child: we were not disposed to dash the cup of happiness with the bitterly tormenting inquiry, 'How could we endure to lose him? This disposition accompanied us through life: and, except in cases of real or apparent danger, neither his mother nor myself ever endured, on this ground, a moment's anxiety. She, in adverting to it, has often said, "The probability is, that he will survive us both; and why should we torment ourselves with the voluntary apprehension of an evil which may never arrive? God may take him from 'sufficient for the day will be the evil thereof;' and sufficient, unquestionably, will be our strength from above to hear it: but why should we not enjoy him while he lives, instead of embittering the present by the agonies of anticipation? It will be enough" -(Alas! I find it so !)" it will be enough to endure his actual death, without enduring the dread of meeting the evil at every turn of his passage though life." Thus have been secured to me nineteen entire years of parental blissa larger share, I fear, than falls to the lot of

us;

many parents who possess their children for a much longer time.

"Happy the man, and happy he alone,

He who can call to-day his own,

"To-morrow do thy worst, for I have lived

to-day."

DRYDEN.

We deemed it imperiously necessary to form, while he was yet in his infancy, a plan of future management, to begin from the moment that he should emerge from that state. It was, I imagine, little, if any thing, more than that of all considerate parents; and if more than ordinarily successful in the application, it arose from the circumstance that while we had to operate upon the most favorable materials, THE PLAN WAS INVARIABLY PURSUED: I say, invariably, for I am not aware that it was ever, in a single instance, essentially neglected.

We had determined, from the beginning, To

ACT IN PERFECT UNISON-and if there should, at any time, occur an unavoidable difference in opinion, never to let him perceive it. If I had, as was sometimes probably the case, been unreasonable in demanding more than was to be fairly expected, or in insisting on what was, in his circumstances, impracticable, his mother was uniformly silent before him, and shewed me, when alone, the extravagance of my requisitions—thus affording me an opportunity of averting or correcting any evil that might have been threatened or produced-without begetting in his mind a notion that he might calculate on a rivalship betwixt the sternness of a father, and the excessive indulgence of a mother. He ever considered us as one-expected an equal share of tender affection from both and was not, I trust, wholly disappointed.

We never employed the ordinary and vulgar method of FRIGHTENING him into obedience. Nothing but ignorance and weakness will resort to expedients, which produce in many, and even in some powerful, minds,

distressing associations which no future instructions or reasonings can totally dissolve; and which are, not unfrequently, the foundation of mental habits, which destroy the entire comfort of future life, lead to a madhouse, or terminate in suicide. Never to the moment of his entrance upon the unseen world, did he know the torment of a superstitious apprehension.

It was an essential part of our plan NEVER EITHER TO DECEIVE HIM, or to suffer him to be deceived. We carried this into every thing. One deception discovered by a child(and children are adepts at making such discoveries)—will ever shake that perfect confidence on which a parent has to calculate as the main assistant in a moral education. On this we rested a large share of our hope, and it never disappointed us. When about two years of age, he was afflicted with an inflammation of the lungs, which rendered respiration difficult. Incapable of transferring so precious a charge to other hands, we sat up with him, watched, wept and prayed over

him, as he lay dozing or restless. cessary he should take medicine.

It was neThis he re

fused, saying, "I can't, papa, it makes me sick." I answered, "My dear, it will make you sick; I know it is unpleasant; but it must be taken. You will be the better forit afterwards.” This reasoning making, as may be imagined, little impression, in opposition to his feelings, I deemed it necessary to add, in a tone perfectly understood, "Unpleasant as it is, you must and shall take it." As he never knew us promise or threaten in vain, the case was instantly decided: and he never, from that time, refused any draught, however nauseous. This saved us much future perplexity.

He was NEVER POINT BY IMPORTUNITY. We strove early to establish in his mind a conviction of our superior wisdom, and of a disposition to do every thing, which, in our judgment, could make him happy. "Do you not think we know what is best for you?" 'Yes.' "Do you

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not know that we love you too well to keep