Columbia weekly news., 1859-02-24

| they have acted in no other manner
than as dutiful and becoming children.
No one can doubt that chihlfen are
born with various dispositions, or the
germs Of such dispositions, and it is
equally true, that by proper and timely
management, these dispositions may be
SO changed and meliorated by the atten-
ton Of parent, or those to whom they
are entrusted, that not only their little
blemishes may be smoothed away, but
even those things which more ofensive-
ly distinguish the child, may, by proper
discipline, become the characteristic
ornaments of the man. sIn respect TO
the desires of children" observes DR..
Parr, cit is hardly possible to lay down
any general rule; but the best method of
inuring them to disappointment is, per-
haps rather to call Of their thoughts to
some new Qualifications, than to drive
them forcibly from any favorable. pur-
suit. Their inclinations are keen, but
tickle; and, therefore he givessno mean
proof of his skill in the management Of
the human mind, who makes one weak
ness the instrument of counteracting
another
The temper of child in the early
days of its infancy, and beyond certain
period, is not easily recti6ed, should it
unfortunately have taken wrong bend.
IF every little sally of passion and impa-
tience were instantly and properly con-
trolled-if such things as are admissible
we're regularly permitted, and those
fthat are improper as regularly and
steadily withheld, the willy little crsa-
|ture would soon learn to distinguish be-
tween wkat is allowed II what is prohib-
tied; but melaas reverse will be
found, if, on tha e hand, no consis-
tency regulates a mag gement-if at
one time the slishtestlndulgence is re-
fused, and at another the most extrava-
gent and even injurious cravings are sa-
tisfed, just as tlie'wlinl-of the Itfent,
may lead him to crafty his ill-humor,
by thwarting another, or to amuse his
moments of snnu by playing with his
child as with monkey and exciting it
to those acts of mischief and audacity
for which, in the next moment it may
suffer severe correction. The effects
of such an insensible and capricious line
OF conduct, and the serious consequences
must strike home to the bosom of every
| parent alive to his duty, as at once un-
charitable and inconsistent. Contin-
ually undergoing either disappointment
or punishment or engaged in extorting
qualifications, which he often triumphs
at having gained by an artful display of
passion, his time passes on, until at
length the poor child frequently mani
tests degree of ill-humor sufficient to
render him the little dctested tyrant of
his playmates ahd interiors. No one
will here presume, We believe, to assert
that such a mode of tampering with the
education of children-an education by
which it is here intended to be under
stood combining the whole concourse of
circumstances, which form the human
character-is not erroneous in the ex,
treme; yet how frequently do we witness
its effects in our intercourse with human
life! 1t may be asked, IF, when child
rem do wrong, are they to be corrected:
Most undoubtedly they are to be cor
rected; that is, they are to be directed
right, and prevented from doing wrong,
and special care taken that this COR
rection be correct, for these young rea-
soners are as expert as ourselves in de-
tecting fal'acies; and as in criminal
SO ought it to be in moral law-it is 5et-
ter that ten naughty boys should go un-
punished, than an innocent one should be
whipped for a fault Of whieh As IS not
the dnthor.
In Furnishing children for their faults
or vices, the greatest care is necessary
that capriciousness forms no part of this
process, and punishment for doing
wrong will effect more harm than good,
in proportion to the frequency with
which it is inflicted; for punishment,
mental or corporeal, will be invariably,
and as much as possible, avoided, and
the dread Of it will make them both
liars and hypocrites. Above all things,
children should be taught candor, and
the undisguised declaration of their
feelings; but whilst they are operated
upon by the apprehension Of pain, such,
candOr and declaration of thoir faol;p,l
will be prevented; their chief occupa1
ton, under such circumstances, will be
the practice of deceit and duplicity, in
order to conceal the errors they have
committed. No child will be candle
without kindness, and it will be dificus
to persuade any child that in putt
him ta bodily or mental tor
have his happiness at heart