cherished foible within certain conventional limits. Few things are more offensive than to hear a rich man boasting of what his wealth can purchase, for it belongs to this species of infirmity to imagine that all things may be bought with money.

It were needless to remark how contrary to the spirit of Christianity is the indulgence of either species of pride; how baneful to the youthful character, such lessons daily and hourly inculcated.

Pride will also assume other forms to beset and tempt the young, almost in the cradle, readily fostered into a rank luxuriance by the injudicious conduct of mothers and nursery attendants. Thus, for example, boys are taught to pride themselves upon superiority of sex.

In the partial and extravagant fondness which mothers sometimes evince towards their sons, pride and self-love are very evident. This species of parental love is not produced by the qualities of the object, but by the circumstances. She connects the idea of self with the being to whom she has given birth; it is through the medium of her son that she is to be connected with all the power and glory which she expects him hereafter to enjoy, and the being who promises her this gratification becomes, of course, the prime object of her attention and love.

But this is not real affection; not that pure, maternal love which labours for, and thus ensures, the welfare of the child. On the contrary, it is in every way prejudicial to him. Not only does it

defraud him of the regard he would receive from others, but utterly ruins his disposition, for his mother, shutting her eyes to the faults of her darling, sees in him only those perfections which gratify her own self-love, or, if she reluctantly allows some imperfections, she believes them to be counterbalanced by his good qualities. She indulges all his passions and caprices, because, in punishing this engrossing object of her fondness, she would mortify her own pride.

Besides this undue preference of male offspring, arising from motives of ambition, boys are, as I observed, only too universally taught to pique themselves upon superiority of sex for its own sake alone. To do this or that, they are told would be beneath the dignity of their sex, and only befitting such inferior animals as girls: hence the lordly assumption of but too many men over females. Strange, that woman should labour to depreciate her own condition!

Such opinions will, it is to be hoped, soon be numbered amongst exploded fallacies; and woman, educated to be the instructress of man in infancy, and his fellow-labourer and companion in riper years, will best assert her right to be considered his equal.

Talent, superior facility in learning, prove fruitful sources of pride, a pride of all others against which it is difficult to wage war, so gratifying and so natural is it to lavish praises on a clever child; but we cannot praise with too much caution. The

clever child will prove himself quick in this as in other matters; he will arrogate to himself an undue degree of merit; the selfish principle, aroused into action, will work its usual mischief. Whatever he acquires, whatever he engages in will be done, not for its own sake, not to please his parents or teachers, but with a view to gain the world's applause. The foundation of a dangerous ambition will be laid, jealousy of the success of others, with its usual accompaniment of detraction, will be engendered; his young heart will be corrupted; selfconfident and presumptuous, the charm of simplicity will be wanting in his deportment. In a word, his life and actions, instead of being in conformity with the precepts of the gospel, will be directly opposed to them.

Viewing the subject in this light, and I find it impossible to view it in any other, I cannot but consider the practice of exciting emulation by prizes and badges, given in reward of merit, so generally in use in schools, fraught with the utmost danger. To imitate an example is one thing, to rival any person and strive to obtain a superiority over him for the sake either of fame or mercenary reward, is another. True, it is impossible to make progress towards excellence without outstripping others; but there is a great difference between this being a mere consequence of exertions arising from other motives, and a zeal to attain this object, being itself a motive for exertion.

The Edgeworths, in their Treatise on Educa

tion, make some very sensible remarks upon emulation and its effects: "Those," say they, "who have observed the sudden and surprising effects of emulation in public schools, will regret the want of this power in the intellectual education of their pupils at home. Even the acquisition of knowledge ought to be but a secondary consideration, subordinate to the general happiness of our pupils. If we could have superior knowledge upon condition that we should have a malevolent disposition, should we, setting every other moral consideration aside, be willing to make the purchase at such a price?"

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In the education of a youth born to inherit rank and fortune, it will be especially requisite to guard against pride. The consciousness that such is his

Exactly in conformity with the above sentiments is the opinion given on the same subject by that zealous and efficient promoter of infant education, Mr. Wilderspin. I subjoin the passage containing this opinion, as printed by the Parliamentary Committee:

"You find you can command the children's attention by making your lecture interesting, without the stimulus of making them take places, as it is called?' I would not let them do that on any account.' 'Why not?' 'Because I find some children by nature learn the form of a thing sooner than others: others again, by nature, will excel in their knowledge of arithmetic; others will learn reading and spelling sooner; while others will excel in music, and others again in sketching things; and, to put a child back because it cannot do what nature never designed it to do equal to other children, would be absurd. We have no badges of distinction; we do not think it necessary. Children have sense enough to perceive that they are frequently given with a want of due discrimination.' 'Is it your opinion that any bad effect would arise to the morals of the children from this constant rivalry?' 'Certainly; it would throw an apple of discord among them: the child put back would feel it an act of injustice, and the child put forward would think too well of himself.""

destiny will only too readily fill him with notions of his own importance, and nothing less than the chastening spirit of Christianity will be found sufficient to preserve his heart uncorrupted. Where pains has been taken in very early life to explain to young persons thus circumstanced the true nature and value of that external homage paid to rank, and to set against it the superior nature and higher value of that homage which is only paid to personal merit, we do not find that pride, of necessity, attaches to elevated rank and large fortune; but are, on the contrary, frequently called to remark a striking contrast between the unfeigned humility, gentleness, and modesty displayed by persons of exalted station, and the haughty arrogance and insolence assumed by persons in all respects their inferiors.

With the knowledge of his perspective power and riches, let the youth of high expectations imbibe also the important knowledge of the great responsibility attached to such advantages. Let him receive into his mind and heart those words of Christ, which declare that much shall be expected from him unto whom much has been given: that he is the steward of his heavenly master, who shall require of him a strict account of his stewardship. Let these solemn truths be impressed upon his memory, and made clear to his understanding, so that, instead of vaunting himself upon his golden prospects, he shall enter upon his career with a proper mistrust of self, though with an earnest and sincere