The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-03-22
The Duty of Parents.
FROM THE GERMAN.]

As well-bred children are the most wor.
thy ornaments and the greatest Joy Of their
parents, (for neither honors nor delights oI
any other kind can equal the satisfaction
given by yirluous offspring). thus there
is nothing more becoming to the father oi
family than the endeayor to bring them
up carefully in the fear Of the Lord, and in
the practice Of all social virtues For the
father ought TO be at the same time the re-
ligious instructor and the tutor of his chill
dren; it is his duty TO teach them in their
youth what TO practice when grown up
Besides, he must do his best 10 make them
useful members Of, and not troublesome
burthens TO the State-not to feed a nest
Of idle hornets. but rather to breed indus
trious bees. And to this end he must en-
able them, either by learning or by the
useful arts, or by some respectable trade.
to support themselves and their families in
course Of time, and TO promote the welfare
Of the conmoiIwea aith. 'andrao stand in no
mans way. Neither must he say unto
himself, have wealth enough, so that my
offspring need neither to exert their brains
nor their hands for their support. but may
live in idleness. For besides their being
nothing more pernicious to mankind in
general, and to youth in particular. than
vanity and sloth, your treasures, % ye
fathers, are but uncertain possessions
Thus, let it be your aim rather to have
virtuous than wealthy children. as it will
be more to their advantage to inherit i'm
perishable thantransient blessings Such
blessings are virtue. the fine arts, an hon.
est trade, which may be called treasures
in themselves. by whose means. they may,
in all places and circumstances, be inde-
pendent, and of which no one can deprive
them, as even a wretched, shipwrecked
mariner might carry the like Aristppian
riches safely to shore.
Many silly parents commit grave errors
in this respect. and are more diligent in
the improvement Of their estates, and in
trying what manure, what ashes and dirt
will best increase the fertility OF their acres,
than in considering what arts, handicrafts,
or professions are most likely to render
their children virtuous and industrious
just as il their estates and treasures were
dearer unto them than their very children
for whose sake they endeayor to augment
and improve them. We ought to remem-
OCAs wv, tuot tO hOW SCoSCt lOuS
OF what has been 6rst poured into it, and
that the little reed may be bent in any way
as long as it is young, but that it. stiffens
with age, and breaks if one tries too late
to give it a new direction. We know, too,
that children like to initiate their parents
in everything. SO that some seem to have
learnt drinking, others swearing, and.
again, others irascibility, by imitation from
their parents. Therefore, it beseemeth all
good parents, that their children should
see nothing evil, but only all good qual-
ties in them, so that they may become, as
it were, the mirror of virtuous life. A
wise father ought to be very careful to
teach his children, by his own example.
to be chary OF their words, by which means
they will be saved from many troubles,
and have the more opportunities OF doing
good; for, in, general, many words make
much mischief. and empty casks sound
louder than full ones; and the bristly boar
maketh more noise than the woolly sheep.
He who accustometh himself to pratint
seldom learns real benevolence; and "a gain.
he who accustometh himself to benevo.
lence speaketh little himself, but is always
well spoken of by others.