THE PiURAL SOCRATES* 55; 



convinced that juHicc would be required of him, faould 

 lie direct tliem wrong. — His great principle on this head 

 is to prevent the entry of falie ideas and irregular dc- 

 fires into the mind while tender, t^bfervation has 

 taught him that children imitate the manners and ac- 

 tions of older perfons, with whom they live ; and be 

 apprehends that, by a due government of his ow^n pai- 

 fions, he can avoid fetting any bad examples before 

 them, if they could be equally prefer ved from conta- 

 gion from others. — To prevent this evil, he is defirou3> 

 to have his childien always with him ; and infifls that 

 they [liall attend him in all his labors^nd Ihare in them 

 in proportion to their fli ength*^ Thus he endeavois 

 to give them an early talle for his ov;n kind of life, and 

 for his own way of thinking and ailing ; and hopes to 

 infpire into them that true contetit which he regards 

 as the only foundation of happinefs ; vvhilii by remov- 

 ing them, as far as he is able from all other fociety, 

 whcfe bad cnftoms and depraved manners he has taken 

 pains to banifh from his own houfe, they are not expo- 

 ied to the danger of imitation. — This rock, on which fc 

 many fplit, prevents him from fending them to a pub- 

 lic fchool ; lefl communication with unprincipled and 

 ill educated young perfons in their walks and hours of 

 recreation, (hould, by injuring their morals, mske 

 them too dearly purchafc the arts of reading and wri* 

 ting. 



Kliyogg undertakes to teach them himfelf, and ^^Xs 

 fome hours in the Sunday, apart for this occupation. — 

 In confequence of this, the brothers attend their duty at 

 church alternately. * One of them always ilaysat home \ 

 as well as to pieferve decency of behavior amongf!: the 

 children ; as to hear them repeat the catechifmjand give 

 them lefTons in reading and wiiting. 



The Tame motive infinences our philofophcr to forbid 

 his children from partaking in public diverlions; fuch as 

 fairs, village feads, &c. a prohibition that has, in triith^ 

 fubie<fled ban to cenfure, and to be confidfrcd as a fee 



tarj% 



