THE HEAD OF THE HOUSE. vj 



Every one will recognise the wisdom of a rule of 

 this sort. We thus acquired a Tiahit which has stuck 

 to us through life. In the most exciting moments of 

 real sport, our father's rule is to this day instinctively 

 observed by his sons. If such a rule as this were 

 enforced upon boys, until the habit is formed which 

 will make them shudder even to see a gun pointed at 

 any one, how many lamentable accidents would be 

 avoided ! How many life-long agonies of self-up- 

 braiding over awful tragedies, occasioned by gross 

 carelessness or reckless joking with firearms, would 

 be spared ! If it is proverbially dangerous to play 

 with sharp-edged tools, it is to the full as dangerous, 

 nay more, it is criminal to joke with firearms. 



I would therefore insist upon the infinite importance 

 of children being trained to observe in the nursery 

 and playground the same strict habits of self-control, 

 method, caution, courtesy, and observation as they 

 would do in later years regarding the more serious 

 things of life. One of our father's favourite maxims 

 was the well-known one, " Habit is second nature," 

 and he taught that early habits are the foundation of 

 principles good or bad, and that from habit is evolved 

 virtuous or vicious characteristics. 



The experience of life has taught me the philosophy 

 of this, one of the earliest and wisest of his lessons. 



