Page:Home Education by Isaac Taylor (1838).djvu/23

 of early training should be admitted, without disturbance, to regulate the entire process. And yet, even at home, the influence of the very same motives must be guarded against in each instance in which parents avail themselves, as ordinarily they must, of the services of teachers of particular accomplishments. The home teacher, with a natural solicitude to justify himself, or herself, will always be tending to the same point—a quick and visible result; nor in truth, are many parents able thoroughly to dismiss from their own bosoms the instinctive desire to see their children shine, and shine in comparison with others. Very much that is gratifying must be foregone when a clever child, who might easily have been made to blaze with various accomplishments, is quietly trained under a severe regard to what the future man may be, and do.

But throughout the present work nothing else can be assumed but that parents, in deciding upon a home education for their families, have formed their resolution as to what they actually aim at; and that they possess the self-denying energy required for carrying on methods of culture, such as may not perhaps fully justify the principle embodied therein, until distant years come about, when the arduous engagements of life shall put that principle to the proof.

The doctrine so much talked of of late, and so eagerly followed by many, is that of ; and the question put on all sides is, 'What are the readiest and the surest means of expanding the faculties at an early age?' But the very contrary doctrine is the one professed and explained throughout this work; for I am bold to avow my adherence to the principle of repression and reserve, in the culture of the mind; and it is this principle which I would fain convince the reader may be put in practice consistently with the conveyance of really more information, or