*

of education to be "firft, firft, to cultivate "the various principles of our nature, both fpeculative and active, in fuch a "manner as to bring them to the greatest "perfection of which they are fufceptible; "and fecondly, by watching over the im"preffions and affociations which the mind

receives in early life, to fecure it againft "the influence of prevailing errors; and

as far as poffible to engage its prepoffef fions on the fide of truth," the importance of the object will command our attention, and our anxiety to accomplish it will prompt to vigorous exertion.

I remain, your's.

* Profeffor Stewart. See his Introduction to the Elements of Philofophy of the Human Mind, p. 20.

LETTER

LETTER II.

Association of Ideas.-How rendered

permanent.

BEFO

EFORE I proceed to a further investigation of the fubject with which I concluded my laft, I shall fully reply to the objections you have fo candidly stated.

You fay that without having ever "read a page of metaphyfics, you can "eafily comprehend what I mean by the "affociation of ideas; but that it appears "to you, I have laid too great a stress up"on the ftrength of those that are given "in infancy, as experience may convince "us that the impreffions received in that "early period are flight and evanefcent; "that the pleasures and pains of childhood are not the pleafures and pains of “our riper years, and that this change of

the

"the objects of defire or averfion fhews "the early affociation of ideas to have "been flight and tranfient."

That thousands of cafual affociations are of this defcription I readily admit; and I believe, on close and accurate examination, we fhall find that the permanency of af, fociations depends, in the first place, on the strength of the original impression, and secondly, on the frequency of the repetition.

To give an inftance of each kind. First, that the strength of the impreffion occafions the affociations to be indelibly fixed in the mind. Of this we have a convincing proof in the number of persons who are unhappily through life flaves to the terrors of darkness, from the idea of ghosts and darkness having been associated together in infancy, and forcibly impreffed by means of the paffion of fear. Long after reafon has pointed out the abfurdity of this affociation, long after the belief in apparitions has ceased to be a part of the

creed

creed, has this affociation continued to operate upon the mind, and to many a brave man, and many a fenfible woman, proved a lafting fource of mifery and difquiet.

This is now fo well known, that fervants are generally cautioned against frightening children by those foolish stories that were once fo current in every nursery. But is then the fear of ghofts and hobgoblins the only falfe and permanent affociation of which the mind is at that early period fufceptible? Alas! a thousand others of no lèfs fatal tendency are often then received, engendering prejudices no lefs dangerous and indelible.

That all our defires are affociated with the ideas of pleasure, and all our averfions with those of pain, no one who gives the least observation to what paffes in his own mind, or that of others, can doubt. These affociations take place at an early period, for it is by means of them that a child

learn

learns to distinguish the voice of praise from that of chiding. The pleasurable fenfation excited by praise gives rife to felf-complacency; and the idea of the pleasure experienced from it will not fail to be affociated with the circumstances by which it has been most frequently produced; inclining the child to a repetition of the fame mode of conduct for which it has been already praised. The idea of pleasure attached to the gratification of felf-will is, however, fo much more lively in early life than any other affociation, that it will, if not properly guarded againft, counteract even the love of praife. You defire your little girl to fetch a book from the other end of the room: the obeys, and is careffed and praised for her ready obedience. Thus pleasure becomes affociated with obedience. But perhaps in an hour after you defire her to give up a favourite plaything, and go to bed. The pleasure fhe derives from her amufement will here oppose itself to the pleasure