The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-11-12
From the Mac York Mirror
TIE INFANT SUFFOCATION-WI WITH
KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
BY A MAN BORN OUT OF SEASON.

NtNO w AACDNII EM.
MAN BORN OUT OF SEASON
con. the sunny, sunny hours of childhood,
How soon-how soon they pass away!
VERY! There ,Cds "A time when we had chill
dren. That time is pas t, or is fast passing. The
boys are premature mocteres of men-tle girls,
cthing hrtween IL doll and a stunted woman.
The schoo'mastcr is abroad, also the schoonis-
trcss, besides tutors and governesses.
Shortly after The children are weaned, they
commence educating tEem. While the brain is
yet i'll a SOFT pulpy state, they load it with heavy
fncts and hard names, to its serious dctrmcnt
during the remainder of its existence. The an :.
cieEt Grecan commenced with carving n calf
upon his back few hours every lay, so that
when il gradually grew into bullock he carried
the bullock with as much ease rs he had done
lhccuit. This is now the education principle
They lay few leaves of Cycloppdia or Eucyc.
lOp@da Oh II child tender brain, and keen
adding 'hreuno day by day. expecting that when
1t is n man he will carry thirty volumes with
perfect ease. without considering that in the at
tenps they may crush all sap and freshness, out
OF tie brain, rendering il us flat n pancake, 81
dry as the remainder of biscuit
Now is this wholesome--is it natura?-is it
taIr-is 1t humane, that child should be chea,ed
out OF his childhood, and sent 10 learn the use
OF the globes before it has learnt TO play at mar
bles? Or IS TO be expected thar this early fore
ing and hot bed system can produce rs healthy
plants MS II they had been allowed to grow in
the free air and open sunshine? OH in place of
sending child 20 school at three or four wears
let it enjoy three or four more wears of
healthy ignorance. Curb not its young free
dom; ahridge not its first holidays; cage not the
pretty bird to soon! Change not the free air of
heaven Tor the pent up atmosphere Of the sem
mary; the gentle murmnr of the wind for the
dull hum OF the prison houSe.--We were chill.
dren ourselves once. Let us have fellow feel
ing for the young rogues Let kind dame Ma.
ture nurse them few days, longer. There will
be fewer ricketty limbs and ricketty intellects.
Aud does child learn nothing because i, has
not It's primer in lis hand? Certainly il does
Every hour of It's little life it is learning, it can
not help it. The flowers that blows, the spring.
ing grass, the whered leaf the running water
the Di'd TINT hops across ts PATH and the thou
sand sights Of the fields and woods or even the
squares or suburbs of IL city, cause il TO think 81
TO question. The wind rs it blows, the falling
ram, the heecy snow, the sharp frost making firm
the unstable water, 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
mfantile wonder and young curiosity. Let it
then nave few years of pleasant natural etluca.
ton before 1t commences its painful artificial
one Let it, as ST. Paul says, when it is Il child.
think as child, and act as Il child and in due
and proper season, no doubt of it, it will put
away childish things
But we are bent on doing too much. No
time has TO he wasted. We cannot be con-
tent with healthy natural children, possessed of
information proper to their years, we must have
proaeS'es-or parrots. Miss pirates of planetary
system whilst her fingers itch TO make dolls
rocks ana Master is taught philosophy (heaven
save the mark) before he has.learned to curb his
appetite for plumb pudding. And what are the
precious results? A breed of pert prccocious
things Tor foolish mamnas and dunder headed
papas to exhibit after dinner before their silent
~ enduring, but inwardy disappearing guest.
a hne way 1t is to learn child humility, to
cram It's little head with hard, dry names dates,
ana iacts, which, though its memory may retain
ITS yet weakly intellect cannot by any possibility
digest or urn into know ledge, bur which names
dates, and facts it is very likely to discover full
grown people know nothlug about, having never
known, or having long since forgotten them
very pretty way. But it is not your dull or or.
binary children, who simply learn TO babble
aooot multitude of things they do not under
stand mat are so much to be ped. Ii is The
naturally fine, apt, intelligent child that is the
most 'hh"lnnniy vctimzed. 1t is quick to learn,
ana ITS qu'ckness is praised. The craving after
knowledge enters lis young breast, and instead
Oh neilS repressed or carefully regulated, IT is
excited and ted by The wonders and appreciation
OF al who come in contact with the juvenile
prodigy To add to the evil more pains are
taken with 1t by its teachers than with ordinary
children; II is better than an advertisement to
them; living proof Of their efficiency as insruc.
tors; its grateful parents are gratified for their
assduIy, aud with the hest Intentions on their
part, its little brain is daily aud honry stnulat.
ed with mental brandy, no less hurIful 10 that