Lectures on female education and manners Author:John Burton Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LECTURE III. -or bid him mark the Sun Refulgent fhining ; or the Clouds diverfe; t Eve, the filver Moon, ciefcent, or full; And every Star whofe Radiance d... more »ecks the flcy. Dr. Dowmmah's Infaxct. I Proposed in my laft Lecture, to confider fome of thofc amiable qualities in Children, which not only attract the notice and efteem of grown Perfons, but which, if carefully, improved, would preferve the affection that is thus early acquired, and redound to their own benefit, in every future period of their lives. Thofe I have already mentioned are, Innocency of Manners, and Humility of .Behaviour. I now proceed to another, which is Docility. As foon as the faculties of the infant mind begin to open and expand themfelves, children are curious and inquifitive. The objects around them affecT: their fenfes, and induce them to aflf a variety of queftions. This difpofition naturally attache's us to them; and there is a mutual pleafure arifing from it. Thofe, to whom they apply for a folution of their doubts, arc delighted in obferving fo laudable a curiofity ; andand thefe, in their turn, are no lefs gratified with the information they receive. Ho'w much, then, does it concern thofe, who have the management and education of children, not to impofe on their unfufpecting credulity ! For it is at this period that they are ready to believe every thing they hear. It is at this critical age, that the ridiculous ftories of Ghofts, Apparitions and other fupernatural Prodigies are too generally told them ; by which means, they are often timid- and bigoted during the remainder of their lives. Whereas it is no lefs eafy to inftii the firft and leading Principles of Truth into their minds, than to corrupt them by the notions of fuperftition. Thus, for infta'nce, in- ftead of reprefenting ...« less