Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-10-31
FROM THE NEW YORK MIRROR.
THE INFANT SUFFOCATION WITH
KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM.
BY A MAN BORN OUT OF SEASON.

BY MAN BORN OUT OF SEASON.
ooh! the.sunny, sunny hours of childhood,
How soon-how soon they pass away!''
VERIFY! There was time when we had
children. That time is past, or as fast pas
slng.-The boys are premature mockeries of
men-the girls, sometimes between doll and
a stunted woman. The school-naster is a.
broad, also the school-mistress, besides tutors
and governeSSeS.
Shortly after the children are weaned, they
commence educating them. While the brain
it yet in soft, pulpy state, they load it with
heavy facts and hard names, 10 its serious de-
trlment during the remainder of its mundane
existence. The ancient Grecian commenced
with carrying calfupon his back few hours
every day, so that when the calf gradually
grew into bullock, he carried the bullock
with as much ease as he had done the calf.
This Is now the education principle. They
lay few leaves ofthe Cyclopadia on child's
tender brain and keep adding thereunto day by
day, expecting that when he is man. he will
carry the thirty volumes with perfect ease,
without considering that in the attempt they
may crush all sap and freshness out of that
'dry as the remainder of biscuit
Now is this wholesome-ls it natural1 Is
1t fair-is it humane, that "a child should be
cheated out OF its childhood, and sent to learn
the ''use of the globes before it has learnt to
play atmarbles! Or, is it to be expected that
this early forcing and hot-bed system can pro-
duce as healthy plants as ifthey had been al
lowed to grow in the free air and open sun
shine ?-Oh in place Of sending child to
school at three or four years, let it enjoy three
or fourmore years Of healthy ignorance Curb
not It's young freedom; abridge not its first
holidays; cage not the pretty bird too soon
Change not the free air of heaven for the pent-
up atmosphere of the .'seminary :" the gentle
murmur of the winds for the dull hum of the
prlson-house. We We're children ourselves
once. Let us have fellow-feeling for the
young rogues. Let kind dame Nature nurse
them few days longer.-There will be fewer
rlcketty limbs and ricketty intellects.
And does child learn nothing because it
has not its primer in its hand Certainly it
does. Every hour of its little life it is learn
ing; it cannot help it. The flower that blows.
the springing grass, the withered leaf. the
running water, the birds that hop across its
path, and the thousand sights of the fields and
woods, or even the squares or suburbs of a city,
cause it to think and to question. The wind
ut blows, the falling rain, the fleecy snow,
the sharp frost making firm the unstable wa
ter, the thunder peal, the sun that shines by
day, and the moon that steals into the dark
sky at night, all and each arouse its infantile
wonder and young curiosity. Let it then
have afew years of pleasant natural education
| before it commences Its painful artificial one.
Let 1t as st. Paul says when it IS a child,
''think as child, and act as child" and in
due proper season, no doubt it will s.put away
childish things"
But we are bent OH doing too much No
time has to be wasted. We cannot be content
with healthy natural children, possessed ofin-
formation proper to their years wemust have
prodiges-or parrots. Miss prates of plane
tary system whilst her fingers itch to make
dolls and frocks, and Master is taught philo-
sophy (heaven save the mark y before he has
learned to curb his appetite for plumpudding.
And what are the precious results 4 breed
of pert precCcious things for foolish ma mas
and dunder-headed papas to exhibit after din
ner before their silently enduring, but inward
! ly disappearing guests.
! fine way 1t is to teach child humility, to
cram Its little head with dry names, dates, and
iacts, which though its memory may retain, its
yet weakly intellect cannot by any possibili-
ty digest or turn into knowledge, but which
names, dates, and facts it is very likely to dis
cover iull-grown people know nothing about,
having never known, or having long since
forgotten them. A very pretty way.-But il
is not your dull or ordinary children, who sim
ply learn to babble about multitude of things
they do not understand, that are so much to be
Pihed. 1t is the naturally fine, apt, Intelligent
child that is the most inhu1nanly victimized
It's quick to learn, and its quickness is prais.
ed. The craving after knowledge enters its
young breast, and instead of being repressed
or carefully regulated, it is excited and fed by
the wonder and appreciation of all who come
In contact with the juvenile prodigy TO add t.
the evil, more pains are taken with it by teaclr
ers than with ordinary children: it is bette
than an advertisement to them; a living proc
OF their efficacy as instructors its gratifiec
parents are grateful for their assiduity ant
with the best intentions on their part its littl,
brain is daily and hourly stimulated will
mental brandy, no less hurtful to that organ
according to the best medical authorities. than