Page:Romance & Reality 2.pdf/97

Rh "I cannot but think," rejoined Mr. Morland, "our present mode of education has too much of the forcing system in it. The forward child grows into the dogmatic youth, and it takes ten years of disappointment and mortification to undo the work of twenty. Nothing leads to such a false idea of self-importance as display. I dislike those rail-roads to information, because the labour of acquiring knowledge is even more valuable than the knowledge acquired. It is a great misfortune to children to be made of too much consequence." "It seems to me," observed Lady Mandeville, "that we over-educate the memory, while the temper and the feelings are neglected, forgetting that the future will be governed much more by the affections than by the understanding. I would, both for his own happiness and that of those connected with him, a thousand times rather see Frank affectionate and generous, than like a little dictionary at my side for memory and correctness." "Never tell me," said Lord Mandeville, "but that a child must be the better for reading anecdotes of generosity, kindliness, and self-devotion. It would give me more pleasure to have Frank's enthusiasm excited by such acts,