matter at all. Very probably he knows that it is wrong to take what is
not given him, but he does not regard helping himself to some dainty
from a cupboard as more than an act of disobedience to authority. He
may have imbibed no ideas which place the abstraction of money from a
purse belonging to his parents on a different plane, and which have
taught him to regard such an action as especially dishonourable and
criminal. Finally, a child who, undetected, has more than once taken
money belonging to his father and mother, may pass without much
thought to steal from a visitor or a servant. To deal with such a case
effectively, to ensure that it shall never happen again, requires much
insight. If the father, shocked beyond measure to find his son an
incipient criminal, differing in his guilt in no way from boys who are
sent to reformatories as bad characters, convinces the child that
although he did not realise it, he has shown himself unworthy of any
further trust, untold harm will be done. Almost certainly the child
will act in the future according to the suggestions which are thus
implanted in his mind. If the household eyes him askance as a thief,
if confidence is withdrawn from him, he sees himself as others see him
and will react to the suggestions by repeating the offence. The
seriousness of what he has done should be explained to him, and after
due punishment he must be restored completely and ostentatiously to
absolute trust. Only by showing confidence in him can we hope to do
away with the dangers of the whole incident. To inculcate good habits
and encourage good behaviour we must let the child build up his own
reputation for these virtues. It need not make him priggish or
self-satisfied if parents let him understand that they take pride in
seeing him practise and develop the virtue they aim at. For example,
it is desired above all that he should always speak the truth. Then
they must ostentatiously attach to him the reputation of truthfulness
and show their pride in his possessing it. If he falls from grace they