CULTURE AND TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 192, 2 August 1873, Page 2

CULTURE AND TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

TnK recently published work on the " Mental Culture and Training of a Child " will be sure to obtain an interest in the public mind, as it is by the author of " Counsel to a Mother on the Care of her Children." In this latter work Fye Henry Chavasse set forth such a large amount of information, and furnished advice so valuable, that what he hat to say on a subject to some extent kindred will be read with anticipations much in his favor. A few of the maxims Irom the new book are given below :—: —

chii/d's evening paktibs. What is the world coming to when children are made men nnd women of, when invitation! come to them addressed to Mr So-and-so," and " Miss Thing-a-me-thing," with an intimation on the card or note — " Coffee at 7," and " carriages to be ordered at 12 o'clock ; " with programmes of quadrilles, waltzei, &c, &c. Folly, folly, folly 1 If fathers and mothers choose to make fools of themselves, all well and good ; but let them spare their innocent little children from such insane practices, which must eventually lead to affectation and foppishness, to piggishness and puppyism, and which must contaminate — and that beyond remedy — their pure and innocent minds. It is quite time enough when they are really men and women to make love to each other ; but, when they are little better than babes and sucklings — faugh ! it is sickening and disgusting ! Snch parents to encourage such folly are more fit for lunatic asylums than to be at large! But are there then to be no children's parties! Certainly there are ; but let them be really children's parties; where they may romp, riot, laugh, dance, and shout to their heart's content — as little children do — playing at hunt-the-blipper, hide-and-seek, dancing and singing any nursery song, suiting " action to the word, and the word to the action ;" and where plain viands, fit for a child'& stomach, are provided, without the abominable and senseless custom of children drinking wine and other fiery fluids ; where they meet at 4 and leave no later than 8 o'clock, so that their usual sweet and refreshing sleep be not in any way interfered with. Suuh evening parties (not night parties) will do great good, and will make children very happy, and will not leave a sting behind them, as the present fashionable children's parties assuredly will do.

CHILDLIKE CHILD. | A child should bo * child — childlike. It is a disgusting sight to see, as wo often do, little children made men and women of, and instructed in worldly lore, in worldly policy, and in worldly wisdom. The time will come — alas ! too soon — when they will be no longer children, when the world's mildew will taint their pure minds and blot their spotless innocence. Tho evil day should be put off as long as possible, and not hastened on, as it now too frequently is. A manisli boy — a man before his time, one who gives himself the* aird and consequences of a man, who apes the man — is a melancholy object, a disgusting little creature, and is disagreeable to everyone connected with him.

CHOSS CHILD. When a child is unusually naughty and cross the chance* are that he is not well, and instead of punishing him bj keeping him at homo with his lessons, let him have a run and a romp out of doors, and, if possible, in the green fields. The exercise, fresh air, the sweetsmolling turf, and nmusement, wiJl generally drive away all irritability of temper, provided there be nothing seriously the matter with him j if there be anything the matter with him, medical aid should at once bo sought. If a child be cros3, ten to one his stomach is out of order ; for, if lie be well, it is not natural for him to be cross. A mother should look to it and see if she can find out tbe cause, and ascertain whether he has eaten anything that h«s disagreed with him. A mother should remember as a rule,, that the three best remedies for a cross child — whose illhumour is owing to a disordered stomach — are (1) c«re in diet, (2) fresh air, and (3) exercise — nature* physic! A good stomach and a good temper are usually inseparable friends not only in a child, but in every one besides ! If a child be cross, try and find out the cause, and theniapply the remedy ; but do not add fuel to the fire, by aggravating his crossness — by being cross yourself; if you do, " You rub the lore, When you should bring the plaster.' — Shakespeare.

DECEIVING A CHILD. Never deceit© your child ; if you onco do he will never believe you again ; and mischief will bo done, which year* will not repair. Some silly mothers promise their children anything and everything "to make, them good" (Heaven help the mark ! ) ; never meaning for one moment to fulfil their promise ; indeed, in some instances, it would be fully impossible for the nto do so ! Now all this is the quintessence of folly! Be cautious, then, in making promises to your ohild ; but, having once promised, perform it to the very letter, for a <r lilcl is quick in observing and remember* ing. Let your word to your child bo your bond. Let your child in after life be able to s.iy : *• Although the world has oft, my mother has never deceived mo ! " Verily, a truthful mother is a blessing to her child 1

IMPEBTINENCK. A child ought never to be allowed to be impertinent to his mother. If he be CTer inclined to be io it should be in- j stuntly checked. Ho should be taught to look upon hit mother as a superior being — as one that it would be a kind of sacrilege to say a saucy word to. A. child, then, mutt be made to reverence his mother. How true is the old saying that " familiarity breeds contempt ; " this old taw is particularly applicable in the relations of a, child towards his mother. I

====== : Rocks Akd Waves. — How grand the contrast of the delicate severe lightness of those sea-lines, with the vast solid mass which re«ts upon them ! Look, too, at the glaring lights and the Tartarean shadows of those gloomy chasms and caves, which the tide never leaves, or the foot of man explores ; and listen how, at every rush of the long groundswvll, mysterious mutter ings, solemn sights, suddeH thunders, as of a pent-up earthquake, boom out of them across the glassy swell. Look at those blasts of delicate vapour that shoot up from hidden rifts, and hang a moment, and vanish ; and those green columns of wave which rush mast high up the perpendicular walls, and then fall back and outwards in a waterfall of foam, facing the black rocks with a thousand snowy streams. There they fall, and leap, and fall again. And so they did yesterday, and the day before ; and so they did centuries ago, when the D&nes swept past thorn, battleworn and sad of heart for tha loss of the magic raven flag, from file fight of Applcdore, to sit down and starve on "the the island of Brailanrelice, which men call Flat Holms." Ay, and even so they leapt and fell, before a sail gleamed on the Severn Sea, when the shark and the iohthiosaur paddled beneath the shade of tropio foreats — now scanty turf and golden gorse. And so they will leap and fall on, on, through the centuries and the ages. — Canon Kingsley. Leoal Definition of Slander.— Mr Justice Johnston recently laid down a definition of slanncr and of the legal theory of " malice," in a very clear manner. His Honor's dictum was to the effect that " malice," as commonly understood in its moral meaning, is not necessarily taken into legal consideration. Malice always is, prima facie, assumed to prompt any wilfully false defamatory statement, and proof of the actual malicious feeling is not required. Secondly, that alleged slander can only be "justified " on one cr other of the following grounds : either that the statement oomplained of is true, or that the occasion on which it was uttered was one of thoro known to the law as " privileged occnsionH." As reckless charges are much too frequently made on little or no ground^ it is very desirable that the law on the subject should bo widely known and thoroughly understood. An editor of many years' exporieaco said not long since, that the man was yet unborn who could write a local item and be perfectly sure that nobody would be offended. People arc so sensitive, you know !