TEACHING THE YOUNG IDEA. 105 



must do all that is required of him readily, well, and safely, 

 without the faintest sign of temper. Should he enter into 

 conflict with man he must be forced to retire baffled and 

 defeated. A little forty-two inch mite can, if so minded, 

 make a stubborn resistance. 



Children — boys especially — are prone to be tyrannical and 

 often cruel. Parents would do well to impress on their olive 

 branches that " humanity to animals is a duty reposing on 

 the same foundations as the claims of man to humanity." It 

 appears to me that the abominable treatment the unfortunate 

 sea-side donkeys are subjected to must have a very bad 

 effect on their infantile riders, and that the officers of that 

 admirable association for the Prevention of Cruelty to 

 Animals are often far too lax in their supervision of these 

 long-suffering, over-worked, and shamefully maltreated four- 

 footed slaves. 



A very able writer on the subject of early tuition, which 

 he strongly advocates, a gentleman who has taught his own 

 youngsters, says, " the boy who takes his first lessons on a 

 cart horse, or a donkey, will spoil his bridle hand, and rarely 

 get light and sensitive with it afterwards." In this I fully 

 concur. He adds, " "W^e found the best way to teach the 

 use of the reins was from a gig, or some one-horse vehicle. 

 We fixed the pupil securely between our knees, so that 

 either he or she should have no need to attend to their own 

 security, and putting a rein in each hand, we left the little 

 one to steer, and on a very fine mouthed horse, to see the 

 effect of his right or wrong movements. After a good many 

 journeys had been taken in this manner, the child, some- 

 times driving and sometimes watching us, was generally fit 

 to be trusted with the reins on horseback, supposing that he 

 had, with frequent short rides, learned to feel little anxiety 

 about his own seat, and to keep his arms moderately still." 

 Here again I am with the writer. 



