Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. I.djvu/203

 have not offspring of their own may fulfil its duties by adopting orphan children.

“But why do you not enunciate these views fully?” inquired I from Alcott: “they are of higher importance than any I have heard during your Conversations, and are really of the highest importance to society.” Alcott excused himself by the difficulty of treating such a subject in public conversation, and spoke of the intention he had of realising his views in the formation of a little society, in which, I presume, he would act as high-priest. Again a dream. But the dreamer has risen considerably in my estimation by the reality and the nobility of his views on this subject. I will even excuse his whim about diet, with the exception of its exclusiveness. I adhere to that system, which, without the one-sidedness of this and the continued use of wine and all other of God's good gifts, yet still cries aloud to mankind,—“Take heed ye be not overtaken by gluttony and drunkenness.”

Alcott gave me two books. They contain conversations which took place between him and various children during a period when he had a school—which was intended to be “the School,” par excellence. Alcott's main point in the education of children is to awaken their higher nature and to give them a high esteem for it, so that they may love it and always act in accordance with it. He, therefore, early places before their eyes the human-ideal, or the ideal-human being in Jesus Christ. On every occasion of the children's assembling, Alcott began his instruction by reading aloud a chapter from the Holy Scriptures. When this was ended, he asked the children; “ what was in your thoughts, or in your soul, whilst you heard this?” Many of the replies were very naïve.

After this Alcott led them to consider what virtue had been exhibited in the narrative, or the incident which