pleasure derived from your approbation, and if the affociation of pleasure with the gratification of felf-will has not already been broken, and the defire fubdued, there is no doubt but it will here prevail, and triumph over the pleasure of obedience. When the defire of gratifying self-will does not interpofe, the affociation of praise and pleasure will recover its influence, and the pleasurable idea connected with praise be extended to all its attending circumftances. For inftance. Let your little girl be dreffed in new and unusual finery, and brought into company where every voice fhall join in praise of the ornaments with which fhe has been decorated. Obferve the fatisfaction with which the eyes the pretty shoes and pretty fash which are the objects of praise and admiration. The idea of praise may thus be affociated with the idea of finery, and thus no doubt may the love of drefs be generated; but that it will remain permanent without many repetitions of

the

the first impreffion is, I think, a conclufion which experience does not justify. The first impreffion would be equally strong on the mind of a boy or girl; but on the mind of the boy it will not long have influence, being early and effectually counteracted. On the mind of the poor girl, on the contrary, it may be deeply im.preffed; for she is unhappily exposed to a daily repetition of the fame affociation, and can therefore have little chance of efcaping its pernicious influence.

From these remarks it appears evident, that the early affociations to which our attention ought chiefly to be directed, which we must most scrupulously examine, and most affiduously watch, are, firft, thofe which are powerfully impreffed by means of ftrong fenfation, and fecondly, those which are fixed by means of frequent repetition. If these are properly guarded against, I think we need be under no apprehenfion concerning those flight and tranfient affo

ciations,

ciations, to which, by a certain class of philofophers, fo much has been attributed.

To be able to examine and to decide on the tendency of impreffions, does, indeed, feem to require a knowledge of the human mind, which few mothers in the common path of life can be fuppofed to poffefs. I fay seem to require, for in reality it requires nothing more than ftrict attention to the subject, directed by that experience which a knowledge of one's own mind, and common obfervation on the characters of others, must bestow. The more enlightened our understandings, the more enlarged the sphere of our obfervation, with so much greater facility fhall we be enabled to trace, with fo much greater certainty to decide on, the confequences of affociations. But it is not to want of knowledge or ability that our deficiency is most commonly to be af cribed. It is our own indolence, our own selfishness, our unwillingness to counteract our own prejudices, that prevent us from applying

applying to the fubject the degree of understanding and information we poffefs. For a ftandard whereby to judge of the tendency of affociations no christian mo. ther can be at a lofs. She, indeed, whose notions of religion extend a little further than to the mere forms of the fect in which fhe was educated, will here be found to poffefs a very great advantage. In the morality of the Gofpel fhe has an excellent criterion, and if the confcientioufly endeavour to prevent all affociations in the minds of her children that are at variance with its precepts, fhe lays the most probable foundation for their future happiness.

The fyftem of morality, established by Jefus Chrift, does, indeed, in many refpects, differ effentially from the morality of the world. But till it can be proved that the latter is better fuited for advancing the dignity of our nature, is better calculated for promoting individual and focial happinefs, I do not fcruple to give a decided

preference

preference to the former. To it, there fore, fhould I endeavour to form the mind. By it should I try the habits, the prejudices, (for they can fcarcely be called opinions) that are acquired in infancy; and while I did fo, I would fubmit my own prejudices, my own opinions, to the fame test.

There are few individuals (fays Stewart) "whole education has been conducted in

every refpect with attention and judg"ment. Almost every man of reflection

is confcious, when he arrives at maturity, "of many defects in his mental powers and "of many inconvenient habits, which might "have been prevented or remedied in his "infancy or youth. Such a confciousness "is the firft ftep towards improvement, "and the perfon who feels it, if he is pof"feffed of refolution and steadiness, will "hot fcruple to begin a new courfe of

education for himfelf.-It is never too,

“late (he adds) to think of the inprove"ment of our faculties." It is never too

late,