THE SPRINGS OP CHARACTER. 85 



"willed, and so education proceeds wisely to modify the one 

 or stimulate the other. Will comes mostly into play as a 

 factor in the formation of character, when we have left our 

 parents, and when our home education is Avell nigh finished. 

 Previously to that time, our characters are mostly formed by 

 them, and after that they are mostly formed by us by means 

 of our own will. 



I will say one word, in conclusion, about growth of 

 character. Character grows. I do not say it gets fresh 

 springs, but it grows, as the body grows, by food and 

 exercise. The food of the character is ideas, and the 

 •exercise of the character is the circumstances of life. Now 

 ■food, as we know, to nourish the body, miist be of somewhat 

 the same material as the body is composed of. A substance 

 similar to the material of which the body is formed is called 

 homologous, and is a food. If it is different in composition, 

 it is called heterologous, and is a poison. This casts a 

 flood of light on what has puzzled many people, viz.. wliy 

 the same idea is absolutely food to some minds and poiso.j 

 to others. It is l)ecause with some it is related to their own 

 character, and with others it is not. This is a mv.ttev that 

 would furnish most interesting material for study. 



Character, which is thus fed by ideas, is exercised practi- 

 cally, as we have said, by the circumstances of life. Strong 

 persons and strong characters can staiid severe exercise. 

 The more severe the exercise and discipline through which 

 they pass, the better and quicker does the character grow to 

 perfection. 



The value of character, I need not say, is immense. It is 

 our acts that always really tell our worth. 



" Still, as of old, 

 Man by himself is priced ; 

 For thirty pieces Judas sold 

 Himself— not Christ ! " 



Before closing may I add that parencs should accustom 

 themselves, figuratively speaking, to look at their children 

 through the Kontgen screen. You do not see by means of 

 these rays w4i ether a Avoman has got on a particidar dress, 

 or cloak, but you see what the heart is doing. And so 

 children, by the maternal eye, should be looked through 

 and through and not merely seen outwardly. 



Again, for child training parents should be provided with 



D 2 



