, 1878-02-22
Governing the Boy.

II 10 one of the mystsric, # Pr0vi
deurt that those invested with the CIOan
aud g'0ry uf muthcrhUoi aTr not always
those best qualified o. bring up their "a.
spring u j. one thIug tu bring = Chi.i
into the world, and quite another thing iu
carry 30 safely through b. aud the child
ui au uncle. ur pu aunt D. frequently
more tn lsg congratulated than g, one abu
o, 'rit entirely 90 the control of its pa.
rents.
History has furnished us with instances
where thu-e "bUu in purple, the very
flower ui nobility. aut heirs tu extensive
kingdoms, where through lack of the gov.
crniDg power, the Wi,r pr,rugatiyc OF
Alug, NhD,iy unit t1I,..u osrr lho realm
tu which their rank entitled them. In
this Way nature anuul, the privilege, uf
royaIiiy, aud makes a regency q wise ne.
ces,iiy.
Yamacois, in his instructive picture Of
the Education Of Prince" which is q
volume Of satire put upon so many feet
of canvas, and not too highly colored,
furnishes US most suggestive theme for
thoughtful meditation and inquiry. The
boy, mere baby, is placed upon the floor
in the middle Of large room of palatial
proportions. His military toys are set
out in battle array, and the child finds an
orange most convenient instrument of
war. Destruction in his element; immo-
bility in his abominatioD; he strikes, they
fall, and the kings cabinet Immediately
becomes an astrological assembly. The
Minister of War telegraphs to the Minis
ter of Finance; my Lord Treasurer is lost
in weighty calculation; and the face Of
each member of the royal household is
expressive of peculiar and varied emo
tions.
One can read the whole story at
glance; how instinct is mistaken for in.
telligence, and wherein lie the grevious
errors that may be made even in the edu-
cation Of a prince. Nature has great
deal to do with nobility; but there is
nothing that so develops a sturdy, self
reliant, courteous and considerate man.
hood as to graduate from 'the college of
hard knocks"
If see splendid specimens of man
hood or womanhood, | always feel curl
Gus to know the sort Of training they
have had; just as would enjoy reading
of or seeing the transition process of a
crude mass Of metal into an exquisite
vase, or of an unattractive piece Of mar
bic into statute which is "a thing of
beauty"
II was my good fortune this past sum-
mer to be thrown into company of f
family of boys, the eldest of whom had
recently graduated from one of our first
colleges with distinguished honors, Mod
esty and manliness were written on his
brow; and one could easily believe the
truth of his mothers remark that call the
comfort any mother had ever taken with
a daughter she had taken with her son"
l believe that our best men are made of
these motherly boys, those who are not
continually fretting at the apron-strings
if the apron.strings--are worthy articles
of restraint. In this case the mother and
father were
"Nobly planned,
To warn, to counsel, and commando"
and it was hardly to be wondered at that
the family we're the admiration and emu
lation Of the neighbOrhood.
Having an opportunity of seeing one of
the younger boys under disiplne, I
learned the secret of the governing power.
"Harry look me in the eye! look me
in the eyep was the authoritative COM
mand, and not until the boy lifted his
face and met his fathers gaze, was the
word of admonition given. And there
was no mincing matters. The governing
power was where it belonged; the censure
was deserved; the mothers silence was
an additional. reproof, and obstinacy was
in subjection.
In governing the boy, it too frequently
happens that the father and mother do
not pull together, and perhaps that is one
reason why this mode of training struck
me as being rather novel and peculiar;
and as we judge entirely by results, four
well-behaved, gentlemanly, agreeable
boys are certainly sufficient proof that in
the case above cited the governing pow
er has fortunately been placed in the
hand of the right individuals.
Dorou TrA ,nrraonon1apk xur;t;oo,