248 RULE^ FOR THE PROFfCft EXEKc'ISfi 



long intervals between meals, only at the expense 

 of the pence constituting the pocket-money of the* 

 scholar] the food in this case being denied, not 

 because it is considered improper, for were thai 

 the case, it would be a dereliction of duty to give it 

 on any terms, but from sheer meanness and cu- 

 pidity. What kind of moral duties does the parent 

 encourage, who, recommending kindness, openness, 

 and justice, tricks the child into the confession of 

 faults, and then basely punishes it, having previ- 

 ously promised forgiveness 1 And how is openness 

 best encouraged, by practising it in conduct, or by 

 neglecting it in practice, but praising it in words ? 

 Is it to be cultivated by thrusting suspicions in the 

 face of honest intentions 1 And how is justice to be 

 cultivated by a guardian who speaks about it, recom- 

 mends it, and in practice charges each of four pupils 

 the whole fare of a hackney-coach 1 Or what kind 

 of moral education is that which says, "Do as I bid 

 you, and I will give you sweetmeats or money, or I will 

 tell your mamma how good you were ;" holding out the 

 lowest and most selfish propensities as the motives 

 to moral conduct ! Did space permit, I might in- 

 deed pursue the whole round of moral and religious 

 duties, and ask similiar questions at each. But it 

 is needless. These examples will suffice ; and I give 

 them, not as applicable generally either to parents 

 or teachers, but simply as individual instances from 

 among both, which have come within the sphere 

 of my own knowledge, and which bear directly 

 upon the principle under discussion. 



The moral sentiments, it may be observed, are so 

 many determinate impulses given us by the Creatoi 

 to act in a certain way towards those around us, and 

 it is not necessary that some extraordinary situa- 

 tion should be waited for to give them full employ- 

 ment. Benevolence, no doubt, is strongly excited 

 by the aspect of misery and unhappiness, and im- 

 pels strongly to the relief of the Buffering object 



