The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-09-20

taught the child lessen which will ney
, er ne forgotten, namely, that innocence
VIII not protect him, and that telling tn,
truth will subject him TO certain punish
, ment. lthe should afterwards be inter
roga'ed Concerning similar transaction
ne beslates, and thinks he discovers il
the parents countenance the marks of dis
appreciation he prevaricates F; and pres
sed still more by injury, which stength.
fens his Suspicion, he denies the fact
! 1t is true the sensation of remofse foi
having told falsehood renders hifn-tu.
happy. but he consoles himself with the
thought that he has escaped The pain OF
corporal punishment. with the addition
Of new threats, 10 which the truth would
certainly have exposed him. The first
experiment having succeeded, he ven
lures upon another. and another, iili the
habit of falsehond becomes confirmed
Nor is this the only evil which such
coursc Of discipline produces The
indulgence of passion in tie parent, acls
with The influence Of example cpon the
child. That il is natural for children TO
initiate their parents, is truth univer
sally admitted. Now the parent has in
duiged his anger, and the child is taught
by this example 10 indulge the same
passion. The parent has fostered re-
sentiment against the mIs-doings d the
child. and the child is thereby taught TO
harbor revenge, and TO practice retalia-
lion upon his little associates who chance
to offend him Thus we behold him
rapidly advancing 10 the state Of man
hood, a slave to the grosser passions of
his nature, Instead Of culliyating IA lem
per OF mildness and forhearance.
A thousand examples might be cited
Of this description, and the peFncious in
fuencc of parental indiscretiUn might
easily be traced from generation TO gem
GRAFTON. But il is needless, as well as
painful, TO dwell upon the subject of an
cestral weakness, or TO multiply instanc-
es Of the indiscreel Indulgence of pas
sion, which disfgure the parental char
acter, and produce a 6aletul effect upon
The rising generation. Our attention
ought rather to be directed te the means
Of reform; that the parental character
may become more worthy OF respect,
and receive the grateful homage OF fu-
lure generations.
To commence any certainty Of sue
cess in so necessary an Improvement, il
should be the first and most determined
effort of parents to govern the passion
Of anger: for if this he permitted to
predoHinate, the moment for reason
add temperate reflection is beyond DER
reach; cor will il return I'LL it comes
armed with. the poignant sensation Of.
regret. Men under the influence of
this passion will never condescend TO
reason with their children but blo1ps
and opprobrious epithets are the unre-
strained ovelAowings of lis impetuosily.
But il proper CAFE be taken 10 RESTRAIN
tins passion, the parent is capable Of
pointing Out to the child the folly,
wicke dness, and mischievous tendency
of every departure fTom the whole
some rule of duty; ;Vd by such we'll
timed instruction, 10 call forth the pow
ers of his understanding, address bis
feelings, and fix a lasting and salutary
impression upon his mind. The exam
pie of such mildness will be long re-
men bered with emotions Of gratitude
and reverence.
Children SHOULD never be- chastised
for accidental mischief; for nothing will
tend more directly to irritate their lem
per, or sour their disposition, and pro-
duce irrevcrence towards the character
Of their parents,
The rod may be necessary on some
occasions but these are Comparatively
few. In cases of determined persever-
ance in disobedience, and stubbornness
of temper, the rod in the hand Of dis
passionate and good parent, may be ap-
Piled with profit TO the child, if it be at
'tended with proper admonilion, inslruc-
hon, and advice.
In a word; let reason, benevolencc,
and justice, guide the parental hand,
and preside in all their councils, and the
rising generations will bless the memo
Try oil their ancestors.
Chris. Telescope.
A great dea! Of care is needlul in our
mode of disnosinr of the sometimes alb