DIFFICULTIES OF CHARACTER.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2088, 13 September 1875, Page 3

DIFFICULTIES OF CHARACTER.

Boys at Eugby in Arnold's time used to feel that they could not tell him a lie, he was himself so- frank and so fearless, and he never doubted them. '' hey knew that he not only ■ required truth from his pupils, but that his own life had no con- - cealment from them in it; nor were bis words mere formal pharses, meant-only to agree 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, placing his own life openly before him, and never deluding him 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 starting with strong denunciations against fasehood, and severe punishment for the first transgressions against veracity. This line of conduct may have the effect of only leading to a deeper cunning, in 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 temp« ta'tion to hide one lie by telling many more in its support. At the same time constant watchfulness will be required over the words of an untruthful child, and if these show appearance of equivocation, they ' must be taken up boldly at once. When a habit of secrecy and concealment has sprung up from a system of repression, it will be important 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, which has been adopted in self-defence against the injudicious attempts of older persons to pry into recesses of feeling and sacred reserves in a child, the better plan is to let the 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 a difficulty for some persons to understand the pain which it is to others to have to share their thoughts and fee*ling9 with those who may not perfectly understand them ; and that rough kind of questioning which insists in knowing all the little innocent reserves of a child's nature teaches deceit rathar than frankness. Whilst it will be found in most cases that children have acquired a habit of untruthfulness from a'want of care to the 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 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 an extent as' to become a species of disease. The stories of notorious impostors, who have for no purpose 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 be 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 at=v_ tempts to play on the trust and straightV/forward belief of a higher integrity should 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. —From Golden Hours.

ExTBACT FEOM A YoUNG LADY'S Diaby.—" What are these thoughts that surge across my heart and wildly palpitate in every crevice of my brain ? What is this strange longing after the unattainable ? Am I what I really seem, or. is it, as it were, not so much the infinitessimal as the unspeakable ? Let me be calm. I have re-read Don Juan to-day. Ah! alas \ will there erer be another Byron? May there not be somewhere coming towards me from the mist of the mountaintop or the flowers of the valley some such crowned youth who-—Here papa called out, ' If • you don't come down to dinner it will be postponed till to-morrow.' Coarse idea; I was obliged to go for many reasons." A PHILOBOPHEK _says :—"-Where the masculine person is not tremendously strong, is timid in his nature, and addicted to miscellaneous pleasures; and the female member of the firm is five feet nine- inches in height, addicted to having her own way, and very strong in the arm, I will not say that, for the man at least, marriage is a good thing. I do not believe it. I have had experience.