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DUTY OF PARENTS.

WHAT has the parent to do, if he would conscienciously discharge that most
sacred of all duties, that weightiest of all responsibilities, which ever did or
ever will devolve on a human being? What is he to do, who, having brought
a creature into existence, endowed with varied faculties, with tender suscepti-
bilities, capable of untold wretchedness or equally of unconceived enjoyment;
what is he to do, that he may secure the happiness of that creature, and make
the life he has given blessing and blessed, instead of cursing and cursed?
What is he to do?- he is to encourage in his child a spirit of inquiry, and
equally to encourage it in himself. He is never to advance an opinion with-
out showing the facts upon which it is grounded; he is never to assert a fact,
without proving it to be a fact. He is not to teach a code of morals, any
more than a creed of doctrines; but he is to direct his young charge to observe
the consequences of actions on himself and on others; and to judge of the
propriety of those actions by their ascertained consequences. He is not to
command his feelings any more than his opinions or his actions; but he is to
assist him in the analysis of his feelings, in the examination of their nature,
their tendencies, their effects. Let him do this, and have no anxiety for the
result. In the free exercise of his senses, in the fair development of his
faculties, in a course of simple and unrestrained inquiry, he will seize upon
virtue, for he will have distinguished beneficial from injurious actions; he will
cultivate kind, generous, just, and honourable feelings, for he will have proved
them to contribute to his own happiness and to shed happiness around him.

Who, then, shall say, inquiry is good for himself and not good for his children? Who shall cast error from himself, and allow it to be grafted on the minds he has called into being? Who shall break the chains of his own ignorance, and fix them, through his descendants, on his race? But, there are some, who, as parents, make one step in duty, and halt at the second. We see men who will aid the instruction of their sons, and condemn only their daughters to ignorance. "Our sons," say they, "will have to exercise political rights, may aspire to public offices, may fill some learned profession, may struggle for wealth and acquire it. It is well that we give them a helping hand; that we assist them to such knowledge as is going, and make them as sharp-witted as their neighbours. But for our daughters," they say-if indeed respecting them they say any thing-"for our daughters, little trouble or expense is necessary. They can never be any thing; in fact, they are nothing. We had best give them up to their mothers, who may take them to Sunday's preaching; and with the aid of a little music, a little dancing, and a few fine gowns, fit them out for the market of marriage."

If it be their duty, as we But to such parents I would observe, that with regard to their sons, as to their daughters, they are about equally mistaken. have seen, to respect in their children the same natural liberties which they cherish for themselves-if it be their duty to aid as guides, not to dictate as teachers to lend assistance to the reason, not to command its prostration,then have they nothing to do with the blanks or the prizes in store for them, in the wheel of worldly fortune. Let possibilities be what they may in favour of their sons, they have no calculations to make on them. It is not for them to ordain their sons magistrates nor statesmen; nor yet even lawyers, physicians, or merchants. They have only to improve the one character which they receive at the birth. They have only to consider them as human beings, and to ensure them the fair and thorough development of all the faculties, physical, mental, and moral, which distinguish their nature. In like manner, as respects their daughters, they have nothing to do with the injustice of laws, nor the absurdities of society. Their duty is plain, evident, decided. In a daughter they have in charge a human being; in a son, the same. Let them train up these human beings, under the expanded wings of liberty. Let them seek for them and with them just knowledge; encouraging, from the cradle

upwards, that useful curiosity which will lead them unbidden in the paths of free inquiry; and place them, safe and superior to the storms of life, in the security of well-regulated, self-possessed minds, well-grounded, well-reasoned, consciencious opinions, and self-approved, consistent practice.Frances Wright.

Assumption. Of all the forms which the division of mankind into classes can assume, none is more pernicious then that which gives to one set of men the right to dole out knowledge to another set, according to some standard of sufficiency erected by themselves. They would have an equal right to limit their portion of light or of air.-Monthly Repository.

The best Instruction.-Neither children nor grown people trust, any more than they believe, because they are bid. Telling them to have confidence is so much breath wasted. If they are properly trained, they will unavoidably have this trust and confidence, and the less that is said about it the better. If not, the less said the better, too; for confidence is then out of the question, and there is danger in making it an empty phrase. It would be well if those, whose office it is to address children, were fully aware that exhortation, persuasion, and dissuasion are of no use in their case; and that there is immeasurable value in the opposite method of appeal. Make truth credible, and they will believe it: make goodness lovely, and they will love it: make holiness cheerful, and they will be glad in it: but remind them of themselves by threat, inducement, or exhortation, and you impair (if you do anything) the force of their unconscious affections: try to put them on a task of arbitrary self-management, and your words pass over their ears only to be forgotten.-Harriet Martineau.

The due exercise of the physical feelings, at the times when nature requires them to be put into action, is essentially requisite to the health of both body and mind; and without such exercise, at the proper periods indicated by nature, the body will become diseased, and the mind confused and weakened. Society, as it is now constituted, is full of error on this subject, both in principle and practice; fand man can never become either rational or happy, until the errors in both shall be removed.-Robert Owen.

The Academia, a garden in the neighbourhood of Athens, belonging to Plato, and in which he taught his philosophy, is said by some to have derived its name from that of its first owner Academus, an Athenian, who was celebrated and honoured by his countrymen for the part he took with the Tyndarida in the wars which ended in the overthrow of their tyrant Theseus. It was situate in the midst of a grove devoted to the celebration of public games. The school founded by Plato was termed the Old Academy; to which succeeded that of Arcesilaus, called the Middle; and that of Carneades, known as the New Academy. The "sacred groves of the Academy were cut down by the Roman tyrant Sylla, during his expedition into Greece.

Plato, who derived many of his opinions from his master Socrates, taught the transmigration and immortality of the soul, and asserted the existence of a divine principle in things, superior to necessity and independent of fate. The doctrines of Arcesilaus and of Carneades differed in many points from those of Plato; but all three dealt in problems as inexplicable by philosophy as is the "miraculous conception," the "actual presence," or even the "Holy Trinity" itself, by Faith. We therefore refrain from the useless task of recording them; contenting ourselves with the simple remark, that Christianity stands indebted to Platonism for all which it involves of ideal beauty and sublimity of metaphysical speculation.

REVELATIONS OF TRUTH.

CHAP. XXII.

THE teachers of the world are met together: there is jealousy and display and much nonsense, but neither charity nor truth.

They devise schemes for the improvement of mankind; they discuss many and great projects: but they unite not to perfect or to perform any.

They would make all men happy; but must dictate the kind and method of their happiness: every one is anxious to assist his fellows, provided he may be their leader.

The unphilosophical insinuates the falsehood of a discovery, to revenge the implication of his own ignorance, or in envy of the greater knowledge of every new thing he exclaims, It is folly! testing it by his own want of ob

servation.

The philosopher, searching for Truth, and not for the confirmation of his own opinions, judgeth nothing until he hath heard some evidence and laugheth not at a new thing because he understandeth it not.

Behold the difference between the fool and the wise.

And society is disunited, and divided into separate classes: this is a monstrous evil.

The upper or privileged class is idle, luxuriously sensual, heartless, careless of the feelings of others, and immoderately selfish.

The middle or respectable class is sensual, greedy, intolerant, prejudiced, and selfish.

The lower and despised class is sensual, envious, violent and intolerant, yet less selfish than the others.

And many, who oppose evil, do it from envy of the evil-doers: they would depose the tyrant that they may usurp his seat, and tyrannize in their turn. These and the waverers are spies from the enemies' camp.

All are born equal: the infant slumbering in a cradle of gold is in no wise superior to that which, wrapped in a few rags, lieth on a handful of dirty

straw.

Let EDUCATION be given to all, that every one may know his duty to himself and to his fellow-beings: if there be one ignorant of this, that one is a broken link in the chain of social order, a jarring chord in the Harmony of Life.

Education is not a leading to the acquisition of words; Education is not authoritative; the teaching of facts is information, not Education: to teach how to think, not what to think; to prepare the mind for healthful thought, not to direct that thought-this is EDUCATION: All else is but little compared with this, and worthless without it.

If the body is unhealthy, the mind becomes diseased. To provide for the health of the body, before the child's own reason can refuse the evil and choose the good, is the first educational duty, in the present depraved state of human existence, in which, inheriting the diseased constitutions of our parents, we are born without the guide of Instinct.

Provide for the health of the body-you have laid the foundation of a sound mind, of a virtuous heart; give opportunity for the free and healthful exercise of the mind-the chief business of education is provided for. What remains? To counteract the sophistry of evil example-to guard the pliant immaturity from all external evil. The Spirit within will build up its own Character.

But "there is natural evil within; the human heart is desperately wicked: we must eradicate original sin." What telleth thee this?

Evil dispositions are not natural to humanity, though they be inherited by the individual: Medicine the diseased nature-but beware lest thou create the evil which shall need thy remedying.

The child is accountable to its parents, to its guardians and instructors:

but the man is responsible to none save God and the laws of society, those laws being for the good of all.

If he offend or injure one of his brethren, he hath offended and injured all: Shall not he be judged by the community, even though his fault be not named in the statute book?

Despise not the blameless child of the Sinner: is he answerable for the errors of his sire? Why should the children be punished for the sins of their fathers? is not their inheritance sufficient evil? ay, more than sufficient.

Religion is not form, but heart-worship: Fetter not the hearts of men; let every one act as he shall think most fitting, uncontrolled save by the just. respect for others' right; punish not his truthfulness, neither compel him to pay for services he doth not need: yet separate not from your brethren for a mere form, an unimportant variance of opinion.

Let practice, not speculative and unknowing theory, be the qualification for private respect, for public preferment: let vice be everywhere amenable to public opinion, to be corrected at the bar of public justice.

Finally-Respect virtue; prevent vice: honour abilities when well employed; condemn them when their influence is evil. Shun the man who liveth but for himself; learn of him who loveth another as himself.

Idler, why lie down to die?

Better rub than rust:
Hark, the lark sings in the sky,
"Die, when die thou must:
Day is waking, leaves are shaking,-
Better rub than rust."

In the grave there's sleep enough,-
"Better rub than rust :"
Death, perhaps, is hunger-proof;
"Die, when die thou must:
Men are mowing, breezes blowing;
Better rub than rust."

He, who will not work, shall want;
Nought for nought is just;
Won't do, must do, when he can't:
"Better rub than rust;

Bees are flying-sloth is dying!
Better rub than rust."

Ebenezer Elliot.

t

The New Moral World.-In this New World, the sympathies of human nature will be rightly directed from infancy, and will engender a spirit of benevolence, confidence and affection, which will pervade mankind.

The impurities of the present system, arising from human laws opposed to nature's laws, will be unknown. The immense mass of degradation of character, and of heart-rending suffering, experienced by both sexes, but especially by women, will be altogether prevented, and the characters of all women will, by a superior, yet natural training, be elevated to become lovely, good and intellectual. Of this state of purity and felicity few of the present generation have been trained to form any correct or rational conception.

Robert Owen.

June 1, 1839