Page:The collected works of Theodore Parker volume 7.djvu/39

Rh violated, where many men are obliged by circumstances to violate them, it follows unavoidably that many are born little by nature, and they transmit their feebleness to their issue. The other class, men little by position, are often so hedged about with difficulties, so neglected, that they cannot change their condition; they bequeath also their littleness to their children. Thus tho number of little ones enlarges with the increase of society. This class becomes perpetual; a class of men mainly abandoned by the Christians. In all forms of social life hitherto devised these classes have appeared, and it has be on a serious question, What shall be done with them? Seldom has it been the question, What shall be done for them? In olden time the Spartans took children born with a weak or imperfect body, children who would probably be a hinderance to the nation, and threw them into a desert place to be devoured by the wild beasts, and so settled that question. At this day, the Chinese,. I am told, expose such children in the streets, and beside the rivers, to the humanity of passers by ; and not only such, but sound, healthy children, none the less, who, though strong by nature, are born into a Weak position. Many of them are left to die, especially the boys. But some are saved, those mainly girls. I will not say they are saved by the humanity of wealthier men. They become slaves, devoted by their masters to a most base and infamous purpose. With the exception of criminals, these abandoned daughters of the poor form, it is said, the only class of slaves in that great country.

Neither the Chinese nor the Spartan method is manly or human. It does with the little ones, not for them. It does away with them, and that is all. I will not decide which is the worst of the two modes, the Chinese or the Spartan. We are accustomed to call both these nations heathen, and take it for granted they do not know it is God's will that not one of these little ones should perish. Be that as it may, we do not call ourselves heathen; we pretend to know the will of God in this particular. Let us look, therefore, and see ,how we have disposed of the little ones in Boston, what we are doing for them or with them.

Let me begin with neglected and abandoned children