giving lessons to children; unavoidable circumstances will arise to furnish you with the means of instructing them: a considerate parent will profit by such circumstances. There are few of us who have not in our early days been disappointed of a favourite scheme, or a party of pleasure, by a rainy day, by an attack of sickness, either in ourselves or our friends, by many other causes a child sees that such disappointments cannot be avoided, and a very little reasoning will reconcile his mind to them: cheerful submission on his part, is a source of happiness to a child; he perceives that by it he endears himself to his parents and his friends: he can early be taught, that what is for his good will not be denied him, and he learns to suppress imprope desires. CHAP. IV. IT is of importance to study the peculiar tempers of young children there is in some a degree of reserve, and timidity of disposition, not unfrequently mistaken for sullenness and obstinacy. The methods put in practice to subdue the latter, serve but to increase and confirm the former, which pains should be taken to remove. When I was between four and five years old, I went to a little day school in the neighbourhood of my father's house; during one of my intervals of holidays, I was given to learn as a task the first chapter of the Hebrews; I shall not here stop to enquire into the propriety of giving a chapter in the Bible as a task to an infant, or chusing such a chap ter; lying in bed with my mother one morning, she desired me to repeat this chapter to her, but I did not; she was angry with me, and imputed my not obeying her to obstinacy: but she was mistaken; I remember my feelings at this moment: reserve and timidity withheld me; I found, however, that she was displeased, and some little time after repeated my task voluntarily. In endeavouring to correct even obstinacy and sullenness, perhaps harsh methods are better avoided: they have a tendency to harden the temper. Among the first requisites in a parent or teacher, are unwearied patience and perseverance; a dull child will by anger and passion be rendered duller still; a child of quick apprehensions has also quick feelings, and will be made miserable. We cannot begin too soon to correct a passionate temper in children; direful in all ages have been the effects of violent passions unrestrained. Cain killed his brother: perhaps, had pains been taken in his early days to subdue his temper, this catastrophe would not have taken place; but, alas! how were those parents to teach him forbearance who could forego a life of perfect happiness, for the gratification of one of their lowest appetites? Here again, parents have a lesson to attend to the government of their own conduct, if they would well direct that of their children. I have heard of a person, who when a mere child, would throw away in a fit of passion, a cup in which medicine had been given him; and this person, in more advanced life, has threatened to murder his nearest connections. A disease may be eradicated in its first beginning, but when it has taken deep root, and infected the whole frame, it is seldom that the powers of medicine will avail. The example of Cain affords a striking lesson to children. Without being passionate, children are in general impetuous and impatient; what they wish to have and to do, must be had and done immediately. "Children should be formed to resignation: this may be done from the first; a child exces sively indulged becomes wayward and impatient; whereas, if his real wants are supplied, his pains relieved when it is possible, and his caprices disregarded, he learns to set bounds to his desires, to bend his will to the will of others, and to bear unavoidable ills in patience."* The progress of every thing around us affords us the means of giving useful lessons to children on this subject, and lessons perfectly easy to be understood by them: the bee making honey; the ant toiling patiently to carry home her winter store; the fruit and the flowers advancing so slowly, that their growth is imperceptible; buildings increasing from day to day before their eyes; the gradual progress of the sun, from the morning dawn to the perfect day; even the increase of their own bodily stature, all may be pointed out as lessons of patience to young children; in their studies too, such lessons are useful, that they may not be discouraged with difficulties in the begin * Charters's Sermons. |