25 make it absolutely necessary) it will be fit to consider which Way the natural Make of his Mind inclines him. Some Men by the unalterable Frame of their Constitutions, are siout^ others timorous^ some confident^ others modesty tractable^ or obstifiate^ curious or careless, quick or slow. There are 30 not more Differences in Men's Faces, and the outward Lineaments of their Bodies, than there are in the Makes and Tempers of their Minds; only there is this Difference, that the distinguishing Characters of the Face, and the Lineaments of the Body, grow more plain and visible with 35 Time and Age; but the peculiar Physiognomy of the Mind is most discernible in Children, before Art and Cunning have taught them to hide their Deformities, and conceal their ill Inclinations under a dissembled Outside.
§ 102. Begin therefore betimes nicely to observe your 40 Son's Temper; and that, when he is under least Restraint, in his Play, and as he thinks out of yoiu: Sight See what are hxs predominate Passions ini. ^evaUing Inclinations; whether he be fierce or mild, bold or bashful, compassionate or cruel, open or reserved 6*^. For as these are different in him, so are your Methods to be different, and your Authority must hence take Measures to apply itself different Ways to him. 5 These natitfe Propensities^ these Prevalencies of Constitution, are not to be cur'd by Rules, or a direct Contest, especially those of them that are the humbler and meaner Sort, which proceed from Fear, and Lowness of Spirit; though with Art they may be much mended, and tum'd to good Purposes. 10 But this, be sure, after all is done, the Byass will always hang on that Side that Nature first placed it: And if you carefully observe the Characters of his Mind, now in the first Scenes of his Life, you will ever after be able to judge which Way his Thoughts lean, and what he aims at even 15 hereafter, when, as he grows up, the Plot thickens, and he puts on several Shapes to act it § 103. I told you before, that Children Xowt Liberty; and therefore they should be brought to do the 2>4ww«^ttw» Things are fit for them, without feeling any 20 Restraint laid upon them. I now tell you, they love some- thing more; and that is Dominion: And this is the first Original of most vicious Habits, that are ordinary and natural. This Love of Power and Dominion shews itself very early, and that in these two Things. 25 § 104. I. We see children, as soon almost as they are bom (I dm sure long before they can speak) cry, grow peevish, sullen, and out of Humour, for nothing but to have their Wills, They would have their Desires submitted to by others; they contend for a ready Compliance from all 30 about them, especially from those that stand near or beneath them in Age or Degree, as soon as they come to consider others with those Distinctions.
§ 105. Another Thing wherein they shew their Love of Dominion, is, their Desire to have Things to be theirs: 35 They would have Propriety and Possession, pleasing them- selves with the Power which that seems to give, and the Right they thereby have, to dispose of them as they please. He that has not observed these two Humours working very betimes in Children, has taken little Notice of their Actions: 40 And he who thinks that these two Roots of almost all the 84 Children must not be Choosers. [§§ 105 — 107 Injustice and Contention that so disturb human Life, are not early to be weeded out, and contrary Habits introduced, neglects the proper Season to lay the Foundations of a good and worthy Man. To do this, I imagine these following 5 Things may somewhat conduce.
$ 106. I. That a Child should never be suffer'd to ^^^. have what he craves, much less what he crUs far, I had said, or so much as speaks for: But that being apt to be misunderstood, and interpreted 10 as if I meant a Child should never speak to his Parents for any Thing, which will perhaps be thought to lay too great a Curb on the Minds of Children, td the Prejudice of that Love and Affection which should be be- tween them and their Parents; I shall explain my self a 15 little more particularly. It is fit that they should have Liberty to declare their Wants to their Parents, and that with all Tenderness they should be hearken'd to, and supply'd, at least whilst they are very little. But 'tis one Thing to say, I am hungry, another to say, I would have Roast-Meat 20 Having declar'd their Wants, their natural Wants, the Pain they feel from Hunger, Thirst, Cold, or any other Necessity of Nature, 'tis the Duty of their Parents and those about them to relieve them: But Children must leave it to the Choice and Ordering of their Parents, what they think pro- 25 perest for them, and how much; and must not be permitted to chuse for themselves, and say, I would have Wine, or White-bread; the very naming of it should make them lose it § 107. That which Parents should take care of here, is 30 to distinguish between the Wants of Fancy, and those of Nature; which Horace has well taught them to do in this Verse: Queis humana stbi doleat natura negatis.
Those are truly natural Wants, which Reason alone, 35 without some other Help, is not able to fence against, nor keep from disturbing us. The Pains of Sickness and Hurts, Hunger, Thirst, and Cold, Want of Sleep and Rest or Re- laxation of the Part weary'd with Labour, are what all Men feel, and the best disposed Minds cannot but be sensible of 40 their Uneasiness; and therefore ought, by fit Applications, to seek their Removal, though not with Impatience, or over §107] Those that ask shall not have. 85 great Haste, upon the first Approaches of them, where delay does not threaten some irreparable Harm. The Pains that come from the Necessities of Nature, are Monitors to us to beware of greater Mischiefs, which they are the Forerunners of; and therefore they must not be wholly neglected, nor 5 strain'd too far. But yet the more Children can be inur'd to Hardships of this Kind, by a wise Care to make them stronger in Body and Mind, the better it will be for them. I need not here give any Caution to keep within the Bounds of doing them good, and to take care, that what Children 10 are made to suffer, should neither break their Spirits, nor injure their Healthy Parents being but too apt of them- selves to incline more than they should to the softer Side.
- But whatever Compliance the Necessities of Nature may require, the Wants of Fancy Children should never be 15 gratify'd in, nor suffered to mention. The very speaking for any such Thing should make them lose it Clothes, when they need, they must have; but if they speak for this Stuff or that Colour, they should be sure to go without it. Not that I would have Parents purposely cross the Desires of 20 their Children in Matters of Indifferency; on the contrary, where their Carriage deserves it, and one is sure it will not corrupt or effeminate their Minds, and make them fond of Trifles, I think all Things should be contriv'd, as much as could be, to their Satisfaction, that they may find the Ease 25 and Pleasure of doing well. The best for Children is that they should not place any Pleasure in such Things at all, nor regulate their Delight by their Fancies, but be indifferent to all that Nature has made so. This is what their Parents and Teachers should chiefly aim at; but till this be obtain'd, 30 all that I oppose here, is the Liberty of Askings which in these Things of Conceit ought to be restrained by a constant Forfeiture annexed to it.
This may perhaps be thought a little too severe by the natural Indulgence of tender Parents; but yet it is no more 35 than necessary: For since the Method I propose is to banish the Rod, this Restraint of their Tongues will be of great Use to settle that Awe we have elsewhere spoken of, and to keep up in them the Respect and Reverence due to their Parents. Next, it will teach to keep in, and so master 40 their Inclinations. By this Means they will be brought to / learn the Art of stifling their Desires, as soon as they rise up in them, when they are.easiest to be subdu'd. For giving Vent, gives Life and Strength to our Appetites; and he that has the Confidence to turn his Wishes into Demands, will 5 be but a little Way from thinking he <^ght to obtain them. This, I am sure, every one can more easily bear a Denial from himself, than from any Body else. They should there- fore be accustom'd betimes to consult, and make Use of their Reason, before they give Allowance to their Inclina- ' 10 tions. Tis a great Step towards the Mastery of our Desires, to give this Stop to them, and shut them up in Silence. This Habit got by Children, of staying the Forwardness of, their Fancies, and deliberating whether it be fit or no, before they speaks will be of no small Advantage to them 15 in Matters of greater Consequence, in the future Course of their Lives. For that which I cannot too often inculcate, is, that whatever the Matter be about which it is conversant, whether great or small, the main (I had almost said only) Thing to be considered in every Action of a Child, is, what 20 Influence it will have upon his Mind; what Habit it tends to, and is like to settle in him; how it will become him when he is bigger; and if it be encourag'd, whither it will lead him when he is grown up.
My Meaning therefore is not, that Children should 25 purposely be made uneasy. This would relish too much of Inhumanity and ill Nature, and be apt to infect them with it They should be brought to deny their Appetites; and their Minds, as well as Bodies, be made vigorous, easy, and strong, by the Custom of having their Inclinations in 30 Subjection, and their Bodies exercis'd with Hardships: But all this, without giving them any Mark or Apprehension of ill Will towards them. The constant Loss of what they cratfd or cardd to themselves, should teach them Modesty, Submission, and a Power to forbear: But the rewarding 35 their Modesty, and Silence, by giving them what they lik*d, should also assure them of the Love of those who rigorously exacted this Obedience. The contenting them selves now in the Want of what they wish'd for, is a Virtue that another Time should be rewarded with what is suited 40 and acceptable to them; which should be bestowed on them as if it were a natural Consequence of their good Behaviour, and not a Bargain about it But you will lose your Labour, and what is more, their Love and Reverence too, if they can receive from others what you deny them. This is to be kept very staunch, and carefully to be watch'd And here the Servants come again in my Way. S § 108. If this De begun betimes, and they accustom themselves early to silence their Desires, this useful Habit will settle them; and as they ^*'^'*'^- come to grow up in Age and Discretion, they may be allowed greater Liberty, when Reason comes to speak in 10 'em, and not Passion: For whenever Reason would speak, it should be hearken'd to. But. as they should never be heard, when they speak for any particular Thing they would havcy unless it be first proposed to them; so they should always be heard, and fairly and kindly answered, when they 15 ask after any Thing they would knowy and desire to be informed about Curiosity should be as carefully cherished in Children, as other Appetites suppressed.
However strict an Hand is to be kept upon all Desires of Fancy, yet there is one Case wherein Fancy j^^gatum. *® must be permitted to speak, and be hearken'd to also. Recreation is as necessary as Labour or Food But because there can be no Recreation without Delight, which depends not always on Reason, but oftner on Fancy, it must be permitted Children not only to divert themselves, 25 but to do it after their own Fashion, provided it be inno- cently, and without Prejudice to their Health; and therefore in this Case they should not be deny'd, if they proposed any particular kind of Recreation, Tho' I think in a well- ordePd Education, they will seldom be brought to the 30 Necessity of asking any such Liberty. Care should be taken, that what is of Advantage to them, they should always do with Delight; and before they are wear/d with one, they should be timely diverted to some other useful Employment But if they are not yet brought to that 35 Degree of Perfection, that one Way of Improvement can be made a Recreation to them, they must be let loose to the childish Play they fancy; which they should be wean'd from by being made to suifeit of it: But from Things of Use, that they are employed in, they should always be 40 sent away with an Appetite; at least be dismissed before they 88 Free Recreations. Mutual Civility. [§§ io8, 109 are tir'd, and grow quite sick of it, that so they may return to it again, as to a Pleasure that diverts them. For you must never think them set right, till they can find Delight in the Practice of laudable Things; and the useful Exer- 5 cises of the Body and Mind, taking their Turns, make their Lives and Improvement pleasant in a continued Train of Recreations^ wherein the weary'd Part is constantly relieved and refreshed. Whether this can be done in every Temper, or whether Tutors and Parents will be at the Pains, and 10 have the Discretion and Patience to bring them to this, I know not; but that it may be done in most Children, if a right Course be taken to raise in them the Desire of Credit, Esteem, and Reputation, I do not at all doubt And when they have so much true Life put into them, they (5 may freely be talk'd with about what most delights them, and be directed or let loose to it; so that they may per- ceive that they are belov'd and cherish'd, and that those under whose Tuition they are, are not Enemies to their Satisfaction. Such a Management will make them in love 20 with the Hand that directs them, and the Virtue they are directed to.
This farther Advantage may be made by a free Liberty C^m^uuntt permitted them in their Recreations^ that it will *** '' discover their natural Tempers, shew their In- 25 clinations and Aptitudes, and thereby direct wise Parents in the Choice both of the Course of Life and Employ- ment they shall design them for, and of fit Remedies, in the mean time, to be appl/d to whatever Bent of Nature they may observe most likely to mislead any of their 30 Children.
§ 109. 2. Children who live together, often strive for Mastery, whose Wills shall cany it over the rest: Whoever begins the Contest, should be sure to be crossed in it But not only that, but they should be taught to have all the 3S Deference, Complaisance, and Civility one for the other imagin- able. This, when they see it procures them Respect, Love and Esteem, and that they lose no Superiority by it, they will take more Pleasure in, than in insolent Domineering; for so plainly is the other.
40 The Accusations of Children one against another, which usually are but the Clamours of Anger and Revenge de- §§io9,iio] No tale-bearing. Reward Liberality. 89 siring Aid, should not be favourably received, nor hearken'd to. It weakens and effeminates their Minds to suffer them to complain; and if they endure sometimes crossing or Pain from others without being permitted to think it strange or intolerable, it will do them no harm to learn sufferance, and 5 harden them early. But though you give no Countenance to the Complaints of the Querulous^ yet take Care to curb the Insolence and ill Nature of the Injurious. When you observe it your self, reprove it before the injured Party: But if the Complaint be of something really worth your 10 Notice, and Prevention another time, then reprove the Offender by himself alone, out of sight of him that com- plained, and make him go and ask Pardon, and make Repa- ration: Which coming thus, as it were from himself, will be the more chearfuUy performed, and more kindly received, 15 the Love strengthened between them, and a Custom of Civility grow familiar amongst your Children.
§110. 3. As to the having and possessing of Things, teach them to part with what they have, easily ^^^^,^.^ and freely to their Friends, and let them find 20 by Experience that the most liberal has always the most Plenty, with Esteem and Commendation to boot, and they will quickly learn to practise it This I imagine, will make Brothers and Sisters kinder and civiller to one another, and consequently to others, than twenty Rules about good 25 Manners, with which Children are ordinarily perplexed and cumbered. Covetousness, and the Desire of having in our Possession, and under our Dominion, more than we have need of, being the Root of all Evil, should be early and carefully weeded out, and the contrary Quality of a Readi- 30 ness to impart to others, implanted. This should be en- couraged by great Commendation and Credit, and con- stantly taking care that he loses nothing by his Liberality, Let all the Instances he gives of such Freeness be always repay'd, and with Interest; and let him sensibly perceive, 35 that the Kindness he shews to others, is no ill Husbandry for himself; but that it brings a Return of Kindness both from those that receive it, and those who look on. Make this a Contest among Children, who shall out-do one another this Way: And by this Means, by a constant Prac- 40 tice, Children having made it easy to themselves to part 90 Education in Justice. [§ no with what they have, good Nature may be settled in them into an Habit, and they may take Pleasure, and pique themselves in being kind, liberal and cwily to others.
If Liberality ought to be encouraged, certainly great Care 5 ff tut is ^o ^ taken that Children transgress not the ^* Rules of justice: And whenever they do, they should be set right, and if there be Occasion for it, severely rebuk'd.
Our first Actions being guided more by Self-love than xo Reason or Reflection, 'tis no wonder that in Children they should be very apt to deviate from the just Measures of Right and Wrong; which are in the Mind the Result of improved Reason and serious Meditation. This the more they are apt to mistake, the more careful Guard ought to be 15 kept over them; and every the least Slip in this great social Virtue taken notice of, and rectify'd; and that in Things of the least Weight and Moment, both to instruct their Ig- norance, and prevent ill Habits; which from small B^;in- nings in Pins and Cherry-stones, will, if let alone, grow up 2o to higher Frauds, and be in Danger to end at last in down- right hardened Dishonesty. The first Tendency to any In- justice that appears, must be suppress'd with a shew of Wonder and Abhorrence in the Parents and Governors. But because Children cannot well comprehend what Injustice 25 is, till they understand Property, and how particular Persons come by it, the safest Way to secure Honesty^ is to lay the Foundations of it early in Liberality, and an Easiness to part with to others whatever they have or like themselves. This may be taught them early, before they have Language 30 and Understanding enough to form distinct Notions of Pro- perty, and to know what is theirs by a peculiar Right ex- clusive of others. And since Children seldom have any thing but by Gift, and that for the most part from their Parents, they may be at first taught not to take or keep 35 any Thing but what is given them by those, whom they take to have Power over it. And as their Capacities enlarge, other Rules and Cases of yustice^ and Rights concerning Meum and Tuum^ may be proposed and inculcated If any Act of Injustice in them appears to proceed, not from Mis- 40 take, but a Perverseness in their Wills, when a gentle Re- buke and Shame will not reform this irregular and covetous Inclination, rougher Remedies must be apply'd: And 'tis but for the Father or Tutor to take and keep from them something that they value and think their own, or order somebody else to do it; and by such Instances, make them sensible what little Advantage they are like to make by 5 possessing themselves unjustly of what is another's, whilst there are in the World stronger and more Men than they. But if an ingenuous Detestation of this shameful Vice be but carefully and early instiU'd into 'em, as I think it may, that is the true and genuine Method to obviate this Crime, 10 and will be a better Guard against Dishonesty than any Con- siderations drawn from Interest; Habits working more con- stantly, and with greater Facility, than Reason, which, when we have most need of it, is seldom fairly consulted, and more rarely obe/d. 15 § III. Crying is a Fault that should not be tolerated in Children; not only for the unpleasant and un- becoming Noise it fills the House with, but for ^*y^' more considerable Reasons, in Reference to the Children themselves; which is to be our Aim in Education. 20 Their Crying is of two Sorts; either stubborn and domi- neeringy or querulous and whining,.
I. Their Crying is very often a striving for Mastery, and an open Declaration of their Insolence or Obstinacy; when they have not the Power to obtain their Desire, they 25 will, by their Clamour and Sobbing, maintain their Title and Right to it. This is an avowed continuing their Claim, and a sort of Remonstrance against the Oppression and Injustice of those who deny them what they have a mind ta § 112. 2. Sometimes their Crying is the effect of Pain, 30 or true Sorrow, and a Bemoaning themselves under it.
These two, if carefully observed, may, by the Mien, Looks, Actions, and particularly by the Tone of their Crying, be easily distinguished; but neither of them must be suffered, much less encourag'd. 3j I. The obstinate or stomachful Crying should by no means be permitted, because it is but another way of flattering their Desires, and encouraging those Passions which 'tis our main Business to subdue: And if it be as often it is, upon the receiving any Correction, it quite 40 defeats all the good Effects of it; for any Chastisement which leaves them in this declar'd Opposition, only serves to make them worse. The Restraints and Punishments laid on Children are all misapply*d and lost, as far as they do not prevail over their Wills, teach them to submit their 5 Passions, and make their Minds supple and pliant to what their Parents' Reason advises them now, and so prepare them to obey what their own Reason shall advise hereafter. But if in any Thing wherein they are cross'd, they may be suffered to go away crying, they confirm themselves in their 10 Desires, and cherish the ill Humour, with a Declaration of their Right, and a Resolution to satisfy their Inclination the first Opportunity. This therefore is another Argument against the frequent Use of Blows: For, whenever you come to that Extremity, 'tis not enough to whip or beat 15 them, you must do it, till you find you have subdu'd their Minds, till with Submission and Patience they yield to the Correction; which you shall best discover by their Crying, and their ceasing from it upon your Bidding. Without this, the beating of Children is but a passionate T3nanny 20 over them; and it is mere Cruelty, and not Correction, to put their Bodies in Pain, without doing their Minds any Good. As this gives us a Reason why Children should seldom be corrected, so it also prevents their being so. For if, whenever they are chastis'd, it were done thus with- 25 out Passion, soberly, and yet effectually too, laying on the Blows and Smart not furiously, and all at once, but slowly, with Reasoning between, and with Observation how it wrought, stopping when it had made them pliant, penitent and yielding; they would seldom need the like Punishment 30 again, being made careful to avoid the Fault that deserv'd it. Besides, by this Means, as the Punishment would not be lost for being too litde, and not effectual, so it would be kept from being too much, if we gave off as soon as we perceiv'd that it reach'd the Mind, and that was bettered.
35 For since the Chiding or Beating of Children should be always the least that possibly may be, that which is laid on in the Heat of Anger, seldom observes that Measure, but is commonly more than it should be, though it prove less than enough.
40 § 113. 2. Many children are apt to cry, upon any little Pain they suffer, and the least Harm that befals them puts them into Complaints and Bawling, This few Chil- dren avoid: For it being the first and natural Way to de- clare their Sufferings or Wants, before they can speak, the Compassion that is thought due to that tender Age foolishly encourages, and continues it in them long after they can 5 speak. Tis the Duty, I confess, of those about Children, to compassionate them, whenever they suffer any Hurt; b\it not to shew it in pitying them. Help and ease them the best you can, but by no means bemoan them. This softens their Minds, and makes them yield to the little 10 Harms that happen to them; whereby they sink deeper into that Part which alone feels, and makes larger Wounds there, than otherwise they would. They should be har- den' d against all Sufferings, especially of the Body, and have no Tenderness but what rises from an ingenuous 15 Shame, and a quick Sense of Reputation. The many In- conveniences this Life is expos'd to, require we should not be too sensible of every little Hurt. What our Minds 3rield not to, makes but a slight Impression, and does us but very little Harm. 'Tis the suffering of our Spirits that 20 gives and continues the Pain. This Brawniness and In- sensibility of Mind, is the best Armour we can have against the common Evils and Accidents of Life; and being a Temper that is to be got by Exercise and Custom, more than any other way, the Practice of it should be begun 25 betimes; and happy is he that is taught it early. That Effeminacy of Spirit, which is to be prevented or cured, as nothing that I know so much increases in Children as Crying; so nothing, on the other Side, so much checks and restrains, as their being hinder'd from that sort of 30 complaining. In the little Harms they suffer from Knocks and Falls, they should not be pitied for falling, but bid do so again; which besides that it stops their Crying^ is a better Way to cure their Heedlessness, and prevent their tumbling another Time, than either chiding or bemoaning 35 them. But, let the Hurts they receive be what they will, stop their Crying, and that will give them more Quiet and Ease at present, and harden them for the future.
§ 114. The former sort of Crying requires Severity to silence it; and where a Look, or a positive Command will 40 not do it, Blows must: For it proceeding from Pride, Obstinacy, and Stomach, the Will, where the Fault lies, must be bent, and made to comply, by a Rigour sufficient to roaster it But this latter being ordinarily from Softness of Mind, a quite contrary Cause, ought to be treated with a gentler 5 Hand. Persuasion, or diverting the Thoughts another Way, or Laughing at their Whining^ may perhaps be at first the proper Method: But for this, the Circumstances of the Thing, and the particular Temper of the Child, must be considered. No certain unvariable Rules can be given 10 about it; but it must be left to the Prudence of the Parents or Tutor. But this, I think, I may say in general, that there should be a constant discountenancing of this sort of Crying also; and that the Father, by his Authority, should always stop it, mixing a greater Degree of Roughness in his Looks 15 or Words, proportionably as the Child is of a greater Age, or a sturdier Temper: But always let it be enough to silence their Whimperings and put an end to the Disorder.
§ 115. Cowardice zxid. Courage zxt so nearly related to the foremention'd Tempers, that it may not be 20 ^'^'Utt!^' amiss here to take Notice of them. Fear is a Passion that, if rightly governed, has its Use. And though Self-love seldom fails to keep it watchful and high enough in us, yet there may be an Excess on the daring Side; Fool-hardiness and Insensibility of Danger 25 being as little reasonable, as trembling and shrinking at the Approach of every little Evil. Fear was given us as a Monitor to quicken our Industry, and keep us upon our Guard against the Approaches of Evil; and therefore to have no Apprehension of Mischief at Hand, not to make a 30 just Estimate of the Danger, but heedlessly to rim into it, be the Hazard what it will, without considering of what Use or Consequence it may be, is not the Resolution of a rational Creature, but brutish Fury. Those who have Children of this Temper, have nothing to do, but a little to 35 awaken their Reason, which Self-preservation will quickly dispose them to hearken to, unless (which is usually the Case) some other Passion hurries them on head-long, with- out Sense and without Consideration. A Dislike of Evil is so natiual to Mankind, that no body, I think, can be with- 40 out Fear of it: Fear being nothing but an Uneasiness under the Apprehension of that coming upon us, which we dislike.
§115] True Courage. 95 And therefore, whenever any one runs into Danger, we may say, 'tis under the Conduct of Ignorance, or the Command of some more imperious Passion, no body being so much an Enemy to himself, as to come within the Reach of Evil, out of free CHoice, and court Danger for Danger's sake. If it 5 be therefore Pride, Vain-glory, or Rage, that silences a Child's Fear, or makes him not hearken to its Advice, those are by fit Means to be abated, that a little Consideration may allay his Heat, and make him betliink himself, whether this Attempt be worth the Venture. But this being a Fault 10 that Children are not so often guilty of, I shall not be more particular in its Cure. Weakness of Spirit is the more com- mon Defect, and therefore will require the greater Care.
Fortitude is the Guard and Support of the other Virtues; and without Courage a Man will scarce keep 15 steady to his Duty, and fill up the Character '^' of a truly worthy Man.
Courage^ that makes us bear up against Dangers that we fear and Evils that we feel, is of great Use in an Estate, as ours is in this Life, expos'd to ^''*'*^- 20 Assaults on all hands: And therefore it is very advisable to get Children into this Armour as early as we can. Natural Temper, I confess, does here a great deal: But even where that is defective, and the Heart is in it self weak and timor- ous, it may, by a right Management, be brought to a better 25 Resolution. What is to be done to prevent breaking Child- ren's Spirits by frightful Apprehensions instill'd into them when young, or bemoaning themselves under every little Sufifering, I have already taken notice; how to harden their Tempers, and raise their Courage^ if we find them too much subject to 30 Fear, is farther to be consider'd.
True Fortitude, I take to be the quiet Possession of a Man's self, and an undisturb'd doing his Duty, whatever Evil besets, or Danger lies in his Way. This there are so few Men attain to, that we are not to expect it from Chil- 35 dren. But yet something may be done: And a wise Conduct by insensible Degrees may carry them farther than one expects.
The neglect of this great Care of them, whilst they are young, is the Reason, perhaps, why there are so few that 40 have this Virtue in its full Latitude when they are Men.
96 Cowardice due to Education. [§115 I should not say this in a Nation so naturally brave, as our is, did I think that true Fortitude required nothing but Courage in the Field, and a Contempt of Life in the Face of an Enemy. This, I confess, is not the least part of it, 5 nor can be denied the Laurels and Honours always justly due to the Valour of those who venture their Lives for their Country. But yet this is not all. Dangers attack us in other Places besides the Field of Battle; and though Death be the King of Terrors, yet Pain, Disgrace and Poverty, 10 have frightful Looks, able to discompose most Men whom they seem ready to seize on: And there are those who con- temn some of these, and yet are heartily frighted with the other. True Fortitude is prepared for Dangers of all kinds, and unmoved, whatsoever Evil it be that threatens. I do 15 not mean unmoved with any Fear at all. Where Danger shews it self. Apprehension cannot, without Stupidity, be wanting: Where Danger is. Sense of Danger should be; and so much Fear as should keep us awake, and excite our Atten- tion, Industry, and Vigour; but not disturb the calm Use of 20 our Reason, nor hinder the Execution of what that dictates.
The first Step to get this noble and manly Steadiness, is, ^^ what I have above mentioned, carefully to keep *'**** * Children from Frights of all kinds, when they are young. Let not any fearful Apprehensions be talk'd 25 into them, nor terrible Objects surprize them. This often so shatters and discomposes the Spirits, that they never re- cover it again; but during their whole Life, upon the first Suggestion or Appearance of any terrifying Idea, are scat- tered and confounded; the Body is enervated, and the Mind 30 disturbed, and the Man scarce himself, or capable of any composed or rational Action. Whether this be from an habitual Motion of the animal Spirits, introduced by the first strong Impression, or from the Alteration of the Constitution by some more unaccountable way, this is certain, that so it 35 is. Instances of such who in a weak timorous Mind, have borne, all their whole Lives through, the Effects of a Fright when they were young, are every where to be seen, and there- fore as much as may be to be prevented.
The next thing is by gentle Degrees to accustom 40 Children to those things they are too much afraid of. But here great Caution is to be used, that you do not make too §115] What is Fear? 97