[6] Were these affirmations to be wrongly interpreted, the objection might be raised that a child before cutting his second teeth is not deprived of memory, and that before reaching the age of puberty, he possesses the inherent faculties of the astral body. It must not be forgotten that the etheric and astral bodies are in existence from the moment of physical birth, although surrounded by the protecting shell described. It is precisely this envelope, protecting the etheric body, which permits of a remarkably good memory before the cutting of the second teeth. The existence of physical eyes in the embryonic being, concealed in the womb of the mother, is analogous. And in the same way that the physical eyes sheltered from all external influence do not owe their development to the physical sunlight, so also education from without should not intervene before the cutting of the second teeth in the training of the memory. Very much to the contrary, the spontaneous growth of the memory will be noticeable, provided there is food for it within reach, and no attempt be made to train it by means of exterior methods. This observation applies equally to the qualities belonging to the astral body before puberty. Provision should be made for their training, but bearing in mind that this body is still encompassed by a protecting shell. It is something wholly different to take care of the germs which are in process of development within the astral body before puberty and to expose the freed astral body _after_ puberty to what it can assimilate in the outer world, _without_ the protecting shell. This distinction is certainly very subtle, but without its careful consideration the whole significance of education cannot be understood. * * * * * Transcriber's Notes Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. All other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged. The half title immediately before the title page has been removed. Italics are represented thus _italic_. End of Project Gutenberg's The Education of Children, by Rudolf Steiner