mately recede, and, whenever they occur, to prescribe them with mildness of behaviour, but with firmness of decifion. It is not neceffary that in fo doing we fhould really fubtract any thing from the independence of youth. They fhould no doubt have a large portion of independence; it should be restricted only in cafes of extraordinary emergency; but its boundaries fhould be clear, evident and unequivocal. It is not neceffary that, like some foolish parents, we Thould tenaciously adhere to every thing that we have once laid down, and prefer that heaven should perish rather than we ftand convicted of error. We should acknowledge ourselves fallible; we should admit no quackery and false airs of dignity and wisdom into our system of proceeding; we should retract unaffectedly and with grace whenever we find that we have fallen into mistake. But we should rather fhun, than invite, controverfy into matters that will probably at last be decided from authority. Thus conducting ourselves, we shall generate no refentful paffions in the breafts of our juniors. They will fubmit themselves to our peremptory decifions, in the fame spirit as they fubmit to the laws of inanimate neceffity.

It were to be wished that no human creature were obliged to do any thing but from the dicH &

tates

Part I. tates of his own understanding. But this feems to be, for the prefent at least, impracticable in the education of youth. If we cannot avoid fome exercife of empire and defpotism, all that remains. for us is, that we take care that it be not exercifed with afperity, and that we do not add an infulting familiarity or unneceffary contention, to the indifpenfible affertion of fuperiority.

ESSAY

ESSAY XII.

OF DECEPTION AND FRANKNESS.

THERE

HERE is no conduct in the education of youth more pernicious in its confequences, than the practice of deception.

It cuts off all generous reciprocity between children and perfons of mature age. It generates a fufpicious temper, which, instead of confiding in your demonstrations and affertions, exercises itself in perpetual watchfulness, expecting continually to detect your infincerity.

It teaches our children the practice of fimilar arts, and, as they have been overreached by their fuperiors, to endeavour to overreach them in return. What can be more unjust than the conduct of those parents, who, while they pride themselves in the ingenuity with which they deceive their children, exprefs the utmost severity and displeasure, when their children attempt a reprifal, and are detected in fchemes of fimilar adroitnefs?

It would be a useful task to enumerate the various forts of deception which it is the custom

of ordinary education fucceffively to impose upon its fubjects.

The practice of deception is one of thofe vices of education that are moft early introduced into the treatment of youth,

If the nurse find a difficulty in perfuading the child to go to fleep, fhe will pretend to go to fleep along with it. If the parent with his youngest fon to go to bed before his brothers, he will order the elder ones up ftairs, with a permiffion to return as foon as they can do it unobferved. If the mother is going out for a walk or a vifit, fhe will order the child upon fome pretended occafion to a diftant part of the house, till fhe has made her escape,

It is a deception too grofs to be infifted on, to threaten children with pretended punishments, that you will cut off their ears; that you will put them into the well; that you will give them to the old man; that there is fomebody coming down the chimney to take them away.

There is a paffage of the Bible that feems to be of this fort, where it is faid, "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall eat it."

* Proverbs, Ch, xxx. ver, 17,

This

This infantine doctrine refpecting the punishment of mifdemeanour, is fucceeded by another, which, though lefs grofs, is equally pernicious. This is, whenever we utter any leffons of pretended morality, which have been taken up by us upon truft, and not duly confidered. There is in the world a long established jargon of this kind, fufficiently adapted to terrify thofe, who are to be terrified by a repetition of well founding words. It generally happens however that, after the firft ftage of human life is concluded, this fort of morality appears fufficiently adapted for every body's ufe, but our own.

Nothing can be more fubverfive of true morality, of genuine principle and integrity, than this empty and unmeaning cant. Morality has a foundation in the nature of things, has reafons too strong for sophistry to fhake, or any future improvement of human understanding to undermine. But this rotten morality will not abide the flighteft impartial examination; and, when it is removed, the diffipated and thoughtless imagine they have detected the fallacy of every thing that bears the much injured name of morality.

It has been remarked that there is a commonplace fort of confolation for diftrefs, which founds fufficiently fpecious in the ears of men at ease,

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