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Vertues and Vices can by no Words be Examples. fo plainly set before their Understandings, as the Actions of other Men will shew them, when you direct their Observation, and bid them view this or that good or bad Quality in their Practice. And the Beauty or Uncomeliness of many Things in good and ill Breeding will be better learnt, and make deeper Impressions on them, in the Examples of others, than from any Rules or Instructions can be given about them.

This is a Method to be used, not only whilst they are young, but to be continued even as long as they shall be under another's Tuition or Conduct. Nay, I know not whether it be not the best Way to be used by a Father, as long as he shall think fit, on any Occafion, to reform any Thing he wishes mended in his Son: Nothing sinking so gently, and so deep, into Men's Minds, as Example. And what Ill they either over-look, or indulge in them themselves, they cannot but dis-like, and be ashamed of, when it is set before them in another.

§. 82.

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§. 82. It may be doubted concer ning Whiffing, when, as the last Remedy, it comes to be necessary; at what Time, and by whom it should be done; whether presently upon the Committing the Fault, whilst it is yet fresh and hot; and whether Parents themselves should beat their Children. As to the First, I think it should not be done presently, left Passion mingle with it, and so, though it exceed the just Proportion, yet it lose the Authority: For even Children discern when we do Things in Passion; but, as I said before, that has most Weight with them, that appears sedately to come from their Parents Reason; and they are not without this Distinction. Next, If you have any discreet Servant capable of it, and has the Place of governing your Child (for if you have a Tutor, there is no doubt) I think it is best the Smart should come more immediately from another's Hand, though by the Parents Order, who should see it done; whereby the Parent's Authority will be preferred, and the Child's Aversion for the Pain it suffers rather be turned on the Person that

immediately inflicts it. For I would whipping have a Father seldom strike his Child,but upon very urgent Necessity, and as the last Remedy, and then perhaps it will be fit to do it so, that the Child should not quickly forget it.

§.83. But, as I said before, Beating is the worst, and therefore the last Means to be used in the Correction of Children; and that only in Cases of Extremity, after all gentler Ways have been tried, and proved unsuccessful; which, if well observed, there will be very seldom any need of Blows. For it not being to be imagined that a Child will often, if ever, dispute his Father's present Command in any particular Instance; and the Father not rigorously interposing his Authority in positive Rules concerning Childish or indifferent Actions, wherein his Son is to have his Liberty; nor concerning his Learning or improvement, wherein there is no Compulsion to be used; there remains only the Prohibition of some vicious Actions, wherein a Child is capable of Obstinacy, and conse quently can deserve Beating: And so there will be but very few Occasions of

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Whipping. that Discipline to be used by any one, who considers well, and orders his Child's Education as it should be. For the first Seven Years, What Vices can a Child be guilty of, but Lying, or some ill-natur'd Tricks; the repeated Commission whereof, after his Father's direct Command against it, shall bring him into the Condemnation of Obstinacy, and the Chastisement of the Rod? If any vicious Inclination in him be, in the first Appearance and Instances of it, treated as it fhould, first with your Wonder, and then if returning again a second Time, discountenanced with the severe Brow of the Father, Tutor, and all about him, and a Treatment suitable to the State of Discredit before-mentioned; and this continued till he be made sensible, and ashamed of his Fault, I imagine there will be no need of any other CorreЄtion, nor ever any Occasion to come to Blows. The Necessity of such Chaftisement is usually the Consequence only of former Indulgencies, or Neglects. If vicious Inclinations were watched from the Beginning, and the first Irregularities they caused corrected

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by those gentler Ways, we should sel- whipping. dom have to do with more than one Disorder at once, which would be eafily set right without any Stir or Noise, and not require so harsh a Discipline as Beating. Thus one by one as they ap pear'd, they might all be weeded out without any Signs or Memory that ever they had been there. But we let, ting their Faults (by Indulging and Humouring our little Ones) grow up till they are Sturdy and Numerous, and the Deformity of them makes us asham'd and uneasy, we are fain to come to the Plough and the Harrow, the Spade and the Pick-ax must go deep to come at the Roots; and all the Force, Skill, and Diligence we can use, is scarce enough to cleanse the vitiated Seed-Plat over-grown with Weeds, and restore us the hopes of Fruits to rewards our Pains in its season.

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§ 84. This Course, if observed, will spare both Father and Child the, trouble of repeated Injunctions and multiplied Rules of Doing and Forbearing. For, I am of Opinion, that of those Actions which tend to vitious Habits (which are those alone H that

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