atmosphere of calm and freedom. After a year the habit
disappeared by itself, only because it always met with deep
astonishment."

This makes me, in passing, note one of the other many mistakes
of education, viz., the infinite trouble taken in trying to do
away with a fault which disappears by itself. People take
infinite pains to teach small children to speak distinctly who,
if left to themselves, would learn it by themselves, provided
they were always spoken to distinctly. This same principle
holds good of numerous other things, in children's attitude and
behaviour, that can be left simply to a good example and to
time. One's influence should be used in impressing upon the
child habits for which a foundation must be laid at the very
beginning of his life.

There is another still more unfortunate mistake, the mistake of
correcting and judging by an external effect produced by the
act, by the scandal it occasions in the environment. Children
are struck for using oaths and improper words the meaning of
which they do not understand; or if they do understand, the
result of strictness is only that they go on keeping silence in
matters in which sincerity towards those who are bringing them
up is of the highest importance. The very thing the child is
allowed to do uncorrected at home, is not seldom corrected if
it happens away from home. So the child gets a false idea that
it is not the thing that deserves punishment, but its
publicity. When a mother is ashamed of the bad behaviour of her
son she is apt to strike him--instead of striking her own
breast! When an adventurous feat fails he is beaten, but he is