Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian lifeMasham, Damaris, Lady
Religion
Occasional Thoughts in Reference to a Vertuous or Christian life
Masham, Damaris, Lady
Christian life -- Anglican authors
This being so, and that the beginnings of all Science are difficult to
Children (who cannot like grown People fix their Attention) it is
justly to befear'd that they should by the ill usage they receive from
the impatience and peevishness of such Teachers, as Servants, or Young
Tutors, take an Aversion to Learning (and we see in effect, that this
very frequently happens). For the Teaching of little Children so as
not to disgust them, does require much greater Patience and Address,
than common People are often capable of; or than most can imagine, who
have not had experience hereof. But should such Teachers as we have
spoke of, have the necessary complaisance for those they Teach, there
is then, on the other side, a yet greater danger to be apprehended
from them, which is that their Pupils will become fond of them; the
bad effect of which will be, That by an Affectation Natural in
Children of imitating those they Love, they will have their Manners
and Dispositions Tinctur'd and Tainted by those of Persons so dear to
them.
Now both the inconveniences here mention'd, might, at least in great
measure, if not wholly, be Remedy'd, would Mothers but be at so much
Pains as to Teach their Children either altogether, or in good part
themselves, what it is fit for them to learn in the first Eight or Ten
Years of their Lives. As to Read English perfectly; To understand
ordinary Latin; and Arithmetick; with some general knowledge of
Geography, Chronology, and History. Most, or all of which things may
at the above-said Age be understood by a Child of a very ordinary
capacity; and may be so taught Children as that they may learn them
almost insensibly in Play, if they have skilful Teachers: It seems to
me therefore that Young Ladies cannot better employ so much of their
Time as is requisite hereto, than in acquiring such Qualifications as
these, which may be of so great use to them hereafter; however, if any
who have not made this early Provision of such Science, are yet truly
desirous to do their Children all the good that is in their Power to
do them, they may, tho' not with the same Facility, yet be able to
instruct them alike, notwithstanding that disadvantage; and Mr. L----
on the Experience thereof, has asserted, That a Mother who understands
not Latin before hand, may yet teach it to her Child; which, if she
can, it is not to be doubted but that she may do the same of all the
rest; for such a Superficial Knowledge as will serve to enter any one
in every of the above-named Sciences, is much easier attain'd than the
Latin Tongue; and if a Mother have ever so little more Capacity than
her Child, she may easily keep before him, in teaching both him and
her self together; whereby she will make herself the best Reparation
that she can for her past neglect, or that of her Parents herein: Who
yet, perhaps, not from negligence may have declin'd giving her this
advantage. For Parents sometimes do purposely omit it from an
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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