EMILE By Jean-Jacques Rousseau Translated by Barbara Foxley

Author's Preface Th s collect on of scattered thou!hts and obser"at ons has l ttle order or cont nu ty# t $as be!un to ! "e %leasure to a !ood &other $ho th n's for herself( My f rst dea $as to $r te a tract a fe$ %a!es lon!) but I $as carr ed a$ay by &y sub*ect) and before I 'ne$ $hat I $as do n! &y tract had beco&e a ' nd of boo') too lar!e ndeed for the &atter conta ned n t) but too s&all for the sub*ect of $h ch t treats( For a lon! t &e I hes tated $hether to %ubl sh t or not) and I ha"e often felt) $hen at $or' u%on t) that t s one th n! to %ubl sh a fe$ %a&%hlets and another to $r te a boo'( After "a n atte&%ts to &%ro"e t) I ha"e dec ded that t s &y duty to %ubl sh t as t stands( I cons der that %ubl c attent on requ res to be d rected to th s sub*ect) and e"en f &y o$n deas are & sta'en) &y t &e $ ll not ha"e been $asted f I st r u% others to for& r !ht deas( A sol tary $ho casts h s $r t n!s before the %ubl c $ thout any one to ad"ert se the&) $ thout any %arty ready to defend the&) one $ho does not e"en 'no$ $hat s thou!ht and sa d about those $r t n!s) s at least free fro& one anx ety-- f he s & sta'en) no one $ ll ta'e h s errors for !os%el( I shall say "ery l ttle about the "alue of a !ood educat on) nor shall I sto% to %ro"e that the custo&ary &ethod of educat on s bad# th s has been done a!a n and a!a n) and I do not $ sh to f ll &y boo' $ th th n!s $h ch e"eryone 'no$s( I $ ll &erely state that) !o as far bac' as you $ ll) you $ ll f nd a cont nual outcry a!a nst the establ shed &ethod) but no atte&%t to su!!est a better( The l terature and sc ence of our day tend rather to destroy than to bu ld u%( +e f nd fault after the &anner of a &aster# to su!!est) $e &ust ado%t another style) a style less n accordance $ th the %r de of the %h loso%her( In s% te of all those boo's) $hose only a &) so they say) s %ubl c ut l ty) the &ost useful of all arts) the art of tra n n! &en) s st ll ne!lected( E"en after Loc'e's boo' $as $r tten the sub*ect re&a ned al&ost untouched) and I fear that &y boo' $ ll lea"e t %retty &uch as t found t( +e 'no$ noth n! of ch ldhood# and $ th our & sta'en not ons the further $e ad"ance the further $e !o astray( The $ sest $r ters de"ote the&sel"es to $hat a &an ou!ht to 'no$) $ thout as' n! $hat

a ch ld s ca%able of learn n!( They are al$ays loo' n! for the &an n the ch ld) $ thout cons der n! $hat he s before he beco&es a &an( It s to th s study that I ha"e ch efly de"oted &yself) so that f &y &ethod s fanc ful and unsound) &y obser"at ons &ay st ll be of ser" ce( I &ay be !reatly & sta'en as to $hat ou!ht to be done) but I th n' I ha"e clearly %erce "ed the &ater al $h ch s to be $or'ed u%on( Be! n thus by &a' n! a &ore careful study of your scholars) for t s clear that you 'no$ noth n! about the&# yet f you read th s boo' $ th that end n " e$) I th n' you $ ll f nd that t s not ent rely useless( + th re!ard to $hat $ ll be called the syste&at c %ort on of the boo') $h ch s noth n! &ore than the course of nature) t s here that the reader $ ll %robably !o $ron!) and no doubt I shall be attac'ed on th s s de) and %erha%s &y cr t cs &ay be r !ht( -ou $ ll tell &e) .Th s s not so &uch a treat se on educat on as the " s ons of a drea&er $ th re!ard to educat on(. +hat can I do/ I ha"e not $r tten about other %eo%le's deas of educat on) but about &y o$n( My thou!hts are not those of others# th s re%roach has been brou!ht a!a nst &e a!a n and a!a n( But s t $ th n &y %o$er to furn sh &yself $ th other eyes) or to ado%t other deas/ It s $ th n &y %o$er to refuse to be $edded to &y o$n o% n ons and to refuse to th n' &yself $ ser than others( I cannot chan!e &y & nd# I can d strust &yself( Th s s all I can do) and th s I ha"e done( If I so&et &es ado%t a conf dent tone) t s not to &%ress the reader) t s to &a'e &y &ean n! %la n to h &( +hy should I %rofess to su!!est as doubtful that $h ch s not a &atter of doubt to &yself/ I say *ust $hat I th n'( +hen I freely ex%ress &y o% n on) I ha"e so l ttle dea of cla & n! author ty that I al$ays ! "e &y reasons) so that you &ay $e !h and *ud!e the& for yoursel"es# but thou!h I $ould not obst nately defend &y deas) I th n' t &y duty to %ut the& for$ard# for the %r nc %les $ th re!ard to $h ch I d ffer fro& other $r ters are not &atters of nd fference# $e &ust 'no$ $hether they are true or false) for on the& de%ends the ha%% ness or the & sery of &an' nd( Peo%le are al$ays tell n! &e to &a'e PRA0TI0ABLE su!!est ons( -ou & !ht as $ell tell &e to su!!est $hat %eo%le are do n! already) or at least to su!!est &%ro"e&ents $h ch &ay be ncor%orated $ th the $ron! &ethods at %resent n use( There are &atters $ th re!ard to $h ch such a su!!est on s far &ore ch &er cal than &y o$n) for n such a connect on the !ood s corru%ted and the bad s none the better for t( I $ould rather follo$ exactly the establ shed &ethod than ado%t a better &ethod by hal"es( There $ould be fe$er contrad ct ons n the &an# he cannot a & at one and the sa&e t &e at t$o d fferent ob*ects( Fathers and &others) $hat you des re that you can do( May I count on your !ood$ ll/ There are t$o th n!s to be cons dered $ th re!ard to any sche&e( In the f rst %lace) .Is t !ood n tself. In the second) .0an t

be eas ly %ut nto %ract ce/. + th re!ard to the f rst of these t s enou!h that the sche&e should be ntell ! ble and feas ble n tself) that $hat s !ood n t should be ada%ted to the nature of th n!s) n th s case) for exa&%le) that the %ro%osed &ethod of educat on should be su table to &an and ada%ted to the hu&an heart( The second cons derat on de%ends u%on certa n ! "en cond t ons n %art cular cases# these cond t ons are acc dental and therefore "ar able# they &ay "ary ndef n tely( Thus one ' nd of educat on $ould be %oss ble n 2$ t3erland and not n France# another $ould be ada%ted to the & ddle classes but not to the nob l ty( The sche&e can be carr ed out) $ th &ore or less success) accord n! to a &ult tude of c rcu&stances) and ts results can only be deter& ned by ts s%ec al a%%l cat on to one country or another) to th s class or that( 4o$ all these %art cular a%%l cat ons are not essent al to &y sub*ect) and they for& no %art of &y sche&e( It s enou!h for &e that) $here"er &en are born nto the $orld) &y su!!est ons $ th re!ard to the& &ay be carr ed out) and $hen you ha"e &ade the& $hat I $ould ha"e the& be) you ha"e done $hat s best for the& and best for other %eo%le( If I fa l to fulf l th s %ro& se) no doubt I a& to bla&e# but f I fulf l &y %ro& se) t s your o$n fault f you as' anyth n! &ore of &e) for I ha"e %ro& sed you noth n! &ore(

B556 I 7od &a'es all th n!s !ood# &an &eddles $ th the& and they beco&e e" l( 8e forces one so l to y eld the %roducts of another) one tree to bear another's fru t( 8e confuses and confounds t &e) %lace) and natural cond t ons( 8e &ut lates h s do!) h s horse) and h s sla"e( 8e destroys and defaces all th n!s# he lo"es all that s defor&ed and &onstrous# he $ ll ha"e noth n! as nature &ade t) not e"en &an h &self) $ho &ust learn h s %aces l 'e a saddle-horse) and be sha%ed to h s &aster's taste l 'e the trees n h s !arden( -et th n!s $ould be $orse $ thout th s educat on) and &an' nd cannot be &ade by hal"es( 9nder ex st n! cond t ons a &an left to h &self fro& b rth $ould be &ore of a &onster than the rest( Pre*ud ce) author ty) necess ty) exa&%le) all the soc al cond t ons nto $h ch $e are %lun!ed) $ould st fle nature n h & and %ut noth n! n her %lace( 2he $ould be l 'e a sa%l n! chance so$n n the & dst of the h !h$ay) bent h ther and th ther and soon crushed by the %assers-by( Tender) anx ous &other) :Footnote; The earl est educat on s &ost &%ortant and t undoubtedly s $o&an's $or'( If the author of nature had &eant to ass !n t to &en he $ould ha"e ! "en the& & l' to feed the ch ld( Address your treat ses on educat on to the

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$o&en) for not only are they able to $atch o"er t &ore closely than &en) not only s the r nfluence al$ays %redo& nant n educat on) ts success concerns the& &ore nearly) for &ost $ do$s are at the &ercy of the r ch ldren) $ho sho$ the& "ery %la nly $hether the r educat on $as !ood or bad( The la$s) al$ays &ore concerned about %ro%erty than about %eo%le) s nce the r ob*ect s not " rtue but %eace) the la$s ! "e too l ttle author ty to the &other( -et her %os t on s &ore certa n than that of the father) her dut es are &ore try n!# the r !ht order n! of the fa& ly de%ends &ore u%on her) and she s usually fonder of her ch ldren( There are occas ons $hen a son &ay be excused for lac' of res%ect for h s father) but f a ch ld could be so unnatural as to fa l n res%ect for the &other $ho bore h & and nursed h & at her breast) $ho for so &any years de"oted herself to h s care) such a &onstrous $retch should be s&othered at once as un$orthy to l "e( -ou say &others s%o l the r ch ldren) and no doubt that s $ron!) but t s $orse to de%ra"e the& as you do( The &other $ants her ch ld to be ha%%y no$( 2he s r !ht) and f her &ethod s $ron!) she &ust be tau!ht a better( A&b t on) a"ar ce) tyranny) the & sta'en fores !ht of fathers) the r ne!lect) the r harshness) are a hundredfold &ore har&ful to the ch ld than the bl nd affect on of the &other( Moreo"er) I &ust ex%la n $hat I &ean by a &other and that ex%lanat on follo$s(= I a%%eal to you( -ou can re&o"e th s youn! tree fro& the h !h$ay and sh eld t fro& the crush n! force of soc al con"ent ons( Tend and $ater t ere t d es( 5ne day ts fru t $ ll re$ard your care( Fro& the outset ra se a $all round your ch ld's soul# another &ay s'etch the %lan) you alone should carry t nto execut on( Plants are fash oned by cult "at on) &an by educat on( If a &an $ere born tall and stron!) h s s 3e and stren!th $ould be of no !ood to h & t ll he had learnt to use the&# they $ould e"en har& h & by %re"ent n! others fro& co& n! to h s a d# :Footnote; L 'e the& n externals) but $ thout s%eech and $ thout the deas $h ch are ex%ressed by s%eech) he $ould be unable to &a'e h s $ants 'no$n) $h le there $ould be noth n! n h s a%%earance to su!!est that he needed the r hel%(= left to h &self he $ould d e of $ant before he 'ne$ h s needs( +e la&ent the hel%lessness of nfancy# $e fa l to %erce "e that the race $ould ha"e %er shed had not &an be!un by be n! a ch ld( +e are born $ea') $e need stren!th# hel%less) $e need a d# fool sh) $e need reason( All that $e lac' at b rth) all that $e need $hen $e co&e to &an's estate) s the ! ft of educat on( Th s educat on co&es to us fro& nature) fro& &en) or fro& th n!s( The nner !ro$th of our or!ans and facult es s the educat on of nature) the use $e learn to &a'e of th s !ro$th s the educat on of &en) $hat $e !a n by our ex%er ence of our surround n!s s the educat on of th n!s(

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Thus $e are each tau!ht by three &asters( If the r teach n! confl cts) the scholar s ll-educated and $ ll ne"er be at %eace $ th h &self# f the r teach n! a!rees) he !oes stra !ht to h s !oal) he l "es at %eace $ th h &self) he s $ell-educated( 4o$ of these three factors n educat on nature s $holly beyond our control) th n!s are only %artly n our %o$er# the educat on of &en s the only one controlled by us# and e"en here our %o$er s lar!ely llusory) for $ho can ho%e to d rect e"ery $ord and deed of all $ th $ho& the ch ld has to do( ? e$ed as an art) the success of educat on s al&ost &%oss ble) s nce the essent al cond t ons of success are beyond our control( 5ur efforts &ay br n! us $ th n s !ht of the !oal) but fortune &ust fa"our us f $e are to reach t( +hat s th s !oal/ As $e ha"e *ust sho$n) t s the !oal of nature( 2 nce all three &odes of educat on &ust $or' to!ether) the t$o that $e can control &ust follo$ the lead of that $h ch s beyond our control( Perha%s th s $ord 4ature has too "a!ue a &ean n!( Let us try to def ne t( 4ature) $e are told) s &erely hab t( +hat does that &ean/ Are there not hab ts for&ed under co&%uls on) hab ts $h ch ne"er st fle nature/ 2uch) for exa&%le) are the hab ts of %lants tra ned hor 3ontally( The %lant 'ee%s ts art f c al sha%e) but the sa% has not chan!ed ts course) and any ne$ !ro$th the %lant &ay &a'e $ ll be "ert cal( It s the sa&e $ th a &an's d s%os t on# $h le the cond t ons re&a n the sa&e) hab ts) e"en the least natural of the&) hold !ood# but chan!e the cond t ons) hab ts "an sh) nature reasserts herself( Educat on tself s but hab t) for are there not %eo%le $ho for!et or lose the r educat on and others $ho 'ee% t/ +hence co&es th s d fference/ If the ter& nature s to be restr cted to hab ts confor&able to nature $e need say no &ore( +e are born sens t "e and fro& our b rth on$ards $e are affected n "ar ous $ays by our en" ron&ent( As soon as $e beco&e consc ous of our sensat ons $e tend to see' or shun the th n!s that cause the&) at f rst because they are %leasant or un%leasant) then because they su t us or not) and at last because of *ud!&ents for&ed by &eans of the deas of ha%% ness and !oodness $h ch reason ! "es us( These tendenc es !a n stren!th and %er&anence $ th the !ro$th of reason) but h ndered by our hab ts they are &ore or less $ar%ed by our %re*ud ces( Before th s chan!e they are $hat I call 4ature $ th n us( E"eryth n! should therefore be brou!ht nto har&ony $ th these natural tendenc es) and that & !ht $ell be f our three &odes of educat on &erely d ffered fro& one another# but $hat can be done $hen they confl ct) $hen nstead of tra n n! &an for h &self you

try to tra n h & for others/ 8ar&ony beco&es &%oss ble( Forced to co&bat e ther nature or soc ety) you &ust &a'e your cho ce bet$een the &an and the c t 3en) you cannot tra n both( The s&aller soc al !rou%) f r&ly un ted n tself and d$ell n! a%art fro& others) tends to $ thdra$ tself fro& the lar!er soc ety( E"ery %atr ot hates fore !ners# they are only &en) and noth n! to h &(:Footnote; Thus the $ars of re%ubl cs are &ore cruel than those of &onarch es( But f the $ars of ' n!s are less cruel) the r %eace s terr ble# better be the r foe than the r sub*ect(= Th s defect s ne" table) but of l ttle &%ortance( The !reat th n! s to be ' nd to our ne !hbours( A&on! stran!ers the 2%artan $as self sh) !ras% n!) and un*ust) but unself shness) *ust ce) and har&ony ruled h s ho&e l fe( A strust those cos&o%ol tans $ho search out re&ote dut es n the r boo's and ne!lect those that l e nearest( 2uch %h loso%hers $ ll lo"e the Tartars to a"o d lo" n! the r ne !hbour( The natural &an l "es for h &self# he s the un t) the $hole) de%endent only on h &self and on h s l 'e( The c t 3en s but the nu&erator of a fract on) $hose "alue de%ends on ts deno& nator# h s "alue de%ends u%on the $hole) that s) on the co&&un ty( 7ood soc al nst tut ons are those best f tted to &a'e a &an unnatural) to exchan!e h s nde%endence for de%endence) to &er!e the un t n the !rou%) so that he no lon!er re!ards h &self as one) but as a %art of the $hole) and s only consc ous of the co&&on l fe( A c t 3en of Ro&e $as ne ther 0a us nor Luc us) he $as a Ro&an# he e"er lo"ed h s country better than h s l fe( The ca%t "e Re!ulus %rofessed h &self a 0artha! n an# as a fore !ner he refused to ta'e h s seat n the 2enate exce%t at h s &aster's b dd n!( 8e scorned the atte&%t to sa"e h s l fe( 8e had h s $ ll) and returned n tr u&%h to a cruel death( There s no !reat l 'eness bet$een Re!ulus and the &en of our o$n day( The 2%artan Pedaretes %resented h &self for ad& ss on to the counc l of the Three 8undred and $as re*ected# he $ent a$ay re*o c n! that there $ere three hundred 2%artans better than h &self( I su%%ose he $as n earnest# there s no reason to doubt t( That $as a c t 3en( A 2%artan &other had f "e sons $ th the ar&y( A 8elot arr "ed# tre&bl n! she as'ed h s ne$s( .-our f "e sons are sla n(. .? le sla"e) $as that $hat I as'ed thee/. .+e ha"e $on the " ctory(. 2he hastened to the te&%le to render than's to the !ods( That $as a c t 3en( 8e $ho $ould %reser"e the su%re&acy of natural feel n!s n soc al l fe 'no$s not $hat he as's( E"er at $ar $ th h &self) hes tat n! bet$een h s $ shes and h s dut es) he $ ll be ne ther a &an nor a c t 3en( 8e $ ll be of no use to h &self nor to others( 8e $ ll be a &an of our day) a French&an) an En!l sh&an) one of the !reat & ddle class(

To be so&eth n!) to be h &self) and al$ays at one $ th h &self) a &an &ust act as he s%ea's) &ust 'no$ $hat course he ou!ht to ta'e) and &ust follo$ that course $ th " !our and %ers stence( +hen I &eet th s & racle t $ ll be t &e enou!h to dec de $hether he s a &an or a c t 3en) or ho$ he contr "es to be both( T$o confl ct n! ty%es of educat onal syste&s s%r n! fro& these confl ct n! a &s( 5ne s %ubl c and co&&on to &any) the other %r "ate and do&est c( If you $ sh to 'no$ $hat s &eant by %ubl c educat on) read Plato's Re%ubl c( Those $ho &erely *ud!e boo's by the r t tles ta'e th s for a treat se on %ol t cs) but t s the f nest treat se on educat on e"er $r tten( In %o%ular est &at on the Platon c Inst tute stands for all that s fanc ful and unreal( For &y o$n %art I should ha"e thou!ht the syste& of Lycur!us far &ore &%ract cable had he &erely co&& tted t to $r t n!( Plato only sou!ht to %ur!e &an's heart# Lycur!us turned t fro& ts natural course( The %ubl c nst tute does not and cannot ex st) for there s ne ther country nor %atr ot( The "ery $ords should be struc' out of our lan!ua!e( The reason does not concern us at %resent) so that thou!h I 'no$ t I refra n fro& stat n! t( I do not cons der our r d culous colle!es :Footnote; There are teachers dear to &e n &any schools and es%ec ally n the 9n "ers ty of Par s) &en for $ho& I ha"e a !reat res%ect) &en $ho& I bel e"e to be qu te ca%able of nstruct n! youn! %eo%le) f they $ere not co&%elled to follo$ the establ shed custo&( I exhort one of the& to %ubl sh the sche&e of refor& $h ch he has thou!ht out( Perha%s %eo%le $ould at len!th see' to cure the e" l f they real sed that there $as a re&edy(= as %ubl c nst tutes) nor do I nclude under th s head a fash onable educat on) for th s educat on fac n! t$o $ays at once ach e"es noth n!( It s only f t to turn out hy%ocr tes) al$ays %rofess n! to l "e for others) $h le th n' n! of the&sel"es alone( These %rofess ons) ho$e"er) dece "e no one) for e"ery one has h s share n the&# they are so &uch labour $asted( 5ur nner confl cts are caused by these contrad ct ons( Ara$n th s $ay by nature and that $ay by &an) co&%elled to y eld to both forces) $e &a'e a co&%ro& se and reach ne ther !oal( +e !o throu!h l fe) stru!!l n! and hes tat n!) and d e before $e ha"e found %eace) useless al 'e to oursel"es and to others( There re&a ns the educat on of the ho&e or of nature# but ho$ $ ll a &an l "e $ th others f he s educated for h &self alone/ If the t$ofold a &s could be resol"ed nto one by re&o" n! the &an's

self-contrad ct ons) one !reat obstacle to h s ha%% ness $ould be !one( To *ud!e of th s you &ust see the &an full-!ro$n# you &ust ha"e noted h s ncl nat ons) $atched h s %ro!ress) follo$ed h s ste%s# n a $ord you &ust really 'no$ a natural &an( +hen you ha"e read th s $or') I th n' you $ ll ha"e &ade so&e %ro!ress n th s nqu ry( +hat &ust be done to tra n th s exce%t onal &anD +e can do &uch) but the ch ef th n! s to %re"ent anyth n! be n! done( To sa l a!a nst the $ nd $e &erely follo$ one tac' and another# to 'ee% our %os t on n a stor&y sea $e &ust cast anchor( Be$are) youn! % lot) lest your boat sl % ts cable or dra! ts anchor before you 'no$ t(

In the soc al order $here each has h s o$n %lace a &an &ust be educated for t( If such a one lea"e h s o$n stat on he s f t for noth n! else( 8 s educat on s only useful $hen fate a!rees $ th h s %arents' cho ce# f not) educat on har&s the scholar) f only by the %re*ud ces t has created( In E!y%t) $here the son $as co&%elled to ado%t h s father's call n!) educat on had at least a settled a &# $here soc al !rades re&a n f xed) but the &en $ho for& the& are constantly chan! n!) no one 'no$s $hether he s not har& n! h s son by educat n! h & for h s o$n class( In the natural order &en are all equal and the r co&&on call n! s that of &anhood) so that a $ell-educated &an cannot fa l to do $ell n that call n! and those related to t( It &atters l ttle to &e $hether &y %u% l s ntended for the ar&y) the church) or the la$( Before h s %arents chose a call n! for h & nature called h & to be a &an( L fe s the trade I $ould teach h &( +hen he lea"es &e) I !rant you) he $ ll be ne ther a &a! strate) a sold er) nor a %r est# he $ ll be a &an( All that beco&es a &an he $ ll learn as qu c'ly as another( In "a n $ ll fate chan!e h s stat on) he $ ll al$ays be n h s r !ht %lace( .5ccu%a" te) fortuna) atque ce% # o&nes-que ad tus tuos nterclus ) ut ad &e as% rare non %osses(. The real ob*ect of our study s &an and h s en" ron&ent( To &y & nd those of us $ho can best endure the !ood and e" l of l fe are the best educated# hence t follo$s that true educat on cons sts less n %rece%t than n %ract ce( +e be! n to learn $hen $e be! n to l "e# our educat on be! ns $ th oursel"es) our f rst teacher s our nurse( The anc ents used the $ord .Educat on. n a d fferent sense) t &eant .4urture(. .Educ t obstetr x). says ?arro( .Educat nutr x) nst tu t %aeda!o!us) docet &a! ster(. Thus) educat on) d sc %l ne) and nstruct on are three th n!s as d fferent n the r %ur%ose as the da&e) the usher) and the teacher( But these d st nct ons are undes rable and the ch ld should only follo$ one !u de(

+e &ust therefore loo' at the !eneral rather than the %art cular) and cons der our scholar as &an n the abstract) &an ex%osed to all the chan!es and chances of &ortal l fe( If &en $ere born attached to the so l of our country) f one season lasted all the year round) f e"ery &an's fortune $ere so f r&ly !ras%ed that he could ne"er lose t) then the establ shed &ethod of educat on $ould ha"e certa n ad"anta!es# the ch ld brou!ht u% to h s o$n call n! $ould ne"er lea"e t) he could ne"er ha"e to face the d ff cult es of any other cond t on( But $hen $e cons der the fleet n! nature of hu&an affa rs) the restless and uneasy s% r t of our t &es) $hen e"ery !enerat on o"erturns the $or' of ts %redecessor) can $e conce "e a &ore senseless %lan than to educate a ch ld as f he $ould ne"er lea"e h s roo&) as f he $ould al$ays ha"e h s ser"ants about h &/ If the $retched creature ta'es a s n!le ste% u% or do$n he s lost( Th s s not teach n! h & to bear %a n# t s tra n n! h & to feel t( Peo%le th n' only of %reser" n! the r ch ld's l fe# th s s not enou!h) he &ust be tau!ht to %reser"e h s o$n l fe $hen he s a &an) to bear the buffets of fortune) to bra"e $ealth and %o"erty) to l "e at need a&on! the sno$s of Iceland or on the scorch n! roc's of Malta( In "a n you !uard a!a nst death# he &ust needs d e# and e"en f you do not ' ll h & $ th your %recaut ons) they are & sta'en( Teach h & to l "e rather than to a"o d death; l fe s not breath) but act on) the use of our senses) our & nd) our facult es) e"ery %art of oursel"es $h ch &a'es us consc ous of our be n!( L fe cons sts less n len!th of days than n the 'een sense of l " n!( A &an &aybe bur ed at a hundred and &ay ne"er ha"e l "ed at all( 8e $ould ha"e fared better had he d ed youn!( 5ur $ sdo& s sla" sh %re*ud ce) our custo&s cons st n control) constra nt) co&%uls on( 0 " l sed &an s born and d es a sla"e( The nfant s bound u% n s$addl n! clothes) the cor%se s na led do$n n h s coff n( All h s l fe lon! &an s &%r soned by our nst tut ons( I a& told that &any & d$ "es %rofess to &%ro"e the sha%e of the nfant's head by rubb n!) and they are allo$ed to do t( 5ur heads are not !ood enou!h as 7od &ade the&) they &ust be &oulded outs de by the nurse and ns de by the %h loso%her( The 0ar bs are better off than $e are( The ch ld has hardly left the &other's $o&b) t has hardly be!un to &o"e and stretch ts l &bs) $hen t s de%r "ed of ts freedo&( It s $ra%%ed n s$addl n! bands) la d do$n $ th ts head f xed) ts le!s stretched out) and ts ar&s by ts s des# t s $ound round $ th l nen and banda!es of all sorts so that t cannot &o"e( It s fortunate f t has roo& to breathe) and t s la d on ts s de so that $ater $h ch should flo$ fro& ts &outh can esca%e) for t s not free to turn ts head on one s de for th s %ur%ose(

The ne$-born ch ld requ res to st r and stretch h s l &bs to free the& fro& the st ffness result n! fro& be n! curled u% so lon!( 8 s l &bs are stretched ndeed) but he s not allo$ed to &o"e the&( E"en the head s conf ned by a ca%( 5ne $ould th n' they $ere afra d the ch ld should loo' as f t $ere al "e( Thus the nternal &%ulses $h ch should lead to !ro$th f nd an nsur&ountable obstacle n the $ay of the necessary &o"e&ents( The ch ld exhausts h s stren!th n "a n stru!!les) or he !a ns stren!th "ery slo$ly( 8e $as freer and less constra ned n the $o&b# he has !a ned noth n! by b rth( The nact on) the constra nt to $h ch the ch ld's l &bs are sub*ected can only chec' the c rculat on of the blood and hu&ours# t can only h nder the ch ld's !ro$th n s 3e and stren!th) and n*ure ts const tut on( +here these absurd %recaut ons are absent) all the &en are tall) stron!) and $ell-&ade( +here ch ldren are s$addled) the country s$ar&s $ th the hu&%-bac'ed) the la&e) the bo$-le!!ed) the r c'ety) and e"ery ' nd of defor& ty( In our fear lest the body should beco&e defor&ed by free &o"e&ent) $e hasten to defor& t by %utt n! t n a %ress( +e &a'e our ch ldren hel%less lest they should hurt the&sel"es( Is not such a cruel bonda!e certa n to affect both health and te&%er/ The r f rst feel n! s one of %a n and suffer n!# they f nd e"ery necessary &o"e&ent ha&%ered# &ore & serable than a !alley sla"e) n "a n they stru!!le) they beco&e an!ry) they cry( The r f rst $ords you say are tears( That s so( Fro& b rth you are al$ays chec' n! the&) your f rst ! fts are fetters) your f rst treat&ent) torture( The r "o ce alone s free# $hy should they not ra se t n co&%la nt/ They cry because you are hurt n! the&# f you $ere s$addled you $ould cry louder st ll( +hat s the or ! n of th s senseless and unnatural custo&/ 2 nce &others ha"e des% sed the r f rst duty and refused to nurse the r o$n ch ldren) they ha"e had to be entrusted to h red nurses( F nd n! the&sel"es the &others of a stran!er's ch ldren) $ thout the t es of nature) they ha"e &erely tr ed to sa"e the&sel"es trouble( A ch ld uns$addled $ould need constant $atch n!# $ell s$addled t s cast nto a corner and ts cr es are unheeded( 2o lon! as the nurse's ne!l !ence esca%es not ce) so lon! as the nursl n! does not brea' ts ar&s or le!s) $hat &atter f t d es or beco&es a $ea'l n! for l fe( Its l &bs are 'e%t safe at the ex%ense of ts body) and f anyth n! !oes $ron! t s not the nurse's fault( These !entle &others) ha" n! !ot r d of the r bab es) de"ote the&sel"es !a ly to the %leasures of the to$n( Ao they 'no$ ho$ the r ch ldren are be n! treated n the " lla!es/ If the nurse s at all busy) the ch ld s hun! u% on a na l l 'e a bundle of clothes and s left cruc f ed $h le the nurse !oes le surely about her

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bus ness( 0h ldren ha"e been found n th s %os t on %ur%le n the face) the r t !htly banda!ed chest forbade the c rculat on of the blood) and t $ent to the head# so the sufferer $as cons dered "ery qu et because he had not stren!th to cry( 8o$ lon! a ch ld & !ht sur" "e under such cond t ons I do not 'no$) but t could not be lon!( That) I fancy) s one of the ch ef ad"anta!es of s$addl n! clothes( It s &a nta ned that uns$addled nfants $ould assu&e faulty %os t ons and &a'e &o"e&ents $h ch & !ht n*ure the %ro%er de"elo%&ent of the r l &bs( That s one of the e&%ty ar!u&ents of our false $ sdo& $h ch has ne"er been conf r&ed by ex%er ence( 5ut of all the cro$ds of ch ldren $ho !ro$ u% $ th the full use of the r l &bs a&on! nat ons $ ser than oursel"es) you ne"er f nd one $ho hurts h &self or &a &s h &self# the r &o"e&ents are too feeble to be dan!erous) and $hen they assu&e an n*ur ous %os t on) %a n $arns the& to chan!e t( +e ha"e not yet dec ded to s$addle our ' ttens and %u%% es# are they any the $orse for th s ne!lect/ 0h ldren are hea" er) I ad& t) but they are also $ea'er( They can scarcely &o"e) ho$ could they hurt the&sel"esD If you lay the& on the r bac's) they $ ll l e there t ll they d e) l 'e the turtle) unable to turn tself o"er( 4ot content $ th ha" n! ceased to suc'le the r ch ldren) $o&en no lon!er $ sh to do t# $ th the natural result &otherhood beco&es a burden# &eans are found to a"o d t( They $ ll destroy the r $or' to be! n t o"er a!a n) and they thus turn to the n*ury of the race the char& $h ch $as ! "en the& for ts ncrease( Th s %ract ce) $ th other causes of de%o%ulat on) forbodes the co& n! fate of Euro%e( 8er arts and sc ences) her %h loso%hy and &orals) $ ll shortly reduce her to a desert( 2he $ ll be the ho&e of $ ld beasts) and her nhab tants $ ll hardly ha"e chan!ed for the $orse( I ha"e so&et &es $atched the tr c's of youn! $ "es $ho %retend that they $ sh to nurse the r o$n ch ldren( They ta'e care to be d ssuaded fro& th s $h &( They contr "e that husbands) doctors) and es%ec ally &others should nter"ene( If a husband should let h s $ fe nurse her o$n baby t $ould be the ru n of h &# they $ould &a'e h & out a &urderer $ho $anted to be r d of her( A %rudent husband &ust sacr f ce %aternal affect on to do&est c %eace( Fortunately for you there are $o&en n the country d str cts &ore cont nent than your $ "es( -ou are st ll &ore fortunate f the t &e thus !a ned s not ntended for another than yourself( There can be no doubt about a $ fe's duty) but) cons der n! the conte&%t n $h ch t s held) t s doubtful $hether t s not *ust as !ood for the ch ld to be suc'led by a stran!er( Th s s a quest on for the doctors to settle) and n &y o% n on they ha"e settled t accord n! to the $o&en's $ shes) :Footnote; The lea!ue bet$een the $o&en and the doctors has al$ays struc' &e as one of

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the oddest th n!s n Par s( The doctors' re%utat on de%ends on the $o&en) and by &eans of the doctors the $o&en !et the r o$n $ay( It s easy to see $hat qual f cat ons a doctor requ res n Par s f he s to beco&e celebrated(= and for &y o$n %art I th n' t s better that the ch ld should suc' the breast of a healthy nurse rather than of a %etted &other) f he has any further e" l to fear fro& her $ho has ! "en h & b rth( 5u!ht the quest on) ho$e"er) to be cons dered only fro& the %hys olo! cal %o nt of " e$/ Aoes not the ch ld need a &other's care as &uch as her & l'/ 5ther $o&en) or e"en other an &als) &ay ! "e h & the & l' she den es h &) but there s no subst tute for a &other's lo"e( The $o&an $ho nurses another's ch ld n %lace of her o$n s a bad &other# ho$ can she be a !ood nurse/ 2he &ay beco&e one n t &e# use $ ll o"erco&e nature) but the ch ld &ay %er sh a hundred t &es before h s nurse has de"elo%ed a &other's affect on for h &( And th s affect on $hen de"elo%ed has ts dra$bac's) $h ch should &a'e any feel n! $o&an afra d to %ut her ch ld out to nurse( Is she %re%ared to d " de her &other's r !hts) or rather to abd cate the& n fa"our of a stran!er# to see her ch ld lo" n! another &ore than herself# to feel that the affect on he reta ns for h s o$n &other s a fa"our) $h le h s lo"e for h s foster-&other s a duty# for s not so&e affect on due $here there has been a &other's care/ To re&o"e th s d ff culty) ch ldren are tau!ht to loo' do$n on the r nurses) to treat the& as &ere ser"ants( +hen the r tas' s co&%leted the ch ld s $ thdra$n or the nurse s d s& ssed( 8er " s ts to her foster-ch ld are d scoura!ed by a cold rece%t on( After a fe$ years the ch ld ne"er sees her a!a n( The &other ex%ects to ta'e her %lace) and to re%a r by her cruelty the results of her o$n ne!lect( But she s !reatly & sta'en# she s &a' n! an un!rateful foster-ch ld) not an affect onate son# she s teach n! h & n!rat tude) and she s %re%ar n! h & to des% se at a later day the &other $ho bore h &) as he no$ des% ses h s nurse( 8o$ e&%hat cally $ould I s%ea' f t $ere not so ho%eless to 'ee% stru!!l n! n "a n on behalf of a real refor&( More de%ends on th s than you real se( +ould you restore all &en to the r %r &al dut es) be! n $ th the &others# the results $ ll sur%r se you( E"ery e" l follo$s n the tra n of th s f rst s n# the $hole &oral order s d sturbed) nature s quenched n e"ery breast) the ho&e beco&es !loo&y) the s%ectacle of a youn! fa& ly no lon!er st rs the husband's lo"e and the stran!er's re"erence( The &other $hose ch ldren are out of s !ht $ ns scanty estee&# there s no ho&e l fe) the t es of nature are not stren!thened by those of hab t# fathers) &others) ch ldren) brothers) and s sters cease to ex st( They are al&ost stran!ers# ho$ should they lo"e one another/ Each

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th n's of h &self f rst( +hen the ho&e s a !loo&y sol tude %leasure $ ll be sou!ht else$here( But $hen &others de !n to nurse the r o$n ch ldren) then $ ll be a refor& n &orals# natural feel n! $ ll re" "e n e"ery heart# there $ ll be no lac' of c t 3ens for the state# th s f rst ste% by tself $ ll restore &utual affect on( The char&s of ho&e are the best ant dote to " ce( The no sy %lay of ch ldren) $h ch $e thou!ht so try n!) beco&es a del !ht# &other and father rely &ore on each other and !ro$ dearer to one another# the &arr a!e t e s stren!thened( In the cheerful ho&e l fe the &other f nds her s$eetest dut es and the father h s %leasantest recreat on( Thus the cure of th s one e" l $ould $or' a $ de-s%read refor&at on# nature $ould re!a n her r !hts( +hen $o&en beco&e !ood &others) &en $ ll be !ood husbands and fathers( My $ords are "a nD +hen $e are s c' of $orldly %leasures $e do not return to the %leasures of the ho&e( +o&en ha"e ceased to be &others) they do not and $ ll not return to the r duty( 0ould they do t f they $ould/ The contrary custo& s f r&ly establ shed# each $ould ha"e to o"erco&e the o%%os t on of her ne !hbours) lea!ued to!ether a!a nst the exa&%le $h ch so&e ha"e ne"er ! "en and others do not des re to follo$( -et there are st ll a fe$ youn! $o&en of !ood natural d s%os t on $ho refuse to be the sla"es of fash on and rebel a!a nst the cla&our of other $o&en) $ho fulf l the s$eet tas' &%osed on the& by nature( +ould that the re$ard n store for the& & !ht dra$ others to follo$ the r exa&%le( My conclus on s based u%on %la n reason) and u%on facts I ha"e ne"er seen d s%uted# and I "enture to %ro& se these $orthy &others the f r& and steadfast affect on of the r husbands and the truly f l al lo"e of the r ch ldren and the res%ect of all the $orld( 0h ld-b rth $ ll be easy and $ ll lea"e no ll-results) the r health $ ll be stron! and " !orous) and they $ ll see the r dau!hters follo$ the r exa&%le) and f nd that exa&%le quoted as a %attern to others( 4o &other) no ch ld# the r dut es are rec %rocal) and $hen ll done by the one they $ ll be ne!lected by the other( The ch ld should lo"e h s &other before he 'no$s $hat he o$es her( If the "o ce of nst nct s not stren!thened by hab t t soon d es) the heart s st ll-born( Fro& the outset $e ha"e strayed fro& the %ath of nature( There s another by-$ay $h ch &ay te&%t our feet fro& the %ath of nature( The &other &ay la" sh excess "e care on her ch ld nstead of ne!lect n! h &# she &ay &a'e an dol of h &# she &ay de"elo% and ncrease h s $ea'ness to %re"ent h & feel n! t# she $ards off e"ery %a nful ex%er ence n the ho%e of $ thdra$ n! h & fro& the %o$er of nature) and fa ls to real se that for e"ery tr fl n! ll fro& $h ch she %reser"es h & the future holds n store &any

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acc dents and dan!ers) and that t s a cruel ' ndness to %rolon! the ch ld's $ea'ness $hen the !ro$n &an &ust bear fat !ue( Thet s) so the story !oes) %lun!ed her son n the $aters of 2tyx to &a'e h & n"ulnerable( The truth of th s alle!ory s a%%arent( The cruel &others I s%ea' of do other$ se# they %lun!e the r ch ldren nto softness) and they are %re%ar n! suffer n! for the&) they o%en the $ay to e"ery ' nd of ll) $h ch the r ch ldren $ ll not fa l to ex%er ence after they !ro$ u%( F x your eyes on nature) follo$ the %ath traced by her( 2he 'ee%s ch ldren at $or') she hardens the& by all ' nds of d ff cult es) she soon teaches the& the &ean n! of %a n and !r ef( They cut the r teeth and are fe"er sh) shar% col cs br n! on con"uls ons) they are cho'ed by f ts of cou!h n! and tor&ented by $or&s) e" l hu&ours corru%t the blood) !er&s of "ar ous ' nds fer&ent n t) caus n! dan!erous eru%t ons( 2 c'ness and dan!er %lay the ch ef %art n nfancy( 5ne half of the ch ldren $ho are born d e before the r e !hth year( The ch ld $ho has o"erco&e hardsh %s has !a ned stren!th) and as soon as he can use h s l fe he holds t &ore securely( Th s s nature's la$# $hy contrad ct t/ Ao you not see that n your efforts to &%ro"e u%on her hand $or' you are destroy n! t# her cares are $asted/ To do fro& $ thout $hat she does $ th n s accord n! to you to ncrease the dan!er t$ofold( 5n the contrary) t s the $ay to a"ert t# ex%er ence sho$s that ch ldren del cately nurtured are &ore l 'ely to d e( Pro" ded $e do not o"erdo t) there s less r s' n us n! the r stren!th than n s%ar n! t( Accusto& the& therefore to the hardsh %s they $ ll ha"e to face# tra n the& to endure extre&es of te&%erature) cl &ate) and cond t on) hun!er) th rst) and $ear ness( A % the& n the $aters of 2tyx( Before bod ly hab ts beco&e f xed you &ay teach $hat hab ts you $ ll $ thout any r s') but once hab ts are establ shed any chan!e s frau!ht $ th %er l( A ch ld $ ll bear chan!es $h ch a &an cannot bear) the &uscles of the one are soft and flex ble) they ta'e $hate"er d rect on you ! "e the& $ thout any effort# the &uscles of the !ro$n &an are harder and they only chan!e the r accusto&ed &ode of act on $hen sub*ected to " olence( 2o $e can &a'e a ch ld stron! $ thout r s' n! h s l fe or health) and e"en f there $ere so&e r s') t should not be ta'en nto cons derat on( 2 nce hu&an l fe s full of dan!ers) can $e do better than face the& at a t &e $hen they can do the least har&/ A ch ld's $orth ncreases $ th h s years( To h s %ersonal "alue &ust be added the cost of the care besto$ed u%on h &( For h &self there s not only loss of l fe) but the consc ousness of death( +e &ust therefore th n' &ost of h s future n our efforts for h s %reser"at on( 8e &ust be %rotected a!a nst the lls of youth before he reaches the&; for f the "alue of l fe ncreases unt l the ch ld reaches an a!e $hen he can be useful) $hat &adness to s%are so&e

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suffer n! n nfancy only to &ult %ly h s %a n $hen he reaches the a!e of reason( Is that $hat our &aster teaches usD Man s born to suffer# %a n s the &eans of h s %reser"at on( 8 s ch ldhood s ha%%y) 'no$ n! only %a n of body( These bod ly suffer n!s are &uch less cruel) &uch less %a nful) than other for&s of suffer n!) and they rarely lead to self-destruct on( It s not the t$ n!es of !out $h ch &a'e a &an ' ll h &self) t s &ental suffer n! that leads to des%a r( +e % ty the suffer n!s of ch ldhood# $e should % ty oursel"es# our $orst sorro$s are of our o$n &a' n!( The ne$-born nfant cr es) h s early days are s%ent n cry n!( 8e s alternately %etted and sha'en by $ay of sooth n! h &# so&et &es he s threatened) so&et &es beaten) to 'ee% h & qu et( +e do $hat he $ants or $e &a'e h & do $hat $e $ant) $e sub& t to h s $h &s or sub*ect h & to our o$n( There s no & ddle course# he &ust rule or obey( Thus h s earl est deas are those of the tyrant or the sla"e( 8e co&&ands before he can s%ea') he obeys before he can act) and so&et &es he s %un shed for faults before he s a$are of the&) or rather before they are co&& tted( Thus early are the seeds of e" l %ass ons so$n n h s youn! heart( At a later day these are attr buted to nature) and $hen $e ha"e ta'en %a ns to &a'e h & bad $e la&ent h s badness( In th s $ay the ch ld %asses s x or se"en years n the hands of $o&en) the " ct & of h s o$n ca%r ces or the rs) and after they ha"e tau!ht h & all sorts of th n!s) $hen they ha"e burdened h s &e&ory $ th $ords he cannot understand) or th n!s $h ch are of no use to h &) $hen nature has been st fled by the %ass ons they ha"e &%lanted n h &) th s sha& art cle s sent to a tutor( The tutor co&%letes the de"elo%&ent of the !er&s of art f c al ty $h ch he f nds already $ell !ro$n) he teaches h & e"eryth n! exce%t self-'no$led!e and self-control) the arts of l fe and ha%% ness( +hen at len!th th s nfant sla"e and tyrant) cra&&ed $ th 'no$led!e but e&%ty of sense) feeble al 'e n & nd and body) s flun! u%on the $orld) and h s hel%lessness) h s %r de) and h s other " ces are d s%layed) $e be! n to la&ent the $retchedness and %er"ers ty of &an' nd( +e are $ron!# th s s the creature of our fantasy# the natural &an s cast n another &ould( +ould you 'ee% h & as nature &ade h &/ +atch o"er h & fro& h s b rth( Ta'e %ossess on of h & as soon as he co&es nto the $orld and 'ee% h & t ll he s a &an# you $ ll ne"er succeed other$ se( The real nurse s the &other and the real teacher s the father( Let the& a!ree n the order n! of the r dut es as $ell as n the r &ethod) let the ch ld %ass fro& one to the other( 8e $ ll be better educated by a sens ble thou!h !norant father than by the cle"erest &aster n the $orld( For 3eal $ ll atone for lac' of 'no$led!e) rather than 'no$led!e for lac' of 3eal( But the dut es of %ubl c and %r "ate bus nessD Auty ndeedD Aoes a father's duty co&e last(

,@

:Footnote; +hen $e read n Plutarch that 0ato the 0ensor) $ho ruled Ro&e $ th such !lory) brou!ht u% h s o$n sons fro& the cradle) and so carefully that he left e"eryth n! to be %resent $hen the r nurse) that s to say the r &other) bathed the&# $hen $e read n 2ueton us that Au!ustus) the &aster of the $orld $h ch he had conquered and $h ch he h &self !o"erned) h &self tau!ht h s !randsons to $r te) to s$ &) to understand the be! nn n!s of sc ence) and that he al$ays had the& $ th h &) $e cannot hel% s& l n! at the l ttle %eo%le of those days $ho a&used the&sel"es $ th such foll es) and $ho $ere too !norant) no doubt) to attend to the !reat affa rs of the !reat %eo%le of our o$n t &e(= It s not sur%r s n! that the &an $hose $ fe des% ses the duty of suc'l n! her ch ld should des% se ts educat on( There s no &ore char& n! % cture than that of fa& ly l fe# but $hen one feature s $ant n! the $hole s &arred( If the &other s too del cate to nurse her ch ld) the father $ ll be too busy to teach h &( The r ch ldren) scattered about n schools) con"ents) and colle!es) $ ll f nd the ho&e of the r affect ons else$here) or rather they $ ll for& the hab t of oar n! for noth n!( Brothers and s sters $ ll scarcely 'no$ each other# $hen they are to!ether n co&%any they $ ll beha"e as stran!ers( +hen there s no conf dence bet$een relat ons) $hen the fa& ly soc ety ceases to ! "e sa"our to l fe) ts %lace s soon usur%ed by " ce( Is there any &an so stu% d that he cannot see ho$ all th s han!s to!ether/ A father has done but a th rd of h s tas' $hen he be!ets ch ldren and %ro" des a l " n! for the&( 8e o$es &en to hu&an ty) c t 3ens to the state( A &an $ho can %ay th s threefold debt and ne!lect to do so s !u lty) &ore !u lty) %erha%s) f he %ays t n %art than $hen he ne!lects t ent rely( 8e has no r !ht to be a father f he cannot fulf l a father's dut es( Po"erty) %ressure of bus ness) & sta'en soc al %re*ud ces) none of these can excuse a &an fro& h s duty) $h ch s to su%%ort and educate h s o$n ch ldren( If a &an of any natural feel n! ne!lects these sacred dut es he $ ll re%ent t $ th b tter tears and $ ll ne"er be co&forted( But $hat does th s r ch &an do) th s father of a fa& ly) co&%elled) so he says) to ne!lect h s ch ldren/ 8e %ays another &an to %erfor& those dut es $h ch are h s alone( Mercenary &anD do you ex%ect to %urchase a second father for your ch ld/ Ao not dece "e yourself# t s not e"en a &aster you ha"e h red for h &) t s a flun'ey) $ho $ ll soon tra n such another as h &self( There s &uch d scuss on as to the character st cs of a !ood tutor( My f rst requ re&ent) and t &%l es a !ood &any &ore) s that he should not ta'e u% h s tas' for re$ard( There are call n!s so !reat that they cannot be underta'en for &oney $ thout sho$ n! our unf tness for the&# such call n!s are those of the sold er and the teacher(

,B

.But $ho &ust tra n &y ch ld/. .I ha"e *ust told you) you should do t yourself(. .I cannot(. .-ou cannotD Then f nd a fr end( I see no other course(. A tutorD +hat a noble soulD Indeed for the tra n n! of a &an one &ust e ther be a father or &ore than &an( It s th s duty you $ould cal&ly hand o"er to a h rel n!D The &ore you th n' of t the harder you $ ll f nd t( The tutor &ust ha"e been tra ned for h s %u% l) h s ser"ants &ust ha"e been tra ned for the r &aster) so that all $ho co&e near h & &ay ha"e rece "ed the &%ress on $h ch s to be trans& tted to h &( +e &ust %ass fro& educat on to educat on) I 'no$ not ho$ far( 8o$ can a ch ld be $ell educated by one $ho has not been $ell educated h &selfD 0an such a one be found/ I 'no$ not( In th s a!e of de!radat on $ho 'no$s the he !ht of " rtue to $h ch &an's soul &ay atta n/ But let us assu&e that th s %rod !y has been d sco"ered( +e shall learn $hat he should be fro& the cons derat on of h s dut es( I fancy the father $ho real ses the "alue of a !ood tutor $ ll contr "e to do $ thout one) for t $ ll be harder to f nd one than to beco&e such a tutor h &self# he need search no further) nature herself ha" n! done half the $or'( 2o&e one $hose ran' alone s 'no$n to &e su!!ested that I should educate h s son( 8e d d &e a !reat honour) no doubt) but far fro& re!rett n! &y refusal) he ou!ht to con!ratulate h &self on &y %rudence( 8ad the offer been acce%ted) and had I been & sta'en n &y &ethod) there $ould ha"e been an educat on ru ned# had I succeeded) th n!s $ould ha"e been $orse--h s son $ould ha"e renounced h s t tle and refused to be a %r nce( I feel too dee%ly the &%ortance of a tutor's dut es and &y o$n unf tness) e"er to acce%t such a %ost) $hoe"er offered t) and e"en the cla &s of fr endsh % $ould be only an add t onal &ot "e for &y refusal( Fe$) I th n') $ ll be te&%ted to &a'e &e such an offer $hen they ha"e read th s boo') and I be! any one $ho $ould do so to s%are h s %a ns( I ha"e had enou!h ex%er ence of the tas' to con" nce &yself of &y o$n unf tness) and &y c rcu&stances $ould &a'e t &%oss ble) e"en f &y talents $ere such as to f t &e for t( I ha"e thou!ht t &y duty to &a'e th s %ubl c declarat on to those $ho a%%arently refuse to do &e the honour of bel e" n! n the s ncer ty of &y deter& nat on( If I a& unable to underta'e the &ore useful tas') I $ ll at least "enture to atte&%t the eas er one# I $ ll follo$ the exa&%le of &y %redecessors and ta'e u%) not the tas') but &y %en# and nstead of do n! the r !ht th n! I $ ll try to say t( I 'no$ that n such an underta' n! the author) $ho ran!es at $ ll a&on! theoret cal syste&s) utters &any f ne %rece%ts &%oss ble

,C

to %ract se) and e"en $hen he says $hat s %ract cable t re&a ns undone for $ant of deta ls and exa&%les as to ts a%%l cat on( I ha"e therefore dec ded to ta'e an &a! nary %u% l) to assu&e on &y o$n %art the a!e) health) 'no$led!e) and talents requ red for the $or' of h s educat on) to !u de h & fro& b rth to &anhood) $hen he needs no !u de but h &self( Th s &ethod see&s to &e useful for an author $ho fears lest he &ay stray fro& the %ract cal to the " s onary# for as soon as he de%arts fro& co&&on %ract ce he has only to try h s &ethod on h s %u% l# he $ ll soon 'no$) or the reader $ ll 'no$ for h &) $hether he s follo$ n! the de"elo%&ent of the ch ld and the natural !ro$th of the hu&an heart( Th s s $hat I ha"e tr ed to do( Lest &y boo' should be unduly bul'y) I ha"e been content to state those %r nc %les the truth of $h ch s self-e" dent( But as to the rules $h ch call for %roof) I ha"e a%%l ed the& to E& le or to others) and I ha"e sho$n) n "ery !reat deta l) ho$ &y theor es &ay be %ut nto %ract ce( 2uch at least s &y %lan# the reader &ust dec de $hether I ha"e succeeded( At f rst I ha"e sa d l ttle about E& le) for &y earl est &ax &s of educat on) thou!h "ery d fferent fro& those !enerally acce%ted) are so %la n that t s hard for a &an of sense to refuse to acce%t the&) but as I ad"ance) &y scholar) educated after another fash on than yours) s no lon!er an ord nary ch ld) he needs a s%ec al syste&( Then he a%%ears u%on the scene &ore frequently) and to$ards the end I ne"er lose s !ht of h & for a &o&ent) unt l) $hate"er he &ay say) he needs &e no lon!er( I %ass o"er the qual t es requ red n a !ood tutor# I ta'e the& for !ranted) and assu&e that I a& endo$ed $ th the&( As you read th s boo' you $ ll see ho$ !enerous I ha"e been to &yself( I $ ll only re&ar' that) contrary to the rece "ed o% n on) a ch ld's tutor should be youn!) as youn! ndeed as a &an &ay $ell be $ho s also $ se( +ere t %oss ble) he should beco&e a ch ld h &self) that he &ay be the co&%an on of h s %u% l and $ n h s conf dence by shar n! h s !a&es( 0h ldhood and a!e ha"e too l ttle n co&&on for the for&at on of a really f r& affect on( 0h ldren so&et &es flatter old &en# they ne"er lo"e the&( Peo%le see' a tutor $ho has already educated one %u% l( Th s s too &uch# one &an can only educate one %u% l# f t$o $ere essent al to success) $hat r !ht $ould he ha"e to underta'e the f rst/ + th &ore ex%er ence you &ay 'no$ better $hat to do) but you are less ca%able of do n! t# once th s tas' has been $ell done) you $ ll 'no$ too &uch of ts d ff cult es to atte&%t t a second t &e-- f ll done) the f rst atte&%t au!urs badly for the second( It s one th n! to follo$ a youn! &an about for four years) another to be h s !u de for f "e-and-t$enty( -ou f nd a tutor for your son

,E

$hen he s already for&ed# I $ant one for h & before he s born( -our &an &ay chan!e h s %u% l e"ery f "e years# & ne $ ll ne"er ha"e but one %u% l( -ou d st n!u sh bet$een the teacher and the tutor( Another % ece of follyD Ao you &a'e any d st nct on bet$een the %u% l and the scholar/ There s only one sc ence for ch ldren to learn--the dut es of &an( Th s sc ence s one) and) $hate"er Heno%hon &ay say of the educat on of the Pers ans) t s nd " s ble( Bes des) I %refer to call the &an $ho has th s 'no$led!e &aster rather than teacher) s nce t s a quest on of !u dance rather than nstruct on( 8e &ust not ! "e %rece%ts) he &ust let the scholar f nd the& out for h &self( If the &aster s to be so carefully chosen) he &ay $ell choose h s %u% l) abo"e all $hen he %ro%oses to set a %attern for others( Th s cho ce cannot de%end on the ch ld's !en us or character) as I ado%t h & before he s born) and they are only 'no$n $hen &y tas' s f n shed( If I had &y cho ce I $ould ta'e a ch ld of ord nary & nd) such as I assu&e n &y %u% l( It s ord nary %eo%le $ho ha"e to be educated) and the r educat on alone can ser"e as a %attern for the educat on of the r fello$s( The others f nd the r $ay alone( The b rth%lace s not a &atter of nd fference n the educat on of &an# t s only n te&%erate cl &es that he co&es to h s full !ro$th( The d sad"anta!es of extre&es are eas ly seen( A &an s not %lanted n one %lace l 'e a tree) to stay there the rest of h s l fe) and to %ass fro& one extre&e to another you &ust tra"el t$ ce as far as he $ho starts half-$ay( If the nhab tant of a te&%erate cl &ate %asses n turn throu!h both extre&es h s ad"anta!e s %la n) for althou!h he &ay be chan!ed as &uch as he $ho !oes fro& one extre&e to the other) he only re&o"es half-$ay fro& h s natural cond t on( A French&an can l "e n 4e$ 7u nea or n La%land) but a ne!ro cannot l "e n Tornea nor a 2a&oyed n Ben n( It see&s also as f the bra n $ere less %erfectly or!an sed n the t$o extre&es( 4e ther the ne!roes nor the La%s are as $ se as Euro%eans( 2o f I $ant &y %u% l to be a c t 3en of the $orld I $ ll choose h & n the te&%erate 3one) n France for exa&%le) rather than else$here( In the north $ th ts barren so l &en de"our &uch food) n the fert le south they eat l ttle( Th s %roduces another d fference; the one s ndustr ous) the other conte&%lat "e( 2oc ety sho$s us) n one and the sa&e s%ot) a s & lar d fference bet$een r ch and %oor( The one d$ells n a fert le land) the other n a barren land( The %oor &an has no need of educat on( The educat on of h s o$n stat on n l fe s forced u%on h &) he can ha"e no other# the educat on rece "ed by the r ch &an fro& h s o$n stat on s least f tted for h &self and for soc ety( Moreo"er) a natural educat on should f t a &an for any %os t on( 4o$ t s &ore unreasonable

,F

to tra n a %oor &an for $ealth than a r ch &an for %o"erty) for n %ro%ort on to the r nu&bers &ore r ch &en are ru ned and fe$er %oor &en beco&e r ch( Let us choose our scholar a&on! the r ch# $e shall at least ha"e &ade another &an# the %oor &ay co&e to &anhood $ thout our hel%( For the sa&e reason I should not be sorry f E& le ca&e of a !ood fa& ly( 8e $ ll be another " ct & snatched fro& %re*ud ce( E& le s an or%han( 4o &atter $hether he has father or &other) ha" n! underta'en the r dut es I a& n"ested $ th the r r !hts( 8e &ust honour h s %arents) but he &ust obey &e( That s &y f rst and only cond t on( I &ust add that there s *ust one other %o nt ar s n! out of th s# $e &ust ne"er be se%arated exce%t by &utual consent( Th s clause s essent al) and I $ould ha"e tutor and scholar so nse%arable that they should re!ard the r fate as one( If once they %erce "e the t &e of the r se%arat on dra$ n! near) the t &e $h ch &ust &a'e the& stran!ers to one another) they beco&e stran!ers then and there# each &a'es h s o$n l ttle $orld) and both of the& be n! busy n thou!ht $ th the t &e $hen they $ ll no lon!er be to!ether) they re&a n to!ether a!a nst the r $ ll( The d sc %le re!ards h s &aster as the bad!e and scour!e of ch ldhood) the &aster re!ards h s scholar as a hea"y burden $h ch he lon!s to be r d of( Both are loo' n! for$ard to the t &e $hen they $ ll %art) and as there s ne"er any real affect on bet$een the&) there $ ll be scant " ! lance on the one hand) and on the other scant obed ence( But $hen they cons der they &ust al$ays l "e to!ether) they &ust needs lo"e one another) and n th s $ay they really learn to lo"e one another( The %u% l s not asha&ed to follo$ as a ch ld the fr end $ho $ ll be $ th h & n &anhood# the tutor ta'es an nterest n the efforts $hose fru ts he $ ll en*oy) and the " rtues he s cult "at n! n h s %u% l for& a store la d u% for h s old a!e( Th s a!ree&ent &ade beforehand assu&es a nor&al b rth) a stron!) $ell-&ade) healthy ch ld( A father has no cho ce) and should ha"e no %reference $ th n the l & ts of the fa& ly 7od has ! "en h &# all h s ch ldren are h s al 'e) the sa&e care and affect on s due to all( 0r %%led or $ell-&ade) $ea' or stron!) each of the& s a trust for $h ch he s res%ons ble to the 7 "er) and nature s a %arty to the &arr a!e contract alon! $ th husband and $ fe( But f you underta'e a duty not &%osed u%on you by nature) you &ust secure beforehand the &eans for ts fulf l&ent) unless you $ould underta'e dut es you cannot fulf l( If you ta'e the care of a s c'ly) unhealthy ch ld) you are a s c' nurse) not a tutor( To %reser"e a useless l fe you are $ast n! the t &e $h ch should be s%ent n ncreas n! ts "alue) you r s' the s !ht of a des%a r n!

1G

&other re%roach n! you for the death of her ch ld) $ho ou!ht to ha"e d ed lon! a!o( I $ould not underta'e the care of a feeble) s c'ly ch ld) should he l "e to four score years( I $ant no %u% l $ho s useless al 'e to h &self and others) one $hose sole bus ness s to 'ee% h &self al "e) one $hose body s al$ays a h ndrance to the tra n n! of h s & nd( If I "a nly la" sh &y care u%on h &) $hat can I do but double the loss to soc ety by robb n! t of t$o &en) nstead of one/ Let another tend th s $ea'l n! for &e# I a& qu te $ ll n!) I a%%ro"e h s char ty) but I &yself ha"e no ! ft for such a tas'# I could ne"er teach the art of l " n! to one $ho needs all h s stren!th to 'ee% h &self al "e( The body &ust be stron! enou!h to obey the & nd# a !ood ser"ant &ust be stron!( I 'no$ that nte&%erance st &ulates the %ass ons# n course of t &e t also destroys the body# fast n! and %enance often %roduce the sa&e results n an o%%os te $ay( The $ea'er the body) the &ore &%er ous ts de&ands# the stron!er t s) the better t obeys( All sensual %ass ons f nd the r ho&e n effe& nate bod es# the less sat sfact on they can !et the 'eener the r st n!( A feeble body &a'es a feeble & nd( 8ence the nfluence of %hys c) an art $h ch does &ore har& to &an than all the e" ls t %rofesses to cure( I do not 'no$ $hat the doctors cure us of) but I 'no$ th s; they nfect us $ th "ery deadly d seases) co$ard ce) t & d ty) credul ty) the fear of death( +hat &atter f they &a'e the dead $al') $e ha"e no need of cor%ses# they fa l to ! "e us &en) and t s &en $e need( Med c ne s all the fash on n these days) and "ery naturally( It s the a&use&ent of the dle and une&%loyed) $ho do not 'no$ $hat to do $ th the r t &e) and so s%end t n ta' n! care of the&sel"es( If by ll-luc' they had ha%%ened to be born &&ortal) they $ould ha"e been the &ost & serable of &en# a l fe they could not lose $ould be of no "alue to the&( 2uch &en &ust ha"e doctors to threaten and flatter the&) to ! "e the& the only %leasure they can en*oy) the %leasure of not be n! dead( I $ ll say no &ore at %resent as to the uselessness of &ed c ne( My a & s to cons der ts bear n!s on &orals( 2t ll I cannot refra n fro& say n! that &en e&%loy the sa&e so%h s& about &ed c ne as they do about the search for truth( They assu&e that the %at ent s cured and that the see'er after truth f nds t( They fa l to see that a!a nst one l fe sa"ed by the doctors you &ust set a hundred sla n) and a!a nst the "alue of one truth d sco"ered the errors $h ch cree% n $ th t( The sc ence $h ch nstructs and the &ed c ne $h ch heals are no doubt excellent) but the sc ence $h ch & sleads us and the &ed c ne $h ch ' lls us are e" l( Teach us to 'no$ the& a%art( That s the real d ff culty( If $e $ere content to be

1,

!norant of truth $e should not be the du%es of falsehood# f $e d d not $ant to be cured n s% te of nature) $e should not be ' lled by the doctors( +e should do $ell to steer clear of both) and $e should e" dently be the !a ners( I do not deny that &ed c ne s useful to so&e &en# I assert that t s fatal to &an' nd( -ou $ ll tell &e) as usual) that the doctors are to bla&e) that &ed c ne herself s nfall ble( +ell and !ood) then ! "e us the &ed c ne $ thout the doctor) for $hen $e ha"e both) the blunders of the art st are a hundredfold !reater than our ho%es fro& the art( Th s ly n! art) n"ented rather for the lls of the & nd than of the body) s useless to both al 'e# t does less to cure us of our d seases than to f ll us $ th alar&( It does less to $ard off death than to &a'e us dread ts a%%roach( It exhausts l fe rather than %rolon!s t# should t e"en %rolon! l fe t $ould only be to the %re*ud ce of the race) s nce t &a'es us set ts %recaut ons before soc ety and our fears before our dut es( It s the 'no$led!e of dan!er that &a'es us afra d( If $e thou!ht oursel"es n"ulnerable $e should 'no$ no fear( The %oet ar&ed Ach lles a!a nst dan!er and so robbed h & of the &er t of coura!e# on such ter&s any &an $ould be an Ach lles( +ould you f nd a really bra"e &an/ 2ee' h & $here there are no doctors) $here the results of d sease are un'no$n) and $here death s l ttle thou!ht of( By nature a &an bears %a n bra"ely and d es n %eace( It s the doctors $ th the r rules) the %h loso%hers $ th the r %rece%ts) the %r ests $ th the r exhortat ons) $ho debase the heart and &a'e us afra d to d e( 7 "e &e a %u% l $ho has no need of these) or I $ ll ha"e noth n! to do $ th h &( 4o one else shall s%o l &y $or') I $ ll educate h & &yself or not at all( That $ se &an) Loc'e) $ho had de"oted %art of h s l fe to the study of &ed c ne) ad" ses us to ! "e no dru!s to the ch ld) $hether as a %recaut on) or on account of sl !ht a l&ents( I $ ll !o farther) and $ ll declare that) as I ne"er call n a doctor for &yself) I $ ll ne"er send for one for E& le) unless h s l fe s clearly n dan!er) $hen the doctor can but ' ll h &( I 'no$ the doctor $ ll &a'e ca% tal out of &y delay( If the ch ld d es) he $as called n too late# f he reco"ers) t s h s do n!( 2o be t# let the doctor boast) but do not call h & n exce%t n extre& ty( As the ch ld does not 'no$ ho$ to be cured) he 'no$s ho$ to be ll( The one art ta'es the %lace of the other and s often &ore successful# t s the art of nature( +hen a beast s ll) t 'ee%s qu et and suffers n s lence# but $e see fe$er s c'ly an &als than s c' &en( 8o$ &any &en ha"e been sla n by &%at ence) fear) anx ety) and abo"e all by &ed c ne) &en $ho& d sease $ould ha"e s%ared)

11

and t &e alone ha"e cured( I shall be told that an &als) $ho l "e accord n! to nature) are less l able to d sease than oursel"es( +ell) that $ay of l " n! s *ust $hat I &ean to teach &y %u% l# he should %rof t by t n the sa&e $ay( 8y! ene s the only useful %art of &ed c ne) and hy! ene s rather a " rtue than a sc ence( Te&%erance and ndustry are &an's true re&ed es# $or' shar%ens h s a%%et te and te&%erance teaches h & to control t( To learn $hat syste& s &ost benef c al you ha"e only to study those races re&ar'able for health) stren!th) and len!th of days( If co&&on obser"at on sho$s us that &ed c ne ne ther ncreases health nor %rolon!s l fe) t follo$s that th s useless art s $orse than useless) s nce t $astes t &e) &en) and th n!s on $hat s %ure loss( 4ot only &ust $e deduct the t &e s%ent) not n us n! l fe) but %reser" n! t) but f th s t &e s s%ent n tor&ent n! oursel"es t s $orse than $asted) t s so &uch to the bad) and to rec'on fa rly a corres%ond n! share &ust be deducted fro& $hat re&a ns to us( A &an $ho l "es ten years for h &self and others $ thout the hel% of doctors l "es &ore for h &self and others than one $ho s%ends th rty years as the r " ct &( I ha"e tr ed both) so I th n' I ha"e a better r !ht than &ost to dra$ &y o$n conclus ons( For these reasons I decl ne to ta'e any but a stron! and healthy %u% l) and these are &y %r nc %les for 'ee% n! h & n health( I $ ll not sto% to %ro"e at len!th the "alue of &anual labour and bod ly exerc se for stren!then n! the health and const tut on# no one den es t( 4early all the nstances of lon! l fe are to be found a&on! the &en $ho ha"e ta'en &ost exerc se) $ho ha"e endured fat !ue and labour( :Footnote; I cannot hel% quot n! the follo$ n! %assa!e fro& an En!l sh ne$s%a%er) as t thro$s &uch l !ht on &y o% n ons; .A certa n Patr c' 5'4e l) born n ,B>C) has *ust &arr ed h s se"enth $ fe n ,CBG( In the se"enteenth year of 0harles II( he ser"ed n the dra!oons and n other re! &ents u% to ,C>G) $hen he too' h s d schar!e( 8e ser"ed n all the ca&%a !ns of + ll a& III( and Marlborou!h( Th s &an has ne"er drun' anyth n! but s&all beer# he has al$ays l "ed on "e!etables) and has ne"er eaten &eat exce%t on fe$ occas ons $hen he &ade a feast for h s relat ons( 8e has al$ays been accusto&ed to r se $ th the sun and !o to bed at sunset unless %re"ented by h s & l tary dut es( 8e s no$ n h s ,<Gth year# he s healthy) h s hear n! s !ood) and he $al's $ th the hel% of a st c'( In s% te of h s !reat a!e he s ne"er dle) and e"ery 2unday he !oes to h s %ar sh church acco&%an ed by h s ch ldren) !randch ldren) and !reat !randch ldren(.= 4e ther $ ll I enter nto deta ls as to the care I shall ta'e for th s alone( It $ ll be clear that t for&s such an essent al %art of &y %ract ce that t s enou!h to !et hold of the dea $ thout further ex%lanat on( +hen our l fe be! ns our needs be! n too( The ne$-born nfant &ust

1<

ha"e a nurse( If h s &other $ ll do her duty) so &uch the better# her nstruct ons $ ll be ! "en her n $r t n!) but th s ad"anta!e has ts dra$bac's) t re&o"es the tutor fro& h s char!e( But t s to be ho%ed that the ch ld's o$n nterests) and her res%ect for the %erson to $ho& she s about to conf de so %rec ous a treasure) $ ll nduce the &other to follo$ the &aster's $ shes) and $hate"er she does you &ay be sure she $ ll do better than another( If $e &ust ha"e a stran!e nurse) &a'e a !ood cho ce to be! n $ th( It s one of the & sfortunes of the r ch to be cheated on all s des# $hat $onder they th n' ll of &an' ndD It s r ches that corru%t &en) and the r ch are r !htly the f rst to feel the defects of the only tool they 'no$( E"eryth n! s ll-done for the&) exce%t $hat they do the&sel"es) and they do next to noth n!( +hen a nurse &ust be selected the cho ce s left to the doctor( +hat ha%%ens/ The best nurse s the one $ho offers the h !hest br be( I shall not consult the doctor about E& le's nurse) I shall ta'e care to choose her &yself( I &ay not ar!ue about t so ele!antly as the sur!eon) but I shall be &ore rel able) I shall be less dece "ed by &y 3eal than the doctor by h s !reed( There s no &ystery about th s cho ce# ts rules are $ell 'no$n) but I th n' $e ou!ht %robably to %ay &ore attent on to the a!e of the & l' as $ell as ts qual ty( The f rst & l' s $atery) t &ust be al&ost an a%er ent) to %ur!e the re&a ns of the &econ u& curdled n the bo$els of the ne$-born ch ld( L ttle by l ttle the & l' th c'ens and su%%l es &ore sol d food as the ch ld s able to d !est t( It s surely not $ thout cause that nature chan!es the & l' n the fe&ale of e"ery s%ec es accord n! to the a!e of the offs%r n!( Thus a ne$-born ch ld requ res a nurse $ho has recently beco&e &other( There s) I 'no$) a d ff culty here) but as soon as $e lea"e the %ath of nature there are d ff cult es n the $ay of all $ell-do n!( The $ron! course s the only r !ht one under the c rcu&stances) so $e ta'e t( The nurse &ust be healthy al 'e n d s%os t on and n body( The " olence of the %ass ons as $ell as the hu&ours &ay s%o l her & l'( Moreo"er) to cons der the body only s to 'ee% only half our a & n " e$( The & l' &ay be !ood and the nurse bad# a !ood character s as necessary as a !ood const tut on( If you choose a " c ous %erson) I do not say her foster-ch ld $ ll acqu re her " ces) but he $ ll suffer for the&( 5u!ht she not to besto$ on h & day by day) alon! $ th her & l') a care $h ch calls for 3eal) %at ence) !entleness) and cleanl ness( If she s nte&%erate and !reedy her & l' $ ll soon be s%o lt# f she s careless and hasty $hat $ ll beco&e of a %oor l ttle $retch left to her &ercy) and unable e ther to %rotect h &self or to co&%la n( The $ c'ed are ne"er !ood for anyth n!(

1>

The cho ce s all the &ore &%ortant because her foster-ch ld should ha"e no other !uard an) *ust as he should ha"e no teacher but h s tutor( Th s $as the custo& of the anc ents) $ho tal'ed less but acted &ore $ sely than $e( The nurse ne"er left her foster-dau!hter# th s s $hy the nurse s the conf dante n &ost of the r %lays( A ch ld $ho %asses throu!h &any hands n turn) can ne"er be $ell brou!ht u%( At e"ery chan!e he &a'es a secret co&%ar son) $h ch cont nually tends to lessen h s res%ect for those $ho control h &) and $ th t the r author ty o"er h &( If once he th n's there are !ro$n-u% %eo%le $ th no &ore sense than ch ldren the author ty of a!e s destroyed and h s educat on s ru ned( A ch ld should 'no$ no betters but ts father and &other) or fa l n! the& ts foster-&other and ts tutor) and e"en th s s one too &any) but th s d " s on s ne" table) and the best that can be done n the $ay of re&edy s that the &an and $o&an $ho control h & shall be so $ell a!reed $ th re!ard to h & that they see& l 'e one( The nurse &ust l "e rather &ore co&fortably) she &ust ha"e rather &ore substant al food) but her $hole $ay of l " n! &ust not be altered) for a sudden chan!e) e"en a chan!e for the better) s dan!erous to health) and s nce her usual $ay of l fe has &ade her healthy and stron!) $hy chan!e t/ 0ountry $o&en eat less &eat and &ore "e!etables than to$ns-$o&en) and th s "e!etar an d et see&s fa"ourable rather than other$ se to the&sel"es and the r ch ldren( +hen they ta'e nursl n!s fro& the u%%er classes they eat &eat and broth $ th the dea that they $ ll for& better chyle and su%%ly &ore & l'( I do not hold $ th th s at all) and ex%er ence s on &y s de) for $e do not f nd ch ldren fed n th s $ay less l able to col c and $or&s( That need not sur%r se us) for decay n! an &al &atter s$ar&s $ th $or&s) but th s s not the case $ th "e!etable &atter( :Footnote; +o&en eat bread) "e!etables) and da ry %roduce# fe&ale do!s and cats do the sa&e# the she-$ol"es eat !rass( Th s su%%l es "e!etable *u ces to the r & l'( There are st ll those s%ec es $h ch are unable to eat anyth n! but flesh) f such there are) $h ch I "ery &uch doubt(= M l') althou!h &anufactured n the body of an an &al) s a "e!etable substance# th s s sho$n by analys s# t read ly turns ac d) and far fro& sho$ n! traces of any "olat le al'al l 'e an &al &atter) t ! "es a neutral salt l 'e %lants( The & l' of herb "orous creatures s s$eeter and &ore $holeso&e than the & l' of the carn "orous# for&ed of a substance s & lar to ts o$n) t 'ee%s ts !oodness and beco&es less l able to %utr fact on( If quant ty s cons dered) t s $ell 'no$n that far naceous foods %roduce &ore blood than &eat) so they ou!ht to y eld &ore & l'( If

1@

a ch ld $ere not $eaned too soon) and f t $ere fed on "e!etar an food) and ts foster-&other $ere a "e!etar an) I do not th n' t $ould be troubled $ th $or&s( M l' der "ed fro& "e!etable foods &ay %erha%s be &ore l able to !o sour) but I a& far fro& cons der n! sour & l' an un$holeso&e food# $hole nat ons ha"e no other food and are none the $orse) and all the array of absorbents see&s to &e &ere hu&bu!( There are const tut ons $h ch do not thr "e on & l') others can ta'e t $ thout absorbents( Peo%le are afra d of the & l' se%arat n! or curdl n!# that s absurd) for $e 'no$ that & l' al$ays curdles n the sto&ach( Th s s ho$ t beco&es suff c ently sol d to nour sh ch ldren and youn! an &als# f t d d not curdle t $ould &erely %ass a$ay $ thout feed n! the&( :Footnote; Althou!h the *u ces $h ch nour sh us are l qu d) they &ust be extracted fro& sol ds( A hard-$or' n! &an $ho ate noth n! but sou% $ould soon $aste a$ay( 8e $ould be far better fed on & l') *ust because t curdles(= In "a n you d lute & l' and use absorbents# $hoe"er s$allo$s & l' d !ests cheese) th s rule s $ thout exce%t on# rennet s &ade fro& a calf's sto&ach( Instead of chan! n! the nurse's usual d et) I th n' t $ould be enou!h to ! "e food n lar!er quant t es and better of ts ' nd( It s not the nature of the food that &a'es a "e!etable d et nd !est ble) but the fla"our n! that &a'es t un$holeso&e( Refor& your coo'ery) use ne ther butter nor o l for fry n!( Butter) salt) and & l' should ne"er be coo'ed( Let your "e!etables be coo'ed n $ater and only seasoned $hen they co&e to table( The "e!etable d et) far fro& d sturb n! the nurse) $ ll ! "e her a %lent ful su%%ly of & l'( :Footnote; Those $ho $ sh to study a full account of the ad"anta!es and d sad"anta!es of the Pytha!orean re! &e) &ay consult the $or's of Ar( 0occh and h s o%%onent Ar( B anch on th s &%ortant sub*ect(= If a "e!etable d et s best for the ch ld) ho$ can &eat food be best for h s nurse/ The th n!s are contrad ctory( Fresh a r affects ch ldren's const tut ons) %art cularly n early years( It enters e"ery %ore of a soft and tender s' n) t has a %o$erful effect on the r youn! bod es( Its effects can ne"er be destroyed( 2o I should not a!ree $ th those $ho ta'e a country $o&an fro& her " lla!e and shut her u% n one roo& n a to$n and her nursl n! $ th her( I $ould rather send h & to breathe the fresh a r of the country than the foul a r of the to$n( 8e $ ll ta'e h s ne$ &other's %os t on) $ ll l "e n her cotta!e) $here h s tutor $ ll follo$ h &( The reader $ ll bear n & nd that th s tutor s not a %a d ser"ant) but the father's fr end( But f th s fr end cannot be found) f th s transfer s not easy) f none of &y ad" ce can be follo$ed) you $ ll say to &e) .+hat shall I do nstead/. I ha"e told you already--.Ao $hat you are do n!#. no ad" ce s needed there( Men are not &ade to be cro$ded to!ether n ant-h lls) but scattered

1B

o"er the earth to t ll t( The &ore they are &assed to!ether) the &ore corru%t they beco&e( A sease and " ce are the sure results of o"er-cro$ded c t es( 5f all creatures &an s least f tted to l "e n herds( 8uddled to!ether l 'e shee%) &en $ould "ery soon d e( Man's breath s fatal to h s fello$s( Th s s l terally as $ell as f !urat "ely true( Men are de"oured by our to$ns( In a fe$ !enerat ons the race d es out or beco&es de!enerate# t needs rene$al) and t s al$ays rene$ed fro& the country( 2end your ch ldren to rene$ the&sel"es) so to s%ea') send the& to re!a n n the o%en f elds the stren!th lost n the foul a r of our cro$ded c t es( +o&en hurry ho&e that the r ch ldren &ay be born n the to$n# they ou!ht to do *ust the o%%os te) es%ec ally those $ho &ean to nurse the r o$n ch ldren( They $ould lose less than they th n') and n &ore natural surround n!s the %leasures assoc ated by nature $ th &aternal dut es $ould soon destroy the taste for other del !hts( The ne$-born nfant s f rst bathed n $ar& $ater to $h ch a l ttle $ ne s usually added( I th n' the $ ne & !ht be d s%ensed $ th( As nature does not %roduce fer&ented l quors) t s not l 'ely that they are of &uch "alue to her creatures( In the sa&e $ay t s unnecessary to ta'e the %recaut on of heat n! the $ater# n fact a&on! &any races the ne$-born nfants are bathed $ th no &ore ado n r "ers or n the sea( 5ur ch ldren) &ade tender before b rth by the softness of the r %arents) co&e nto the $orld $ th a const tut on already enfeebled) $h ch cannot be at once ex%osed to all the tr als requ red to restore t to health( L ttle by l ttle they &ust be restored to the r natural " !our( Be! n then by follo$ n! th s custo&) and lea"e t off !radually( +ash your ch ldren often) the r d rty $ays sho$ the need of th s( If they are only $ %ed the r s' n s n*ured# but as they !ro$ stron!er !radually reduce the heat of the $ater) t ll at last you bathe the& $ nter and su&&er n cold) e"en n ce-cold $ater( To a"o d r s' th s chan!e &ust be slo$) !radual) and &%erce%t ble) so you &ay use the ther&o&eter for exact &easure&ents( Th s hab t of the bath) once establ shed) should ne"er be bro'en off) t &ust be 'e%t u% all throu!h l fe( I "alue t not only on !rounds of cleanl ness and %resent health) but also as a $holeso&e &eans of &a' n! the &uscles su%%le) and accusto& n! the& to bear $ thout r s' or effort extre&es of heat and cold( As he !ets older I $ould ha"e the ch ld tra ned to bathe occas onally n hot $ater of e"ery bearable de!ree) and often n e"ery de!ree of cold $ater( 4o$ $ater be n! a denser flu d touches us at &ore %o nts than a r) so that) ha" n! learnt to bear all the "ar at ons of te&%erature n $ater) $e shall scarcely feel th s of the a r( :Footnote; 0h ldren n to$ns are st fled by be n! 'e%t ndoors and too &uch $ra%%ed u%( Those $ho control the& ha"e st ll to learn that fresh a r)

1C

far fro& do n! the& har&) $ ll &a'e the& stron!) $h le hot a r $ ll &a'e the& $ea') $ ll ! "e r se to fe"ers) and $ ll e"entually ' ll the&(= +hen the ch ld dra$s ts f rst breath do not conf ne t n t !ht $ra%% n!s( 4o ca%) no banda!es) nor s$addl n! clothes( Loose and flo$ n! flannel $ra%%ers) $h ch lea"e ts l &bs free and are not too hea"y to chec' h s &o"e&ents) not too $ar& to %re"ent h s feel n! the a r( :Footnote; I say .cradle. us n! the co&&on $ord for $ant of a better) thou!h I a& con" nced that t s ne"er necessary and often har&ful to roc' ch ldren n the cradle(= Put h & n a b ! cradle) $ell %added) $here he can &o"e eas ly and safely( As he be! ns to !ro$ stron!er) let h & cra$l about the roo&# let h & de"elo% and stretch h s t ny l &bs# you $ ll see h & !a n stren!th fro& day to day( 0o&%are h & $ th a $ell s$addled ch ld of the sa&e a!e and you $ ll be sur%r sed at the r d fferent rates of %ro!ress( :Footnote; The anc ent Peru" ans $ra%%ed the r ch ldren n loose s$addl n! bands) lea" n! the ar&s qu te free( Later they %laced the& uns$addled n a hole n the !round) l ned $ th cloths) so that the lo$er %art of the body $as n the hole) and the r ar&s $ere free and they could &o"e the head and bend the body at $ ll $ thout fall n! or hurt n! the&sel"es( +hen they be!an to $al' they $ere ent ced to co&e to the breast( The l ttle ne!roes are often n a %os t on &uch &ore d ff cult for suc' n!( They cl n! to the &other's h %) and cl n! so t !htly that the &other's ar& s often not needed to su%%ort the&( They clas% the breast $ th the r hand and cont nue suc' n! $h le the r &other !oes on $ th her ord nary $or'( These ch ldren be! n to $al' at t$o &onths) or rather to cra$l( Later on they can run on all fours al&ost as $ell as on the r feet(--Buffon( M( Buffon & !ht also ha"e quoted the exa&%le of En!land) $here the senseless and barbarous s$addl n! clothes ha"e beco&e al&ost obsolete( 0f( La Lon!ue ?oya!e de 2 a&) Le Beau ?oya!e de 0anada) etc(= -ou &ust ex%ect !reat o%%os t on fro& the nurses) $ho f nd a half stran!led baby needs &uch less $atch n!( Bes des h s d rtyness s &ore %erce%t ble n an o%en !ar&ent# he &ust be attended to &ore frequently( Indeed) custo& s an unans$erable ar!u&ent n so&e lands and a&on! all classes of %eo%le( Ao not ar!ue $ th the nurses# ! "e your orders) see the& carr ed out) and s%are no %a ns to &a'e the attent on you %rescr be easy n %ract ce( +hy not ta'e your share n t/ + th ord nary nursl n!s) $here the body alone s thou!ht of) noth n! &atters so lon! as the ch ld l "es and does not actually d e) but $ th us) $hen educat on be! ns $ th l fe) the ne$-born ch ld s already a d sc %le) not of h s tutor) but of nature( The tutor &erely stud es under th s &aster) and sees that h s orders are not e"aded( 8e $atches o"er the nfant) he obser"es t) he loo's for the f rst feeble !l &&er n! of ntell !ence) as the Mosle& loo's for the &o&ent of the &oon's

1E

r s n! n her f rst quarter( +e are born ca%able of learn n!) but 'no$ n! noth n!) %erce " n! noth n!( The & nd) bound u% $ th n &%erfect and half !ro$n or!ans) s not e"en a$are of ts o$n ex stence( The &o"e&ents and cr es of the ne$-born ch ld are %urely reflex) $ thout 'no$led!e or $ ll( 2u%%ose a ch ld born $ th the s 3e and stren!th of &anhood) enter n! u%on l fe full !ro$n l 'e Pallas fro& the bra n of Ju% ter# such a ch ld-&an $ould be a %erfect d ot) an auto&aton) a statue $ thout &ot on and al&ost $ thout feel n!# he $ould see and hear noth n!) he $ould reco!n se no one) he could not turn h s eyes to$ards $hat he $anted to see# not only $ould he %erce "e no external ob*ect) he $ould not e"en be a$are of sensat on throu!h the se"eral sense-or!ans( 8 s eye $ould not %erce "e colour) h s ear sounds) h s body $ould be una$are of contact $ th ne !hbour n! bod es) he $ould not e"en 'no$ he had a body) $hat h s hands handled $ould be n h s bra n alone# all h s sensat ons $ould be un ted n one %lace) they $ould ex st only n the co&&on .sensor u&). he $ould ha"e only one dea) that of self) to $h ch he $ould refer all h s sensat ons# and th s dea) or rather th s feel n!) $ould be the only th n! n $h ch he excelled an ord nary ch ld( Th s &an) full !ro$n at b rth) $ould also be unable to stand on h s feet) he $ould need a lon! t &e to learn ho$ to 'ee% h s balance# %erha%s he $ould not e"en be able to try to do t) and you $ould see the b ! stron! body left n one %lace l 'e a stone) or cree% n! and cra$l n! l 'e a youn! %u%%y( 8e $ould feel the d sco&fort of bod ly needs $ thout 'no$ n! $hat $as the &atter and $ thout 'no$ n! ho$ to %ro" de for these needs( There s no &&ed ate connect on bet$een the &uscles of the sto&ach and those of the ar&s and le!s to &a'e h & ta'e a ste% to$ards food) or stretch a hand to se 3e t) e"en $ere he surrounded $ th t# and as h s body $ould be full !ro$n and h s l &bs $ell de"elo%ed he $ould be $ thout the %er%etual restlessness and &o"e&ent of ch ldhood) so that he & !ht d e of hun!er $ thout st rr n! to see' food( 8o$e"er l ttle you &ay ha"e thou!ht about the order and de"elo%&ent of our 'no$led!e) you cannot deny that such a one $ould be n the state of al&ost %r & t "e !norance and stu% d ty natural to &an before he has learnt anyth n! fro& ex%er ence or fro& h s fello$s( +e 'no$ then) or $e &ay 'no$) the %o nt of de%arture fro& $h ch $e each start to$ards the usual le"el of understand n!# but $ho 'no$s the other extre&e/ Each %ro!resses &ore or less accord n! to h s !en us) h s taste) h s needs) h s talents) h s 3eal) and h s o%%ortun t es for us n! the&( 4o %h loso%her) so far as I 'no$) has dared to say to &an) .Thus far shalt thou !o and no further(. +e 'no$ not $hat nature allo$s us to be) none of us has &easured

1F

the %oss ble d fference bet$een &an and &an( Is there a & nd so dead that th s thou!ht has ne"er ' ndled t) that has ne"er sa d n h s %r de) .8o$ &uch ha"e I already done) ho$ &uch &ore &ay I ach e"e/ +hy should I la! beh nd &y fello$s/. As I sa d before) &an's educat on be! ns at b rth# before he can s%ea' or understand he s learn n!( Ex%er ence %recedes nstruct on# $hen he reco!n ses h s nurse he has learnt &uch( The 'no$led!e of the &ost !norant &an $ould sur%r se us f $e had follo$ed h s course fro& b rth to the %resent t &e( If all hu&an 'no$led!e $ere d " ded nto t$o %arts) one co&&on to all) the other %ecul ar to the learned) the latter $ould see& "ery s&all co&%ared $ th the for&er( But $e scarcely heed th s !eneral ex%er ence) because t s acqu red before the a!e of reason( Moreo"er) 'no$led!e only attracts attent on by ts rar ty) as n al!ebra c equat ons co&&on factors count for noth n!( E"en an &als learn &uch( They ha"e senses and &ust learn to use the&# they ha"e needs) they &ust learn to sat sfy the&# they &ust learn to eat) $al') or fly( Iuadru%eds $h ch can stand on the r feet fro& the f rst cannot $al' for all that# fro& the r f rst atte&%ts t s clear that they lac' conf dence( 0anar es $ho esca%e fro& the r ca!e are unable to fly) ha" n! ne"er used the r $ n!s( L " n! and feel n! creatures are al$ays learn n!( If %lants could $al' they $ould need senses and 'no$led!e) else the r s%ec es $ould d e out( The ch ld's f rst &ental ex%er ences are %urely affect "e) he s only a$are of %leasure and %a n# t ta'es h & a lon! t &e to acqu re the def n te sensat ons $h ch sho$ h & th n!s outs de h &self) but before these th n!s %resent and $ thdra$ the&sel"es) so to s%ea') fro& h s s !ht) ta' n! s 3e and sha%e for h &) the recurrence of e&ot onal ex%er ences s be! nn n! to sub*ect the ch ld to the rule of hab t( -ou see h s eyes constantly follo$ the l !ht) and f the l !ht co&es fro& the s de the eyes turn to$ards t) so that one &ust be careful to turn h s head to$ards the l !ht lest he should squ nt( 8e &ust also be accusto&ed fro& the f rst to the dar') or he $ ll cry f he & sses the l !ht( Food and slee%) too) exactly &easured) beco&e necessary at re!ular nter"als) and soon des re s no lon!er the effect of need) but of hab t) or rather hab t adds a fresh need to those of nature( -ou &ust be on your !uard a!a nst th s( The only hab t the ch ld should be allo$ed to contract s that of ha" n! no hab ts# let h & be carr ed on e ther ar&) let h & be accusto&ed to offer e ther hand) to use one or other nd fferently# let h & not $ant to eat) slee%) or do anyth n! at f xed hours) nor be unable to be left alone by day or n !ht( Pre%are the $ay for h s control of h s l berty and the use of h s stren!th by lea" n! h s body ts natural hab t) by &a' n! h & ca%able of last n! self-control) of do n! all that he $ lls $hen h s $ ll s for&ed( As soon as the ch ld be! ns to ta'e not ce) $hat s sho$n h & &ust be carefully chosen( The natural &an s nterested n all ne$

<G

th n!s( 8e feels so feeble that he fears the un'no$n; the hab t of see n! fresh th n!s $ thout ll effects destroys th s fear( 0h ldren brou!ht u% n clean houses $here there are no s% ders are afra d of s% ders) and th s fear often lasts throu!h l fe( I ne"er sa$ %easants) &an) $o&an) or ch ld) afra d of s% ders( 2 nce the &ere cho ce of th n!s sho$n h & &ay &a'e the ch ld t & d or bra"e) $hy should not h s educat on be! n before he can s%ea' or understand/ I $ould ha"e h & accusto&ed to see fresh th n!s) u!ly) re%uls "e) and stran!e beasts) but l ttle by l ttle) and far off t ll he s used to the&) and t ll ha" n! seen others handle the& he handles the& h &self( If n ch ldhood he sees toads) sna'es) and crayf sh) he $ ll not be afra d of any an &al $hen he s !ro$n u%( Those $ho are cont nually see n! terr ble th n!s th n' noth n! of the&( All ch ldren are afra d of &as's( I be! n by sho$ n! E& le a &as' $ th a %leasant face) then so&e one %uts th s &as' before h s face# I be! n to lau!h) they all lau!h too) and the ch ld $ th the&( By de!rees I accusto& h & to less %leas n! &as's) and at last h deous ones( If I ha"e arran!ed &y sta!es s' lfully) far fro& be n! afra d of the last &as') he $ ll lau!h at t as he d d at the f rst( After that I a& not afra d of %eo%le fr !hten n! h & $ th &as's( +hen 8ector b ds fare$ell to Andro&ache) the youn! Astyanax) startled by the nodd n! %lu&es on the hel&et) does not 'no$ h s father# he fl n!s h &self $ee% n! u%on h s nurse's boso& and $ ns fro& h s &other a s& le & n!led $ th tears( +hat &ust be done to stay th s terror/ Just $hat 8ector d d# %ut the hel&et on the !round and caress the ch ld( In a cal&er &o&ent one $ould do &ore# one $ould !o u% to the hel&et) %lay $ th the %lu&es) let the ch ld feel the&# at last the nurse $ould ta'e the hel&et and %lace t lau!h n!ly on her o$n head) f ndeed a $o&an's hand dare touch the ar&our of 8ector( If E& le &ust !et used to the sound of a !un) I f rst f re a % stol $ th a s&all char!e( 8e s del !hted $ th th s sudden flash) th s sort of l !htn n!# I re%eat the %rocess $ th &ore %o$der# !radually I add a s&all char!e $ thout a $ad) then a lar!er# n the end I accusto& h & to the sound of a !un) to f re$or's) cannon) and the &ost terr ble ex%los ons( I ha"e obser"ed that ch ldren are rarely afra d of thunder unless the %eals are really terr ble and actually hurt the ear) other$ se th s fear only co&es to the& $hen they 'no$ that thunder so&et &es hurts or ' lls( +hen reason be! ns to cause fear) let use reassure the&( By slo$ and careful sta!es &an and ch ld learn to fear noth n!( In the da$n of l fe) $hen &e&ory and &a! nat on ha"e not be!un to funct on) the ch ld only attends to $hat affects ts senses( 8 s

<,

sense ex%er ences are the ra$ &ater al of thou!ht# they should) therefore) be %resented to h & n f tt n! order) so that &e&ory &ay at a future t &e %resent the& n the sa&e order to h s understand n!# but as he only attends to h s sensat ons t s enou!h) at f rst) to sho$ h & clearly the connect on bet$een these sensat ons and the th n!s $h ch cause the&( 8e $ants to touch and handle e"eryth n!# do not chec' these &o"e&ents $h ch teach h & n"aluable lessons( Thus he learns to %erce "e the heat) cold) hardness) softness) $e !ht) or l !htness of bod es) to *ud!e the r s 3e and sha%e and all the r %hys cal %ro%ert es) by loo' n!) feel n!) :Footnote; 5f all the senses that of s&ell s the latest to de"elo% n ch ldren u% to t$o or three years of a!e they a%%ear to be nsens ble of %leasant or un%leasant odours# n th s res%ect they are as nd fferent or rather as nsens ble as &any an &als(= l sten n!) and) abo"e all) by co&%ar n! s !ht and touch) by *ud! n! $ th the eye $hat sensat on they $ould cause to h s hand( It s only by &o"e&ent that $e learn the d fference bet$een self and not self# t s only by our o$n &o"e&ents that $e !a n the dea of s%ace( The ch ld has not th s dea) so he stretches out h s hand to se 3e the ob*ect $ th n h s reach or that $h ch s a hundred %aces fro& h &( -ou ta'e th s as a s !n of tyranny) an atte&%t to b d the th n! dra$ near) or to b d you br n! t( 4oth n! of the ' nd) t s &erely that the ob*ect f rst seen n h s bra n) then before h s eyes) no$ see&s close to h s ar&s) and he has no dea of s%ace beyond h s reach( Be careful) therefore) to ta'e h & about) to &o"e h & fro& %lace to %lace) and to let h & %erce "e the chan!e n h s surround n!s) so as to teach h & to *ud!e of d stances( +hen he be! ns to %erce "e d stances then you &ust chan!e your %lan) and only carry h & $hen you %lease) not $hen he %leases# for as soon as he s no lon!er dece "ed by h s senses) there s another &ot "e for h s effort( Th s chan!e s re&ar'able and calls for ex%lanat on( The d sco&fort caused by real needs s sho$n by s !ns) $hen the hel% of others s requ red( 8ence the cr es of ch ldren# they often cry# t &ust be so( 2 nce they are only consc ous of feel n!s) $hen those feel n!s are %leasant they en*oy the& n s lence# $hen they are %a nful they say so n the r o$n $ay and de&and rel ef( 4o$ $hen they are a$a'e they can scarcely be n a state of nd fference) e ther they are aslee% or else they are feel n! so&eth n!( All our lan!ua!es are the result of art( It has lon! been a sub*ect of nqu ry $hether there e"er $as a natural lan!ua!e co&&on to all# no doubt there s) and t s the lan!ua!e of ch ldren before they be! n to s%ea'( Th s lan!ua!e s nart culate) but t has tone) stress) and &ean n!( The use of our o$n lan!ua!e has led us to ne!lect t so far as to for!et t alto!ether( Let us study ch ldren and $e shall soon learn t afresh fro& the&( 4urses can teach us

<1

th s lan!ua!e# they understand all the r nursl n!s say to the&) they ans$er the&) and 'ee% u% lon! con"ersat ons $ th the&# and thou!h they use $ords) these $ords are qu te useless( It s not the hear n! of the $ord) but ts acco&%any n! ntonat on that s understood( To the lan!ua!e of ntonat on s added the no less forc ble lan!ua!e of !esture( The ch ld uses) not ts $ea' hands) but ts face( The a&ount of ex%ress on n these unde"elo%ed faces s extraord nary# the r features chan!e fro& one &o&ent to another $ th ncred ble s%eed( -ou see s& les) des res) terror) co&e and !o l 'e l !htn n!# e"ery t &e the face see&s d fferent( The &uscles of the face are undoubtedly &ore &ob le than our o$n( 5n the other hand the eyes are al&ost ex%ress onless( 2uch &ust be the sort of s !ns they use at an a!e $hen the r only needs are those of the body( 7r &aces are the s !n of sensat on) the !lance ex%resses sent &ent( As &an's f rst state s one of $ant and $ea'ness) h s f rst sounds are cr es and tears( The ch ld feels h s needs and cannot sat sfy the&) he be!s for hel% by h s cr es( Is he hun!ry or th rsty/ there are tears# s he too cold or too hot/ &ore tears# he needs &o"e&ent and s 'e%t qu et) &ore tears# he $ants to slee% and s d sturbed) he $ee%s( The less co&fortable he s) the &ore he de&ands chan!e( 8e has only one lan!ua!e because he has) so to say) only one ' nd of d sco&fort( In the &%erfect state of h s sense or!ans he does not d st n!u sh the r se"eral &%ress ons# all lls %roduce one feel n! of sorro$( These tears) $h ch you th n' so l ttle $orthy of your attent on) ! "e r se to the f rst relat on bet$een &an and h s en" ron&ent# here s for!ed the f rst l n' n the lon! cha n of soc al order( +hen the ch ld cr es he s uneasy) he feels so&e need $h ch he cannot sat sfy# you $atch h &) see' th s need) f nd t) and sat sfy t( If you can ne ther f nd t nor sat sfy t) the tears cont nue and beco&e t reso&e( The ch ld s %etted to qu et h &) he s roc'ed or sun! to slee%# f he s obst nate) the nurse beco&es &%at ent and threatens h &# cruel nurses so&et &es str 'e h &( +hat stran!e lessons for h & at h s f rst entrance nto l feD I shall ne"er for!et see n! one of these troubleso&e cry n! ch ldren thus beaten by h s nurse( 8e $as s lent at once( I thou!ht he $as fr !htened) and sa d to &yself) .Th s $ ll be a ser" le be n! fro& $ho& noth n! can be !ot but by harshness(. I $as $ron!) the %oor $retch $as cho' n! $ th ra!e) he could not breathe) he $as blac' n the face( A &o&ent later there $ere b tter cr es) e"ery s !n of the an!er) ra!e) and des%a r of th s a!e $as n h s tones( I thou!ht he $ould d e( 8ad I doubted the nnate sense of *ust ce and n*ust ce n &an's heart) th s one nstance $ould ha"e con" nced &e( I a& sure that a dro% of bo l n! l qu d fall n! by chance on that ch ld's hand $ould ha"e hurt h & less than that blo$) sl !ht

<<

n tself) but clearly ! "en $ th the ntent on of hurt n! h &( Th s tendency to an!er) "exat on) and ra!e needs !reat care( Boerhaa"e th n's that &ost of the d seases of ch ldren are of the nature of con"uls ons) because the head be n! lar!er n %ro%ort on and the ner"ous syste& &ore extens "e than n adults) they are &ore l able to ner"ous rr tat on( Ta'e the !reatest care to re&o"e fro& the& any ser"ants $ho tease) annoy) or "ex the&( They are a hundredfold &ore dan!erous and &ore fatal than fresh a r and chan! n! seasons( +hen ch ldren only ex%er ence res stance n th n!s and ne"er n the $ ll of &an) they do not beco&e rebell ous or %ass onate) and the r health s better( Th s s one reason $hy the ch ldren of the %oor) $ho are freer and &ore nde%endent) are !enerally less fra l and $ea'ly) &ore " !orous than those $ho are su%%osed to be better brou!ht u% by be n! constantly th$arted# but you &ust al$ays re&e&ber that t s one th n! to refra n fro& th$art n! the&) but qu te another to obey the&( The ch ld's f rst tears are %rayers) be$are lest they beco&e co&&ands# he be! ns by as' n! for a d) he ends by de&and n! ser" ce( Thus fro& h s o$n $ea'ness) the source of h s f rst consc ousness of de%endence) s%r n!s the later dea of rule and tyranny# but as th s dea s aroused rather by h s needs than by our ser" ces) $e be! n to see &oral results $hose causes are not n nature# thus $e see ho$ &%ortant t s) e"en at the earl est a!e) to d scern the secret &ean n! of the !esture or cry( +hen the ch ld tr es to se 3e so&eth n! $ thout s%ea' n!) he th n's he can reach the ob*ect) for he does not r !htly *ud!e ts d stance# $hen he cr es and stretches out h s hands he no lon!er & s*ud!es the d stance) he b ds the ob*ect a%%roach) or orders you to br n! t to h &( In the f rst case br n! t to h & slo$ly# n the second do not e"en see& to hear h s cr es( The &ore he cr es the less you should heed h &( 8e &ust learn n !ood t &e not to ! "e co&&ands to &en) for he s not the r &aster) nor to th n!s) for they cannot hear h &( Thus $hen the ch ld $ants so&eth n! you &ean to ! "e h &) t s better to carry h & to t rather than to br n! the th n! to h &( Fro& th s he $ ll dra$ a conclus on su ted to h s a!e) and there s no other $ay of su!!est n! t to h &( The Abbe 2a nt-P erre calls &en b ! ch ldren# one & !ht also call ch ldren l ttle &en( These state&ents are true) but they requ re ex%lanat on( But $hen 8obbes calls the $ c'ed a stron! ch ld) h s state&ent s contrad cted by facts( All $ c'edness co&es fro& $ea'ness( The ch ld s only nau!hty because he s $ea'# &a'e h & stron! and he $ ll be !ood# f $e could do e"eryth n! $e should ne"er do $ron!( 5f all the attr butes of the Al& !hty) !oodness s that $h ch t $ould be hardest to d ssoc ate fro& our conce%t on of 8 &( All nat ons $ho ha"e ac'no$led!ed a !ood and an e" l %o$er) ha"e al$ays re!arded the e" l as nfer or to the !ood# other$ se the r o% n on $ould ha"e been absurd( 0o&%are th s $ th the creed of the 2a"oyard cler!y&an later on n th s boo'(

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Reason alone teaches us to 'no$ !ood and e" l( Therefore consc ence) $h ch &a'es us lo"e the one and hate the other) thou!h t s nde%endent of reason) cannot de"elo% $ thout t( Before the a!e of reason $e do !ood or ll $ thout 'no$ n! t) and there s no &oral ty n our act ons) althou!h there s so&et &es n our feel n! $ th re!ard to other %eo%le's act ons n relat on to oursel"es( A ch ld $ants to o"erturn e"eryth n! he sees( 8e brea's and s&ashes e"eryth n! he can reach# he se 3es a b rd as he se 3es a stone) and stran!les t $ thout 'no$ n! $hat he s about( +hy so/ In the f rst %lace %h loso%hy $ ll account for th s by nbred s n) &an's %r de) lo"e of %o$er) self shness) s% te# %erha%s t $ ll say n add t on to th s that the ch ld's consc ousness of h s o$n $ea'ness &a'es h & ea!er to use h s stren!th) to con" nce h &self of t( But $atch that bro'en do$n old &an reduced n the do$n$ard course of l fe to the $ea'ness of a ch ld# not only s he qu et and %eaceful) he $ould ha"e all about h & qu et and %eaceful too# the least chan!e d sturbs and troubles h &) he $ould l 'e to see un "ersal cal&( 8o$ s t %oss ble that s & lar feebleness and s & lar %ass ons should %roduce such d fferent effects n a!e and n nfancy) f the or ! nal cause $ere not d fferent/ And $here can $e f nd th s d fference n cause exce%t n the bod ly cond t on of the t$o( The act "e %r nc %le) co&&on to both) s !ro$ n! n one case and decl n n! n the other# t s be n! for&ed n the one and destroyed n the other# one s &o" n! to$ards l fe) the other to$ards death( The fa l n! act " ty of the old &an s centred n h s heart) the ch ld's o"erflo$ n! act " ty s%reads abroad( 8e feels) f $e &ay say so) stron! enou!h to ! "e l fe to all about h &( To &a'e or to destroy) t s all one to h &# chan!e s $hat he see's) and all chan!e n"ol"es act on( If he see&s to en*oy destruct "e act " ty t s only that t ta'es t &e to &a'e th n!s and "ery l ttle t &e to brea' the&) so that the $or' of destruct on accords better $ th h s ea!erness( +h le the Author of nature has ! "en ch ldren th s act " ty) 8e ta'es care that t shall do l ttle har& by ! " n! the& s&all %o$er to use t( But as soon as they can th n' of %eo%le as tools to be used) they use the& to carry out the r $ shes and to su%%le&ent the r o$n $ea'ness( Th s s ho$ they beco&e t reso&e) &asterful) &%er ous) nau!hty) and un&ana!eable# a de"elo%&ent $h ch does not s%r n! fro& a natural lo"e of %o$er) but one $h ch has been tau!ht the&) for t does not need &uch ex%er ence to real se ho$ %leasant t s to set others to $or' and to &o"e the $orld by a $ord( As the ch ld !ro$s t !a ns stren!th and beco&es less restless and unqu et and &ore nde%endent( 2oul and body beco&e better balanced and nature no lon!er as's for &ore &o"e&ent than s requ red for self-%reser"at on( But the lo"e of %o$er does not d e $ th the need that aroused t# %o$er arouses and flatters self-lo"e) and hab t

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stren!thens t# thus ca%r ce follo$s u%on need) and the f rst seeds of %re*ud ce and obst nacy are so$n( FIR2T MAHIM(--Far fro& be n! too stron!) ch ldren are not stron! enou!h for all the cla &s of nature( 7 "e the& full use of such stren!th as they ha"e# they $ ll not abuse t( 2E054A MAHIM(--8el% the& and su%%ly the ex%er ence and stren!th they lac' $hene"er the need s of the body( T8IRA MAHIM(--In the hel% you ! "e the& conf ne yourself to $hat s really needful) $ thout !rant n! anyth n! to ca%r ce or unreason# for they $ ll not be tor&ented by ca%r ce f you do not call t nto ex stence) see n! t s no %art of nature( F59RT8 MAHIM--2tudy carefully the r s%eech and !estures) so that at an a!e $hen they are nca%able of dece t you &ay d scr & nate bet$een those des res $h ch co&e fro& nature and those $h ch s%r n! fro& %er"ers ty( The s% r t of these rules s to ! "e ch ldren &ore real l berty and less %o$er) to let the& do &ore for the&sel"es and de&and less of others# so that by teach n! the& fro& the f rst to conf ne the r $ shes $ th n the l & ts of the r %o$ers they $ ll scarcely feel the $ant of $hate"er s not n the r %o$er( Th s s another "ery &%ortant reason for lea" n! ch ldren's l &bs and bod es %erfectly free) only ta' n! care that they do not fall) and 'ee% n! anyth n! that & !ht hurt the& out of the r $ay( The ch ld $hose body and ar&s are free $ ll certa nly cry &uch less than a ch ld t ed u% n s$addl n! clothes( 8e $ho 'no$s only bod ly needs) only cr es $hen n %a n# and th s s a !reat ad"anta!e) for then $e 'no$ exactly $hen he needs hel%) and f %oss ble $e should not delay our hel% for an nstant( But f you cannot rel e"e h s %a n) stay $here you are and do not flatter h & by $ay of sooth n! h &# your caresses $ ll not cure h s col c) but he $ ll re&e&ber $hat he &ust do to $ n the&# and f he once f nds out ho$ to !a n your attent on at $ ll) he s your &aster# the $hole educat on s s%o lt( The r &o"e&ents be n! less constra ned) ch ldren $ ll cry less# less $ear ed $ th the r tears) %eo%le $ ll not ta'e so &uch trouble to chec' the&( + th fe$er threats and %ro& ses) they $ ll be less t & d and less obst nate) and $ ll re&a n &ore nearly n the r natural state( Ru%tures are %roduced less by lett n! ch ldren cry than by the &eans ta'en to sto% the&) and &y e" dence for th s s the fact that the &ost ne!lected ch ldren are less l able to the& than others( I a& "ery far fro& $ sh n! that they should be ne!lected# on the contrary) t s of the ut&ost &%ortance that the r $ants

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should be ant c %ated) so that they need not %rocla & the r $ants by cry n!( But ne ther $ould I ha"e un$ se care besto$ed on the&( +hy should they th n' t $ron! to cry $hen they f nd they can !et so &uch by t/ +hen they ha"e learned the "alue of the r s lence they ta'e !ood care not to $aste t( In the end they $ ll so exa!!erate ts &%ortance that no one $ ll be able to %ay ts %r ce# then $orn out $ th cry n! they beco&e exhausted) and are at len!th s lent( Prolon!ed cry n! on the %art of a ch ld ne ther s$addled nor out of health) a ch ld $ho lac's noth n!) s &erely the result of hab t or obst nacy( 2uch tears are no lon!er the $or' of nature) but the $or' of the ch ld's nurse) $ho could not res st ts &%ortun ty and so has ncreased t) $ thout cons der n! that $h le she qu ets the ch ld to-day she s teach n! h & to cry louder to-&orro$( Moreo"er) $hen ca%r ce or obst nacy s the cause of the r tears) there s a sure $ay of sto%% n! the& by d stract n! the r attent on by so&e %leasant or cons% cuous ob*ect $h ch &a'es the& for!et that they $ant to cry( Most nurses excel n th s art) and r !htly used t s "ery useful# but t s of the ut&ost &%ortance that the ch ld should not %erce "e that you &ean to d stract h s attent on) and that he should be a&used $ thout sus%ect n! you are th n' n! about h &# no$ th s s $hat &ost nurses cannot do( Most ch ldren are $eaned too soon( The t &e to $ean the& s $hen they cut the r teeth( Th s !enerally causes %a n and suffer n!( At th s t &e the ch ld nst nct "ely carr es e"eryth n! he !ets hold of to h s &outh to che$ t( To hel% for$ard th s %rocess he s ! "en as a %layth n! so&e hard ob*ect such as "ory or a $olf's tooth( I th n' th s s a & sta'e( 8ard bod es a%%l ed to the !u&s do not soften the&# far fro& t) they &a'e the %rocess of cutt n! the teeth &ore d ff cult and %a nful( Let us al$ays ta'e nst nct as our !u de# $e ne"er see %u%% es %ract s n! the r budd n! teeth on %ebbles) ron) or bones) but on $ood) leather) ra!s) soft &ater als $h ch y eld to the r *a$s) and on $h ch the tooth lea"es ts &ar'( +e can do noth n! s &%ly) not e"en for our ch ldren( Toys of s l"er) !old) coral) cut crystal) rattles of e"ery %r ce and ' nd# $hat "a n and useless a%%l ances( A$ay $ th the& allD Let us ha"e no corals or rattles# a s&all branch of a tree $ th ts lea"es and fru t) a st c' of l quor ce $h ch he &ay suc' and che$) $ ll a&use h & as $ell as these s%lend d tr fles) and they $ ll ha"e th s ad"anta!e at least) he $ ll not be brou!ht u% to luxury fro& h s b rth( It s ad& tted that %a% s not a "ery $holeso&e food( Bo led & l' and uncoo'ed flour cause !ra"el and do not su t the sto&ach( In %a% the flour s less thorou!hly coo'ed than n bread and t has not fer&ented( I th n' bread and & l' or r ce-crea& are better( If you $ ll ha"e %a%) the flour should be l !htly coo'ed beforehand(

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In &y o$n country they &a'e a "ery %leasant and $holeso&e sou% fro& flour thus heated( Meat-broth or sou% s not a "ery su table food and should be used as l ttle as %oss ble( The ch ld &ust f rst !et used to che$ n! h s food# th s s the r !ht $ay to br n! the teeth throu!h) and $hen the ch ld be! ns to s$allo$) the sal "a & xed $ th the food hel%s d !est on( I $ould ha"e the& f rst che$ dr ed fru t or crusts( I should ! "e the& as %layth n!s l ttle b ts of dry bread or b scu ts) l 'e the P ed&ont bread) 'no$n n the country as .!r sses(. By d nt of soften n! th s bread n the &outh so&e of t s e"entually s$allo$ed the teeth co&e throu!h of the&sel"es) and the ch ld s $eaned al&ost &%erce%t bly( Peasants ha"e usually "ery !ood d !est ons) and they are $eaned $ th no &ore ado( Fro& the "ery f rst ch ldren hear s%o'en lan!ua!e# $e s%ea' to the& before they can understand or e"en & tate s%o'en sounds( The "ocal or!ans are st ll st ff) and only !radually lend the&sel"es to the re%roduct on of the sounds heard# t s e"en doubtful $hether these sounds are heard d st nctly as $e hear the&( The nurse &ay a&use the ch ld $ th son!s and $ th "ery &erry and "ar ed ntonat on) but I ob*ect to her be$ lder n! the ch ld $ th a &ult tude of "a n $ords of $h ch t understands noth n! but her tone of "o ce( I $ould ha"e the f rst $ords he hears fe$ n nu&ber) d st nctly and often re%eated) $h le the $ords the&sel"es should be related to th n!s $h ch can f rst be sho$n to the ch ld( That fatal fac l ty n the use of $ords $e do not understand be! ns earl er than $e th n'( In the schoolroo& the scholar l stens to the "erb a!e of h s &aster as he l stened n the cradle to the babble of h s nurse( I th n' t $ould be a "ery useful educat on to lea"e h & n !norance of both( All sorts of deas cro$d n u%on us $hen $e try to cons der the de"elo%&ent of s%eech and the ch ld's f rst $ords( +hate"er $e do they all learn to tal' n the sa&e $ay) and all %h loso%h cal s%eculat ons are utterly useless( To be! n $ th) they ha"e) so to say) a !ra&&ar of the r o$n) $hose rules and syntax are &ore !eneral than our o$n# f you attend carefully you $ ll be sur%r sed to f nd ho$ exactly they follo$ certa n analo! es) "ery &uch & sta'en f you l 'e) but "ery re!ular# these for&s are only ob*ect onable because of the r harshness or because they are not reco!n sed by custo&( I ha"e *ust heard a ch ld se"erely scolded by h s father for say n!) .Mon %ere) ra -*e-t-y/. 4o$ $e see that th s ch ld $as follo$ n! the analo!y &ore closely than our !ra&&ar ans) for as they say to h &) .?as-y). $hy should he not say) .Ira -*e-t-y/. 4ot ce too the s' lful $ay n $h ch he a"o ds the h atus n ra -*e-y or y- ra -*e/ Is t the %oor ch ld's fault that $e ha"e so uns' lfully de%r "ed the %hrase of th s deter& nat "e ad"erb .y). because $e d d not 'no$ $hat to do $ th

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t/ It s an ntolerable % ece of %edantry and &ost su%erfluous attent on to deta l to &a'e a %o nt of correct n! all ch ldren's l ttle s ns a!a nst the custo&ary ex%ress on) for they al$ays cure the&sel"es $ th t &e( Al$ays s%ea' correctly before the&) let the& ne"er be so ha%%y $ th any one as $ th you) and be sure that the r s%eech $ ll be &%erce%t bly &odelled u%on yours $ thout any correct on on your %art( But a &uch !reater e" l) and one far less easy to !uard a!a nst) s that they are ur!ed to s%ea' too &uch) as f %eo%le $ere afra d they $ould not learn to tal' of the&sel"es( Th s nd screet 3eal %roduces an effect d rectly o%%os te to $hat s &eant( They s%ea' later and &ore confusedly# the extre&e attent on %a d to e"eryth n! they say &a'es t unnecessary for the& to s%ea' d st nctly) and as they $ ll scarcely o%en the r &ouths) &any of the& contract a " c ous %ronunc at on and a confused s%eech) $h ch last all the r l fe and &a'e the& al&ost un ntell ! ble( I ha"e l "ed &uch a&on! %easants) and I ne"er 'ne$ one of the& l s%) &an or $o&an) boy or ! rl( +hy s th s/ Are the r s%eech or!ans d fferently &ade fro& our o$n/ 4o) but they are d fferently used( There s a h lloc' fac n! &y $ ndo$ on $h ch the ch ldren of the %lace asse&ble for the r !a&es( Althou!h they are far enou!h a$ay) I can d st n!u sh %erfectly $hat they say) and often !et !ood notes for th s boo'( E"ery day &y ear dece "es &e as to the r a!e( I hear the "o ces of ch ldren of ten# I loo' and see the he !ht and features of ch ldren of three or four( Th s ex%er ence s not conf ned to &e# the to$ns%eo%le $ho co&e to see &e) and $ho& I consult on th s %o nt) all fall nto the sa&e & sta'e( Th s results fro& the fact that) u% to f "e or s x) ch ldren n to$n) brou!ht u% n a roo& and under the care of a nursery !o"erness) do not need to s%ea' abo"e a $h s%er to &a'e the&sel"es heard( As soon as the r l %s &o"e %eo%le ta'e %a ns to &a'e out $hat they &ean# they are tau!ht $ords $h ch they re%eat naccurately) and by %ay n! !reat attent on to the& the %eo%le $ho are al$ays $ th the& rather !uess $hat they &eant to say than $hat they sa d( It s qu te a d fferent &atter n the country( A %easant $o&an s not al$ays $ th her ch ld# he s obl !ed to learn to say "ery clearly and loudly $hat he $ants) f he s to &a'e h &self understood( 0h ldren scattered about the f elds at a d stance fro& the r fathers) &others and other ch ldren) !a n %ract ce n &a' n! the&sel"es heard at a d stance) and n ada%t n! the loudness of the "o ce to the d stance $h ch se%arates the& fro& those to $ho& they $ant to s%ea'( Th s s the real $ay to learn %ronunc at on) not by sta&&er n! out a fe$ "o$els nto the ear of an attent "e !o"erness( 2o $hen you quest on a %easant ch ld) he &ay be too shy to ans$er) but $hat he says he says d st nctly) $h le the nurse &ust ser"e as nter%reter for the to$n ch ld# $ thout her one can understand noth n! of $hat

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he s &utter n! bet$een h s teeth( :Footnote; There are exce%t ons to th s# and often those ch ldren $ho at f rst are &ost d ff cult to hear) beco&e the no s est $hen they be! n to ra se the r "o ces( But f I $ere to enter nto all these deta ls I should ne"er &a'e an end# e"ery sens ble reader ou!ht to see that defect and excess) caused by the sa&e abuse) are both corrected by &y &ethod( I re!ard the t$o &ax &s as nse%arable--al$ays enou!h--ne"er too &uch( +hen the f rst $ell establ shed) the latter necessar ly follo$s on t(= As they !ro$ older) the boys are su%%osed to be cured of th s fault at colle!e) the ! rls n the con"ent schools# and ndeed both usually s%ea' &ore clearly than ch ldren brou!ht u% ent rely at ho&e( But they are %re"ented fro& acqu r n! as clear a %ronunc at on as the %easants n th s $ay--they are requ red to learn all sorts of th n!s by heart) and to re%eat aloud $hat they ha"e learnt# for $hen they are study n! they !et nto the $ay of !abbl n! and %ronounc n! carelessly and ll# t s st ll $orse $hen they re%eat the r lessons# they cannot f nd the r !ht $ords) they dra! out the r syllables( Th s s only %oss ble $hen the &e&ory hes tates) the ton!ue does not sta&&er of tself( Thus they acqu re or cont nue hab ts of bad %ronunc at on( Later on you $ ll see that E& le does not acqu re such hab ts or at least not fro& th s cause( I !rant you uneducated %eo%le and " lla!ers often fall nto the o%%os te extre&e( They al&ost al$ays s%ea' too loud# the r %ronunc at on s too exact) and leads to rou!h and coarse art culat on# the r accent s too %ronounced) they choose the r ex%ress ons badly) etc( But) to be! n $ th) th s extre&e str 'es &e as &uch less dan!erous than the other) for the f rst la$ of s%eech s to &a'e oneself understood) and the ch ef fault s to fa l to be understood( To %r de oursel"es on ha" n! no accent s to %r de oursel"es on r dd n! our %hrases of stren!th and ele!ance( E&%has s s the soul of s%eech) t ! "es t ts feel n! and truth( E&%has s dece "es less than $ords# %erha%s that s $hy $ell-educated %eo%le are so afra d of t( Fro& the custo& of say n! e"eryth n! n the sa&e tone has ar sen that of %o' n! fun at %eo%le $ thout the r 'no$ n! t( +hen e&%has s s %roscr bed) ts %lace s ta'en by all sorts of r d culous) affected) and e%he&eral %ronunc at ons) such as one obser"es es%ec ally a&on! the youn! %eo%le about court( It s th s affectat on of s%eech and &anner $h ch &a'es French&en d sa!reeable and re%uls "e to other nat ons on f rst acqua ntance( E&%has s s found) not n the r s%eech) but n the r bear n!( That s not the $ay to &a'e the&sel"es attract "e( All these l ttle faults of s%eech) $h ch you are so afra d the ch ldren $ ll acqu re) are &ere tr fles# they &ay be %re"ented or corrected $ th the !reatest ease) but the faults $h ch are tau!ht the& $hen you &a'e the& s%ea' n a lo$) nd st nct) and t & d "o ce)

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$hen you are al$ays cr t c s n! the r tone and f nd n! fault $ th the r $ords) are ne"er cured( A &an $ho has only learnt to s%ea' n soc ety of f ne lad es could not &a'e h &self heard at the head of h s troo%s) and $ould &a'e l ttle &%ress on on the rabble n a r ot( F rst teach the ch ld to s%ea' to &en# he $ ll be able to s%ea' to the $o&en $hen requ red( Brou!ht u% n all the rust c s &%l c ty of the country) your ch ldren $ ll !a n a &ore sonorous "o ce# they $ ll not acqu re the hes tat n! sta&&er of to$n ch ldren) ne ther $ ll they acqu re the ex%ress ons nor the tone of the " lla!ers) or f they do they $ ll eas ly lose the&# the r &aster be n! $ th the& fro& the r earl est years) and &ore and &ore n the r soc ety the older they !ro$) $ ll be able to %re"ent or efface by s%ea' n! correctly h &self the &%ress on of the %easants' tal'( E& le $ ll s%ea' the %urest French I 'no$) but he $ ll s%ea' t &ore d st nctly and $ th a better art culat on than &yself( The ch ld $ho s try n! to s%ea' should hear noth n! but $ords he can understand) nor should he say $ords he cannot art culate# h s efforts lead h & to re%eat the sa&e syllable as f he $ere %ract s n! ts clear %ronunc at on( +hen he be! ns to sta&&er) do not try to understand h &( To ex%ect to be al$ays l stened to s a for& of tyranny $h ch s not !ood for the ch ld( 2ee carefully to h s real needs) and let h & try to &a'e you understand the rest( 2t ll less should you hurry h & nto s%eech# he $ ll learn to tal' $hen he feels the $ant of t( It has ndeed been re&ar'ed that those $ho be! n to s%ea' "ery late ne"er s%ea' so d st nctly as others# but t s not because they tal'ed late that they are hes tat n!# on the contrary) they be!an to tal' late because they hes tate# f not) $hy d d they be! n to tal' so late/ 8a"e they less need of s%eech) ha"e they been less ur!ed to t/ 5n the contrary) the anx ety aroused $ th the f rst sus% c on of th s bac'$ardness leads %eo%le to tease the& &uch &ore to be! n to tal' than those $ho art culated earl er# and th s & sta'en 3eal &ay do &uch to &a'e the r s%eech confused) $hen $ th less haste they & !ht ha"e had t &e to br n! t to !reater %erfect on( 0h ldren $ho are forced to s%ea' too soon ha"e no t &e to learn e ther to %ronounce correctly or to understand $hat they are &ade to say# $h le left to the&sel"es they f rst %ract se the eas est syllables) and then) add n! to the& l ttle by l ttle so&e &ean n! $h ch the r !estures ex%la n) they teach you the r o$n $ords before they learn yours( By th s &eans they do not acqu re your $ords t ll they ha"e understood the&( Be n! n no hurry to use the&) they be! n by carefully obser" n! the sense n $h ch you use the&) and $hen they are sure of the& they ado%t the&( The $orst e" l result n! fro& the %recoc ous use of s%eech by youn!

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ch ldren s that $e not only fa l to understand the f rst $ords they use) $e & sunderstand the& $ thout 'no$ n! t# so that $h le they see& to ans$er us correctly) they fa l to understand us and $e the&( Th s s the &ost frequent cause of our sur%r se at ch ldren's say n!s# $e attr bute to the& deas $h ch they d d not attach to the r $ords( Th s lac' of attent on on our %art to the real &ean n! $h ch $ords ha"e for ch ldren see&s to &e the cause of the r earl est & sconce%t ons# and these & sconce%t ons) e"en $hen corrected) colour the r $hole course of thou!ht for the rest of the r l fe( I shall ha"e se"eral o%%ortun t es of llustrat n! these by exa&%les later on( Let the ch ld's "ocabulary) therefore) be l & ted# t s "ery undes rable that he should ha"e &ore $ords than deas) that he should be able to say &ore than he th n's( 5ne of the reasons $hy %easants are !enerally shre$der than to$nsfol' s) I th n') that the r "ocabulary s s&aller( They ha"e fe$ deas) but those fe$ are thorou!hly !ras%ed( The nfant s %ro!ress n! n se"eral $ays at once# he s learn n! to tal') eat) and $al' about the sa&e t &e( Th s s really the f rst %hase of h s l fe( 9% t ll no$) he $as l ttle &ore than he $as before b rth# he had ne ther feel n! nor thou!ht) he $as barely ca%able of sensat on# he $as unconsc ous of h s o$n ex stence( .? " t) et est " tae nesc us %se suae(.--5" d(

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