Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-04-21
Education of Observation-Disclosures.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

ore, III Is not the nrSt, put the last NlfIue III
he order Of time. The simple savage is full |
# deceit, both in words and actions the
,easant under the influence of some triaiug
LANCER, will tell lie about what is past /; but
lc considers it dishonorable to tell prospec-
i've lie, and keeps his word. And yet you
AN require in child, whom you have yet to
EDUCATE, the last and noblest fruits of truth.
How much you err is proved by the fact, that
ying children-all other circumstances being
,qual--have grown up into truthful men. [
appeal to the Rousseau's ribboll-lie Of every
conscience.
There arc, however, two decided lies with
regard to the two times mo other lies are
possible than either those which look forward
to the future or back to the past. The first
is seen when the child endeavors to secure it.
self some booty by lying words or deeds; the
second, when he denies, through fsf, his
own actions.
What is to be done in both these circum-
stances?
What is to be done before they occur p
That is the question.
The child blinded and, as it were, i'm
prisoned by his own existence, acquires his
first knowledge of morality by observing
others; and only perceives the hatefuness OF
a heardSl lie, not of one spoken by himself
Show him, then, the lofty throne of truthful
ness in others, compared with the abyss OF
their falsohood be what you desire him to
be; and frequently repeat that you do, even
the most Indifferent things, because you had
previously said you would. 1t has power
full effect on the little heart if he occasionally
hears his father, who seems to him kind ct
free universal monarch, complain; = but mark,
it must only be in true cases, for truthfalness
in the child cannot grow at the expense OF
truthfulness in the parents that, for instance,
he would rather not 60 out with him, hut
having promised to do SO, he must now UNI
willingly keep his word.
If the child have promised something, re-
mind him frequently Of it as the time APP
proaches, but without using other words than
& you said so," and at last compel him to the
performance. But if he have done something,
you cannot be too sparing in your inquiries,
which may easily become 50 painful. The
younger child is the fewer questions you
ought to ask, the more ought you to seem all
knowing or remain ignorant. Do you not
consider that you apply fiery trial, such as
Huss and other martyrs have endured, to
children-to whom a threatening father is a
penal Judge, prince and fate, his rod a
Jove's thunderboIt, and the next questioning
moment an eternity of helish torments-
when, by your concealed anger, and the pros
pect of punishment after confession, you
place them in the dangerous position Of choos-
ing whether they shall obey instinct or an
idea ? To truth belongs freedom; the Grim
inal stands without letters during trial ; and
man, the reverse of Proteus, speaks the truth
when free. All truth-loying ages and nations,
from the Germans to the British, have been
face: lying China is prison, and romamizare
(romancing) meant lying when the Romans
were slaves.
At the same time do not let the remission
of punishment be the Indictment and reward
of truth an act of indemnity, which can as
little make the child good and true as escap-
ed suffering the UNPUBLISHED thief. If you
must inquire, use affectionate words, and APP
ply to the lie the pain you would spare the
child.
But if lie be proved against the child,
solemnly utter the judgment equity of lying
with shocked tone and look, with all the
horror due to this sin against nature and the
Holy Ghost and infict the punishment. The
only punishments would inhict for lying,
are such as affect the honor, and can be re.
moved as solemnly, suddenly, and completely,
as inflicted, so as not to lose their effect by
gradual diminution. The Iroquois blacken
the faces of those who celebrate their heroes
with lying songs. The Siamese sew up the
lips of lying women, as if they were wounds.
have nothing to say against the blackening;
on the contrary, [ have myself occasionally
punished lie severally by marking spot
of ink on the brow, which was not to be
washed off without permission, and which eat
deeply into the conscience. But | am more
in favor of the Siamese plan of closing the
lips: | mean of forbidding speaking to those
who have spoken wickedly. The same prin.
ciple which led the ancient Germans to cut
out the tongues of the Roman advocates,
sends the misused member, which serves the
mind worse than the stomach, into the con-
vent of La Trappe. think this punishment
which petrifes the tongues as Paul did the
serpent at Malta, is juster, liz Inter, and more
definite, than that which Rousseau and Kant
would inAict on a lying child; namely not to
believe him for time, which only means to
seem not to believe him. For in this case
the Judge himself lies during the punishment
for lying and will not the culprit arrive at
the knowledge Of this pretense by his con.
sciousness Of speaking the truth Moreover
how and when will you make the necessary
return from disbelief to confidence? At the
same time, Kant's punishment may occasion.
ally have beneficial tendency in the case OIL
grown.up daughters.
Never tell any child under six years old
to conceal anything, even though it were
pleasure you were planning for some one you
love. The clear sky of child-likc open
heartedness must not be covered even by the
morning glow of shame and your instruc
tons will soon teach him to add secrets Of hi,
J own to yours. The heroic virtue of silence,
requires form its practice the powers of ripcn
ing reason. Reason teaches us to be silent
the heart teaches us to speak.
ITALIAN IMAGE-MEN.-I cannot abstain
from acknowledging the debt we owe to tn,