Accordingly no observation is more common, than that mankind are more
generous in the earlier periods of their life, and that their affections
become gradually contracted the farther they advance in the vale of
years. Confidence, kindness, benevolence, constitute the entire temper
of youth. And unless these amiable dispositions be blasted in the bud by
the baneful infusions of ambition, vanity and pride, there is nothing
with which they would not part, to cherish adversity, and remunerate
favour.
Hence we may infer, that the general ideas of merit and character are
perfectly competent to the understanding of children of ten years. False
glory is the farthest in the world from insinuating its witchcraft into
the undepraved heart, where the vain and malignant passions have not yet
erected their standard. It is true, the peculiar sublimities of heroism
cannot be supposed perfectly within his comprehension. But something of
this sort, as we have already said, is incident to every step in the
scale of literature.
But the more perfectly to familiarise to my pupil the understanding and
digesting whatever he read, I would consider it as an indispensible part
of my business, to talk over with him familiarly the subjects, that
might necessarily demand our attention.
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