The native American., 1840-02-29

plishrd by his own exertion-by the rrepressibie
ruriosiiy-the thirst for knowledge, only to be
appeased by learning or by the fatignes aud the
sleep which it superindures.-lt is all effected
by the instructive spirit Of inquiry, which brings
his mind into perpetual course OF induction,
engaging him in series Of experiments which
begins when he awakes in the morning and Only
ends when he falls asleep. All he learns during
these years he learns not only without pain hut
with All intense deIight-a relish krrnrr than
appetite known at our jaded and listless age
and learns ne-tenth of the time which, in after
life, would b. required for its acquisition. Per-
verse and obstinate habitsarr formed before the
age ofseven, and the mind that might have been
moulded like wet clay in plastic hand. becomes
>ulen Observation-Disclosures after that age. TO
this inextinguishabe passion for all learning,
succeeds dislike for instruction amounting al
most to disease. Grnlle feelings KIND aud com
passionate natule--an ingenious, open temper
nlsuspeciing, and wanting no guard, are succeed
ed by violence and recklrssness, and bad morals,
and base fear. and concealmrnt, aud even false
hood, till he is forced to school, not only gnor-
ant of what is good but also much learned in
what is bad.-These are the effects OF the old
systematic postponed education, and the neg
Ircted tuition Of infants. "-Speech, February "a,
1873.
EDcct OF hd6H ON The infant MIND.
II trust every thing to habit; habit, upon
which, in all ages, the lawgiver, as well as the
schoo|ma>ter has mainly placed his reliance
habit which makes every thing easy and casts
all difficulties upon the deviation from the won
ted course. Make sobriety habit, aud intern
prrance will be hateful and hard; make prudence
habit aud reckless prohigacy will be as con-
lrary to the nature of the child grown an adult,
as the most atrorious crimes are to any Of your
lord,hps. Give child the habit of sacrcdly
regarding the truth-of carefully respecting the
property of ohers-of scrupulously absaining
from all acts Of improvidence which can involve
him in distress, aud he will Just little think of
lying or cheating or stealing, as Of rushing into
an element in which he cannot breathe. Ibid.
Eurly formation Of good Hubus.
9 If child is neglected till six years of age,
no subsequent education can recover it. 1t to
this aye il is brought up in dissi patton and ig
norance in all the basenrss OF brutal habits, and
in that vacancy Of mind which such habits Gre
ate it is in vain to attempt to reclaim it by teach
ing it reading and writing. You may teach what
you choose afterwards, but if you have not pre-
,elted the formation of bad habits you will teach
in vain. -." ...."~
"An infant is in a state Of perpetual enjoy
ment from the intensity OF curiosity. There is
no one thing which 1t does not learn sooner or
better than at any other period of life, and with
out any burden to itself the teacher. But
learning is not ALL the principal considerations;
moral habits are acquired il these schools-and
by their means children are kept out Of the nur-
series of obscenity, vulsarlty, vice and blasphe.
my. In the establishment at w estminster, none
but children between three and five years ofage
are admitted, and there they are kept out Of the
streets, and taken care Of by parental, indul-
gent dame, while their mothers are set at liberty
to go out and work. Whether the children learn
less or more is of little consequence The NOR
al disci pine is the great consideration