An essay on the government of children, under three general heads, viz. health, manners, and educationNelson, James
History
An essay on the government of children, under three general heads, viz. health, manners, and education
Nelson, James
Child rearing -- England -- History -- 18th century
My Readers will remember that the Scheme of Education for Boys of this
Class, is Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Drawing, and a Knowledge of Maps.
I will now shew what Advantage may be made of these, and endeavour to
prove, that this is so far from being a contemptible Education, that
when attained to Perfection, it is not only useful, but very extensively
so.
Mr. _Addison_ says, that every Man who reasons is a Logician, tho’ he
has never studied the Rules of Logic: so too we may say, that every
Man who speaks grammatically is a Grammarian, tho’ he has not been
taught Grammar. What I here mean is, that a due Attention to Children,
and proper Instructions with regard to _English_ only, will enable
them to make a very considerable Figure both in Reading and Speaking.
Nature furnishes us with the Faculty of Speech, but the Mode of it in
great measure depends on the Place we are born in, and the Language we
are accustomed to hear. The Court, and the learned Part of a Nation,
certainly speak the purest Language; the Vulgar and the Illiterate speak
the coarsest, and the most corrupt: but there are many Degrees between,
who may be said to have the Power of choosing, as they frequently hear
both. It is then the Parents Business to be greatly attentive in this
important Point; especially as Experience shews us that a great Man
can be vulgar, and a little one polite, and the Medium can neglect the
Advantages in his Power by adhering to the wrong Side, when with equal
Ease he may attain the right. I have already cautioned the Great never
to sink beneath their Quality; and while they learn to be humble, they
must carefully avoid being mean. I have also recommended to the Gentry
to approach as near to the Quality in good Behaviour and polite Language
as possible: and to those of this Class, I strongly urge, that every
thing coarse, vulgar, and incorrect, is not only improper, but highly
unbecoming; is not only abusing the Faculties Providence has furnished
them with, but is debasing their Nature. If then the Parents of this
Class enter upon the Education of their Children with just Reflections
(which all, more or less, are capable of making) the natural Consequence
will be, that they will seek such Methods as are most conducive to their
acquiring a thorough Knowledge of their Mother-tongue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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