John Brown
Serson on the First Principle of Education
Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go, and Whe He Is Old,
He Will Not Depart From It
「1764」John Brown, “Sermon II. On the First Principles of Education. Prov. Chap. Xxii. Ver. 6. Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go, and Whe He Is Old, He Will Not Depart From It,” in Sermons on Various Subjects 「Google Books」 (London, 1764) 33-53.
The first and great leading Passion, which ought above all to be cherished, heightened, and confirmed, is that of Benevolence, Love, or Goodwill; not only to all Mankind, but even to the meanest Creatures that hath Life When this pleasing and delightful Passion hath once take Possession it will by it’s own Power strongly tend to regulate every other that can spring up in the hear. It is generally in ordinate and ill-judged Self-Love , that give Rise to the most flagrant Crimes. All Mankind naturally pursue their own Happiness; but thro’ a fundamental and fatal Defect in Education, they are seldom taught to regard the Happiness of others, as making any Part of their own. ON the contrary, one cannot but observe with Concern, that the first Lessons that Children are commonly taught, are such as tend to destroy the very Seeds of Benevolence and Goodwill.
The Three first and greatest Enemies to Benevolence, that commonly appear in Children, are Hardheartedness, Envy, and Revenge. The first of these may be said to be implanted; and the other two, instead of being checked, are encouraged and inflamed.
With regard to Hardheartedness, or a Want of Pity, this is often encouraged, if not implanted, in the Hearts of Children, by suffering them to excite the most unprovoked and wanton Cruelties on the innocent brute Creation. The Child begins these Acts of Cruelty without any Consciousness of giving Pain: He delights only in the Novelty of the Contortions and Cries of the suffering Creature: HE proceeds in this unmeaning Folly, without Rebuke, till at length the Practice of wantonly tormenting, becomes a strong and confirmed Habit of Amusement. It is then too late to convince him of his Error, by telling him the Creature suffers Pain: For his confirmed Habit hath now given him a Passion or Desire, which is probably too strong for the Pity which then riseth in Heart. (35-37)