DIFFICULTIES OF CHARACTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4559, 30 October 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

DIFFICULTIES OF CHARACTER.

(From Golden Hours.) Boys at Rugby in Arnold’s time used to feel that they could not tell him a lie, he was Mmself so frank and fearless, and he never doubted them. They knew that be not only required truth from his pupils, but that his own life had no concealment from them in it; nor were his words mere formal phrases, meant only to .vree with the role of the schoolmaster. A child will soon be ashamed of his own habit of duplicity, in association with a teacher who. treats him with confidence plaoinn- his own life openly before him, and never deluding' Mm with exaggerated statements or appeals to false motives. It is necessary to be careful in dealing with a character in which the habit of untruthfulness has been acquired, not to attempt its cure by stalling with strong denunciations against falsehood, and severe punishment for the first transgressions against veracity. This line of conduct may have the effect of only leading to a deeper cunning, iu order to conceal the hold which deceit has over the character. It is not easy at once to break off a habit of false speaking, and we must guard against leading into temptation' to hide one lie by telling many more in its support. At the same tune constant watchfulness will be required over the words of au untruthful child, and if theso show appearance of equivocation, they must be taken up boldly at once. When a habit of secrecy and concealment has sprung up fiom a system of repression, it will be to encourage the natural expression of feeling and thought by sympathy and interest; but if the reserve be that mere natural closing of the character and conduct wMcb has been adopted in self defence against the injudicious attempts of older persons to pry into recesses of feeling and sacred reserves iu a child, the better plan is to let a child feel at once that all his rights will be delicately guarded, and no intrusion permitted into anything he does not prefer to unveil. It is difficult for some persons to understand the pain which it is to others to have to share their thoughts and feelings with those who may not perfectly understand them ; and that rough land of questioning which insists on knowing all the little innocent reserves of a child’s nature, teaches deceit rather than frankness. Whilst it will he found in most cases that children have acquired a habit of untruthfulnesa from a want of care ■to their early teaching, yet there are some few characters in whom there seems to be a natural tendency to ‘ delight in practising deception on others. To find that they have the power of deluding those around them seems to afford a certain gratification to them, and they will set their invention to work for the mere purpose of mystifying or deceiving more truthful, and therefore more credulous natures. The slightest indications of such a tendency should at once rouse the watchful concern of those who have the care of children, for it may soon be indulged to such au extent to become a species of disease. The stories of notorious impostors, who have for no purpose 1 but a love of deluding others, carried on systems of fraud, the practices of very many, to say the least, of what are called “ spiritualistic mediums,” all show what a powerful passion this tendency to impose on others may become by frequent indulgence. Where this morbid impulse appears in any form in a child, it should be taken up at once with great decision and ..thoroughly-exposed ; it...will_ bo necessary also to guard most carefully against being deluded at any time, even to the length of appearing distrustful and suspicious in such cases. For nothing so excites and strengthens the tendency to imposition as any success. In cases of this kind untruth should be severely punished, and the meanness and disgrace of such attempts to play on the trust and straightforward belief of a higher integrity should be. strongly shown in its true dishonor. In order to avoid in every way the practice of this most dangerous tendency, it is better to prevent among the children the habit of playing practical jokes, because though the deception itself may appear harmless and momentary, yet the enjoyment generally arises from the completeness of the delusion, and is thus founded on the same skilful play upon credulity.