26 PLAIN FACTS FOR OLD AND YOUNG 



jects should never be employed in presenting the sub- 

 ject to the young, and the greatest care should be taken 

 to avoid rousing morbid curiosity or stimulating the 

 passions. The object of imparting information is to 

 allay curiosity by gratifying it in a wholesome way, 

 and thus to prevent that precocious and morbid ex- 

 citement of the sexual nature which is the natural out- 

 growth of ignorance, and is stimulated by those obscure 

 hints and allusions which come to the notice of children 

 even at a very early age. 



Knoivledge is dangerous. 



Very true, knowledge is dangerous, but ignorance is 

 still more dangerous; or, rather, partial knowledge is 

 more dangerous than a more complete understanding 

 of facts. Children, young people, will not grow up in 

 innocent ignorance. If, in obedience to custom, they are 

 not encouraged to inquire of their parents about the 

 mysteries of life, they will seek to satisfy their curiosity 

 by appealing to older or better informed companions. 

 They will eagerly read any book which promises any 

 hint on the mysterious subject, and will embrace every 

 opportunity, proper or improper — and most likely to 

 be the latter — of obtaining the coveted information. 

 Knowledge obtained in this uncertain and irregular 

 way must of necessity be very unreliable. Many times 

 —generally, in fact — it is of a most corruptive char- 

 acter, and the clandestine manner in which it is ob- 

 tained is itself corrupting and demoralizing. A child 

 ought to be taught to expect all such information from 

 its parents, and it ought not to be disappointed. 



Again, while it is true that knowledge is dangerous, 

 it is equally true that this dangerous knowledge will be 



