TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER II. The rise and progress of infant passion CHAPTER III. The passions of Infants as they grow into ...... .... CHAPTER VI. Discrimination, secondly, required in the Parent who begins the work of opposition to Infant Will 36 CHAPTER VII. Forbearance also requisite in the correc- CHAPTER VIII. The Virtues or Morality of Childhood... 53 CHAPTER IX. Truth, the first virtue to be established in the infant heart. This being the base of all goodness... 56 CHAPTER X. Truth begins in thought, and is born with us. CHAPTER XI. Considerations on Mercy, or the disposition to be kind to fellow creatures and brutes. Culture of the natural affections of Infants. CHAPTER XII. Caution requisite in governing several 80 CHAPTER XIII. Accidents and reverses often found to cool CHAPTER XIV. The attachments of Children will direct CHAPTER XV. Good-nature an essential in all characters: CHAPTER XXII. A Child with affectation of manners has ceased to possess the most engaging charm of his age 160 CHAPTER XXIII. Selfishness of Children the grand prevail- ...... ....... even where they do 145 153 ..... CHAPTER XXV. Generosity a noble feature in young .... Industry without regularity a heartless exercise......... 209 CHAPTER XXX. Fortitude. To suffer and to endure, the portion of Man; Lessons of patience should be taught in CHAPTER XXXI. To bear well and to forbear are Duties equally important. Forbearance, perhaps more loudly cal- led for in the trifling occurrences of day and day, than in the grand mischances and provocations of existence. CHAPTER XXXII. The Subject continued. Comparison between the servile submission of Children to their elders of former Times, and the imperiousness and self-impor- tance of Children in the present Age... CHAPTER XXXV. The groundwork of Religion, Faith... 258 CHAPTER XXXVI. Faith, a belief in the Word of God. This belief must be strengthened by a study of the most accredited profane Writers, who at one time or other have severally given testimony to many striking events recorded in Scripture ascribing, however, to evil agency, the miraculous, and to them incomprehensible passages 269 CHAPTER XXXVII. The Subject continued CHAPTER XXXVIII. Boldness of the prophetic descrip- tions-Perfection and Truth of their fulfilment CHAPTER XLIII. Instruction of Children...... CHAPTER XLIV. Observation, the first medium through which knowledge is conveyed to Mind. Nature's Works admirably suited to infant contemplation CHAPTER XLV. Reading the second means. Children should not too early be forced upon this exercise, but should rather be led to seek it as a delightful amusement CHAPTER XLVI. Conversations on the Subjects contained in little books highly important and very agreeable to CHAPTER XLVII. Children should be encouraged to recol- lect and reason on what they read, that the judgment may be brought into exercise. Attention to their manners, that no improper tricks be formed, extremely necessary.. 367 CHAPTER XLVIII. Amusements of children...... CHAPTER XLIX. Animated Objects, delightful amuse- ments. Inanimate ones always pleasing, and may, with care in the selection, be rendered sources of instruction CHAPTER LII. Children's books divided and considered un- der two great heads, Truths and Fictions. Every work CONCLUSION. EARLY EDUCATION. PART I. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 66 HE COMETH FORTH LIKE A FLOWER." WHEN reason first begins to dawn in an infant, we notice the first shoots or seeds of passion; they are very weak, and we give to them the general name of emotions. To every regular passion, there are three steps; and there are sometimes as many more from passion to excess. A cause arises and produces emotion; emotion continued, increases to affection; affection encouraged, swells into passion. So far we permit : the passions are given us by the Almighty to agitate the stream of life, which would otherwise stagnate; and to produce some strong current, into which we commit ourselves and our possessions; for one undeviating course must be equally ours if eminence be our wish, and one bright goal will be deep seated in our hearts, when virtue is our aim. The pursuit of knowledge is, in general, favourable to virtue. In B |