less of the authority of a master than the affectic a friend. They are always attended with an air tone of gentleness, which gives them a more agree reception; and for this reason they may more quently be used. But as Reprimands always s self-love, and often assume an air and languag severity, they should be reserved for more cons able faults, and consequently be more seldom u

II. THE TIME OF REPRIMANDING,

The master's prudence consists in carefully stuc and watching for the favourable moment, wher mind of the child shall be most disposed to imp by correction. This is what Virgil so elegantly [x] Molles aditus, mollissima fandi tempora; wherein he places the address of a negotiation, rebus dexter modus.

Do not therefore reprimand a child, says Mad nelon, in his first emotion, or your own. If you in yours, he will find that you have been govern humour and inclination, and not by reason and fr ship, and you will inevitably lose your authorit you chide him immediately, his mind is not at li enough to own his fault, to conquer his passion perceive the importance of your advice. You lik expose the child to losing the respect he owes Shew him always that you are master of yourself nothing will let him see it better than your pati Watch a favourable opportunity for several da time a correction well, if necessary.

What would any one say, says [y] M. Nicole, sp ing of the duty of brotherly correction, what v they say of a surgeon, who, in treating an imposth should surprise the patient, by giving him a blow his fist upon the part affected, and that before th posthume was sufficiently ripened, by preparator

[x] Æn. lib. iv. ver. 393, 425.

[y] Evang. du Mardi de siéme Sem. de Car.

m

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The same M. Nicole, in the same passage, shews w difficult it is to give corrections and reprimands. e cause of this difficulty is, because they set before en what they care not for seeing, and attack self-love the dearest and most sensible part, where it never es way without great reluctance and opposition. e love ourselves as we are, and would have reason doing so. Thus we are careful to justify ourselves our faults by various deceitful colours; and it must t seem strange, that men should be displeased with ing contradicted and condemned, as it is an attack the same time upon the reason which is deceived, d the heart which is corrupted.

This is properly the foundation of the care and caun which is required in correction and reprimand. e must leave nothing for a child to discern in us, at may hinder the effect of it. [2] We must avoid. sing his ill-will by the severity of our expressions, anger by exaggerations, or his pride by expressions contempt.

We must not heap upon him such a multitude of proofs, as may deprive him of the hope of being le to correct the faults he is reproached with. It ght be advisable likewise not to tell a child his ilt, without adding some means of amending it. r correction, when it is sharp, is apt to occasion agrin and discouragement.

We must avoid giving him any occasion to think at we are prejudiced; lest he should thence take ocsion to defend the faults laid to his charge, and to tribute our admonitions to our prejudice.

[z] Omnis animadversio & cas- Cic. lib. i. de Offic. n. 88. atio contumeliâ vaçare debet.

Neither must there be any room left for him to lieve, that they are occasioned by any interest or på ticular passion, or indeed by any other motive th that of his good.

[a] We are sometimes obliged, says Tully, to ra our voice a little in correction, and to use somew sharper expressions, but this should be very seldom; physicians make use of certain remedies only in ext mities. We should besides be careful to avoid anger and severity in these reproaches, for they be of no service; and the child should see, that wh ever sharpness we express in our reproofs, it is w regret, and only for his good.

We may conclude that reprimands have had all success that can be expected from them, when t bring a boy to a sincere confession of his faults, to sire that he may be told of them, and to receive instructions that are given him with docility. [b] has already made a great progress, who is desirous doing it. It is a certain mark of a solid change, have our eyes open to the imperfections, which fore were unknown to us; as it is a reason to h well of a sick person, when he begins to be sensi of his ailment.

[c] There are some children of so happy and tractable a temper, that it suffices to shew them w they must do, and without standing in need of l instructions from a master, they shall seize upon w is good and honest at the first signal, and give the selves up entirely to it. Rapacia virtutis ingenia. One would think they had in them some sparks every virtue, which, in order to unfold themselves, a 'catch fire, require only a slight blast, a mere hint.

[a] Offic. lib. i. n. 136, 137. [6] Magna pars est profectus, velle proficere. Senec. Epist. 71. [c] Felix ingenium illis fuit, & salutaria in transitu rapuit.. In ea quæ tradi solent, perveniunt sine longo magisterio; & honesta complexi sunt, cùm primùm audierunt. Senec. Epist, 95:

[d] Omnium honestarum re semina animi gerunt, quæ adm tione excitantur; non aliter q scintilla fatu levi adjuta, ig suum explicat. Ibid. 94.

[e] Huc illuc frænis leniter m flectendus est paucis animus sui tor optimus. Senec. lib. v. de nef. cap. 25.

Th

ave been brought up in too tender a manner, and ducated in an entire ignorance of their duty, have ontracted a great number of ill habits which are like rust difficult to be rubbed off. A master is absotely necessary to boys of this character, and seldom ils of conquering these faults, when he strives to do with mildness and patience,

ARTICLE VII.

O REASON WITH CHILDREN; TO PROMPT THEM BY THE SENSE OF HONOUR; TO MAKE USE OF PRAISES, REWARDS, AND CARESSES.

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I HAVE already insinuated these methods, which hould be the most common, and are always the most effectual.

I call reasoning with the boys, the acting always without passion and humour, and giving them the reaon of our behaviour towards them. It is requisite, ays M. de Fenelon, to pursue all possible means to make the things you require of them agreeable to the children. Have you any thing displeasing to propose to them? Let them know, that the pain will soon be ollowed by pleasure; shew them always the usefulness of what you teach them; let them see its advanage in regard to the commerce of the world, and the luties of particular stations. This, tell them, is to enable you to do well what you are one day to do; t is to form your judgment, it is to accustom you to reason well upon all the affairs of life. It is requisite

to shew them a solid and agreeable end, which m support them in their labour, and never pretend oblige them to the performance by a dry absolu authority.

If the case requires punishment or chiding, it v be proper to appeal to themselves as judges, to ma them thoroughly sensible of the necessity of us them in that manner, and to demand of them wh ther they think it possible to act otherwise. I ha been sometimes surprised in conjunctures, where just but grievous severity of their correction, or pu lic reprimand, might have provoked and exaspera the scholars, to see the impression the account I ga them of my conduct has made upon them, and h they have blamed themselves, and allowed that could not treat them otherwise. For I owe the j tice to most part of the boys I have brought up, own here, that I have almost always found th reasonable, though not exempt from faults. Child are capable of hearing reason sooner than is imagine and they love to be treated like reasonable creatu from their infancy. We should keep up in th this good opinion and sense of honour, upon wh they pique themselves, and make use of it as mu as possible, as an universal means to bring them the end we propose.

They are likewise very much affected with prai It is our duty to make an advantage of this weakne and to endeavour to improve it into a virtue in the We should run a risque of discouraging them, w we never to praise them when they do well; and thou we have reason to apprehend that commendations m inflame their vanity, we must strive to use them their encouragement, without making them conceit For of all the motives that affect a reasonable so there are none more powerful than honour and shan and when we have once brought children to be sen ble of it, we have gained every thing. They find pleasure in being commended and esteemed, especia by their parents, and those upon whom they deper

If therefore we co rose them