Year: 1860

In no respect, perhaps, have Americans


declined more from the condition of their


fathers, than in the too frequent neglect Of


what we will .oall the home education Of
children. We presume it is unnecessary,
in this age OF general enlightenment, to state
the obvious fact that education is as much
moral as intsllectual. Now, in The days of
our fathers, the former received more st-
tentisn relatively than the latter; whereas
in the present age, the latter is cared for to
greatest degree. Nor is this all. Thou
sands of parents, instead Of .inculoating at
home the virtues requisite TO make the
child happy, honsrsd and successful in life'
leave things to be acquired at Sunday


schools, in the public academies, or by
chance. Yet never, in either Of these ways,
can child's moral education, using that


word in its most comprehensive sense, be


properly conducted.


1t will be universally conceded that mere
intellectual proficiency, without honesty or
truth, only makes man a more dangerous
member Of society. But it is not SO gener-
ally admitted that the prosperity and hap


pinsss of the individual depend, in great
degree, on his sObriety, prudence, industry,
thrift, control of temper, and other virtues,


which are bes! inculcated in childhood, and


which cannot be inculcated successfully E.


ven then, unless at heme, 1t is an easy
way TO exclude criminal, or drunkard, or
an insolvsnt, from our pity, BY saying that
he Is enly 'reaping what he has sewn." y
But, in many eases, it would be more Just
to the victim. and more conductive TO the
social Improvement Of the human race, if
we would inquire how far his derelietien
had been the result Of deficient moral ed
ucation, or Of proclivities inherited from
his parents; and, if the result of such pro-
clivities, how far these were the fruit of
successive generations ofneglected culture.
There can be no doubt that if the investi-
cation could be thoroughly carried out,
portion at least OF the burden Of shame and
guilt would be shifted from the shoulders
Of the offender, and the truth Of the old
MOsaical threat be demonstrated by a strict
ly logical method, that "ths sins Of the faith
er are visited upon the children, even to
the third and fourth generation"


The moral discipline of child, we re.
peat, can be conducted nowhere else SO
Thoroughly as at home. He may acquire an
idea Of religion at the Sunday school, or the
general maxins Of morality at the academy
though even these will be more effsctually
taught in the family but he can never
learn thrift, economy, forbearance towards
his kind, industry, perseverance, or a
score OF other virtues, except in a careless
way, unless he learns them, at home
1t is the example of the parent, the gentle
influences of affection, and the inoul-
eating at the right moment of the right
thing, which gradually moulds the weak
self willed character Of the child into the
strong, we'll developed one of the man, and
It is the neglect Of these which so often
transforms the innocent babe into the out
cast, the thief, or even the murderer. 1t
is ruinOus delusiOn which leads parents
10 delegate to other the moral culture Of
heir children. The duty cannot be thus
shaken of; they alone can perform it. e II
he child is not trained at home, he will |
rursly, if ever, be trained at all. Who can
wonder, in an age where this paramount
1uty is often neglected, that SO many par
.nts have their "gray hairs brought in sor.
row 10 the grave?'