KRUGER ON THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. 



Children come into the world in a state of total ignorance ; and 

 afterwards their minds, as being mirrors of the world, receive a tinc- 

 ture or cast from the objects it exhibits. Nor can we expect to find 

 any other pictures and ideas in their minds than what are daily 

 represented to them ? Hence I conclude, that children must needs 

 be vicious if only conversant with vicious objects ; as the influence 

 of example and custom is wonderfully great. In a word, the 

 minds of children resemble wax, and the examples round them the 

 seal that makes the impression. In order, therefore, to make the 

 lines or impressions of virtue and honour as strong as possible in 

 your son's mind, you yourself must have them deeply engraven on 

 your own, and constantly manifest them by your practice : as it 

 would be strange to require of him the reverse of what he observes 

 in you. What idea can he have of a father who, being guilty of 

 swearing, punishes his son for that vice ; and who, preaching up 

 temperance, is himself intemperate? This holds in all actions, 

 however inconsiderable, *as we know that children ape and mimic 

 those with whom they converse. It is vain to tell them such things 

 are allowable in grown persons, but unbecoming in children ; as 

 vice will thus only be placed in a more engaging point of view, 

 and the great opinion they form of grown persons makes them 

 wish to be soon able to resemble them. But can it be imagined 

 there are any parents who take delight in the vices of their chil- 

 dren, and train them up therein ? and yet nothing is more certain. 

 A child scarcely begins to lisp but he repeats the abusive language 

 he hears from his parents and the servants, which they not only 

 approve but encourage, imagining there is no harm in it, as the 

 child is not yet come to his full understanding, and that in him it 

 is rather pretty and diverting ; but hereafter he will speak out 

 distinctly what he now only lisps, and leave the parents the sad 

 regret of having encouraged him in vice. This is equally true in 

 innumerable other cases ; a child, for instance, begins to cry ; to 

 pacify him a stick is offered to him to beat the naughty stone that 

 made him stumble ; with this the child is quieted. But hence 

 he draws the conclusion, that he may revenge himself on what- 

 ever gives him uneasiness, whether things or persons. And thus 

 the desire of revenge is so deeply implanted in his mind, as scarcely 

 ever after to be eradicated. This is equally true of other vices, 

 as idleness, negligence, pleasure, prodigality, &:c. all which chil- 

 dren usually learn of their parents, who wish them to do well in 

 the world, yet, by their own constant example, implant in them 

 the seeds of every vice. 



