
pleasure of looking at it2 that he can  
buy wood when he wants it for firing2   

venison1 without hunting the deer       
himself2 fish1 without fishing2 and     
butter1 without possessing all the cows 
that graze in the valley2 therefore he  
calls himself master of the woods1 the  
deer1 the herds1 the huntsmen1 and the  
labourers that he beholds4 ,this is#ajd 
poetic philosophy1 but it is not        
sufficiently accurate for a child2 it   
would confound his ideas of property1   
and it would be immediately contradicted
 by his experience4 ,the father's       
reasoning is perfectly good1 and well   
adapted to his pupil's capacity1 when he
 asks1 whether he should not require a  
superfluous appetite to enjoy           
superfluous dishes at his meals4 ,in    
returning from his walk1 the boy sees a 
mill that is out of repair1 a meadow    
that is flooded1 and a quantity of hay  
spoiled2 he observes1 that the owners of
 these things must be sadly vexed by    
such accidents1 and his father          
congratulates himself upon their not    
being his property4 ,here is a direct   

contradiction2 for a few minutes before 
he had asserted that they belonged to   
him4 ,property is often the cause of    
much anxiety to its possessor2 but the  
question is1 whether the pains1 or the  
pleasures of possessing it1 predominate2
 if this question could not be fully    
discussed1 it should not be partially   
stated4 ,to silence a child in argument 
is easy1 to convince him is difficult2  
sophistry or wit should never be used to
 confound the understanding4 ,reason has
 equal force from the lips of the giant 
and of the dwarf4  ,these minute        
criticisms may appear invidious2 but it 
is hoped that they will be considered   
only as illustrations of general        
principles2 illustrations necessary to  
our subject4 ,we have chosen ,m4        
,berquin's work because of its universal
 popularity2 probably all the examples  
which have been selected1 are in the    
recollection of most readers1 or at     
least it is easy to refer to them1      
because ,the ,children's ,friend is to  

be found in every house where there are 
any children4 ,the principles by which  
we have examined ,berquin1 may be       
applied to all books of the same class4 
,sandford and ,merton1 ,madame de       
,silleri's ,theatre of ,education1 and  
her ,tales of the ,castle1 ,madame de la
 ,fite's ,tales and ,conversations1     
,mrs4 ,smith's ,rural ,walks1 with a    
long list of other books for children1  
which have considerable merit1 would    
deserve a separate analysis1 if literary
 criticism were our object4 ,a critic   
once1 with indefatigable ill-nature1    
picked out all the faults of a beautiful
 poem1 and presented them to ,apollo4   
,the god ordered a bushel of his best   
,parnassian wheat to be carefully       
winnowed1 and he presented the critic   
with the chaff4 ,our wish is to separate
 the small portion of what is useless1  
from the excellent nutriment contained  
in the books we have mentioned4  ,with  
respect to sentimental stories1#aje and 
books of mere entertainment1 we must    

remark1 that they should be sparingly   
used1 especially in the education of    
girls4 ,this species of reading1        
cultivates what is called the heart     
prematurely2 lowers the tone of the     
mind1 and induces indifference for those
 common pleasures and occupations which1
 however trivial in themselves1         
constitute by far the greatest portion  
of our daily happiness4 ,stories are the
 novels of childhood4 ,we know1 from    
common experience1 the effects which are
 produced upon the female mind by       
immoderate novel reading4 ,to those who 
acquire this taste1 every object becomes
 disgusting which is not in an attitude 
for poetic painting2 a species of moral 
picturesque is sought for in every scene
 of life1 and this is not always        
compatible with sound sense1 or with    
simple reality4 ,gainsborough's ,country
 ,girl1 as it has been humorously#ajf   
remarked1 is a much more picturesque    
object1 than a girl neatly dressed in a 
clean white frock2 but for this reason1 

are all children to go in rags8 ,a      
tragedy heroine1 weeping1 swooning1     
dying1 is a moral picturesque object2   
but the frantic passions1 which have the
 best effect upon the stage1 might1 when
 exhibited in domestic life1 appear to  
be drawn upon too large a scale to      
please4 ,the difference between reality 
and fiction1 is so great1 that those who
 copy from any thing but nature1 are    
continually disposed to make mistakes in
 their conduct1 which appear ludicrous  
to the impartial spectator4 ,pathos     
depends on such nice circumstances1 that
 domestic1 sentimental distresses1 are  
in a perilous situation2 the sympathy of
 their audience1 is not always in the   
power of the fair performers4 ,frenzy   
itself may be turned to farce4#ajg      
,enter the princess mad in white satin1 
and her attendant mad in white linen4   
,besides the danger of creating a       
romantic taste1 there is reason to      
believe1 that the species of reading to 
which we object1 has an effect directly 

opposite to what it is intended to      
produce4 ,it diminishes1 instead of     
increasing1 the sensibility of the      
heart2 a combination of romantic        
imagery1 is requisite to act upon the   
associations of sentimental people1 and 
they are virtuous only when virtue is in
 perfectly good taste4 ,an eloquent     
philosopher#ajh observes1 that in the   
description of scenes of distress in    
romance and poetry1 the distress is     
always made elegant2 the imagination1   
which has been accustomed to this       
delicacy in fictitious narrations1      
revolts from the disgusting             
circumstances which attend real poverty1
 disease and misery2 the emotions of    
pity1 and the exertions of benevolence1 
are consequently repressed precisely at 
the time when they are necessary to     
humanity4  ,with respect to pity1 it is 
a spontaneous1 natural emotion1 which is
 strongly felt by children1 but they    
cannot properly be said to feel         
benevolence till they are capable of    

reasoning4 ,charity must1 in them1 be a 
very doubtful virtue2 they cannot be    
competent judges as to the general      
utility of what they give4 ,persons of  
the most enlarged understanding1 find it
 necessary to be extremely cautious in  
charitable donations1 lest they should  
do more harm than good4 ,children cannot
 see beyond the first link in the chain 
which holds society together2 at the    
best1 then1 their charity can be but a  
partial virtue4 ,but in fact1 children  
have nothing to give2 they think that   
they give1 when they dispose of property
 of their parents2 they suffer no       
privation from this sort of generosity1 
and they learn ostentation1 instead of  
practising self-denial4 ,berquin1 in his
 excellent story of ,the ,little ,needle
 ,woman1 has made the children give     
their own work2 here the pleasure of    
employment is immediately connected with
 the gratification of benevolent        
feelings2 their pity is not merely      
passive1 it is active and useful4  ,in  

fictitious narratives1 affection for    
parents1 and for brothers and sisters1  
is often painted in agreeable colours1  
to excite the admiration and sympathy of
 children4 ,caroline1 the charming      
little girl1 who gets upon a chair to   
wipe away the tears that trickle down   
her eldest sister's cheek when her      
mother is displeased with her1#aji forms
 a natural and beautiful picture2 but   
the desire to imitate ,caroline must    
produce affectation4 ,all the simplicity
 of youth1 is gone the moment children  
perceive that they are extolled for the 
expression of fine feelings1 and fine   
sentiments4 ,gratitude1 esteem and      
affection1 do not depend upon the table 
of consanguinity2 they are involuntary  
feelings1 which cannot be raised at     
pleasure by the voice of authority2 they
 will not obey the dictates of interest2
 they secretly despise the anathemas of 
sentiment4 ,esteem and affection1 are   
the necessary consequences of a certain 
course of conduct1 combined with certain

 external circumstances1 which are1 more
 or less1 in the power of every         
individual4 ,to arrange these           
circumstances prudently1 and to pursue a
 proper course of conduct steadily1     
something more is necessary than the    
transitory impulse of sensibility1 or of
 enthusiasm4  ,there is a class of books
 which amuse the imagination of         
children1 without acting upon their     
feelings4 ,we do not allude to fairy    
tales1 for we apprehend that these are  
not now much read2 but we mean voyages  
and travels2 these interest young people
 universally4 ,robinson ,crusoe1        
,gulliver1 and the ,three ,russian      
,sailors1 who were cast away upon the   
coast of ,norway1 are general           
favourites4 ,no child ever read an      
account of a shipwreck1 or even a storm1
 without pleasure4 ,a desert island is a
 delightful place1 to be equalled only  
by the skating land of the rein-deer1 or
 by the valley of diamonds in the       
,arabian ,tales4 ,savages1 especially if

 they be cannibals1 are sure to be      
admired1 and the more hair-breadth      
escapes the hero of the tale has        
survived1 and the more marvellous his   
adventures1 the more sympathy he        
excites4#aaj  ,will it be thought to    
proceed from a spirit of contradiction1 
if we remark1 that this species of      
reading should not early be chosen for  
boys of an enterprising temper1 unless  
they are intended for a sea-faring life1
 or for the army8 ,the taste for        
adventure1 is absolutely incompatible   
with the sober perseverance necessary to
 success in any other liberal           
professions4 ,to girls1 this species of 
reading cannot be as dangerous as it is 
to boys2 girls must very soon perceive  
the impossibility of their rambling     
about the world in quest of adventures2 
and where there appears an obvious      
impossibility in gratifying any wish1 it
 is not likely to become1 or at least to
 continue1 a torment to the imagination4
 ,boys1 on the contrary1 from the habits

 of their education1 are prone to       
admire1 and to imitate1 every thing like
 enterprise and heroism4 ,courage and   
fortitude1 are the virtues of men1 and  
it is natural that boys should desire1  
if they believe that they possess these 
virtues1 to be placed in those great and
 extraordinary situations which can     
display them to advantage4 ,the taste   
for adventure1 is not repressed in boys 
by the impossibility of its indulgence2 
the world is before them1 and they think
 that fame promises the highest prize to
 those who will most boldly venture in  
the lottery of fortune4 ,the rational   
probability of success1 few young people
 are able1 fewer still are willing1 to  
calculate2 and the calculations of      
prudent friends1 have little power over 
their understandings1 or at least1 over 
their imagination1 the part of the      
understanding which is most likely to   
decide their conduct4--,from general    
maxims1 we cannot expect that young     
people should learn much prudence2 each 

individual admits the propriety of the  
rule1 yet believes himself to be a      
privileged exception4 ,where any prize  
is supposed to be in the gift of        
fortune1 every man1 or every young man1 
takes it for granted that he is a       
favourite1 and that it will be bestowed 
upon him4 ,the profits of commerce and  
of agriculture1 the profits of every art
 and profession1 can be estimated with  
tolerable accuracy2 the value of        
activity1 application and abilities1 can
 be respectively measured by some       
certain standard4 ,modest1 or even      
prudent people1 will scruple to rate    
themselves in all of these              
qualifications superior to their        
neighbours2 but every man will allow    
that1 in point of good fortune1 at any  
game of chance1 he thinks himself upon a
 fair level with every other competitor4
  ,when a young man deliberates upon    
what course of life he shall follow1 the
 patient drudgery of a trade1 the       
laborious mental exertions requisite to 

prepare him for a profession1 must      
appear to him in a formidable light1    
compared with the alluring prospects    
presented by an adventuring imagination4
 ,at this time of life1 it will be too  
late suddenly to change the taste2 it   
will be inconvenient1 if not injurious1 
to restrain a young man's inclinations  
by force or authority2 it will be       
imprudent1 perhaps fatally imprudent1 to
 leave them uncontroled4 ,precautions   
should therefore be taken long before   
this period1 and the earlier they are   
taken1 the better4 ,it is not idle      
refinement to assert1 that the first    
impressions which are made upon the     
imagination1 though they may be changed 
by subsequent circumstances1 yet are    
discernible in every change1 and are    
seldom entirely effaced from the mind1  
though it may be difficult to trace them
 through all their various appearances4 
,a boy1 who at seven years old1 longs to
 be ,robinson ,crusoe1 or ,sinbad the   
sailor1 may at seventeen1 retain the    

same taste for adventure and enterprise1
 though mixed so as to be less          
discernible1 with the incipient passions
 of avarice and ambition2 he has the    
same dispositions modified by a slight  
knowledge of real life1 and guided by   
the manners and conversation of his     
friends and acquaintance4 ,robinson     
,crusoe and ,sinbad1 will no longer be  
his favourite heroes2 but he will now   
admire the soldier of fortune1 the      
commercial adventurer1 or the nabob1 who
 has discovered in the east the secret  
of ,aladdin's wonderful lamp2 and who   
has realized the treasures of           
,aboulcasem4  ,the history of realities1
 written in an entertaining manner1     
appears not only better suited to the   
purposes of education1 but also more    
agreeable to young people than          
improbable fictions4 ,we have seen the  
reasons why it is dangerous to pamper   
the taste early with mere books of      
entertainment2 to voyages and travels1  
we have made some objections4 ,natural  

history1 is a study particularly suited 
to children3 it cultivates their talents
 for observation1 applies to objects    
within their reach1 and to objects which
 are every day interesting to them4 ,the
 histories of the bee1 the ant1 the     
caterpillar1 the butterfly1 the         
silk-worm1 are the first things that    
please the taste of children1 and these 
are the histories of realities4         
,amongst books of mere entertainment1 no
 one can be so injudicious1 or so       
unjust1 as to class the excellent       
,evenings at ,home4 ,upon a close       
examination1 it appears to be one of the
 best books for young people from seven 
to ten years old1 that has yet appeared4
 ,we shall not pretend to enter into a  
minute examination of it2 because1 from 
what we have already said1 parents can  
infer our sentiments1 and we wish to    
avoid tedious1 unnecessary detail4 ,we  
shall1 however1 just observe1 that the  
lessons on natural history1 on metals1  
and on chemistry1 are particularly      

useful1 not so much from the quantity of
 knowledge which1 they contain1 as by   
the agreeable manner in which it is     
communicated3 the mind is opened to     
extensive views1 at the same time that  
nothing above the comprehension of      
children is introduced4 ,the mixture of 
moral and1 scientific lessons1 is       
happily managed so as to relieve the    
attention2 some of the moral lessons1   
contain sound argument1 and some display
 just views of life4 ,perseverance      
against ,fortune2 ,the ,price of        
,victory2 ,eyes and no ,eyes1 have been 
generally admired as much by parents as 
by children4  ,there is a little book   
called ,leisure ,hours1 which contains a
 great deal of knowledge suited to young
 people2 but they must observe1 that the
 style is not elegant2 perhaps1 in a    
future edition1 the style may be        
revised4 ,the ,conversations d',emile1  
are elegantly written1 and the character
 of the mother and child admirably well 
preserved4 ,white of ,selborne's        

,naturalist's ,calendar1 we can         
recommend with entire approbation3 it is
 written in a familiar1 yet elegant     
style2 and the journal form1 gives it   
that air of reality which is so         
agreeable and interesting to the mind4  
,mr4 ,white will make those who have    
observed1 observe the more1 and will    
excite the spirit of observation in     
those who never before observed4        
,smellie's ,natural ,history1 is a      
useful1 entertaining book2 but it must  
be carefully looked over1 and many pages
 and half pages must be entirely        
sacrificed4 ,and here one general       
caution may be necessary4 ,it is        
hazarding too much1 to make children    
promise not to read parts of any book   
which is put into their hands2 when the 
book is too valuable1 in the parent's   
estimation1 to be cut or blotted1 let it
 not be given to children when they are 
alone2 in a parent's presence1 there is 
no danger1 and the children will acquire
 the habit of reading the passages that 

are selected without feeling curiosity  
about the rest4 ,as young people grow   
up1 they will judge of the selections   
that have been made for them2 they will 
perceive why such a passage was fit for 
their understanding at one period1 which
 they could not have understood at      
another4 ,if they are never forced to   
read what is tiresome1 they will        
anxiously desire to have passages       
selected for them2 and they will not    
imagine that their parents are          
capricious in these selections2 but they
 will1 we speak from experience1 be     
sincerely grateful to them for the time 
and trouble bestowed in procuring their 
literary amusements4  ,when young people
 have established their character for   
truth and exact integrity1 they should  
be entirely trusted with books as with  
every thing else4 ,a slight pencil line 
at the side of a page1 will then be all 
that is necessary to guide them to the  
best parts of any book4 ,suspicion would
 be as injurious1 as too easy a faith is

 imprudent3 confidence confirms         
integrity2 but the habits of truth must 
be formed before dangerous temptations  
are presented4 ,we intended to have     
given a list of books1 and to have named
 the pages in several authors1 which    
have been found interesting to children 
from seven to nine or ten years old4    
,the ,reviews2 ,the ,annual ,registers2 
,enfield's ,speaker2 ,elegant ,extracts2
 ,the ,papers of the ,manchester        
,society2 ,the ,french ,academy of      
,sciences2 ,priestley's ,history of     
,vision2 and parts of the ,works of     
,franklin1 of ,chaptal1 ,lavoisier and  
,darwin1 have supplied us with our best 
materials4 ,some periodical papers from 
the ,world1 ,rambler1 ,guardian1 and    
,adventurer1 have been chosen3 these are
 books with which all libraries are     
furnished4 ,but we forbear to offer any 
list2 the passages we should have       
mentioned1 have been found to please in 
one family2 but we are sensible1 that as
 circumstances vary1 the choice of books

 for different families1 ought to be    
different4 ,every parent must be capable
 of selecting those passages in books   
which are most suited to the age1       
temper1 and taste of their children4    
,much of the success1 both of literary  
and moral education1 will depend upon   
our seizing the happy moments for       
instruction2 moments when knowledge     
immediately applies to what children are
 intent upon themselves2 the step which 
is to be taken by the understanding1    
should immediately follow that which has
 already been secured4 ,by watching the 
turn of mind1 and by attending to the   
conversation of children1 we may        
perceive exactly what will suit them in 
books2 and we may preserve the          
connection of their ideas without       
fatiguing their attention4 ,a paragraph 
read aloud from the newspaper of the    
day1 a passage from any book which      
parents happen to be reading themselves1
 will catch the attention of the young  
people in a family1 and will1 perhaps1  

excite more taste and more curiosity1   
than could be given by whole volumes    
read at times when the mind is indolent 
or intent upon other occupations4  ,the 
custom of reading aloud for a great     
while together1 is extremely fatiguing  
to children1 and hurtful to their       
understandings2 they learn to read on   
without the slightest attention or      
thought2 the more fluently they read1   
the worse it is for them2 for their     
preceptors1 whilst words and sentences  
are pronounced with tolerable emphasis1 
never seem to suspect that the reader   
can be tired1 or that his mind may be   
absent from his book4 ,the monotonous   
tones which are acquired by children who
 read a great deal aloud1 are extremely 
disagreeable1 and the habit cannot      
easily be broken3 we may observe1 that  
children who have not acquired bad      
customs1 always read as they speak1 when
 they understand what they read2 but the
 moment when they come to any sentence  
which they do not comprehend1 their     

voice alters1 and they read with        
hesitation1 or with false emphasis3 to  
these signals a preceptor should always 
attend1 and the passage should be       
explained before the pupil is taught to 
read it in a musical tone1 or with the  
proper emphasis3 thus children should be
 taught to read by the understanding1   
and not merely by the ear4 ,dialogues1  
dramas1 and well written narratives1    
they always read well1 and these should 
be their exercises in the art of        
reading3 they should be allowed to put  
down the book as soon as they are tired2
 but an attentive tutor will perceive   
when they ought to be stopped1 before   
the utmost point of fatigue4 ,we have   
heard a boy of nine years old1 who had  
never been taught elocution by any      
reading master1 read simple pathetic    
passages1 and natural dialogues in      
,evenings at ,home1 in a manner which   
would have made even ,sterne's critic   
forget his stop-watch4  ,by reading much
 at a time1 it is true that a great     

number of books are run through in a few
 years2 but this is not at all our      
object2 on the contrary1 our greatest   
difficulty has been to find a sufficient
 number of books fit for children to    
read4 ,if they early acquire a strong   
taste for literature1 no matter how few 
authors they may have perused4 ,we have 
often heard young people exclaim1 ,i'm  
glad ,i have not read such a book--,i   
have a great pleasure to come6--,is not 
this better than to see a child yawn    
over a work1 and count the number of    
tiresome pages1 whilst he says1 ,i shall
 have got through this book by and by2  
and what must ,i read when ,i have done 
this8 ,i believe ,i never shall have    
read all ,i am to read6 ,what a number  
of tiresome books there are in the      
world6 ,i wonder what can be the reason 
that ,i must read them all6 ,if ,i were 
but allowed to skip the pages that ,i   
don't understand1 ,i should be much     
happier1 for when ,i come to any thing  
entertaining in a book1 ,i can keep     

myself awake1 and then ,i like reading  
as well as any body does4  ,far from    
forbidding to skip the incomprehensible 
pages1 or to close the tiresome volume1 
we should exhort our pupils never to    
read one single page that tires1 or that
 they do not fully understand4 ,we need 
not fear1 that1 because an excellent    
book is not interesting at one period of
 education1 it should not become        
interesting at another2 the child is    
always the best judge of what is suited 
to his present capacity4 ,if he says1   
,such a book tires me1 the preceptor    
should never answer with a forbidding1  
reproachful look1 ,i am surprised at    
that1 it is no great proof of your      
taste2 the book1 which you say tires    
you1 is written by one of the best      
authors in the ,english language4 ,the  
boy is sorry for it1 but he cannot help 
it2 and he concludes1 if he be of a     
timid temper1 that he has no taste for  
literature1 since the best authors in   
the ,english language tire him4 ,it is  

in vain to tell him1 that the book is   
universally allowed to be very          
entertaining4      ,if it be not such to
 me1     ,what care ,i how fine it be6  
,the more encouraging and more judicious
 parent would answer upon a similar     
occasion1 ,you are very right not to    
read what tires you1 my dear2 and ,i am 
glad that you have sense enough to tell 
me that this book does not entertain    
you1 though it is written by one of the 
best authors in the ,english language4  
,we do not think at all the worse of    
your taste and understanding2 we know   
that the day will come when this book   
will probably entertain you2 put it by  
until then1 ,i advise you4  ,it may be  
thought1 that young people who read only
 those parts of books which are         
entertaining1 or those which are        
selected for them1 are in danger of     
learning a taste for variety1 and       
desultory habits1 which may prevent     
their acquiring accurate knowledge upon 
any subject1 and which may render them  

incapable of that literary application1 
without which nothing can be well       
learned4 ,we hope the candid preceptor  
will suspend his judgment1 until we can 
explain our sentiments upon this subject
 more fully1 when we examine the nature 
of invention and memory4#aaa  ,the      
secret fear1 that stimulates parents to 
compel their children to constant       
application to certain books1 arises    
from the opinion1 that much             
chronological and historical knowledge  
must at all events be acquired during a 
certain number of years4 ,the knowledge 
of history is thought a necessary       
accomplishment in one sex1 and an       
essential part of education in the      
other4 ,we ought1 however1 to           
distinguish between that knowledge of   
history and of chronology which is      
really useful1 and that which is        
acquired merely for parade4 ,we must    
call that useful knowledge1 which       
enlarges the view of human life and of  
human nature1 which teaches by the      

experience of the past1 what we may     
expect in future4 ,to study history as  
it relates to these objects1 the pupil  
must have acquired much previous        
knowledge2 the habit of reasoning1 and  
the power of combining distant          
analogies4 ,the works of ,hume1 of      
,robertson1 ,gibbon1 or ,voltaire1 can  
be properly understood only by well     
informed and highly cultivated          
understandings4 ,enlarged views of      
policy1 some knowledge of the interests 
of commerce1 of the progress and state  
of civilization and literature in       
different countries1 are necessary to   
whoever studies these authors with real 
advantage4 ,without these1 the finest   
sense1 and the finest writing1 must be  
utterly thrown away upon the reader4    
,children1 consequently1 under the name 
of fashionable histories1 often read    
what to them is absolute nonsense3 they 
have very little motive for the study of
 history1 and all that we can say to    
keep alive their interest1 amounts to   

the common argument1 that such          
information will be useful to them      
hereafter1 when they hear history       
mentioned in conversation4  ,some people
 imagine1 that the memory resembles a   
store-house1 in which we should early   
lay up facts2 and they assert1 that1    
however useless these may appear at the 
time when they are laid up1 they will   
afterwards be ready for service at our  
summons4 ,one allusion may be fairly    
answered by another1 since it is        
impossible to oppose allusion by        
reasoning4 ,in accumulating facts1 as in
 amassing riches1 people often begin by 
believing that they value wealth only   
for the use they shall make of it2 but  
it often happens1 that during the course
 of their labours1 they learn habitually
 to set a value upon the coin itself1   
and they grow avaricious of that which  
they are sensible has little intrinsic  
value4 ,young people who have           
accumulated a vast number of facts1 and 
names1 and dates1 perhaps intended      

originally to make some good use of     
their treasure2 but they frequently     
forget their laudable intentions1 and   
conclude by contenting themselves with  
the display of their nominal wealth4    
,pedants and misers forget the real use 
of wealth and knowledge1 and they       
accumulate without rendering what they  
acquire useful to themselves or to      
others4  ,a number of facts are often   
stored in the mind1 which lie there     
useless1 because they cannot be found at
 the moment when they are wanted4 ,it is
 not sufficient1 therefore1 in          
education1 to store up knowledge2 it is 
essential to arrange facts so that they 
shall be ready for use1 as materials for
 the imagination1 or the judgment1 to   
select and combine4 ,the power of       
retentive memory is exercised too much1 
the faculty of recollective memory is   
exercised too little1 by the common     
modes of education4 ,whilst children are
 reading the history of kings1 and      
battles1 and victories2 whilst they are 

learning tables of chronology and       
lessons of geography by rote1 their     
inventive and their reasoning faculties 
are absolutely passive2 nor are any of  
the facts which they learn in this      
manner1 associated with circumstances in
 real life4 ,these trains of ideas may  
with much pains and labour be fixed in  
the memory1 but they must be recalled   
precisely in the order in which they    
were learnt by rote1 and this is not the
 order in which they may be wanted3 they
 will be conjured up in technical       
succession1 or in troublesome           
multitudes4--,many people are obliged to
 repeat the alphabet before they can    
recollect the relative place of any     
given letter2 others repeat a column of 
the multiplication table before they can
 recollect the given sum of the number  
they want4 ,there is a common rigmarole 
for telling the number of days in each  
month in the year2 those who have learnt
 it by heart1 usually repeat the whole  
of it before they can recollect the     

place of the month which they want2 and 
sometimes in running over the lines1    
people miss the very month which they   
are thinking of1 or repeat its name     
without perceiving that they have named 
it4 ,in the same manner1 those who have 
learned historical or chronological     
facts in a technical mode1 must go      
through the whole train of their        
rigmarole associations before they can  
hit upon the idea which they want4 ,lord
 ,bolingbroke mentions an acquaintance  
of his1 who had an amazing collection of
 facts in his memory1 but unfortunately 
he could never produce one of them in   
the proper moment2 he was always obliged
 to go back to to some fixed landing    
place1 from which he was accustomed to  
take his flight4 ,lord ,bolingbroke used
 to be afraid of asking him a question1 
because when once he began1 he went off 
like a larum1 and could not be stopped2 
he poured out a profusion of things     
which had nothing to do with the point  
in question2 and it was ten to one but  

he omitted the only circumstance that   
would have been really serviceable4     
,many people who have tenacious         
memories1 and who have been ill         
educated1 find themselves in a similar  
condition1 with much knowledge baled up1
 an incumbrance to themselves and to    
their friends4 ,the great difference    
which appears in men of the same        
profession1 and in the same             
circumstances1 depends upon the         
application of their knowledge more than
 upon the quantity of their learning4   
,with respect to a knowledge of history 
and chronologic learning1 every body is 
now nearly upon a level2 this species of
 information cannot be a great          
distinction to any one2 a display of    
such common knowledge1 is considered by 
literary people1 and by men of genius   
especially1 as ridiculous and offensive4
 ,one motive1 therefore1 for loading the
 minds of children with historic dates  
and facts1 is likely1 even from its     
having universally operated1 to cease to

 operate in future4 ,without making it a
 laborious task to young people1 it is  
easy to give them such a knowledge of   
history1 as will preserve them from the 
shame of ignorance1 and put them upon a 
footing with men of good sense in       
society1 though not1 perhaps1 with men  
who have studied history for the purpose
 of shining in conversation4 ,for our   
purpose1 it is not necessary early to   
study voluminous philosophic histories2 
these should be preserved for a more    
advanced period of their education4 ,the
 first thing to be done1 is to seize the
 moment when curiosity is excited by the
 accidental mention of any historic name
 or event4 ,when a child hears his      
father talk of the ,roman emperors1 or  
of the ,roman people1 he naturally      
inquires who these people were2 some    
short explanation may be given1 so as to
 leave curiosity yet unsatisfied4 ,the  
prints of the ,roman emperors' heads1   
and ,mrs4 ,trimmer's prints of the      
remarkable events in the ,roman and     

,english history1 will entertain        
children4 ,madame de ,silleri1 in her   
,adela and ,theodore1 describes         
historical hangings1 which she found    
advantageous to her pupils4 ,in a       
prince's palace1 or a nobleman's palace1
 such hangings would be suitable        
decorations1 or in a public seminary of 
education it would be worth while to    
prepare them3 private families would1   
perhaps1 be alarmed at the idea of      
expense1 and at the idea1 that their    
house could not readily be furnished in 
proper time for the instruction of      
children4 ,as we know the effect of such
 apprehensions of difficulty1 we forbear
 from insisting upon historical         
hangings1 especially as we think that   
children should not1 by any great       
apparatus for teaching them history1 be 
induced to set an exorbitant value upon 
this sort of knowledge1 and should hence
 be excited to cultivate their memories 
without reasoning or reflecting4 ,if any
 expedients are thought necessary to fix

 historic facts early in the mind1 the  
entertaining display of ,roman emperors1
 and ,british kings and queens1 may be  
made1 as madame de ,silleri recommends1 
in a magic lantern1 or by the ,ombres   
,chinoises4 ,when these are exhibited1  
there should be some care taken not to  
introduce any false ideas4 ,parents     
should be present at the spectacle1 and 
should answer each eager question with  
prudence4 ,ha6 here comes queen         
,elizabeth6 exclaims the child2 was she 
a good woman8 ,a foolish show-man would 
answer1 ,yes1 master1 she was the       
greatest queen that ever sat upon the   
,english throne6 ,a sensible mother     
would reply1 ,my dear1 ,i cannot answer 
that question2 you will read her history
 yourself1 you will judge by her        
actions1 whether she was1 or was not1 a 
good woman4 ,children are often         
extremely impatient to settle the       
precise merit and demerit of every      
historical personage1 with whose names  
they become acquainted2 but this        

impatience should not be gratified by   
the short method of referring to the    
characters given of these persons in any
 common historical abridgment4 ,we      
should advise all such characters to be 
omitted in books for children2 let those
 who read1 form a judgment for          
themselves3 this will do more service to
 the understanding1 than can be done by 
learning by rote the opinion of any     
historian4 ,the good and bad qualities2 
the decisive1 yet contradictory1        
epithets1 are so jumbled together in    
these characters1 that no distinct      
notion can be left in the reader's mind2
 and the same words recur so frequently 
in the characters of different kings1   
that they are read over in a monotonous 
voice1 as mere concluding sentences1    
which come of course1 at the end of     
every reign4 ,king ,henry the ,fifth1   
was tall and slender1 with a long neck1 
engaging aspect1 and limbs of the most  
elegant turn4 999999999999999999994 ,his
 valour was such as no danger could     

startle1 and no difficulty could oppose4
 ,he managed the dissentions amongst his
 enemies with such address as spoke him 
consummate in the arts of the cabinet4  
,he was chaste1 temperate1 modest1 and  
devout1 scrupulously just in his        
administration1 and severely exact in   
the discipline of his army1 upon which  
he knew his glory and success in a great
 measure depended4 ,in a word1 it must  
be owned that he was without an equal in
 the arts of war1 policy1 and           
government4 ,his great qualities were1  
however1 somewhat obscured by his       
ambition1 and his natural propensity to 
cruelty4  ,is it possible that a child  
of seven or eight years old can acquire 
any distinct1 or any just ideas1 from   
the perusal of this character of ,henry 
the fifth8 ,yet it is selected as one of
 the best drawn characters from a little
 abridgment of the history of ,england1 
which is1 in general1 as well done as   
any we have seen4 ,even the least       
exceptionable historic abridgments      

require the corrections of a patient    
parent4 ,in abridgments for children1   
the facts are usually interspersed with 
what the authors intend for moral       
reflections1 and easy explanations of   
political events1 which are meant to be 
suited to the meanest capacities4 ,these
 reflections and explanations do much   
harm2 they instil prejudice1 and they   
accustom the young unsuspicious reader  
to swallow absurd reasoning1 merely     
because it is often presented to him4   
,if no history can be found entirely    
free from these defects1 and if it be   
even impossible to correct any          
completely1 without writing the whole   
over again1 yet much may be done by     
those who hear children read4           
,explanations can be given at the moment
 when the difficulties occur4 ,when the 
young reader pauses to think1 allow him 
to think1 and suffer him to question the
 assertions which he meets with in      
books1 with freedom1 and that minute    
accuracy which is only tiresome to those

 who cannot reason4 ,the simple morality
 of childhood is continually puzzled and
 shocked at the representation of the   
crimes and the virtues of historic      
heroes4 ,history1 when divested of the  
graces of eloquence1 and of that veil   
which the imagination is taught to throw
 over antiquity1 presents a disgusting1 
terrible list of crimes and calamities3 
murders1 assassinations1 battles1       
revolutions1 are the memorable events of
 history4 ,the love of glory atones for 
military barbarity2 treachery and fraud 
are frequently dignified with the names 
of prudence and policy2 and the         
historian1 desirous to appear moral and 
sentimental1 yet compelled to produce   
facts1 makes out an inconsistent1       
ambiguous system of morality4 ,a        
judicious and honest preceptor will not1
 however1 imitate the false tenderness  
of the historian for the dead2 he will  
rather consider what is most            
advantageous to the living2 he will     
perceive1 that it is of more consequence

 that his pupils should have distinct   
notions of right and wrong1 than that   
they should have perfectly by rote all  
the ,grecian1 ,roman1 ,english1 ,french1
 all the fifty volumes of the ,universal
 ,history4 ,a preceptor will not surely 
attempt1 by any sophistry1 to justify   
the crimes which sometimes obtain the   
name of heroism2 when his ingenious     
indignant pupil verifies the astonishing
 numeration of the hundreds and         
thousands that were put to death by a   
conqueror1 or that fell in one battle1  
he will allow this astonishment and     
indignation to be just1 and he will     
rejoice that it is strongly felt and    
expressed4  ,besides the false          
characters which are sometimes drawn of 
individuals in history1 national        
characters are often decidedly given in 
a few epithets1 which prejudice the     
mind1 and convey no real information4   
,can a child learn any thing but        
national prepossession1 from reading in 
a character of the ,english nation1 that

 boys1 before they can speak1 discover  
that they know the proper guards in     
boxing with their fists2 a quality that1
 perhaps1 is peculiar to the ,english1  
and is seconded by a strength of arm    
that few other people can exert8 ,this  
gives their soldiers an infinite        
superiority in all battles that are to  
be decided by the bayonet screwed upon  
the musket4#aab ,why should children be 
told1 that the ,italians are naturally  
revengeful2 the ,french naturally vain  
and perfidious1 excessively credulous   
and litigious2 that the ,spaniards are  
naturally jealous and haughty8#aac ,the 
patriotism of an enlarged and generous  
mind cannot1 surely1 depend upon the    
early contempt inspired for foreign     
nations4--,we do not speak of the       
education necessary for naval and       
military men--with this we have nothing 
to do2 but surely it cannot be necessary
 to teach national prejudices to any    
other class of young men4 ,if these     
prejudices are ridiculed by sensible    

parents1 children will not be misled by 
partial authors2 general assertions will
 be of little consequence to those who  
are taught to reason2 they will not be  
overawed by nonsense wherever they may  
meet with it4  ,the words whig and tory1
 occur frequently in ,english history1  
and liberty and tyranny are talked      
of--the influence of the crown--the     
rights of the people4 ,what are children
 of eight or nine years old to          
understand by these expressions8 and how
 can a tutor explain them1 without      
inspiring political prejudices8 ,we do  
not mean here to enter into any         
political discussion2 we think1 that    
children should not be taught the       
principles of their preceptors1 whatever
 they may be2 they should judge for     
themselves1 and1 until they are able to 
judge1 all discussion1 all explanations1
 should be scrupulously avoided4 ,whilst
 they are children1 the plainest        
chronicles are for them the best        
histories1 because they express no      

political tenets and dogmas4 ,when our  
pupils grow up1 at whatever age they may
 be capable of understanding them1 the  
best authors who have written on each   
side of the question1 the best works1   
without any party considerations1 should
 be put into their hands2 and let them  
form their own opinions from facts and  
arguments1 uninfluenced by passion1 and 
uncontrolled by authority4  ,as young   
people increase their collection of     
historic facts1 some arrangement will be
 necessary to preserve these in proper  
order in the memory4 ,priestley's       
,biographical ,chart1 is an extremely   
ingenious contrivance for this purpose2 
it should hang up in the room where     
children read1 or rather where they     
live1 for we hope no room will ever be  
dismally consecrated to their studies4  
,whenever they hear any celebrated name 
mentioned1 or when they meet with any in
 books1 they will run to search for     
these names in the biographical chart2  
and those who are used to children1 will

 perceive1 that the pleasure of this    
search1 and the joy of the discovery1   
will fix biography and chronology easily
 in their memories4 ,mortimer's         
,student's ,dictionary1 and ,brookes's  
,gazetteer1 should1 in a library or room
 which children usually inhabit1 be     
always within the reach of children4 ,if
 they are always consulted at the very  
moment they are wanted1 much may be     
learned from them2 but if there be any  
difficulty in getting at these          
dictionaries1 children forget1 and lose 
all interest in the things which they   
wanted to know4 ,but if knowledge       
becomes immediately useful1 or          
entertaining to them1 there is no danger
 of their forgetting4 ,who ever forgets 
,shakespeare's historical plays8 ,the   
arrangements contrived and executed by  
others1 do not always fix things so     
firmly in our remembrance1 as those     
which we have had some share in         
contriving and executing ourselves4     
,one of our pupils has drawn out a      

biographical chart upon the plan of     
,priestley's1 inserting such names only 
as he was well acquainted with2 he      
found1 that in drawing out this chart1 a
 great portion of general history and   
biography was fixed in his memory4      
,charts1 in the form of ,priestley's1   
but without the names of the heroes1 c4 
being inserted1 would1 perhaps1 be      
useful for schools and private families4
  ,there are two ,french historical     
works1 which we wish were well          
translated for the advantage of those   
who do not understand ,french4 ,the     
chevalier ,meheghan's ,tableau de       
l',histoire ,moderne1 which is sensibly 
divided into epochs2 and ,condillac's   
,view of ,universal ,history1 comprised 
in five volumes1 in his ,cours d',etude 
pour l',instruction du ,prince de       
,parme4 ,this history carries on1 along 
with the records of wars and            
revolutions1 the history of the progress
 of the human mind1 of arts1 and        
sciences2 the view of the different     

governments of ,europe1 is full and     
concise2 no prejudices are instilled2   
yet the manly and rational eloquence of 
virtue1 gives life and spirit to the    
work4 ,the concluding address1 from the 
preceptor to his royal pupil1 is written
 with all the enlightened energy of a   
man of truth and genius4 ,we do not     
recommend ,condillac's history as an    
elementary work2 for this it is by no   
means fit2 but it is one of the best    
histories that a young man of fifteen or
 sixteen can read4  ,it is scarcely     
possible to conceive1 that several      
treatises on grammar1 the art of        
reasoning1 thinking1 and writing1 which 
are contained in ,m4 ,condillac's course
 of study1 were designed by him for     
elementary books1 for the instruction of
 a child from seven to ten years old4   
,it appears the more surprising that the
 abb should have so far mistaken the    
capacity of childhood1 because1 in his  
judicious preface1 he seems fully       
sensible of the danger of premature     

cultivation1 and of the absurdity of    
substituting a knowledge of words for a 
knowledge of things4 ,as ,m4            
,condillac's is a work of high          
reputation1 we may be allowed to make a 
few remarks on its practical utility1   
and this may1 perhaps1 afford us an     
opportunity of explaining our ideas upon
 the use of metaphysical1 poetical1 and 
critical works1 in early education4 ,we 
do not mean any invidious criticism upon
 ,condillac1 but in ,practical          
,education we wish to take our examples 
and illustrations from real life4 ,the  
abb's course of study1 for a boy of     
seven years old1 begins with            
metaphysics4 ,in his preface he asserts1
 that the arts of speaking1 reasoning1  
and writing1 differ from one another    
only in degrees of accuracy1 and in the 
more or less perfect connection of      
ideas4 ,he observes1 that attention to  
the manner in which we acquire1 and in  
which we arrange our knowledge1 is      
necessary equally to those who would    

learn1 and to those who would teach1    
with success4 ,these remarks are just2  
but does not he draw an erroneous       
conclusion from his own principles1 when
 he infers1 that the first lessons which
 we should teach a child1 ought to be   
metaphysical8 ,he has given us an       
abstract of those which he calls        
preliminary lessons1 on the operations  
of the soul1 on attention1 judgment1    
imagination1 c4--he adds1 that he       
thought it useless to give to the public
 the conversations and explanations     
which he had with his pupil on these    
subjects4 ,both parents and children    
must regret the suppression of these    
explanatory notes2 as the lessons appear
 at present1 no child of seven years old
 can understand1 and few preceptors can 
or will make them what they ought to be4
 ,in the first lesson on the different  
species of ideas1 the abb says1  ,the   
idea1 for instance1 which ,i have of    
,peter1 is singular1 or individual2 and 
as the idea of man is general relatively

 to the ideas of a nobleman and a       
citizen1 it is particular as it relates 
to the idea of animal4#aad  ,relatively 
to the ideas of a nobleman and a        
citizen4 ,what a long explanation upon  
these words there must have been between
 the abb and the prince6 ,the whole view
 of society must have been opened at    
once1 or the prince must have swallowed 
prejudices and metaphysics together4 ,to
 make these things familiar to a child1 
,condillac says1 that we must bring a   
few or many examples2 but where shall we
 find examples8 ,where shall we find    
proper words to express to a child ideas
 of political relations mingled with    
metaphysical subtleties8  ,through this 
whole chapter1 on particular and general
 ideas1 the abb is secretly intent upon 
a dispute began or revived in the       
thirteenth century1 and not yet         
finished1 between the ,nominalists and  
the ,realists2 but a child knows nothing
 of this4  ,in the article ,on the      
,power of ,thinking1 an article which he

 acknowledges to be a little difficult1 
he observes1 that the great point is to 
make the child comprehend what is meant 
by attention2 for as soon as he         
understands that1 all the rest1 he      
assures us1 will be easy4 ,is it then of
 less consequence1 that the child should
 learn the habit of attention1 than that
 he should learn the meaning of the     
word8 ,granting1 however1 that the      
definition of this word is of           
consequence1 that definition should be  
made proportionably clear4 ,the tutor1  
at least1 must understand it1 before he 
can hope to explain it to his pupil4    
,here it is3  999999 when amongst many  
sensations which you experience at the  
same time1 the direction of the organs  
makes you take notice of one1 so that   
you do not observe the others any       
longer1 this sensation becomes what we  
call attention4#aae  ,this is not       
accurate2 it is not clear whether the   
direction of the organs be the cause1 or
 the effect1 of attention2 or whether it

 be only a concomitant of the sensation4
 ,attention1 we know1 can be exercised  
upon abstract ideas2 for this objection 
,m4 ,condillac has afterwards a         
provisional clause1 but the original    
definition remains defective1 because   
the direction of the organs is not1     
though it be stated as such1 essential3 
besides1 we are told only1 that the     
sensation described becomes 7devient7   
what we call attention4 ,what attention 
actually is1 we are still left to       
discover4 ,the matter is made yet more  
difficult2 for when we are just fixed in
 the belief1 that attention depends upon
 our remarking one sensation1 and not   
remarking others which we may have at   
the same time1 we are in the next       
chapter given to understand1 that in    
comparison we may have a double         
attention1 or two attentions1 which are 
only two sensations1 which make         
themselves be taken notice of equally1  
and consequently comparison consists    
only of sensations4#aaf  ,the doctrine  

of simultaneous ideas here glides in1   
and we concede unawares all that is     
necessary to the abb's favourite system1
 that sensation becomes successively    
attention1 memory1 comparison1 judgment1
 and reflection2#aag and that the art of
 reasoning is reducible to a series of  
identic propositions4 ,without1 at      
present1 attempting to examine this     
system1 we may observe1 that in         
education it is more necessary to       
preserve the mind from prejudice1 than  
to prepare it for the adoption of any   
system4 ,those who have attended to     
metaphysical proceedings1 know1 that if 
a few apparently trifling concessions be
 made in the beginning of the business1 
a man of ingenuity may force us1 in the 
end1 to acknowledge whatever he pleases4
 ,it is impossible that a child can     
foresee these consequences1 nor is it   
probable that he should have paid such  
accurate attention to the operations of 
his own mind1 as to be able to detect   
the fallacy1 or to feel the truth1 of   

his tutor's assertions4 ,a metaphysical 
catechism may readily be taught to      
children2 they may learn to answer      
almost as readily as ,trenck answered in
 his sleep to the guards who regularly  
called to him every night at midnight4  
,children may answer expertly to the    
questions1 ,what is attention8 ,what is 
memory8 ,what is imagination8 ,what is  
the difference between wit and judgment8
 ,how many sorts of ideas have you1 and 
which are they8 ,but when they are      
perfect in their responses to all these 
questions1 how much are they advanced in
 real knowledge8  ,allegory has mixed   
with metaphysics almost as much as with 
poetry2 personifications of memory and  
imagination are familiar to us2 to each 
have been addressed odes and sonnets1 so
 that we almost believe in their        
individual existence1 or at least we are
 become jealous of the separate         
attributes of these ideal beings4 ,this 
metaphysical mythology may be ingenious 
and elegant1 but it is better adapted to

 the pleasures of poetry than to the    
purposes of reasoning4 ,those who have  
been accustomed to respect and believe  
in it1 will find it difficult soberly to
 examine any argument upon abstract     
subjects2 their favourite prejudices    
will retard them when they attempt to   
advance in the art of reasoning4 ,all   
accurate metaphysical reasoners have    
perceived1 and deplored1 the            
difficulties which the prepossessions of
 education have thrown in their way2 and
 they have been obliged to waste their  
time and powers in fruitless attempts to
 vanquish these in their own minds1 or  
in those of their readers4 ,can we wish 
in education to perpetuate similar      
errors1 and to transmit to another      
generation the same artificial          
imbecility8 ,or can we avoid these      
evils1 if with our present habits of    
thinking and speaking1 we attempt to    
teach metaphysics to children of seven  
years old8  ,a well educated1           
intelligent young man1 accustomed to    

accurate reasoning1 yet brought up      
without any metaphysical prejudices1    
would be a treasure to a metaphysician  
to cross examine3 he would be eager to  
hear the unprejudiced youth's evidence1 
as the monarch1 who had ordered a child 
to be shut up1 without hearing one word 
of any human language1 from infancy to  
manhood1 was impatient to hear what     
would be the first word that he uttered4
 ,but though we wish extremely well to  
the experiments of metaphysicians1 we   
are more intent upon the advantage which
 our unprejudiced pupils would          
themselves derive from their judicious  
education3 probably they would1 coming  
fresh to the subject1 make some         
discoveries in the science of           
metaphysics3 they would have no         
paces#aah to show2 perhaps they might   
advance a step or two on this difficult 
ground4  ,when we object to the early   
initiation of novices into metaphysical 
mysteries1 we only recommend it to      
preceptors not to teach2 let pupils     

learn whatever they please1 or whatever 
they can1 without reading any           
metaphysical books1 and without hearing 
any opinions1 or learning any           
definitions by rote2 children may       
reflect upon their own feelings1 and    
they should be encouraged to make       
accurate observations upon their own    
minds4 ,sensible children will soon1 for
 instance1 observe the effect of habit1 
which enables them to repeat actions    
with ease and facility1 which they have 
frequently performed4 ,the association  
of ideas1 as it assists them to remember
 particular things1 will soon be        
noticed1 though not1 perhaps1 in        
scientific words4 ,the use of the       
association of pain or pleasure1 in the 
form of what we call reward and         
punishment1 may probably be early       
perceived4 ,children will be delighted  
with these discoveries if they are      
suffered to make them1 and they will    
apply this knowledge in their own       
education4 ,trifling daily events will  

recall their observations1 and          
experience will confirm1 or correct1    
their juvenile theories4 ,but if        
metaphysical books1 or dogmas1 are      
forced upon children in the form of     
lessons1 they will1 as such1 be learned 
by rote1 and forgotten4  ,to prevent    
parents from expecting as much as the   
abb ,condillac does from the            
comprehension of pupils of six or seven 
years old upon abstract subjects1 and to
 enable preceptors to form some idea of 
the perfect simplicity in which         
children1 unprejudiced upon metaphysical
 questions1 would express themselves1 we
 give the following little dialogues1   
word for word1 as they passed3  #aghj4  
,father4 ,where do you think8  ,a----4  
7,six and a half years old47 ,in my     
mouth4  ,ho----4 7,five years and a half
 old47 ,in my stomach4  ,father4 ,where 
do you feel that you are glad1 or sorry8
  ,a----4 ,in my stomach4  ,ho----4 ,in 
my eyes4  ,father4 ,what are your senses
 for8  ,ho----4 ,to know things4        

,without any previous conversation1     
,ho---- 7five years and a half old7 said
 to her mother1 ,i think you will be    
glad my right foot is sore1 because you 
told me ,i did not lean enough upon my  
left foot4 ,this child seemed1 on many  
occasions1 to have formed an accurate   
idea of the use of punishment1          
considering it always as pain given to  
cure us of some fault1 or to prevent us 
from suffering more pain in future4     
,april1 #agib4 ,h----1 a boy nine years 
and three quarters old1 as he was       
hammering at a work-bench1 paused for a 
short time1 and then said to his sister1
 who was in the room with him1 ,sister1 
,i observe that when ,i don't look at my
 right hand when ,i hammer1 and only    
think where it ought to hit1 ,i can     
hammer much better than when ,i look at 
it4 ,i don't know what the reason of    
that is2 unless it is because ,i think  
in my head4  ,m----4 ,i am not sure1 but
 ,i believe that we do think in our     
heads4  ,h----4 ,then1 perhaps1 my head 

is divided into two parts1 and that one 
thinks for one arm1 and one for the     
other2 so that when ,i want to strike   
with my right arm1 ,i think where ,i    
want to hit the wood1 and then1 without 
looking at it1 ,i can move my arm in the
 right direction2 as when my father is  
going to write1 he sometimes sketches   
it4  ,m----4 ,what do you mean1 my dear1
 by sketching it8  ,h----4 ,why1 when he
 moves his hand 7flourishes7 without    
touching the paper with the pen4 ,and at
 first1 when ,i want to do any thing1 ,i
 cannot move my hand as ,i mean2 but    
after being used to it1 then ,i can do  
much better4 ,i don't know why4  ,after 
going on hammering for some time1 he    
stopped again1 and said1 ,there's       
another thing ,i wanted to tell you4    
,sometimes ,i think to myself1 that it  
is right to think of things that are    
sensible1 and then when ,i want to set  
about thinking of things that are       
sensible1 ,i cannot2 ,i can only think  
of that over and over again4  ,m----4   

,you can only think of what8  ,h----4   
,of those words4 ,they seem to be said  
to me over and over again1 till ,i'm    
quite tired1 ,that it is right to think 
of things that have some sense4  ,the   
childish expressions in these remarks   
have not been altered1 because we wished
 to show exactly how children at this   
age express their thoughts4 ,if ,m4     
,condillac had been used to converse    
with children1 he surely would not have 
expected1 that any boy of seven years   
old could have understood his definition
 of attention1 and his metaphysical     
preliminary lessons4  ,after these      
preliminary lessons1 we have a sketch of
 the prince of ,parma's subsequent      
studies4 ,m4 ,condillac says1 that his  
royal highness 7being not yet eight     
years old7 was now perfectly well       
acquainted with the system of           
intellectual operations4 ,he            
comprehended already the production of  
his ideas2 he saw the origin and the    
progress of the habits which he had     

contracted1 and he perceived how he     
could substitute just ideas for the     
false ones which had been given to him1 
and good habits instead of the bad      
habits which he had been suffered to    
acquire4 ,he had become so quickly      
familiar with all these things1 that he 
retraced their connection without       
effort1 quite playfully4#aai  ,this     
prince must have been a prodigy6 ,after 
having made him reflect upon his own    
infancy1 the abb judged that the infancy
 of the world would appear to his pupil 
the most curious subject1 and the most  
easy to study4 ,the analogy between     
these two infancies seems to exist      
chiefly in words2 it is not easy to     
gratify a child's curiosity concerning  
the infancy of the world4 ,extracts from
 ,l',origine des ,loix1 by ,m4 ,goguet1 
with explanatory notes1 were put into   
the prince's hands1 to inform him of    
what happened in the commencement of    
society4 ,these were his evening        
studies4 ,in the mornings he read the   

,french poets1 ,boileau1 ,moliere1      
,corneille1 and ,racine4 ,racine1 as we 
are particularly informed1 was1 in the  
space of one year1 read over a dozen    
times4 ,wretched prince6 ,unfortunate   
,racine6 ,the abb acknowledges1 that at 
first these authors were not understood 
with the same ease as the preliminary   
lessons had been3 every word stopped the
 prince1 and it seemed as if every line 
were written in an unknown language4    
,this is not surprising1 for how is it  
possible that a boy of seven or eight   
years old1 who could know nothing of    
life and manners1 could taste the wit   
and humour of ,moliere2 and1 incapable  
as he must have been of sympathy with   
the violent passions of tragic heroes   
and heroines1 how could he admire the   
lofty dramas of ,racine8 ,we are willing
 to suppose1 that the young prince of   
,parma was quick1 and well informed for 
his age2 but to judge of what is        
practicable1 we must produce examples   
from common life1 instead of prodigies4 

,s----1 a boy of nine years old1 of     
whose abilities the reader will be able 
to form some judgment from anecdotes in 
the following pages1 whose understanding
 was not wholy uncultivated1 when he was
 between nine and ten years old1        
expressed a wish to read some of        
,shakespeare's plays4 ,king ,john was   
given to him4 ,after the book had been  
before him for one winter's evening1 he 
returned it to his father1 declaring    
that he did not understand one word of  
the play2 he could not make out what the
 people were about1 and he did not wish 
to read any more of it4 ,his brother    
,h----1 at twelve years old1 had made an
 equally ineffectual attempt to read    
,shakespeare2 he was also equally       
decided and honest in expressing his    
dislike to it2 he was much surprised at 
seeing his sister ,b----1 who was a year
 or two older than himself1 reading     
,shakespeare with great avidity1 and he 
frequently asked what it was in that    
book that could entertain her4 ,two     

years afterwards1 when ,h---- was       
between fourteen and fifteen1 he made   
another trial1 and he found that he     
understood the language of ,shakespeare 
without any difficulty4 ,he read all the
 historical plays with the greatest     
eagerness1 and particularly seized the  
character of ,falstaff4 ,he gave a      
humorous description of the figure and  
dress which he supposed ,sir ,john      
should have1 of his manner of sitting1  
speaking1 and walking4 ,probably1 if    
,h---- had been pressed to read         
,shakespeare at the time when he did not
 understand it1 he might never have read
 these plays with real pleasure during  
his whole life4 ,two years increase     
prodigiously the vocabulary and the     
ideas of young people1 and preceptors   
should consider1 that what we call      
literary taste1 cannot be formed without
 a variety of knowledge4 ,the           
productions of our ablest writers cannot
 please1 until we are familiarized to   
the ideas which they contain1 or to     

which they allude4#abj  ,poetry is      
usually supposed to be well suited to   
the taste and capacity of children4 ,in 
the infancy of taste and of eloquence1  
rhetorical language is constantly       
admired2 the bold expression of strong  
feeling1 and the simple description of  
the beauties of nature1 are found to    
interest both cultivated and            
uncultivated minds4 ,to understand      
descriptive poetry1 no previous         
knowledge is required1 beyond what      
common observation and sympathy supply2 
the analogies and transitions of        
thought1 are slight and obvious2 no     
labour of attention is demanded1 no     
active effort of the mind is requisite  
to follow them4 ,the pleasures of simple
 sensation are1 by descriptive poetry1  
recalled to the imagination1 and we live
 over again our past lives without      
increasing1 and without desiring to     
increase1 our stock of knowledge4 ,if   
these observations be just1 there must  
appear many reasons1 why even that      

species of poetry which they can        
understand1 should not be the early     
study of children2 from time to time it 
may be an agreeable amusement1 but it   
should not become a part of their daily 
occupations4 ,we do not want to retrace 
perpetually in their memories a few     
musical words1 or a few simple          
sensations2 our object is to enlarge the
 sphere of our pupil's capacity1 to     
strengthen the habits of attention1 and 
to exercise all the powers of the mind4 
,the inventive and the reasoning        
faculties must be injured by the        
repetition of vague expressions1 and of 
exaggerated description1 with which most
 poetry abounds4 ,childhood is the      
season for observation1 and those who   
observe accurately1 will afterwards be  
able to describe accurately3 but those1 
who merely read descriptions1 can       
present us with nothing but the pictures
 of pictures4 ,we have reason to        
believe1 that children1 who have not    
been accustomed to read a vast deal of  

poetry1 are not1 for that reason1 less  
likely to excel in poetic language4 ,the
 reader will judge from the following   
explanations of ,gray's ,hymn to        
,adversity1 that the boy to whom they   
were addressed1 was not much accustomed 
to read even the most popular ,english  
poetry2 yet this is the same child1 who 
a few months afterwards1 wrote the      
translation from ,ovid1 of the ,cave of 
,sleep1 and who gave the extempore      
description of a summer's evening in    
tolerably good language4  ,jan4 #agif4  
,s---- 7nine years old7 learned by heart
 the ,hymn to ,adversity4 ,when he came 
to repeat this poem1 he did not repeat  
it well1 and he had it not perfectly by 
heart4 ,his father suspected that he did
 not understand it1 and he examined him 
with some care4  ,father4 ,purple       
tyrants6 ,why purple8  ,s----4 ,because 
purple is a colour something like red   
and black2 and tyrants look red and     
black4  ,father4 ,no4 ,kings were       
formerly called tyrants1 and they wore  

purple robes3 the purple of the ancients
 is supposed to be not the colour which 
we call purple1 but that which we call  
scarlet4      ,when first thy sire to   
send on earth     ,virtue1 his darling  
child1 design'd1     ,to thee he gave   
the heavenly birth1     ,and bade to    
form her infant mind4  ,when ,s---- was 
asked who was meant in these lines by   
thy sire1 he frowned terribly2 but after
 some deliberation1 he discovered that  
thy sire meant ,jove1 the father1 or    
sire of ,adversity3 still he was        
extremely puzzled with the heavenly     
birth4 ,first he thought that the       
heavenly birth was the birth of         
,adversity2 but upon recollection1 the  
heavenly birth was to be trusted to     
,adversity1 therefore she could not be  
trusted with the care of herself4 ,s----
 at length discovered1 that ,jove must  
have had two daughters1 and he said he  
supposed that ,virtue must have been one
 of these daughters1 and that she must  
have been sister to ,adversity1 who was 

to be her nurse1 and who was to form her
 infant mind3 he now perceived that the 
expression1 ,stern1 rugged nurse1       
referred to ,adversity2 before this1 he 
said1 he did not know who it meant1     
whose rigid lore was alluded to in these
 two lines1 or who bore it with         
patience4      ,stern1 rugged nurse1 thy
 rigid lore     ,with patience many a   
year she bore4  ,the following stanza   
,s---- repeated a second time1 as if he 
did not understand it4      ,scared at  
thy frown1 terrific fly     ,self       
pleasing follies1 idle brood1     ,wild 
laughter1 noise1 and thoughtless joy1   
,and leave us leisure to be good4       
,light they disperse1 and with them go  
,the summer friend1 the flattering foe2 
,by vain prosperity receiv'd1     ,to   
her they vow their truth1 and are again 
believ'd4  ,father4 ,why does the poet  
say wild laughter8  ,s----4 ,it means1  
not reasonable4  ,father4 ,why is it    
said1      ,by vain prosperity receiv'd1
     ,to her they vow their truth1 and  

are again believ'd8  ,s----4 ,because   
the people1 ,i suppose1 when they were  
in prosperity before1 believed them     
before1 but ,i think that seems         
confused4      ,oh gently on thy        
suppliant's head1     ,dread goddess1   
lay thy chastening hand4  ,s---- did not
 seem to comprehend the first of these  
two lines2 and upon cross examination1  
it appeared that he did not know the    
meaning of the word suppliant2 he       
thought it meant a person who supplies  
us4      ,not in thy ,gorgon terrors    
clad1     ,nor circled by the vengeful  
band1     ,as by the impious thou art   
seen4  ,it may appear improbable1 that a
 child who did not know the meaning of  
the word suppliant1 should understand   
the ,gorgon terrors1 and the vengeful   
band1 yet it was so3 ,s---- understood  
these lines distinctly2 he said1 ,gorgon
 terrors1 yes1 like the head of ,gorgon4
 ,he was at this time translating from  
,ovid's ,metamorphoses2 and it happened 
that his father had explained to him the

 ideas of the ancients concerning the   
furies2 besides this1 several people in 
the family had been reading ,potter's   
schylus1 and the furies had been the    
subject of conversation4 ,from such     
accidental circumstances as these1      
children often appear1 in the same      
instant almost1 to be extremely quick1  
and extremely slow of comprehension2 a  
preceptor who is well acquainted with   
all his pupil's previous knowledge1 can 
rapidly increase his stock of ideas by  
turning every accidental circumstance to
 account3 but if a tutor persists in    
forcing a child to a regular course of  
study1 all his ideas must be collected1 
not as they are wanted in conversation  
or in real life1 but as they are wanted 
to get through a lesson or a book4 ,it  
is not surprising1 that ,m4 ,condillac  
found such long explanations necessary  
for his young pupil in reading the      
tragedies of ,racine2 he says1 that he  
was frequently obliged to translate the 
poetry into prose1 and frequently the   

prince could gather only some general   
idea of the whole drama1 without        
understanding the parts4 ,we cannot help
 regretting1 that the explanations have 
not been published for the advantage of 
future preceptors2 they must have been  
almost as difficult as those for the    
preliminary lessons4 ,as we are         
convinced that the art of education can 
be best improved by the registering of  
early experiments1 we are very willing  
to expose such as have been made1       
without fear of fastidious criticism or 
ridicule4  ,may #a1 #agif4 ,a little    
poem1 called ,the ,tears of ,old        
,may-day1 published in the second volume
 of the ,world1 was read to ,s----4     
,last ,may-day the same poem had been   
read to him2 he then liked it much1 and 
his father wished to see what effect it 
would have upon this second reading4    
,the pleasure of novelty was worn off1  
but ,s---- felt new pleasure from his   
having1 during the last year1 acquired a
 great number of new ideas1 and         

especially some knowledge of ancient    
mythology1 which enabled him to         
understand several allusions in the poem
 which had before been unintelligible to
 him4 ,he had become acquainted with the
 muses1 the graces1 ,cynthia1 ,philomel1
 ,astrea1 who are all mentioned in this 
poem2 he now knew something about the   
,hesperian fruit1 ,amalthea's horn1     
choral dances1 ,libyan ,ammon1 c4 which 
are alluded to in different lines of the
 poem3 he remembered the explanation    
which his father had given him the      
preceding year1 of a line which alludes 
to the island of ,atalantis3      ,then 
vanished many a sea-girt isle and grove1
     ,their forests floating on the     
wat'ry plain2     ,then famed for arts1 
and laws deriv'd from ,jove1     ,my    
,atalantis sunk beneath the main4       
,s----1 whose imagination had been      
pleased with the idea of the fabulous   
island of ,atalantis1 recollected what  
he had heard of it2 but he had forgotten
 the explanation of another stanza of   

this poem1 which he had heard at the    
same time3      ,to her no more         
,augusta's wealthy pride1     ,pours the
 full tribute from ,potosi's mine2      
,nor fresh blown garlands village maids 
provide1     ,a purer offering at her   
rustic shrine4  ,s---- forgot that he   
had been told that ,london was formerly 
called ,augusta2 that ,potosi's mines   
contained silver2 and that pouring the  
tribute from ,potosi's mines1 alludes to
 the custom of hanging silver tankards  
upon the ,may-poles in ,london on       
,may-day2 consequently the beauty of    
this stanza was entirely lost upon him4 
,a few circumstances were now told to   
,s----1 which imprinted the explanation 
effectually in his memory3 his father   
told him1 that the publicans1 or those  
who keep public houses in ,london1 make 
it a custom to lend their silver        
tankards to the poor chimney-sweepers   
and milk-maids1 who go in procession    
through the streets on ,may-day4 ,the   
confidence that is put in the honesty of

 these poor people1 pleased ,s----1 and 
all these circumstances fixed the       
principal idea more firmly in his mind4 
,the following lines could please him   
only by their sound1 the first time he  
heard them3      ,ah6 once to fame and  
bright dominion born1       ,the earth  
and smiling ocean saw me rise1     ,with
 time coeval1 and the star of morn1     
,the first1 the fairest daughter of the 
skies4      ,then1 when at heaven's     
prolific mandate sprung       ,the      
radiant beam of new-created day1        
,celestial harps1 to airs of triumph    
strung1       ,hail'd the glad dawn1 and
 angel's call'd me ,may4      ,space in 
her empty regions heard the sound1      
,and hills and dales1 and rocks and     
valleys rung2     ,the sun exulted in   
his glorious round1       ,and shouting 
planets in their courses sung4  ,the    
idea which the ancients had of the music
 of the spheres was here explained to   
,s----1 and some general notion was     
given to him of the harmonic numbers4   

,what a number of new ideas this little 
poem served to introduce into the mind6 
,these explanations being given         
precisely at the time when they were    
wanted1 fixed the ideas in the memory in
 their proper places1 and associated    
knowledge with the pleasures of poetry4 
,some of the effect of a poem must1 it  
is true1 be lost by interruptions and   
explanations2 but we must consider the  
general improvement of the              
understanding1 and not merely the       
cultivation of poetic taste4 ,in the    
instance which we have just given1 the  
pleasure which the boy received from the
 poem1 seemed to increase in proportion 
to the exactness with which it was      
explained4 ,the succeeding year1 on     
,may-day #agig1 the same poem was read  
to him for the third time1 and he       
appeared to like it better than he had  
done upon the first reading4 ,if1       
instead of perusing ,racine twelve times
 in one year1 the young prince of ,parma
 had read any one play or scene at      

different periods of his education1 and 
had been led to observe the increase of 
pleasure which he felt from being able  
to understand what he read better each  
succeeding time than before1 he would   
probably have improved more rapidly in  
his taste for poetry1 though he might   
not have known ,racine by rote quite so 
early as at eight years old4  ,we       
considered parents almost as much as    
children1 when we advised that a great  
deal of poetry should not be read by    
very young pupils2 the labour and       
difficulty of explaining it can be known
 only to those who have tried the       
experiment4 ,the ,elegy in a country    
church-yard1 is one of the most popular 
poems1 which is usually given to        
children to learn by heart2 it cost at  
least a quarter of an hour to explain to
 intelligent children1 the youngest of  
whom was at the time nine years old1 the
 first stanza of that elegy4 ,and we    
have heard it asserted by a gentleman   
not unacquainted with literature1 that  

perfectly to understand l',allegro and  
,il ,penseroso1 requires no             
inconsiderable portion of ancient and   
modern knowledge4 ,it employed several  
hours on different days to read and     
explain ,comus1 so as to make it        
intelligible to a boy of ten years1 who 
gave his utmost attention to it4 ,the   
explanations on this poem were found to 
be so numerous and intricate1 that we   
thought it best not to produce them     
here4 ,explanations which are given by a
 reader1 can be given with greater      
rapidity and effect1 than any which a   
writer can give to children3 the        
expression of the countenance is        
advantageous1 the sprightliness of      
conversation keeps the pupils awake1 and
 the connection of the parts of the     
subject can be carried on better in     
speaking and reading1 than it can be in 
written explanations4 ,notes are almost 
always too formal1 or too obscure2 they 
explain what was understood more plainly
 before any illustration was attempted1 

or they leave us in the dark the moment 
we want to be enlightened4 ,wherever    
parents or preceptors can supply the    
place of notes and commentators1 they   
need not think their time ill bestowed4 
,if they cannot undertake these         
troublesome explanations1 they can      
surely reserve obscure poems for a later
 period of their pupil's education4     
,children1 who are taught at seven or   
eight years old to repeat poetry1       
frequently get beautiful lines by rote1 
and speak them fluently1 without in the 
least understanding the meaning of the  
lines4 ,the business of a poet is to    
please the imagination1 and to move the 
passions3 in proportion as his language 
is sublime or pathetic1 witty or        
satirical1 it must be unfit for         
children4 ,knowledge cannot be detailed1
 or accurately explained1 in poetry2 the
 beauty of an allusion depends          
frequently upon the elliptical mode of  
expression1 which passing imperceptibly 
over all the intermediate links in our  

associations1 is apparent only when it  
touches the ends of the chain4 ,those   
who wish to instruct1 must pursue the   
opposite system4  ,in ,doctor ,wilkins's
 ,essay on ,universal ,language1 he     
proposes to introduce a note similar to 
the common note of admiration1 to give  
the reader notice when any expression is
 used in an ironical or in a metaphoric 
sense4 ,such a note would be of great   
advantage to children3 in reading       
poetry1 they are continually puzzled    
between the obvious and the metaphoric  
sense of the words4#aba ,the desire to  
make children learn a vast deal of      
poetry by heart1 fortunately for the    
understanding of the rising generation1 
does not rage with such violence as     
formerly4 ,dr4 ,johnson successfully    
laughed at infants lisping out1 ,angels 
and ministers of grace1 defend us4 ,his 
reproof was rather ill-natured1 when he 
begged two children who were produced1  
to repeat some lines to him1 ,can't the 
pretty dears repeat them both together8 

,but this reproof has probably prevented
 many exhibitions of the same kind4     
,some people learn poetry by heart for  
the pleasure of quoting it in           
conversation2 but the talent for        
quotation1 both in conversation and in  
writing1 is now become so common1 that  
it cannot confer immortality4#abb ,every
 person has by rote certain passages    
from ,shakespeare and ,thomson1         
,goldsmith and ,gray3 these trite       
quotations fatigue the literary ear1 and
 disgust the taste of the public4 ,to   
this change in the fashion of the day1  
those who are influenced by fashion1    
will probably listen with more          
eagerness1 than to all the reasons that 
have been offered4 ,but to return to the
 prince of ,parma4 ,after reading       
,corneille1 ,racine1 ,moliere1 ,boileau1
 c4 the young prince's taste was formed1
 as we are assured by his preceptor1 and
 he was now fit for the study of        
grammar4 ,so much is due to the         
benevolent intentions of a man of       

learning and genius1 who submits to the 
drudgery of writing an elementary book  
on grammar1 that even a critic must feel
 unwilling to examine it with severity4 
,m4 ,condillac1 in his attempt to write 
a rational grammar1 has produced1 if not
 a grammar fit for children1 a          
philosophical treatise1 which a well    
educated young person will read with    
great advantage at the age of seventeen 
or eighteen4 ,all that is said of the   
natural language of signs1 of the       
language of action1 of pantomimes1 and  
of the institution of ,m4 l',abb l',epe 
for teaching languages to the deaf and  
dumb1 is not only amusing and           
instructive to general readers1 but1    
with slight alterations in the language1
 might be perfectly adapted to the      
capacity of children4 ,but when the ,abb
 ,condillac goes on to ,your highness   
knows what is meant by a system1 he     
immediately forgets his pupils age4 ,the
 reader's attention is presently deeply 
engaged by an abstract disquisition on  

the relative proportion1 represented by 
various circles of different extent1 of 
the wants1 ideas1 and language of       
savages1 shepherds1 commercial and      
polished nations1 when he is suddenly   
awakened to the recollection1 that all  
this is addressed to a child of eight   
years old3 an allusion to the prince's  
little chair1 completely rouses us from 
our reverie4  ,as your little chair is  
made in the same form as mine1 which is 
higher1 so the system of ideas is       
fundamentally the same amongst savage   
and civilized nations2 it differs only  
in degrees of extension1 as after one   
and the same model1 seats of different  
heights have been made4#abc  ,such      
mistakes as these1 in a work intended   
for a child1 are so obvious1 that they  
could not have escaped the penetration  
of a great man1 had he known as much of 
the practice as he did of the theory of 
the art of teaching4  ,to analyze a     
thought1 and to show the construction of
 language1 ,m4 ,condillac1 in this      

volume on grammar1 has chosen for an    
example a passage from an ,eloge on     
,peter ,corneille1 pronounced before the
 ,french academy by ,racine1 on the     
reception of ,thomas ,corneille1 who    
succeeded to ,peter4 ,it is in the      
,french style of academical panegyric1 a
 representation of the chaotic state in 
which ,corneille found the ,french      
theatre1 and of the light and order     
which he diffused through the dramatic  
world by his creative genius4 ,a subject
 less interesting1 or more              
unintelligible to a child1 could        
scarcely have been selected4 ,the       
lecture on the anatomy of ,racine's     
thought1 lasts through fifteen pages2   
according to all the rules of art1 the  
dissection is ably performed1 but most  
children will turn from the operation   
with disgust4  ,the ,abb ,condillac's   
treatise on the art of writing1         
immediately succeeds to his grammar4    
,the examples in this volume are much   
better chosen2 they are interesting to  

all readers2 those especially from      
madame de ,sevign's letters1 which are  
drawn from familiar language and        
domestic life4 ,the enumeration of the  
figures of speech1 and the              
classification of the flowers of        
rhetoric1 are judiciously suppressed2   
the catalogue of the different sorts of 
turns1 phrases proper for maxims and    
principles1 turns proper for sentiment1 
ingenious turns and quaint turns1 stiff 
turns and easy turns1 might1 perhaps1   
have been somewhat abridged4 ,the       
observations on the effect of unity in  
the whole design1 and in all the        
subordinate parts of a work1 though they
 may not be new1 are ably stated2 and   
the remark1 that the utmost propriety of
 language1 and the strongest effect of  
eloquence and reasoning1 result from the
 greatest possible attention to the     
connection of our ideas1 is impressed   
forcibly upon the reader throughout this
 work4  ,how far works of criticism in  
general are suited to children1 remains 

to be considered4 ,such works cannot    
probably suit their taste1 because the  
taste for systematic criticism cannot   
arise in the mind until many books have 
been read2 until the various species of 
excellence suited to different sorts of 
composition1 have been perceived1 and   
until the mind has made some choice of  
its own4 ,it is true1 that works of     
criticism may teach children to talk    
well of what they read2 they will be    
enabled to repeat what good judges have 
said of books4 ,but this is not1 or     
ought not to be1 the object4 ,after     
having been thus officiously assisted by
 a connoisseur1 who points out to them  
the beauties of authors1 will they be   
able afterwards to discover beauties    
without his assistance8 ,or have they as
 much pleasure in being told what to    
admire1 what to praise1 and what to     
blame1 as if they had been suffered to  
feel and to express their own feelings  
naturally8 ,in reading an interesting   
play1 or beautiful poem1 how often has a

 man of taste and genius execrated the  
impertinent commentator1 who interrupts 
him by obtruding his ostentatious       
notes--,the reader will observe the     
beauty of this thought4 ,this is one of 
the finest passages in any author1      
ancient or modern4 ,the sense of this   
line1 which all former annotators have  
mistaken1 is obviously restored by the  
addition of the vowel i4 c4  ,deprived1 
by these anticipating explanations1 of  
the use of his own common sense1 the    
reader detests the critic1 soon learns  
to disregard his references1 and to skip
 over his learned truisms4 ,similar     
sensations1 tempered by duty or by fear1
 may have been sometimes experienced by 
a vivacious child1 who1 eager to go on  
with what he is reading1 is prevented   
from feeling the effect of the whole1 by
 a premature discussion of its parts4   
,we hope that no keen hunter of         
paradoxes will here exult in having     
detected us in a contradiction3 we are  
perfectly aware1 that but a few pages   

ago we exhibited examples of detailed   
explanations of poetry for children2 but
 these explanations were not of the     
criticising class2 they were not        
designed to tell young people what to   
admire1 but simply to assist them to    
understand before they admired4  ,works 
of criticism are sometimes given to     
pupils1 with the idea that they will    
instruct and form them in the art of    
writing3 but few things can be more     
terrific or dangerous to the young      
writer1 than the voice of relentless    
criticism4 ,hope stimulates1 but fear   
depresses the active powers of the mind2
 and how much have they to fear1 who    
have continually before their eyes the  
mistakes and disgrace of others2 of     
others1 who with superior talents have  
attempted and failed6 ,with a multitude 
of precepts and rules of rhetoric full  
in their memory1 they cannot express the
 simplest of their thoughts2 and to     
write a sentence composed of members1   
which have each of them names of many   

syllables1 must appear a most formidable
 and presumptuous undertaking4 ,on the  
contrary1 a child who1 in books and in  
conversation1 has been used to hear and 
to speak correct language1 and who has  
never been terrified with the idea1 that
 to write1 is to express his thoughts in
 some new and extraordinary manner1 will
 naturally write as he speaks1 and as he
 thinks4 ,making certain characters upon
 paper1 to represent to others what he  
wishes to say#abd to them1 will not     
appear to him a matter of dread and     
danger1 but of convenience and          
amusement1 and he will write prose      
without knowing it4  ,amongst some      
,practical ,essays1#abe lately          
published1 to assist the exertions of   
youth in their literary pursuits1 there 
is an essay on letter-writing1 which    
might deter a timid child from ever     
undertaking such an arduous task as that
 of writing a letter4 ,so much is said  
from ,blair1 from ,cicero1 from         
,quintilian2 so many things are         

requisite in a letter2 purity1 neatness1
 simplicity2 such caution must be used  
to avoid exotics transplanted from      
foreign languages1 or raised in the     
hot-beds of affectation and conceit2    
such attention to the mother-tongue is  
prescribed1 that the young nerves of the
 letter-writer must tremble when he     
takes up his pen4 ,besides1 he is told  
that he should be extremely reserved on 
the head of pleasantry1 and that as to  
sallies of wit1 it is still more        
dangerous to let them fly at random2 but
 he may repeat the smart sayings of     
others if he will1 or relate part of    
some droll adventure1 to enliven his    
letter4  ,the anxiety that parents and  
tutors frequently express1 to have their
 children write letters1 and good       
letters1 often prevents the pupils from 
writing during the whole course of their
 lives4 ,letter-writing becomes a task  
and an evil to children2 whether they   
have any thing to say or not1 write they
 must1 this post or next1 without fail1 

a pretty letter to some relation or     
friend1 who has exacted from them the   
awful promise of punctual               
correspondence4 ,it is no wonder that   
school-boys and school-girls1 in these  
circumstances1 feel that necessity is   
not the mother of invention2 they are   
reduced to the humiliating misery of    
begging from some old practitioner a    
beginning1 or an ending1 and something  
to say to fill up the middle4  ,locke   
humorously describes the misery of a    
school-boy who is to write a theme2 and 
having nothing to say1 goes about with  
the usual petition in these cases to his
 companions1 ,pray give me a little     
sense4 ,would it not be better to wait  
until children have sense1 before we    
exact from them themes and discourses   
upon literary subjects8 ,there is no    
danger1 that those who acquire a variety
 of knowledge and numerous ideas1 should
 not be able to find words to express   
them2 but those who are compelled to    
find words before they have ideas1 are  

in a melancholy situation4 ,to form a   
style1 is but a vague idea2 practice in 
composition1 will certainly confer ease 
in writing1 upon those who write when   
their minds are full of ideas2 but the  
practice of sitting with a melancholy   
face1 with pen in hand1 waiting for     
inspiration1 will not much advance the  
pupil in the art of writing4 ,we should 
not recommend it to a preceptor to      
require regular themes at stated periods
 from his pupils2 but whenever he       
perceives that a young man is struck    
with any new ideas1 or new              
circumstances1 when he is certain that  
his pupil has acquired a fund of        
knowledge1 when he finds in conversation
 that words flow readily upon certain   
subjects1 he may1 without danger1 upon  
these subjects1 excite his pupil to try 
his powers of writing4 ,these trials    
need not be frequently made3 when a     
young man has once acquired confidence  
in himself as a writer1 he will         
certainly use his talent whenever proper

 occasions present themselves4 ,the     
perusal of the best authors in the      
,english language1 will give him1 if he 
adhere to these alone1 sufficient powers
 of expression4 ,the best authors in the
 ,english language are so well known1   
that it would be useless to enumerate   
them4 ,dr4 ,johnson says1 that whoever  
would acquire a pure ,english style1    
must give his days and nights to        
,addison4 ,we do not1 however1 feel this
 exclusive preference for ,addison's    
melodious periods2 his page is ever     
elegant1 but sometimes it is too        
diffuse4--,hume1 ,blackstone1 and       
,smith1 have a proper degree of strength
 and energy combined with their         
elegance4 ,gibbon says1 that the perfect
 composition and well turned periods of 
,dr4 ,robertson1 excited his hopes1 that
 he might one day become his equal in   
writing2 but the calm philosophy1 the   
careless inimitable beauties of his     
friend and rival ,hume1 often forced him
 to close the volume with a mixed       

sensation of delight and despair4 ,from 
this testimony we may judge1 that a     
simple style appears to the best judges 
to be more difficult to attain1 and more
 desirable1 than that highly ornamented 
diction to which writers of inferior    
taste aspire4 ,gibbon tells us1 with    
great candour1 that his friend ,hume    
advised him to beware of the rhetorical 
style of ,french eloquence4 ,hume       
observed1 that the ,english language1   
and ,english taste1 do not admit of this
 profusion of ornament4  ,without       
meaning to enter at large into the      
subject1 we have offered these remarks  
upon style for the advantage of those   
who are to direct the taste of young    
readers2 what they admire when they     
read1 they will probably imitate when   
they write4 ,we objected to works of    
criticism for young children1 but we    
should observe1 that at a later period  
of education1 they will be found highly 
advantageous4 ,it would be absurd to    
mark the precise age at which ,blair's  

,lectures1 or ,condillac's ,art         
d',ecrire1 ought to be read1 because    
this should be decided by circumstances2
 by the progress of the pupils in       
literature1 and by the subjects to which
 their attention happens to have turned4
 ,of these1 preceptors1 and the pupils  
themselves1 must be the most competent  
judges4 ,from the same wish to avoid all
 pedantic attempts to dictate1 we have  
not given any regular course of study in
 this chapter4 ,many able writers have  
laid down extensive plans of study1 and 
have named the books that are essential 
to the acquisition of different branches
 of knowledge4 ,amongst others we may   
refer to ,dr4 ,priestley's1 which is to 
be seen at the end of his ,essays on    
,education4 ,we are sensible that order 
is necessary in reading1 but we cannot  
think that the same order will suit all 
minds1 nor do we imagine that a young   
person cannot read to advantage unless  
he pursue a given course of study4 ,men 
of sense will not be intolerant in their

 love of learned order4  ,if parents    
would keep an accurate list of the books
 which their children read1 of the ages 
at which they are read1 it would be of  
essential service in improving the art  
of education4 ,we might then mark the   
progress of the understanding with      
accuracy1 and discover1 with some degree
 of certainty1 the circumstances on     
which the formation of the character and
 taste depend4 ,swift has given us a    
list of the books which he read during  
two years of his life2 we can trace the 
ideas that he acquired from them in his 
,laputa1 and other parts of ,gulliver's 
travels4 ,gibbon's journal of his       
studies1 and his account of             
universities1 are very instructive to   
young students4 ,so is the life of      
,franklin1 written by himself4 ,madame  
,roland has left a history of her       
education2 and in the books she read in 
her early years1 we see the formation of
 her character4 ,plutarch's ,lives1 she 
tells us1 first kindled republican      

enthusiasm in her mind2 and she regrets 
that1 in forming her ideas of universal 
liberty1 she had only a partial view of 
affairs4 ,she corrected these           
enthusiastic ideas during the last      
moments of her life in prison4 ,had the 
impression which her study of the ,roman
 history made upon her mind been known  
to an able preceptor1 it might have been
 corrected in her early education4 ,when
 she was led to execution1 she          
exclaimed1 as she passed the statue of  
,liberty1 ,oh ,liberty1 what crimes are 
committed in thy name6#abf  ,formerly it
 was wisely said1 ,tell me what company 
a man keeps1 and ,i will tell you what  
he is2 but since literature has spread a
 new influence over the world1 we must  
add1 ,tell me what company a man has    
kept1 and what books he has read1 and ,i
 will tell you what he is4  ,,footnotes3
  #aja ,v4 ,academie della ,crusca4     
#ajb ,marmontel4 ,on ne se gurit pas    
d'un dfaut qui plait4  #ajc ,we have    
heard that such a translation was begun4

  #ajd ,v4 ,hor4 #b ,epist4 lib4 ii4    
#aje ,v4 ,sympathy and ,sensibility4    
#ajf ,v4 ,a letter of ,mr4 ,wyndham's to
 ,mr4 ,repton1 in ,repton1 on ,landscape
 ,gardening4  #ajg ,the ,critic4  #ajh  
,professor ,stewart4  #aji ,berquin4    
#aaj ,v4 ,sympathy and ,sensibility4    
#aaa ,chapter on ,invention and ,memory4
  #aab ,v4 ,guthrie's ,geographical1    
,historical1 and ,commercial ,grammar1  
page #ahf4  #aac ,ibid1 page #cih4  #aad
 ,l'ide1 par exemple1 que j'ai de       
,pierre1 est singulire ou individuelle1 
et comme l'ide d'homme est gnrale par   
rapport aux ides de noble et de         
roturier1 elle est particulire par      
rapport  l'ide d'animal4 ,leons         
,prliminaires1 vol4 i4 p4 #dc4  #aae    
,ainsi lorsque1 de plusieurs sensations 
qui se font en mme temps sur vous1 la   
direction des organs vous en fait       
remarquer une1 de manire que vous ne    
remarquez plus les autres1 cette        
sensation devient ce que nous appellons 
attention4 ,leons ,prliminaires1 page   

#df4  #aaf ,la comparaison n'est donc   
qu'une double attention4 ,nous venons de
 voir que l'attention n'est qu'une      
sensation qui se fait remarquer4 ,deux  
attentions ne sont donc que deux        
sensations qui se font remarquer        
galement2 et par consquent il n'y a dans
 la comparaison que des sensations4     
,leons ,prliminaires1 p4 #dg4  #aag ,v4 
,art de ,penser1 p4 #cbd4  #aah ,v4     
,dunciad4  #aai ,motif des tudes qui ont
 t faites aprs ,leons ,prliminaires1 p4 
#fg4 ,lejeune prince connoissoit dja le 
systme des operations de son ame1 il    
comprenoit la gnration de ses ides1 il  
voyoit l'origine et le progrs des       
habitudes qu'il avoit contractes1 et il 
concevoit comment il pouvoit substituer 
des ides justes aux ides fausses qu'on  
lui avoit donnes1 et de bonnes habitudes
 aux mauvaises qu'on lui avoit laiss    
prendre4 ,il s'toit familiari si        
promptement avec toutes ces choses1     
qu'il s'en retraoit la suite sans       
effort1 et comme en badinant4  #abj ,as 

this page was sent over to us for       
correction1 we seize the opportunity of 
expressing our wish1 that ,botanical    
,dialogues1 by a ,lady1 had come sooner 
to our hands2 it contains much that we  
think peculiarly valuable4  #aba ,in    
,dr4 ,franklin's posthumous ,essays1    
there is an excellent remark with       
respect to typography1 as connected with
 the art of reading4 ,the note of       
interrogation should be placed at the   
beginning1 as well as at the end of a   
question2 it is sometimes so far        
distant1 as to be out of the reach of an
 unpractised eye4  #abb ,young4  #abc   
,comme votre petite chaise est faite sur
 le mme modle que la mienne qui est plus
 leve1 ainsi le systme des ides est le  
mme pour le fond chez les peuples       
sauvages et chez les peuples civiliss2  
il ne differe1 qui parce qu'il est plus 
on moins etendu2 c'est un mme modele    
d'apres lequel on a fait des sieges de  
diffrent hauteur4--,grammaire1 page #bc4
  #abd ,rousseau4  #abe ,milne's        

,well-bred ,scholar4  #abf      ,oh     
,libert1 que de forfaits on commet en   
ton nom6  ,v4 ,appel  l',impartielle    
,postrit4   ,,end ,,of ,,vol4 ,i4