MENTAL PREPARATION. 187 



sion of a husband's tender affections, it is dur- 

 ing the period of maternity. Little acts of kind- 

 ness and gentle words of sympathy or love are 

 the very essence of life to her soul ; they are flam- 

 ing rubies and sparkling diamonds to her mater- 

 nal crown, every one of which will reappear in 

 the happy face and loving eyes of her babe. 



Parental affection is the Guardian Angel of the 

 young life, an instinct almost divine. No feel- Affection, 

 ing common to animal and man is more elevat- 

 ing, ennobling or worthy of assiduous training. 

 . Henry Drummond, in his "Ascent of Man/' has 

 shown that the parental instinct is the source 

 of all the higher virtues in man. Parental love 

 is the breath of life to offspring. Every child 

 to be well-born should be the product of a yearn- 

 ing parental affection ; a longing to have children 

 should precede the beginning of the new life. 

 During the period of gestation both father and 

 mother should love the developing child with all 

 the tenderness that they will give to it when 

 it is a romping, prattling cherub. The child's 

 beginning should be caused by this instinct; its 

 embryonic period should be fed by it, then its 

 post-natal life, youth and maturity will be marked 

 by tender affections and a kindly spirit. 



Children that are not loved before their birth 

 are seldom affectionate, companionable or agree- 

 able. A most excellent lady came to me with Unaffectionate 

 her child, complaining that it was cold, unlov- Children, 

 ing and seemingly had no appreciation for her 

 affections. She assured me that she was very 

 fond of the child, but could excite no response 

 in its nature and apprehended that as the child 



